Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Recalls Real Treasure Hunters

KANSAS CITY. So far, movie theaters around the world are showing the new film, The Monuments Men, based on real historical facts. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art pays tribute to six of these "treasure hunters" who either worked in the museum or worked closely with it.

The real "treasure hunters" during the Second World War on the orders of Franklin Roosevelt were involved in the protection, restoration and preservation of millions of European art masterpieces in Nazi-occupied countries. “The men and women who performed this work showed remarkable dedication to keep art objects safe at one of the most dangerous times in history. They have shown great courage, ”says Julian Zugazagoitia, CEO of the Nelson-Atkins Museum. “We are indebted to them for the preservation of these treasures of mankind.”

Photo: nelson-atkins.org

Archival materials including letters, postcards, manuscripts, newspaper clippings and biographies of “treasure hunters” from Nelson-Atkins can be seen in the Lobby Bloch. “My research showed that these six people performed military duties with the same passion they had for art and culture. That is what made them so valuable to the Museum, ”said MacKenzie Mallon, a researcher at the European Painting and Sculpture department, who worked on this project for many months. “They took their responsibilities as advocates of art very seriously.”

Four “treasure hunters” worked in the museum, and close relations were maintained with the other two. Paul Gardner, the first director of Nelson-Atkins, served as director of the fine arts department of the Allied war administration in Italy. Another former director, Laurence Sickman, was sent by General Douglas MacArthur to Tokyo headquarters after the surrender of the Japanese army, and served as technical advisor on collections and monuments, constantly traveling to China and Korea to assess the extent of damage to artwork in these countries. For military services, he was awarded the Legion of Honor.

The first curator of the European art department at the museum, Patrick J. Kelleher, worked as the head of the large department of monuments of architecture, fine art and history of Hesse. Otto Wittmann the Younger (Otto Wittmann, Jr.), the museum’s first print keeper, worked in the department for investigating art looting cases. Langdon Warner served as an Asian art adviser on the Nelson-Atkins Board of Trustees in 1930. James A. Reeds worked in the French section on the search and preservation of monuments of architecture and fine art in 1944. He taught linguistics at the University of Missouri at Kansas City and worked as a private assistant professor at the Nelson-Atkins Museum.

It is to these people that the merit of the search and the return to the homeland of many masterpieces from the Ausze salt mine belongs. During the Second World War, the Nelson-Atkins Museum served as a reliable home for more than 150 paintings and tapestries from the collections of the east and west coasts.

US Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri recently introduced a bill proposing to award Congressional Gold Medals to all 350 men and women called treasure hunters. “These“ hunters ”guarded and protected historical treasures for future generations,” he said.

Anna Sidorova © Gallerix.ru