Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, announced today that Leonard A. Lauder-after promising his collection of 78 Cubist works of art by Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Juan Gris, and Fernand Léger to the Museum in April-has added another masterpiece, Léger's The Village, to the collection. Mr. Lauder had been interested in the painting since he first saw it several years ago and provided funding to the Museum for its acquisition. It was placed on display in the first-floor galleries of the Lila Acheson Wallace Wing for Modern and Contemporary art this week, where it will remain on view through at least the end of the year.
Mr. Campbell said, in making the announcement, "Leonard Lauder is dedicated to creating the greatest collection of Cubist art in the world and to ensuring that these works will be accessible to the millions of people who visit the Met. Léger's Village certainly demonstrates that unparalleled commitment. It is a rare and beautiful painting, in pristine condition. Most importantly, it represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of Cubism: using pyramids, cylinders, and spheres as building blocks, Léger creates a Cubist style that's all his own."Videos