June 17, 2009

Discovering Our Cultural Heritage at the MET

Graziella, by Jules-Joseph Lefebvre
For anyone interested in his or her Southern Italian heritage I highly recommend a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is one of the premier art institutions in the country and houses some of the most incredible works of Western art, including a nice collection from Southern Italy. The MET's permanent galleries are vastly superior to the periodic exhibits held at smaller venues, which usually focus on athletes, politicians, organized criminals or other vapid individuals with little or no attention paid to our true heritage and cultural contributions. 
As our people continue to leave the city in droves for the greener pastures of small town USA, it becomes more and more difficult to enjoy our culture and each other’s company. The declining attendance and enthusiasm for our traditional feasts and festivals and the marring of the few remaining ones with consumer pop culture clearly attest to this phenomenon. It also spotlights the importance of institutions like the MET.

I admit there is no substitution for the real thing. Nothing compares to the Amalfi Coast or the Valley of Temples, but apart from visiting the Mezzogiorno itself, the next best way to enjoy the treasures of our ancestral homeland (here in New York City) is to visit the MET.

While fine examples of the prodigious art and civilization from Southern Italy is on display, there is no doubt that the antiquities of Magna Graecia are it's primary attractions. The scope of the other periods and genres is smaller by comparison, but still worth the trip. Highlights include paintings by Luca Giordano, Salvator Rosa and Mattia Preti. There are also some fantastic depictions of the Mezzogiorno by foreign artists, including the enchanting Neapolitan fisherman's daughter, Graziella, by Jules-Joseph Lefebvre.

During the Christmas season don’t miss the museum’s annual presentation of Neapolitan baroque tableau. The crèche, or presepe (Nativity scene), is a Neapolitan forte that developed into an earnest art form in the eighteenth century.

Museum hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday—Thursday: 9:30 am—5:30 pm
Friday and Saturday: 9:30 am—9:00 pm
Sunday: 9:30 am—5:30 pm

Address
1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street
New York, NY 10028-0198
Info: 212-535-7710
TTY: 212-570-3828

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