Ancient CyprusAncient Cyprus

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art

New York, United States

Museum in New York. 86 people in the register connected with it.

The Cypriot collection

The Cesnola Collection: about 6,000 objects remained after the 1928 sale (Karageorghis 1998); Karageorghis 2001 gives 'the remaining 5500 items' after about 1,200-object selection in four permanent galleries opened April 2000. The Museum describes it as the richest representation of Cypriot antiquities outside Cyprus (director's foreword, 2000). (2001)

Karageorghis 1998Karageorghis 2001

History

  1. December 1872
    On the advice of trustee W. T. Blodgett, who had seen the Feuardent exhibition of Cesnola's antiquities in London in autumn-winter 1872, the Trustees decide to buy Cesnola's first collection. Trustee John Taylor Johnston advances the funds; the purchase becomes definitive in May 1874.

    Luigi Palma di CesnolaWilliam T. BlodgettJohn Taylor JohnstonGaston Louis FeuardentMasson 1996

  2. 1874
    Cesnola Collection registered as 'The Cesnola Collection, purchased by subscription, 1874-1876', accession series 74.51.0001 onward; the date 1874 is nominal because the second collection was added later.

    Luigi Palma di CesnolaMasson 1996

  3. November 1876
    Purchase of Cesnola's 'second collection' (assembled 1874-76) decided by the Trustees; one source gives 60,000 dollars. Later registered in the same 74.51 series.

    Luigi Palma di CesnolaMasson 1996

  4. 1877
    Cesnola becomes Secretary of the Museum in May 1877 and Director in May 1879; he remains until his death in November 1904.

    Luigi Palma di CesnolaMasson 1996

  5. April 1880
    The Cypriot objects fill the main hall when the Fifth Avenue building opens in April 1880; early attendance is low.

    Knoblauch 2019, p. 4

  6. 1880
    Gaston Feuardent publishes charges (Art Amateur, August and October 1880) that Cesnola had improperly restored and altered objects in the Cesnola Collection, including through the restorer Balliard. The Museum's Trustees hold an inquiry about five months later, which the Art Amateur calls a farce.

    Gaston Louis FeuardentLuigi Palma di CesnolaCharles BalliardThe Feuardent-Cesnola Trial 1883, p. 23

  7. 1883–1884
    Feuardent v. Cesnola libel action, US Circuit Court (Judge Shipman), opens 31 October 1883 (Feuardent claimed 25,000 dollars; Choate for Cesnola). Marangou reports a jury verdict that rejected all of Feuardent's accusations as malicious and without foundation. The Art Amateur and the American Numismatic Society backed Feuardent; the Society's file records the dispute.

    Gaston Louis FeuardentLuigi Palma di CesnolaCharles BalliardCharles HenkelGeorge C. CoxThe Feuardent-Cesnola Trial 1883, p. 23Marangou 2000Feuardent and Cesnola, 1881-1897… 1881-1897

  8. 1885–1903
    Cesnola's A Descriptive Atlas of the Cesnola Collection of Cypriote Antiquities published in several volumes of photographic plates, with Isaac H. Hall assisting, especially on the inscriptions volume.

    Luigi Palma di CesnolaIsaac Holister HallMasson 1996

  9. 1896
    Sale of about 5,000 'duplicates' of the Cesnola Collection to Leland Stanford for the Stanford University Museum, during Cesnola's directorship; many pieces were destroyed or damaged in the 1906 earthquake.

    Leland StanfordMasson 1996Barker & Merrillees 2017

  10. 1909–1914
    J. L. Myres surveys and cleans the collection in 1909-1910 and publishes the Handbook of the Cesnola Collection (1914), numbering objects 1-5985; Gisela Richter helps with the bronzes and Richard Meister's notes on the inscriptions are supplied by his son Ludwig.

    John Linton MyresGisela Marie Augusta RichterLudwig MeisterMasson 1996

  11. 1911
    Exchange of duplicate vases with the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.

    Sir Arthur John EvansMasson 1996

  12. 1913
    Purchase on the art market of four silver spoons attributed to the first Lambousa treasure (most of which is in the British Museum).

    Merrillees 2009

  13. 1917
    J. P. Morgan Jr. gives the Museum the 'Morgan Hoard' of the second Lambousa treasure (silver, Byzantine, Kyrenia area).

    J. P. Morgan Jr.Rorimer & Forsyth 1954Leader 2000, p. 407

  14. 1925–1927
    Sales of Cesnola Collection pieces to private buyers and institutions in 1925-1927, including 23 objects (about 290.70 dollars) to W. J. Woodhouse for the Nicholson Museum, arranged through Ruth Gebhard, Gisela Richter and Secretary H. W. Kent.

    William John WoodhouseRuth H. GebhardGisela Marie Augusta RichterH. W. KentMasson 1996Barker & Merrillees 2017

  15. March–April 1928
    Deaccession and auction of Cesnola duplicates at the Anderson Galleries, New York (March-April 1928; 965 lots in two catalogues; preface by Museum president R. W. de Forest). John Ringling buys about 2,300 items for 56,000 dollars on 31 March; other buyers include F. W. Collins (five temple boys, later Roanoke), Genthe, Plimpton and Bernard. Karageorghis counts about 2,900 objects sold in all.

    John RinglingRobert Weeks de ForestMitchell KennerleyArnold GentheJ. A. PlimptonJ. (or G.) BernardMasson 1996Karageorghis 2001Galleries 1928

  16. 1941
    W. Gedney Beatty bequest includes Cypriot limestone heads (41.160.411, .412, .414 and others).

    W. Gedney BeattyArt 2026

  17. 1952
    Purchase from Fahim Kouchakji of a silver plate (52.25.2) associated with the Lambousa treasures; see Merrillees on the dealer's role.

    Fahim KouchakjiMerrillees 2009

  18. 1997
    Vassos Karageorghis appointed consultant for the reinstallation of the Cesnola Collection, working with Joan Mertens, Curator of Greek and Roman Art; about 1,200 objects selected for four permanent galleries.

    Vassos KarageorghisJoan R. MertensKarageorghis 1998

  19. April 2000
    Four permanent Cypriot galleries open on the second floor, one (Classical period) endowed by the Leventis Foundation; catalogue Ancient Art from Cyprus: The Cesnola Collection (2000, about 500 objects).

    Vassos KarageorghisJoan R. MertensKarageorghis 2001Karageorghis 1998Karageorghis et al. 2000, p. 8

  20. 2020
    Bequest of Nanette B. Kelekian, including Cypriot limestone heads and a terracotta horse (2021.40.x); earlier gift of Cypriot seals in 1999 (1999.325.x).

    Nanette B. KelekianArt 2026

People

86 people

Staff and members · 50

  • Samuel Putnam Averytrustee (1884–1884) · trusteeMarangou 20001870–1884
  • William Cowper Primetrustee; elected first vice-president 1874 (Wikipedia)1870
  • Robert Hoetrustee1871
  • Thomas Blandassistant secretary1871
  • Russell Sturgistrustee and member of the Executive Committee; volunteered to superintend alterations to the hired Douglas mansion, West 14th Street, as the museum's home1872
  • Theodore Gehlenrepairer/restorer in the employ of the Museum Association; workshop in the basement of the Fourteenth Street building · worked for it1872–1875
  • William T. Blodgetttrustee (1872–1872) · trusteeMasson 19961872
  • Charles Henkelhelper, watchman and attendant (Fourteenth Street museum and Central Park building) · worked for it1873–1882
  • Henry G. HutchinsAssistant Superintendent (his testimony); styled 'curator' by Hall (1874)1873
  • Mr. North'the first man who worked on the collection', glueing and plastering many pieces together (Henkel's testimony)1873
  • Pachphotographer of the Cesnola collection at the Fourteenth Street rooms1874
  • Rooseveltco-signatory of the 1876 telegram (Marangou calls the signatories trustees only for Hoe)1876
  • Dickson B. Alleynight watchman, then in charge of the department of curios (gold, jewels, bronzes); watchman and seller of photographs and catalogue at the door at the Central Park building; photographic printer by trade · worked for it1877–1882
  • Alexander D. Savagestaff (c. 1879 – December 1881) · First Assistant Director; in charge of the Cypriot antiquities and the potteriesThe Feuardent-Cesnola Trial 1883, p. 231879
  • Charles Balliardstaff (c. 1880–1909) · restorer of the Cesnola Collection (sculptures, bronzes, Athienou sarcophagus) · worked for itThe Feuardent-Cesnola Trial 1883, p. 231880–1909
  • Charles Patrick Dalymember of the Trustees' inquiry committee into the Cesnola restoration charges1880
  • Frederick A. P. Barnardhead of the trustees' committee of inquiry1880
  • George C. Coxphotographer taking pictures at the museum (for the authorities and for Osgood & Co.) · worked for it1880–1884
  • John Quincy Adams Wardmember of the 1880-81 investigating committee; Marangou calls him a trustee (the Art Amateur and The Sun call him only the sculptor)1880
  • Joseph H. Choateother (1883–1883) · member of the museum's committee; museum lawyerThe Feuardent-Cesnola Trial 1883, p. 231880
  • George Gibsonengraver of finds for the 1882 booklet (commissioned by Cesnola)1882
  • Hiram Hitchcocktrustee1885–1892
  • Isaac Holister Hallcurator (1886–1896) · curator of the Cypriot sculptures · worked for itMasson 19961886–1896
  • Cicognarestorer of the plaster lid of a Cesnola sarcophagus1902
26 more

Fieldwork · 1

  • Luigi Palma di Cesnoladirector (May 1879 – November 1904) · seller (1872–1876) · Secretary, then first Director (appointed 15 May 1879, on his insistence for life) · dug for it · sold objects · worked for itMasson 1996Masson 19961872–1904

Donors and lenders · 14

Sellers and consignors · 4

Buyers · 9

Others connected · 8

Objects

On Ancient Cyprus

42 pages

Sources

  1. 1.Olivier Masson (1996). “La dispersion des antiquités chypriotes: les deux collections Cesnola”. Cahiers du Centre d'Études Chypriotes 25, 3-32. Online
  2. 2.V. Karageorghis (1998). “Cypriote Antiquities in Foreign Museums”. Cahiers du Centre d'Études Chypriotes 28, 118-119.
  3. 3.V. Karageorghis (2001). “The Cypriote collection in the Ringling Museum, Sarasota (Florida)”. Cahiers du Centre d'Études Chypriotes 31.
  4. 4.V. Karageorghis, J. R. Mertens, M. E. Rose (2000). Ancient Art from Cyprus: The Cesnola Collection in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art.
  5. 5.A. G. Marangou (ed.) (2000). The Consul Luigi Palma di Cesnola 1832-1904: Life and Deeds.
  6. 6. (1883). “The Feuardent-Cesnola Trial”. The Art Amateur 10, 23-24. Online
  7. 7. (1881-1897). “Feuardent and Cesnola, 1881-1897 (ANS Early Correspondence 1858-1908)”. American Numismatic Society. Online
  8. 8.Anderson Galleries (1928). Cypriote & Classical Antiquities: Duplicates of the Cesnola & Other Collections, Part One (sale number 2253, New York, 30-31 March 1928). New York, Anderson Galleries. Online
  9. 9.Craig Barker, Robert S. Merrillees (2017). “Cypriot Antiquities from the Cesnola Collections in the Nicholson Museum at the University of Sydney”. Mediterranean Archaeology 30, 51-71.
  10. 10.R. S. Merrillees (2009). “The modern history of the first Lambousa treasure of Byzantine silverware from Cyprus”. The Antiquaries Journal 89, 389-403. Online
  11. 11.James J. Rorimer, William H. Forsyth (1954). “The Medieval Galleries”. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, New Series 12, 121-144. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Online
  12. 12.Ruth E. Leader (2000). “The David Plates Revisited: Transforming the Secular in Early Byzantium”. The Art Bulletin 82, 407-427. College Art Association. Online
  13. 13.Ann-Marie Knoblauch (2019). “The Mainstream Media and the "Shocking Bad Art" from Cyprus: 1870s New York Reacts to the Cesnola Collections”.
  14. 14.Metropolitan Museum of Art (2026). Online collection records, accession numbers as cited.