In another hiring coup, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts has nabbed a senior curator from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts to head its prints and drawings department.
Thomas Rassieur will be the museum's John E. Andrus III Curator of Prints and Drawings starting Jan. 5. The fancy title indicates that the position comes with special financial support, similar to an endowed chair at a university.
Museum director Kaywin Feldman cited Rassieur's "extensive knowledge of the art market" and expertise in Old Master prints and drawings. Rassieur (pronounced "Rasher") worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York before moving to Boston in 1999. His career highlights include a show of 20th century British prints now at the Met and a major Rembrandt touring exhibit.
He and two associate curators will oversee the museum's world-class collection of 40,000 works on paper, ranging from 14th century illuminated manuscripts to a major cache of Rembrandt etchings to works by Picasso, Matisse, Jim Dine and other 20th century masters.
"Kaywin Feldman and her team convinced me that we can realize tremendous potential as an inspiring, fascinating and just plain fun place to go," Rassieur said. Since Feldman arrived at the museum in January, she has filled five top vacancies with leading scholars from around the world. Two curatorial vacancies remain at the Minneapolis museum, in the decorative arts and textile departments. Plans are to fill them by spring.
Mary Abbe • 612-673-4431
