Wellesley art department lecturer to Davis Museum: Give me back my art
Eleanor P. DeLorme, a senior lecturer in the Art Department and adjunct curator for the Davis Museum and Cultural Center at Wellesley College, called today with her response to the Leger story. She said she wants the museum to return three works she donated to it years ago. These are a pair of portes-torchères by Georges Jacob (c. 1790), cabinetmaker to the stars (Louis XV1 and Marie-Antoinette), and also a large Chinese scroll painting (c.1600).
“It’s a bad place to give any art objects to, and I want all of them back," said DeLorme.
She's particularly upset that one of the portes-torchères was damaged, though later repaired.
"They had some goon who didn’t know what he was doing move the portes-torcheres and broke the leg off [one]," DeLorme said. "They had been intact since about 1789 and I knew nothing about it until one day I was over in special collections and the students said 'you’d be interested in this, Professor DeLorme, because of this a report I’m doing on one of the pieces.''"
DeLorme, who has taught at Wellesley since 1984, stopped short of calling for Davis director David Mickenberg's resignation. But she did say:
"I don’t think he is the proper person. I know many directors and I have some very good friends at the MET and MOMA and know people in the field and I don’t know of anyone who is really excited about his directorship in any way."
I contacted Mickenberg, Davis Marketing Manager Barbara Levitov, and Wellesley College Director of Communications Arlie Corday. None of them responded.
I wonder if she also wants to rescind the tax deduction that she (probably) took when she donated the objets d'art, and pay the difference, plus interest, to the IRS ....
you can't take back art that has been donated. i'm surprised this writer made no mention of that. this professor is clearly off of her rocker to even suggest such a thing.
If you give something away you don't own it anymore. She doesn't own those works.
I'm disappointed that such a good newspaper would print this type of article. I would bet that this incident is not what is being implied. Clearly someone would be at fault if the item was thrown out but also clearly if that happened, the fault lies with the employee who accounted for the item or stored it improperly. This is an individual error not an institutional error and while it may be indicative of poor management, it may also be indicative of other more complex issues like a faculty that demands too much access resulting in hole in security or the need to employ too many interns or students instead of real professionals. I'm not saying this is the case, just that this is a complex issue. Second, there is conjecture that the painting was thrown out. More likely it was stolen by an employee and this should be pursued from that perspective. The professor may be correct or she may have a bone to pick but this is not the time or the place to explore her criticism until the facts are known.
DeLorme has never been respectful or even liked the museum, so it's not surprising that she's taken this albeit bad situation and tried with all her might to make it ever worse. And going to the press first without talking to the museum? She's another Christoph Buchel for goodness sakes.
It sickens me that this comment was published.
David Mickenberg was an incredible museum director, mentor and friend to many.
Professor DeLorme has always been hostile to the museum and its sad that this "reputable" paper used her as a credible source.
Wellesley as lost something much more valuable than the Leger, it has lost a man who inspired many.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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