James N. Wood
Encyclopedia
James Nowell Wood was an American
museum director who spent 25 years as head of the Art Institute of Chicago
and later served as head of the J. Paul Getty Trust
, starting in 2006.
Wood was born in Boston
on March 20, 1941. He earned a bachelor's degree from Williams College
with a major in art history and earned a master's degree from the New York University Institute of Fine Arts
. Early in his career, Wood worked at positions at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery
and the Metropolitan Museum of Art
, and served for six years as the director of the Saint Louis Art Museum
.
At the Art Institute of Chicago starting in the early 1980s, Wood conducted a major expansion of its collection and oversaw a major renovation and expansion project for its facilities. As "one of the most respected museum leaders in the country", as described by The New York Times
, Wood created major exhibitions of works by Paul Gauguin
, Claude Monet
and Vincent van Gogh
that set records for attendance at the museum. He retired from the museum in 2004.
In 2006, Wood was named to head the J. Paul Getty Trust, succeeding Barry Munitz
. Wood was the first person with strong experience in the management of museums to head the trust, which oversees the operation of the J. Paul Getty Museum
. The New York Times
credited Wood with having restored the museum's reputation by reorganizing the trust and restructuring its staff. In 2009, after a substantial drop in the trust's assets, Wood cut nearly 100 employees at the trust's various operations, most at the Getty Museum. Fees for parking at the museum and the Getty Villa
were raised by 50% to $15.
Wood died of natural causes at age 69 on June 11, 2010, at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles. He was survived by his wife, Emese Forizs, as well as by two daughters and three grandchildren.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
museum director who spent 25 years as head of the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
and later served as head of the J. Paul Getty Trust
J. Paul Getty Trust
The J. Paul Getty Trust is the world's wealthiest art institution with an estimated endowment in April 2009 of $US 4.2 billion. Based in Los Angeles, California, it operates the J. Paul Getty Museum, which has two locations, the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Getty Villa in Pacific...
, starting in 2006.
Wood was born in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
on March 20, 1941. He earned a bachelor's degree from Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
with a major in art history and earned a master's degree from the New York University Institute of Fine Arts
New York University Institute of Fine Arts
The Institute of Fine Arts is one of the 14 divisions of New York University . It offers a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy, the Advanced Certificate in Conservation of Works of Art, and the Certificate in Curatorial Studies...
. Early in his career, Wood worked at positions at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery
Albright-Knox Art Gallery
The Albright-Knox Art Gallery is an art museum located in Delaware Park in Buffalo, New York. The gallery is a major showplace for modern art and contemporary art. It is located directly across the street from Buffalo State College.-History:...
and the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
, and served for six years as the director of the Saint Louis Art Museum
Saint Louis Art Museum
The Saint Louis Art Museum is one of the principal U.S. art museums, visited by up to a half million people every year. Admission is free through a subsidy from the cultural tax district for St. Louis City and County.Located in Forest Park in St...
.
At the Art Institute of Chicago starting in the early 1980s, Wood conducted a major expansion of its collection and oversaw a major renovation and expansion project for its facilities. As "one of the most respected museum leaders in the country", as described by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Wood created major exhibitions of works by Paul Gauguin
Paul Gauguin
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a leading French Post-Impressionist artist. He was an important figure in the Symbolist movement as a painter, sculptor, print-maker, ceramist, and writer...
, Claude Monet
Claude Monet
Claude Monet was a founder of French impressionist painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein-air landscape painting. . Retrieved 6 January 2007...
and Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
that set records for attendance at the museum. He retired from the museum in 2004.
In 2006, Wood was named to head the J. Paul Getty Trust, succeeding Barry Munitz
Barry Munitz
Barry Allen Munitz has been a senior administrator at the University of Illinois and the University of Houston, a business executive at Maxxam, Inc., chancellor of the California State University system, and chief executive officer of the world's wealthiest art institution, the J...
. Wood was the first person with strong experience in the management of museums to head the trust, which oversees the operation of the J. Paul Getty Museum
J. Paul Getty Museum
The J. Paul Getty Museum, a program of the J. Paul Getty Trust, is an art museum. It has two locations, one at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California, and one at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California...
. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
credited Wood with having restored the museum's reputation by reorganizing the trust and restructuring its staff. In 2009, after a substantial drop in the trust's assets, Wood cut nearly 100 employees at the trust's various operations, most at the Getty Museum. Fees for parking at the museum and the Getty Villa
Getty Villa
The Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, California, USA, is one of two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum. The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria...
were raised by 50% to $15.
Wood died of natural causes at age 69 on June 11, 2010, at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles. He was survived by his wife, Emese Forizs, as well as by two daughters and three grandchildren.