USA: EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS BY DUTCH MASTER JOHANNES VERMEER REOPENS IN WASHINGTON

Record ID: 646202

  • Title: USA: EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS BY DUTCH MASTER JOHANNES VERMEER REOPENS IN WASHINGTON
  • Date: 27th December 1995
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 27, 1995) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV EXT. NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 0.08 2. SLV PEOPLE IN LINE OUTSIDE NATIONAL GALLERY 0.15 3. GV/VARIOUS INT. PEOPLE ENTERING NATIONAL GALLERY (3 SHOTS) 0.38 4. GV/SV PEOPLE LOOKING AT VERMEER EXHIBIT PAINTINGS (6 SHOTS) 1.19 5. MCU DEBORAH ZISKA, PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER FOR NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, SAYING "WE HIRED EXTRA GUARDS AT A COST OF 30,000 U.S DOLLARS FROM TODAY THROUGH TO JANUARY 3RD." (ENGLISH) 1.36 6. SV PEOPLE LOOKING AT PAINTINGS 1.42 7. MCU LEIF REID, TOURIST FROM SEARCHLIGHT, NEBRASKA, SAYING "IT IS GOOD THE EXHIBIT OPENED BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH INTEREST IN IT." (ENGLISH) 1.53 8. GV INT. PEOPLE LEAVING EXHIBIT 2.02 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 11th January 1996 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVACK8MPHAJ023J71UOCARZ03FKC
  • Story Text: A unique exhibition of paintings by Dutch master Johannes Vermeer reopened in Washington on Wednesday (December 27) after the National Gallery of Art found enough money to defy a partial United States (U.S.) government shutdown.

    Several thousand people lined up in bitter cold starting before dawn to see the 21 paintings of the 17th Century artist. Only 35 of his works are known to exist and this was the first time so many of them could be seen under one roof.

    The National Gallery managed to raise enough money from private funds to re-open the exhibit to the public until January 3, 1996.

    The limited, exclusive display of Vermeer's art opened on November 12 and was scheduled to run through to February 11 when it goes to the Mauritshuis in The Hague.

    Two days after opening in Washington, the exhibit was forced to close down, along with other federal agencies, parks and museums, due to a lack of cash when government spending authority lapsed because of a budget dispute with Congress.

    After that first six-day shutdown, temporary spending authority reopened the government and the exhibit, but there has been another shutdown since.

    On December 23 museum officials found some private contributions that would enable the Vermeer exhibition, but not the rest of the gallery, to reopen.

    The Fund for the International Exchange of Art, which finances big art exhibitions, contributed approximately 30,000 dollars, enough to pay 25 security guards and meet other expenses for a week, said gallery public affairs spokeswoman Deborah Ziska.

    Tourist Leif Reid from Nebraska said it was good that the exhibit had been reopened because there was so much interest in it.


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