The small Austrian city of Linz has agreed to return a 1916 Egon Schiele painting to the family that once owned it. The painting, which is known as “View of Krumau,” is estimated to be worth $10 million. It was seized by the Gestapo after the family fled Austria during the occupation, and the New Gallery in Linz eventually purchased it without knowing that it was Nazi loot.
Tag: 12.17.02
Honor In Not Reading
Okay – so everyone’s mad at Michael Kinsley for admitting he didn’t read all of the 400 books he was asked to judge for this year’s National Book Awards. Come on. Is it really such a big deal? I mean, who needs to read everything? The book that was supposed to win actually won, didn’t it? “Well, thank God we live in a country where admitting you’re ill–read and proud of it makes people buy more of your books!”
Recently-Discovered Mahler Score May have Been Annotated By Another
“A recently found score of Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony, said to contain the composer’s own handwritten revisions, actually may have been annotated by someone else, a scholar said Tuesday.”
Why Thomas Krens Ought To Be Fired
With the Guggenheim in financial ruin, why, Hilton Kramer wants to know, is director Thomas Krens still allowed in the building? “The fact is that during Mr. Krens’ 14-year tenure as director of the Guggenheim, the museum virtually ceased to make a significant contribution to the art life of New York. Some of us are old enough to recall the days when the Guggenheim was a vital presence in the city.”
Surrealist Record On Sale
When Surrealist Andre Breton died at 70 on Sept. 28, 1966, his small apartment at 42 Rue Fontaine in the Pigalle district of Paris was “a veritable treasure trove.” But what to do with the art? “With the French government unwilling to buy the collection, the largest single record of the Surrealist movement is to be sold next spring at the Hôtel Drouot-Richelieu, where Paris auctions are held. One measure of the size of the sale is that the auction house, CalmelsCohen, plans at least six catalogs to cover the 5,300 lots. The auction, from April 1 to 18, is expected to raise $30 million to $40 million.”
A New Way To Share Creative Work
Copyright protects the rights of authors. But what if authors don’t want their rights protected? Some just want to give their work away, to let others build on their ideas. But that’s actually more difficult than you think. Just getting the rights to use work can be daunting. A new set of licenses created by the Creative Commons group “enables authors to communicate to users of their content how those consumers may use the content without requiring the user to contact the author each and every time.”
John Crosby, 76
John Crosby, the musical entrepreneur who “founded the Santa Fe Opera in 1957 and built it into one of the country’s most important opera companies during his 44 seasons as its general director,” died Sunday. “At a time when there were few summer music festivals in the United States, he started a summer opera series that, although far from the urban centers where classical music flourished, quickly drew audiences from around the world.”
Recording Industry To Go After Small Vendors
“The Recording Industry Association of America said Monday it is demanding a halt to illegal music sales at gas stations, convenience stores, groceries and some small music stores that the group has identified as offering illegal copies of music recordings.”
Towering Idea(l)s
Wednesday, a group of some of the world’s most well-known architects will gather in a room across from the World Trade Center to show some ideas for building on the WTC site. “Perhaps not since the United Nations competition has there been such attention placed on internationally prominent architects. This is our chance for transformational thinking, not architecture as commodity.”
Play It Baby One More Time
Hmmmn… did Baz Luhrmann steal the pizzazz for his Broadway Boheme from his Movie Moulin Rouge? (or is it the other way around?) Stack up both productions side-by-side and “even the same small details (both feature little people and nuns in cameo roles)” are similar. “Shameless copycatting? Or a lesson from the if-it-works-once-try-it-again school? You decide.”