joe phelan

Philippe De Montebello, Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art did the Charlie Rose Show last night.

Montebello is frequently called the anti-Thomas Krens or Thomas Hoving (his predecessor at the Met) i, e. the man who returned the museum to its mission of acquainting the public with the "best" that has been made and produced in the world and "thus with the history of the human spirit" (to paraphrase Matthew Arnold as Montebello's supporters like to do)

Last night's interview was mainly an account of the Met's decision to return to Italy a priceless ancient Greek vase which it has owned for thirty years. The vase is the Euphronious Crater viewable here at http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_of_Ar...2.11.10&dep=13
Interesting sideline: the crater was acquired by Hoving during the four year period when Montebello was working at another museum.

Good news if you missed the episode. You can watch it for free today or download it for 99 cents starting tomorrow at the Charlie Rose website

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...Cha rlie_Rose