John Lawrence, a midwest collector of medieval art and manuscripts, whose holdings were featured in a 2002 exhibition at Oberlin College (scroll to Page 3), responds to CultureGrrl‘s various censorious posts on museum deaccessions (to which I added two earlier today):
Many of the pieces that I have acquired in my extensive collection came from institutions, and many of the individual leaves came from books that were “broken.” I have spent many years denouncing this practice and in consideration of the donation of my collection, I have written terms that are quite punitive if this should happen. However, as I follow your website, I am reconsidering any donation.
I am quite vocal in denouncing this practice in my public speeches and presentations. I view these sales as the greatest form of hypocrisy that I can imagine by these institutions that are supposed to be the guardians of our heritage.
This is one of the chief dangers inherent in deaccessioning—that the goodwill of present and possible future donors will be jeopardized or lost. It’s something that Thomas Jefferson University should ponder seriously, before it hocks two more Eakins portraits of its distinguished faculty.
CultureGrrl
Lee Rosenbaum's cultural commentary
an ArtsJournal blog