Do You Have What It Takes to Be the Met Museum’s Head of Provenance?

In the end, the Metropolitan Museum of Artwork has posted a job itemizing for its new Head of Provenance Analysis place. The museum introduced the position in Could within the wake of elevated scrutiny — and legislation enforcement seizures — of works in its 1.5 million-object assortment.

Just a few weeks earlier than The Met’s announcement this spring, a ProPublica report alleged incomplete provenance histories for 85% of the 139 objects within the museum’s prized Charles and Valerie Diker assortment of Native American artwork. A month earlier than that, an Worldwide 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 brand new employees member might be joined by three extra provenance researchers, though the museum has but to submit these listings.

Delving into the sophisticated histories of The Met’s huge holdings will undoubtedly show a tall order. Based on the job posting, candidates ought to have 10 years of expertise in provenance analysis and a Grasp’s diploma or a PhD in an artwork historic subject “related to this work” or a “associated subject,” resembling legislation. Further conditions are broad: The brand new rent ought to perceive how the artwork market influences the sector, be conversant in assets resembling archives, and have a longtime community of contacts. The candidate also needs to have “important expertise” with assortment practices, whether or not from work at a museum or one other sort of group. The brand new employees 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 Analysis will coordinate all inquiries into objects that may have Nazi-era provenance or represent cultural property. They may begin their work with the Historic 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 Artwork, Historic American Artwork, and Oceanic Artwork departments.

The brand new rent, who will report on 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,” resembling lectures. The employees member may also be concerned in coaching curators and assortment managers within the “care and analysis” of cultural property.

Whereas this 12 months’s reviews from ProPublica and ICIJ drew extra consideration to the murky histories of among the artworks at The Met, repatriations and seizures of objects on the museum have been happening for years. In 2022, the Manhattan District Lawyer’s Workplace seized 5 Historic Egyptian objects, a Sixth-century Hindu statue, and 21 Historic Greek and Roman artifacts. This spring, The Met introduced it will repatriate 15 objects to India: These works have been linked to infamous smuggler Subhash Kapoor, who trafficked greater than $143 million price of artwork earlier than he was sentenced to 10 years in jail final 12 months.

“The Head of Provenance Analysis will lead efforts throughout The Met’s assortment areas, constructing on a long time of analysis and the continuing work of The Met’s curators, students, and provenance researchers,” Hollien advised Hyperallergic in an announcement. “Artwork museums resembling The Met steward essential assets of world heritage, and we’re dedicated to enterprise this work in order that The Met can proceed to be a pacesetter within the subject for each our present era and plenty of extra to return.”