King of the Confessors

Thomas Hoving's very personal account of how clever he was to acquire a medieval English walrus ivory crucifix for the Cloisters in the Metropolitan Museum in New York, where he was a rising star. Very full of his own feelings and his intrigues with officials in his own and other museums and the cross's then owner, a dubious Yugoslav. Displays his remarkable ignorance of the Passion story and related materials as told in the Latin Vulgate Bible, which he apparently had to teach himself de novo to understand the sculptures on the cross. Interesting though depressing interpretation linking anti-Jewish images and texts on the cross to the anti-Jewish policies of a leading monk of Bury St. Edmunds, who may have commissioned it to celebrate show more his victory over an allegedly corrupt pro-Jewish faction. Has some nice detailed pictures of the carvings. show less

Hoving describes his long process to “win” the ivory cross, the most important medieval object of art so far discovered, for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (actually for The Cloisters, the Medieval branch of the Met that is in a separate location). This was a fascinating account that read almost like a novel—much better than Dan Brown novels. Not only was the story exciting but the reader is treated to a revealing look at the chicanery that often goes on behind the scenes for a museum to acquire a significant work. But the “star” of the book was the magnificent cross. The history of the cross was fascinating and the descriptions let the reader visualize the cross even more clearly than the wonderful photographs at show more the beginning of the book. Hoving obviously became very intimate with the object to be able to describe its intricacy in such detail. If you like mystery and suspense with an added bonus of beautiful art this book fits the bill. This was a bargain I bought at the church book sale a couple of years ago. show less

can't improve on the one review I saw on goodreads which said " museum curator loves cross, himself"That pretty much sums it up perfectly. Hoving is self aggrandizing but also an interesting commentator. The artwork provides a good deal of the story and the somewaht shady Topic mimara, who seels the cross , is a memorable character

Nonfiction account of Hoving's pursuit, and acquisition of the late 12th century, two foot tall, walrus ivory, Bury St. Edmonds cross for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the late 50's-early 60's.

Hoving can be erudite and write with pace, a rare combination.

Not exactly Indiana Jones but pretty close to the real thing and a peek behind the scenes of the museum trade to boot. Now I just need to go see the Cross in New York.

A classic in the art history/discovery genre, non-fiction of course. The characters were all realistic and not caricatures, the events were believable and intriguing, and it was generally educational in terms of art, history, and religion. I especially like the fact that not everything was neatly tied up at the end.

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