Harvard's Art Museums: 100 Years of Collecting

This authoritative, handsomely illustrated volume celebrates Harvard's three museums--the Fogg, which specializes in the art of Europe and North America from the Middle Ages to the present; the Busch-Reisinger, which is devoted to the art of German-speaking countries and related cultures of central and northern Europe; and the Arthur M. Sackler, which concentrates on ancient, Asian, Islamic and later Indian art. An introduction by Cuno, director of the museums, documents the history of the collections, with emphasis on the roles played by important donors and scholars. Following are sections devoted to each of the museums, with color reproductions of many of the collections' treasures, such as the Busch-Reisinger's Light-Space Modulator, one of Laszlo Moholy-Nagy's most important works; the Fogg's moving Fra Angelico Crucifixion; and the Sackler's lovely Fayum Portrait of a Woman with Earrings. There are introductory essays by the curators of the various departments and commentaries by curators, art historians and doctoral candidates. Published on the centenary of the Fogg Art Museum, this is a scholarly tribute to three superb teaching collections that have grown into major museums. (Aug.)