Awards In Italian Culture 2007
Philippe de Montebello
Mr. Philippe de Montebello has served as the director of the Metropolitan Museum since 1978. He is also the longest serving director in the institution’s history, and the longest-serving director of any major art museum in the world. He has dedicated his entire professional life to the Metropolitan Museum beginning in 1963 as a curatorial assistant in the Department of European Paintings. Under his directorship, the Metropolitan Museum has nearly doubled in size, notably the creation of the Carroll and Milton Petrie European Sculpture Court in 1990, the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education, the expansion of galleries for 19th and early 20th Century European Paintings, and the installation of the Gubbio Studiolo.
He is the recipient of various awards and honorary degrees. His commitment to the promotion of Italian art & culture was acknowledged in Italy in 1988 when he was honored with the Commendatore, Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy, a high honor awarded to individuals who have made distinct contributions in the fields of literature, economy, public service, social philanthropic and humanitarian activities.
Cristina Acidini
Dr. Cristina Acidini is a world-renowned expert in art and conservation. Early on in her career she was a visiting Member of SUNY Plattsburg in Plattsburg, New York. During her professorship at SUNY Plattsburg she was granted the Eisenhower Fellowship, which enabled her to visit more than 70 Museums in the U.S.A. She wrote about her experiences in a book called Il Mito d’Arte Americano: Dietro le quinte di un mito. In 1991-1999 she served as the Deputy Superintendent of the Polo Museale Fiorentino. She was also a part of the Artistic Heritage State Board, and on the committee responsible for Italian Museum Standards at the Polo Museale Fiorentino. In March 2000, she served as the director of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, a state institution that specializes in research conservation and restoration of works of art. She is a member of various committees in Italy and abroad for management of cultural events and symposia. From 2006 to present she has been working as the Superintendent of the Polo Museale Fiorentino.
Previous FIAC Awards
2012
Brian J. Ferriso
Antonia Pasqua Recchia
2011
Glenn Lowry
Rossella Vodret
2010
Malcolm Rogers
Roberto Cecchi
2008
Anne Poulet
Nicola Spinosa
2007
Phillip de Montebello
Cristina Acidini