In the early 20th century when private collections often remained hidden from public view, Belle da Costa Greene transformed banker Pierpont Morgan’s monumental library into a cultural beacon for New York. Now, the Morgan Library & Museum is celebrating Greene’s enduring impact on the occasion of its centennial with the exhibition with “Belle da Costa Greene: A Librarian's Legacy.”
By 1906, Morgan's personal store of manuscripts, early publications, and Old Master drawings and prints was housed in an architectural masterpiece, featuring Renaissance-inspired ceilings painted by Harry Siddons Mowbray, ornate stained-glass windows, and classically crafted bookcases. Greene built upon the large collection of rare books and manuscripts after Morgan hired her, daughter of the first Black graduate of Harvard College, as his personal librarian.
She continued on as librarian for his son and heir, J.P. Morgan Jr., who would transform his father's library into a public institution in 1924. She ran the Morgan for more than 40 years. The institution has since expanded its footprint and played host to packed exhibitions of masterworks and events alike, including CULTURED’s own CULT100 celebration last April.
“As we conclude our centennial year, we are honored to present this landmark exhibition,” said Colin B. Bailey, the director of the Morgan Library & Museum, of the current exhibition, “which returns to the founding of the Morgan as a public institution and celebrates Greene’s pioneering contributions not just to the Morgan, but to the fields of librarianship and museology more generally.”
Greene's legacy is perhaps best illustrated through her masterful acquisitions, which dramatically enriched the Morgan's collections. Her discerning eye and bold bidding strategies secured numerous treasures, including the Crusader Bible, rare Rembrandt etchings, and invaluable literary manuscripts of Edgar Allan Poe. In a male-dominated auction world, Greene once made history by bidding an unprecedented $50,000 to acquire the only surviving copy of Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur.
“A Librarian's Legacy,” which runs until May 4, showcases Greene's skillfully curated collection alongside photographs of her life at the Morgan. Visitors can also view some of the museum's other most treasured acquisitions, including letters penned by Anne Boleyn, original manuscripts by Charles Dickens, and a rare edition of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
