Masterpieces at the Met: Paintings of People and Their Stuff
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

In the last few years, many people have devoted much thought and attention to their Zoom background. This is not a new phenomenon. Portrait sitters over the centuries have chosen to be portrayed with their stuff. Seeking to present or even memorialize themselves in a certain way, sitters might include their study, workshop, throne room, spouse, servant, or perhaps even their dog. They might dress in particular clothing, accompanied by tea sets, art collections, or professional paraphernalia. This course will use close looking to examine specific paintings from the Lehman, Havemeyer, and other European painting collections at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Thinking as much about the setting as about the sitter, we will discover what we can learn about the past--and the present--from such paintings. We will also explore what we know about how the portraits later came to be acquired by major collectors and subsequent donors to the museum.