by Jon Lackman | 8 March 2006 | Books, Museums
In the February Art History, art historian Peter Vergo laments the disappearance of the traditional exhibition catalogue: “Twenty or thirty years ago, large international exhibitions were usually marked by catalogues, in which items on display were not only reproduced but also discussed at length and in detail. That was partly because, in that more leisurely age, curators could be reasonably certain, well in advance, what objects would be available to borrow … Thus, there was plenty of time to compile accurate provenances, write lengthy entries – even whole articles – about key loans.” Today, readers “more often find themselves confronted by something resembling a book, published to ‘accompany’ the exhibition in question.”
