Customer Reviews:
 A beautiful, well-organized, readable guide March 3, 2005
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
The heart of a great museum is its permanent collection, and The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is proud to claim one of the largest, most significant art collections in the nation. Since childhood, I've spent many a pleasant hour in the museum (mainly in the Ancient Art and Islamic Art wing surrounding the Rivera Court), and also collaborated with the DIA and Wayne State University on a computer/art project that became my Master's Thesis. This guidebook highlights over 700 of the more than 65,000 works of art from all areas of the DIA. It was written by the museum's curatorial staff and edited by Julia P. Henshaw, who is the DIA Director of Publications.
This beautifully-bound, well-organized, hardcover guide is illustrated with over 800 color images. It begins with directions on how to use the book, a historical time-line of how the museum came into being (lots of bequests from the Fords, Dodges, Firestones and other prominent Detroiters), and a colored layout of the museum building. Information on how to get to the DIA, where to park, classes and lectures, shops, tours, and volunteer opportunities is also included.
The main sections of this guide highlight the permanent collections. They are: "African, Oceanic, and New World Art;" "Ancient Art and Islamic Art;" "Asian Art;" "European Art;" "Graphic Arts;" "Twentieth-Century Art;" and "Film and Video."
Each section tells many well-illustrated stories. For instance, under "African, Oceanic, and New World Art" there is an article, "Men Who Dance as Women:"
"In initiation ceremonies female masks used in traditional African cultures are almost always worn by men who portray the important mythological role of females. Most of these male initiation societies are secret; women are strictly forbidden to handle or even see the wearers of these masks."
The introduction is followed by illustrations of masks from the Chokwe, Mende, and Makonde tribes with text illuminating the history, construction, and use of each mask.
All of the DIA's major works of art are included, from Rivera's "Detroit Industry" fresco cycle to the Matisse "Poppies" painting.
This book is not only a guide to a particular museum, it also can be read like an issue of the "Smithsonian" Magazine, where experts select and describe some of their favorite works of art. I've been to many museums both here and in Europe, and this DIA guide is one of the best I've ever had the opportunity to use.
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