At lengthy final, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has posted a job listing for its new Head of Provenance Research place. The museum introduced the position in May in the wake of elevated scrutiny — and regulation enforcement seizures — of works in its 1.5 million-object assortment.
A number of weeks earlier than The Met’s announcement this spring, a ProPublica report alleged incomplete provenance histories for 85% of the 139 objects in the museum’s prized Charles and Valerie Diker assortment of Native American artwork. A month earlier than that, an International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) story discovered that greater than 1,000 objects in The Met’s assortment have been linked to accused or convicted antiquities smugglers. The new workers member might be joined by three further provenance researchers, though the museum has but to submit these listings.
Delving into the difficult histories of The Met’s huge holdings will undoubtedly show a tall order. According to the job posting, candidates ought to have 10 years of expertise in provenance analysis and a Master’s diploma or a PhD in an artwork historic discipline “relevant to this work” or a “related field,” reminiscent of regulation. Additional conditions are broad: The new rent ought to perceive how the artwork market influences the discipline, be accustomed to sources reminiscent of archives, and have a longtime community of contacts. The candidate also needs to have “significant experience” with assortment practices, whether or not from work at a museum or one other sort of group. The new workers member will earn between $140,00o and $160,000.
The Met has not disclosed an meant begin date, however as soon as employed, the Head of Provenance Research will coordinate all inquiries into objects that may have Nazi-era provenance or represent cultural property. They will begin their work with the Ancient Americas division; The Met is at present renovating that part of the museum as half of a bigger initiative to create new galleries for the African Art, Ancient American Art, and Oceanic Art departments.
The new rent, who will report immediately to Met Director Max Hollein, may also function considerably of a figurehead, attending conferences and seminars, “driving communication” of provenance data on the museum’s web site, and influencing The Met’s “outward-looking provenance efforts,” reminiscent of lectures. The workers member may also be concerned in coaching curators and assortment managers in the “care and evaluation” of cultural property.
While this yr’s studies from ProPublica and ICIJ drew further consideration to the murky histories of some of the artworks at The Met, repatriations and seizures of objects at the museum have been occurring for years. In 2022, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office seized 5 Ancient Egyptian objects, a Sixth-century Hindu statue, and 21 Ancient Greek and Roman artifacts. This spring, The Met introduced it will repatriate 15 objects to India: Those works have been linked to infamous smuggler Subhash Kapoor, who trafficked greater than $143 million value of artwork earlier than he was sentenced to 10 years in jail final yr.
“The Head of Provenance Research will lead efforts across The Met’s collection areas, building on decades of research and the ongoing work of The Met’s curators, scholars, and provenance researchers,” Hollien informed Hyperallergic in a press release. “Art museums such as The Met steward important resources of world heritage, and we are committed to undertaking this work so that The Met can continue to be a leader in the field for both our current generation and many more to come.”
