Anne d’Harnoncourt, the last time I saw her—at the Philadelphia Museum’s celebration, January 2007, for “The Gross Clinic” donors
Here’s my piece that appeared in the Sunday “Currents” section of the Philadelphia Inquirer—Her Art Came First: Anne d’Harnoncourt’s Labor of Love.
I felt ambivalent about doing it, only because there are many people who knew her much better than I. But since they asked me, I could only say yes.
Many who knew her felt the need to write about their sense of loss, as you can see from the outpouring of comments in the Inquirer’s online Guest Book, set up by the newspaper for readers to share their feelings and remembrances.
At the end of the Philadelphia Museum’s own obituary for its late director is a link for donations in her memory. Clicking on that takes you to the museum’s general page for online memorial gifts. The tone of this seems off key, making it appear that this cataclysmic event is being exploited as another fundraising gambit.
Something both more profound and more personal seems called for: Perhaps donations should be directed to a specific project chosen for its importance to her. In connection with this, the museum should also do what the Inquirer has done—provide a forum for the museum’s community to mourn and fondly remember her. [CORRECTION: The museum already did have an online site for comments when I wrote this, here.]
Perhaps the Philadelphia Museum’s new outdoor public space, to be created over the new underground parking garage now under construction behind the main building, should be named the Anne d’Harnoncourt Sculpture Garden, with memorial gifts going towards this art-driven amenity that she championed.
UPDATE: The handling of online donations in d’Harnoncourt’s memory has now (hours after I wrote the above) been changed. The language for the link at the bottom of the obit page is now much more fitting:
Donations in her memory may be made to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. These gifts honor Anne’s remarkable legacy–helping to sustain and
nourish the Museum and ensure the fulfillment of its mission. The gifts
have been placed in a restricted fund, and the Museum will work with
Anne’s husband, Joseph Rishel, to identify a specific, meaningful
tribute.
Clicking the link in that paragraph now brings you to a page dedicated solely to gifts “in memory of Anne d’Harnoncourt.”
Speaking of Joe, who has organized so many memorable shows as the museum’s long-time senior curator of European painting before 1900…I have no idea if he is willing or able to take on this assignment, but designating him as acting director would signal
continuity and rededication to all that his wife stood for, undertaken by the man who certainly knew her wishes and worked with her for years in close personal and professional
partnership