“All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me” by Patrick Bringley
Johannes Vermeer 1665-1667
I found this book and didn’t know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book charts the journey of the the author after he experienced the loss of his brother, due to cancer. He then took a job as a security guard at the Met Museum and worked there for 10 years. His views on the interactions of the museum-goers and the inner workings of the museum/operations logistics pulled back the curtain and made you see it indifferent light, in a good way. If you’ve ever wondered what a day in the life of a security guard at the Met would be like, (and I have), this book is for you.
He had great admiration and respect for his brother and devotes the first part of the book talking about their life together and leading up to his unfortunate battle with cancer. As a family, they had visited the Met many times growing up and he always admired the museum and spending time with his mother and brother here. The author then goes on to talk about when he first was hired by the Met, what the shifts were like, people watching, how the museum events/functions played out. He also talks about all kinds of art he experienced during his shifts, people’s reactions to them, and everything in between. The author is very observant of his surroundings and his anecdotes about his co-workers, patrons, the art hung on the walls, and everything else are worth the read alone. This is a great read and I would recommend i! It makes me want to go back to the Met again! The experience of visiting the Metropolitan is something you’ll never forget and I’m grateful I was able to experience it.
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Copyright 2024 Tim Bovey.
Rembrandt Van Rijn 1660
Edgar Degas 1874