Reported by Selina Lum

On this Saturday, as a part of the Met’s European Paintings Skylights project, 24 pieces of so patiently and expertly cared-for additions are coming into museum-goers’ eyesight. These two dozens collectively are considered as a historic and transforming gift to the Skylights project. Rich in objects of the kind from the Baroque Era Italian art through the classical mythology and into the 18th-century French oil sketches. 

The opening of the refined collection will allow viewers to reimagine antiqued masterpieces in a new light—the Skylights. The skylights that let in natural overhead light into the exhibitions for ideal viewing of the collection will be supplanted, in the thoughtful arrangement to overhaul and make strides in the quality of light within the galleries and resolve fundamental and requisite care and upkeep issues. This momentous project—a turning point within the history of the department—will be carried out in Two Phases over the following four and a half calendar year. Anticipate seeing gallery closures and migration of works of master craftsmanship from one gallery to another. Of requirement, fewer pictures will be on layout and not entirely where you might anticipate to locate them, but rest ensured that each attempt will be made to keep the Met’s most celebrated and renowned treasures brought to light all through this long-drawn-out period.

Upon the finish of his distinguished and epoch-making skylights construction, this infrastructure welcomes improved natural light quality and ideal viewing conditions in the European Paintings galleries in the years ahead. The natural light shines upon the Old Masters collections would infuse them with a vibrant, contemporary resonance. Landscapes with royal castles, and brooding deep-eyed portraits – the new dozens of galleries for Old Masters collections have been rekindled and fortified with meaningful new arrangements, thematic contexts, and the addition of vigorous and bubbly dialogues with sculptures and decorative arts. 

More than 20 of the Met’s galleries dedicated to European Old Master paintings will reopen on December 12 (today), after two years of renovations that replaced the Skylights in one of the museum’s oldest sections -the curatorial department of European Paintings.

For more information, please visit: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2020/a-new-look-at-old-masters