At the Morgan in NYC
About The Morgan
The Morgan Library and Museum is located in the center of NYC, close to Grand Central Station. It houses collections of fabulous illuminated manuscripts, rare books, prints and drawings, along with special exhibits.
The Morgan began when financier, Pierpont Morgan, created his personal library to house his collection. Today it also serves as an independent research resource.
The library was made into a public institution by Pierpont Morgan’s son, J. P. Morgan, Jr. in 1924.
Our Visit
On our trip to NYC a few months ago, one of the places I put on our ‘to see’ list was The Morgan Library. It’s housed in a beautiful brownstone in the heart of the city just a short walk from Grand Central.
On the day we were there, there were a number of school groups touring the museum and I have to say, I’ve never seen kids so engaged with their tour guide. We walked in one room in time to hear a kid ask the guide if he thought Mr. Morgan’s DNA was still on the chair they were looking at. Another asked if he thought his ghost was in the room - right now.
Anyway, it was great to see they were having a fun time and that the guides were enjoying the questions.
In Pierpont Morgan’s study…
The Book Collection
The biggest draw for me was the collection of illuminated manuscripts and rare books although when we were there other exhibits including ancient jewelry and artifacts were also on display, along with some wonderful Edward S. Curtain photographs. I’m not going to include those here because I want to do a separate post on them - but they’re fabulous.
On the Course of the Heavens and the Stars, 15th c. astrological book in German.
I consider myself a medieval enthusiast, and one of the things that I’m most enthused about are the artworks found in these antiquarian books. The style, even if it’s not block-printed, has a block printed look, which often comes off as whimsical…even if the subject matter is weird (see below).
Mandeville’s Travels a 15th century book which the Morgan described as Merging Man, Monster and Mythos.
The Extensive Surface Decoration
The main part of the library was designed by by Charles McKim of the famed architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White.
It’s very grand, however the scale is intimate and the style is Italian Renaissance. The next few photographs illustrate this.
The main room of the library showing the book collections filling three tiers.
The beautiful main library room is incredible in its collection of books and the surface decoration which pretty much covers every square inch.
A view to the center of the main library room ceiling at the Morgan.
The ceiling has classical scenery and astrological depictions and lots of gilding and glasswork. There’s a lot to see and say about this that I won’t get into here but if you visit the Morgan link at the bottom of the post, they have an in-depth description of all the artwork that decorates the library. Suffice it to say, it’s overwhelming, but in a good way.
Tapestry over the fireplace, The Triumph of Avarice, by Pieter Coecke van Aelst.
This is in the same main library room. A grand fireplace with a tapestry that commands attention due to its scale. According to the Morgan webiste, it’s the only surviving scene from the original weaving of a series depicting Seven Deadly Sins, designed by Pieter Coecke van Aelst, who was the father-in-law of Pieter Bruegel the Elder. It was created in Brussels in the 16th c.
Coffered beauty
In the study, an intricately carved coffered ceiling. I personally love this ceiling and as much as I admire the main library’s painted scenery, I prefer this slightly more understated example.
Journal from artist, Stuart Davis, 1921
Back to the books, this one is from the artist Stuart Davis from the 1920s. His paintings are exuberant and jazzy, and his print and pensmanship match his artistic style.
Lastly, but not least-ly, one of three of the Morgan’s Gutenberg Bibles, printed in 1455.
There’s more to see…
So, those are the main areas of The Morgan in a nutshell. What I didn’t show in this post is the modern architectural additions and spaces but you can check those out when you’re next in NYC:)
Here’s the link to their website, I really encourage a visit, it’s small-ish so you can plan a visit with just a spare hour or two and it’s so impressive.
Morgan Library Website.