Philadelphia Museum of Art curator gets a scholarly plum

Joseph Rishel, the Philadelphia Museum of Art's genial curator of European painting before 1900, has been named the Samuel H. Kress professor at the National Gallery of Art for the current academic year.

The appointment, considered a plum in scholarly curatorial circles, makes Rishel the senior resident scholar at the gallery's Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts. The center, founded in 1979, is a community of scholars focused on the study of art from prehistoric times to the present.

"It's a wonderful appointment and one that is richly deserved," said Timothy Rub, director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

"It's really cool," said the 70-year-old Rishel, already ensconced in his scholarly digs. "It's a beautifully run place, old and settled. It's all done with a very even hand. I'm the old geezer, the Zoroaster of the whole thing."

Rub noted that the appointment would allow Rishel, who also is curator for the Museum of Art's Rodin Museum and John G. Johnson Collection, an opportunity "to pursue research that will result in new projects" for the Art Museum.

"I'm running like a little rabbit," Rishel said.

First off, he is working on a major catalog essay in connection with a Van Gogh exhibition scheduled for the first half of 2012: Van Gogh Up Close. The exhibition, organized by the National Gallery of Canada in collaboration with the Art Museum, will look at the how Van Gogh's acquaintance with Japanese wood-block prints influenced his landscapes, affecting perspective, color, and focus.

"These are the most radical things he does," said Rishel. "He zooms in on things."

Once that's out of the way, Rishel will turn his attention to essay-writing for another museum show scheduled for mid-2012 - Arcadia 1900.

"This is an exploration of why people like Cezanne are all off in isolation doing their biggest pictures . . . all with nudes," said Rishel. Monumental female bathers set in arcadian harmony by Matisse, Cezanne, and Paul Signac, among others, created harmonious landscapes studded with female flesh. Why? Rishel wonders, and hopes to have the answer by the time his appointment is over next spring.

In the meantime, he will be making presentations to younger scholars, joining his colleagues for meals, and generally infusing the center with his particular blend of sagacity and humor.

"He is a natural teacher and will enrich all of our lives here at the [National] Gallery, but especially those of the predoctoral fellows under his wing," said Elizabeth Cropper, the center's dean.

Rishel said the gallery is a very collegial place where he has "friends to kick ideas around with, like Philadelphia." He said he is particularly looking "forward to working with young graduate students on a daily basis."