And the Winner is....

This year's Annual Book Cart Decorating Contest Winner is entry # 3 inspired by the work of artist Nick Cave. Entry 3 was constructed by the Interns and Students at Old Dominion University's Hofheimer Art Library. Congratulations to the winning team!

If you were wondering how the voting stacked up:

Entry #     Team         In-house votes     Web votes         Total
  3             ODU                    9                      28                   37
  2          Library Interns      16                      20                  36
  1          Education Interns  21                       3                   24
  4          Library Staff         10                        8                  18

Whew!  That was a close race!   Thank you to everyone who voted and to all the contestants!  

A View From the Stacks: “The Controversial Century”

The building that formerly held the Chrysler Museum at Provincetown, today.

         Walter Chrysler’s exhibition titled “The Controversial Century” was quite the controversy itself.  It began as a show at his Provincetown museum in 1962, showcasing works by extraordinary artists like Renoir, Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Matisse. It moved to Ottawa, Canada a few months later, as a traveling exhibit.  One problem.  Experts declared many of these works to be forgeries.

This week, after finishing the processing of Garbisch-related archives, I began work with archival material having to do with Walter, himself, I found most interesting his involvement in the 1962 scandal mentioned above.  It raised many questions in my mind.  How could such a distinguished art collector have fallen into this trap?  What can be said about standards on ethics in the art world (both past and present)?

At the time of “The Controversial Century” exhibition, the Art Dealers Association of America was just forming.  This organization was formed in order to ensure higher ethical standards in the art world.  The ADAA caught wind of certain rumors pertaining to the authenticity of a good number of the paintings in Chrysler’s 1962 show.  Teaming up with Canada’s Parliament, U.S. income tax officials, and the New York County’s district attorney’s office, the ADAA found that some of the paintings in the exhibit had no “pedigree” and were stylistically unlike the work of the pronounced artists. The works that were pronounced fake were then removed from public view.

A painting’s “pedigree” is a listing of all of its progressive owners, traced back to the original buyer.  The authenticity of a painting can be guaranteed by its “pedigree”. Most of the questionable art came from a New York gallery, known as Hartert Galleries.

Reading headline after headline about this incident made me begin to feel bad for Chrysler.  For someone who had the reputation of being a wonderful art connoisseur, striving to educate the public about art’s importance to society, Chrysler was hit hard by many harsh words in and out of the art world.

Walter P. Chrysler Jr. c. 1970

Fortunately, despite this controversy in the early 60’s he was able to bounce back, becoming one of the most distinguished art collectors in America.  Yet, it still makes you wonder: how could he have made such an outrageous mistake?  It still remains a mystery.


 -Jamie Sawyer, Summer 2011 Library Archives Intern

4th Annual Book Cart Decorating Contest Begins

Each year, the JOCL is home to this uber-competitive match that pits library against library, intern against supervisor. For the past four years, the interns and staff have formed teams and constructed elaborately themed carts. This year, the competition is even fiercer, with Old Dominion University's Hofheimer Art Library and the Chrysler's own Education Department in on the action.

Four carts. One winner. Who will it be? Decide now.

Votes may be cast in person at the JOCL, via email at library@chrysler.org, or by voting in our poll (in the column on the left hand side of the page).

Vote early and vote often - the winners will be announced on July 15.

Entry #1: Royal Carriage

Entry #2:

The Hispaniola: A Tribute to Muppet Treasure Island

Entry #3:

Inspired by Nick Cave

Entry #4:

Art is a Party