Handbook of the Collection

The US is lucky in some of its smaller museums, the Kimbell, in Fort Worth, Texas, being an excellent example. Like the museums in Detroit and St Louis, the collection is relatively small (by comparison with some European behemoths) and less than a day can take in most of the exhibits on show. In the case of the Kimbell, my visit happened to coincide with the excellent Egyptian exhibition "The Quest For Immortality" [still touring as of November 2005] so the area left to show the Kimbell's own treasures was somewhat reduced. Nonetheless, the seemed to be memorable paintings by most of the great European masters, including a Caravaggio, as well as a wealth of pieces from different cultures and historical eras. I was disappointed at the time of my visit that there was no handbook of the collection so was really pleased when this one became available this year. It's splendid as a souvenir, giving good reproductions of many of the highlights of all areas of the museum, with expert text that I personally found both enlightening and non-patronising. Of course, nothing could replace further visits to see the originals but I'd have to say I'm pleased that the handbook is finally available.