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The Re-Opening of the McKim
Building
(McKim
Restoration Web Page)
At
The Morgan Library & Museum
(The Morgan
Website)
(The Morgan
Shop)
225 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212.685.0008
Press: Lillian Goldenthal, Ruder Finn A&CC
Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower
October 21, 2010
(Assisted by Morgan Library & Museum Press Notes).
I was thrilled to attend The Morgan Library & Museum’s re-opening
of the McKim building and to be part of a press preview
of the extraordinary restoration of its expansive rotunda,
study, library, bookshelves, wall coverings, chandeliers,
and glass cases for original manuscripts, art works, seals,
rare objects, and massive book collections. The
architectural firm, McKim, Mead, and White, had designed
the original spaces for Pierpont Morgan, the renowned financier,
in 1903, to be used as private studies and a library. The
exterior of this building (which was expanded in 1928),
which adorns lower Madison Avenue, is sheer white marble,
with very few windows. The current interior restoration
cost $4.5 million, but only began this June 2010. In 2006,
Renzo Piano, the go-to architect of late (designed the New
York Times building), expanded and renovated much of the
Morgan with tall glass walls, among other fine additions.
During this McKim building restoration project, the Morgan
remained open and operating.
The press arrived in such numbers today, that we were divided
into tour groups, with various Morgan executives leading
each group. My group was led by the very impassioned William
M. Griswold, Director of the Morgan. Other staff on hand
included Jennifer Tonkovich, Curator of Drawings & Prints,
and additional Curators. Today marked the beginning of a
week of special events, for patrons, members, the NY arts
community, and the Morgan enthusiasts. This restoration
is not only a celebration of the original architectural
genius of Charles Follen McKim, but a recognition
of the
aesthetic savvy, driven passions, and classical intelligence
of John Pierpont Morgan, giant among American financiers,
who was instrumental in forming the General Electric Company
and US Steel Corporation, no small feat. Among the highlights
of the McKim restoration are brand new lighting to enhance
murals, wall coverings, and fireplaces, the public debut
of the North Room, new exhibition cases, to allow the public
to view larger portions of the collections, restored light
fixtures and furniture, new wall coverings to replicate
originals, scrubbed walls, and polished flooring.
Four spaces occupied our tour, plus one serendipitous addition
at the end. The Library (East Room) has a new late 19th
century Persian rug (similar to an original) and a new lighting
system, that brightens the ceiling murals, painted by Henry
Siddons Mowbray, featuring signs of the zodiac and the likes
of Socrates and Galileo. Non-reflective Plexiglas now helps
visitors read the titles of the Morgan’s rare books. The
pendant chandelier is rehung and restored, and now over
100 works will rotate in the East Room displays, such as
Manuscripts of Balzac, Mozart, Calder, and Robert Schumann.
An early edition of The Canterbury Tales and Lewis
Carroll’s first edition of Through the Looking Glass
are also on view in this gorgeous room.
The Study (West Room) is filled with furnishings evocative
of the Renaissance, such as a Florentine wooden ceiling,
silk damask wall coverings in bright red, inspired by a
Roman Palace, and stained glass window ornamentations. In
the early 1900’s, Pierpont Morgan used his study for business
and correspondence. Now the study proudly showcases works
the public has never seen, such as the 1530 Verrazano globe,
a bronze St. John the Baptist, and paintings by Tintoretto
and Perugino. Morgan’s personal vault is also now visible,
with leather boxes filled with rare books and manuscripts.
The North Room, originally used as an office by Morgan’s
first director, Bella da Costa Greene, now features medieval
artifacts and Roman, Near Eastern, and Greek objects. Bookshelves
have been transformed into display cabinets for Ancient
Near Eastern cylinder seals from 3500 BC. The pictures engraved
on the seals are tiny and precise. Clay tablets, a stone
tablet, Roman silver cups, jeweled objects, a jeweled book
binding, and restored chandeliers magnify the grandeur of
this elegant, esoteric room. Entering the Rotunda, the fourth
restored space, is like entering a Florentine Chapel. Mowbray
painted the monumental ceiling, depicting literary greats,
like Dante and Homer, while adding classically evocative
ornamentations. The Rotunda’s marble and mosaic panels are
newly restored, and the lighting is now designed to mimic
natural sunlight. New display cases house letters of Jefferson
and Lincoln, a life mask of Washington, the Declaration
of Independence, and the first Bible to be printed in America.
Students from Mannes College The New School for Music softly
serenaded the Press. The serendipitous addition to the end
of Mr. Griswold’s tour was a rare glimpse of one of (yes,
one of) Pierpont Morgan’s secret staircases. I had personally
seen one of these years ago, and, on my request, Mr. Griswold
pushed a secret button or latch, and a wall of bookshelves
opened onto a full wooden staircase behind the Library walls.
One can only imagine the purpose or intent of the staircases’
creation. The team behind this monumental restoration at
the Morgan deserves kudos and awe. Exhibition design is
by Stephen Saitas Designs, lighting design is by Renfro
Design Group, Inc., and the architect of record is Beyer
Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP. Kudos to Charles
Follen McKim, kudos to the entire restoration team within
and outside the Morgan, and kudos to John Pierpont Morgan.
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
William M. Griswold, Morgan Director,
Greets the Press
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Opening Remarks.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
East Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Rare Manuscript.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
East Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
East Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
East Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Rare Mozart Manuscript.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
East Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
East Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Rare Gutenberg Bible.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
East Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Treasures of The Morgan.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Treasures of The Morgan.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
North Room Views.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Treasures of The Morgan.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Treasures of The Morgan.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
West Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
West Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Treasures of The Morgan.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
West Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
West Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
JP Morgan's Desk.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Treasures of The Morgan.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
West Room View.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Declaration of Independence.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Rotunda Mural.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
George Washington Plaster Cast.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
JP Morgan's Secret Staircase.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
William M. Griswold, Morgan Director.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
William M. Griswold, Morgan Director.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Mannes College The New School for Music
Students Entertain
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
The Morgan Library & Museum
Re-Opening of the Landmark McKim Building.
Renzo Piano Architecture.
Photo Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
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