All the Beauty in the World

Bringley describes his experience working during a major Picasso exhibition, which he says is the first “blockbuster” show he’s worked on, attracting over 10,000 visitors some days. He recounts several incidents during the Picasso exhibition, including a visitor accidentally damaging a painting and another causing a Picasso work to swing precariously on its wires. These events, along with news of an art heist in Paris where works by Picasso, Matisse, and others were stolen, lead Bringley to reflect on the vulnerability of art in museums and the challenges of protecting valuable pieces while maintaining public access.

Intrigued by these occurrences, Bringley researches the history of thefts and security issues at the Met. He uncovers various incidents dating back to the museum’s early days, including stolen artifacts, fraudulent practices, and security breaches. The author details specific cases, such as the theft of Cypriot gold bracelets in 1887, the disappearance of Egyptian figurines, and a notorious incident involving a smuggled Greek vase. Bringley notes that while there were numerous thefts and security problems from the 1880s through the early 1980s, the museum significantly improved its security measures afterward, with no reported thefts in the galleries during his lifetime.

Bringley then shifts focus to his observations of museum visitors, noting the Met’s popularity and diverse