Admiring unsurpassed European art is now an experience at the MET, following a massive 5-year renovation of its galleries dedicated to European painting.
The MET is now offering a more immersive tour of its collection of paintings by European masters. With better lighting, walls painted in contrasting colors, and a new arrangement of masterpieces, the tour is more like an experience.
All of this remarkable transformation at the MET is the product of a five-year renovation of its European painting galleries, one of the most ambitious projects in the museum’s recent history.
Situated at the top of the iconic Grand Staircase, this restoration enhances one of the institution’s most prestigious spaces, bringing new life to a vast collection of masterpieces.
The project’s most significant structural improvement involved replacing 30,000 square feet of skylights for the first time since the Truman administration. This upgrade not only modernizes the infrastructure but also dramatically improves the lighting conditions, ensuring that each artwork is displayed under optimal illumination.
The renovations were carried out in two distinct phases, allowing visitors to experience some of the changes as early as 2020 when a fraction of the galleries was temporarily opened to showcase the museum’s new lighting system.
However, the full-scale transformation was unveiled in 2023, introducing expanded gallery spaces, enhanced sightlines, and newly painted walls in deep shades of purple and blue, which provide a striking contrast to the art. In addition to these aesthetic upgrades, the museum took the opportunity to completely reorganize the way its European paintings collection is presented, offering a fresh and more immersive experience for visitors.
Traditionally, the MET arranged its European paintings by national schools, grouping all Italian works in one section and all Dutch works in another.
This long-standing method has now been replaced by a chronological presentation that guides visitors through a historical journey, beginning with the early Renaissance in central Italy and concluding with 19th-century masterpieces from France and Spain.
This new arrangement allows for a more fluid exploration of artistic evolution, illustrating the influences and exchanges between different regions and periods.
The reimagined galleries lead visitors across artistic movements, incorporating both classic and modern elements. Highlights of the renovation include the incorporation of newly acquired works, particularly by female artists from the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the meticulous restoration of iconic pieces such as Rembrandt’s Aristotle with a Bust of Homer, which now radiates renewed brilliance.
In a bold curatorial move, the museum has also integrated select sculptures and decorative arts, creating deeper connections between different artistic media and historical contexts.
By adopting this new approach, the MET enriches its already world-renowned collection, featuring masterpieces by celebrated artists like Jan van Eyck, Caravaggio, and Poussin. It also houses the most extensive collection of 17th-century Dutch paintings in the Western Hemisphere, as well as unparalleled holdings of El Greco and Goya outside of Spain.
Additionally, the museum has introduced narratives exploring themes of class, gender, race, and the influence of European art on regions such as New Spain and the Viceroyalty of Peru. This renovation underscores the MET’s commitment to not only preserving its legacy but also making art history more dynamic and inclusive for future generations.
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