I once visited your museum. It is memorable, especially the artworks.

Phyllis Tuchman wrote an excellent tribute to Anne d'Harnoncourt on Obit-Mag.com. You can view the piece here:

http://obit-mag.com/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5005

The art world lost a fabulous museum director and a terrific lady! We all miss her very much.

my heart is broken

I met Anne d’Harnoncourt at a traveling show of photography by the faculty and students of the Institute of Design in Chicago, which opened at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in December of 2002. At dinner at the Philadelphia Club I was serendipitously seated next to Anne, who was a delightful and attentive hostess.

Her sudden and premature passing comes as a shock. It is tragic that she was not able to build further upon her many accomplishments. I send my sympathy to her husband and to the Philadelphia Museum. I am grateful for this webpage through which we can express and share our memories of her.

Anne was a true Renaissance Woman and a model Philadelphian. Her passion for the Art Museum was beyond compare. It is a sad time for both the Museum as well as the City as a whole.

I worked in the gift shops in 1996-97 during the wonderful Cezanne show and afterwards. I loved working for the museum and I was always thrilled to interact with Ms d'Harnoncourt. She was a charming and egalitarian person with a warm sense of humor and I'm glad to have had the privledge to work for her and the museum. My sympathies go out to Mr. Rishel, and the rest of the staff and community of PMA. What a sad loss.

I want to express my profound sorrow for the passing of Ms. Anne d'Harnoncourt, and my deepest sympathy to her husband and the rest of her family. Over the past few months, I have read many wonderful stories about Anne. For those of us of a younger generation, who aspire to be great art professionals and leaders, Anne is a role model and a real inspiration. The Art World has lost one of its greatest supporter, but the mark she made will endure.

A great lady, with a superb knowledge of art and the art world. RIP, Anne.

Chere Anne,
"Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai ... "
MBJ

Sweet Vale of Avoca!
how calm could I rest, in thy bosom
of shade, with the friends I love best,
where the storms that we feel in this cold world
should cease, and our hearts,
like thy waters, be mingled in peace.

from 'The Meeting on the Waters' Thomas Moore

My deepest sympathy to Joe and the rest of her family. I will miss seeing her in the halls as I toured the many children and families who participated in various children and family programs. I will always remember how much she enjoyed the exhibits produced by the children in the cafeteria hallways. The children along with all of the museum staff seemed to become an intricate part of museum family.

It has been an honor to work in her presence and to be a part of her mission to share the wonderful museum collection with the community. I have learned so much from afar. As a studio art teacher, committee member and artist. She taught me to be genuine in your work.
She has left a valuable imprint on my life. Strong ,dignified and sincere. Anne was soulful. Her welcoming speeches to all in the many museum events show her warm heartfelt sincerity. Yes Anne had what Latinos and Latinas would describe as "corazon". It is something I as a Chicana, from San Antonio, Texas will never forget. To me, the museum was never her job but her home. Thank you Anne for sharing it all with us. Your contributions and presence will always remain in our hearts and memory. Marta Sanchez

I met Anne a few years ago at the Museum. She was a wonderful and gracious lady. The museum and the art world has lost one of its icons.

We extend our profound sorrow and best wishes in sympathy for family in the passing of Anne. She was an inspiration to us all.

I just Anne at the Philadelohia Award just a few weeks ago. I am shocked and saddened by Anne's untimely passing.

My deepest sympathy to her husband, Joe, and the rest of her family. I appreciated her friendship and kindness.

Anne was so special. Her intellect, beauty and grace made her the perfect person to lead the Museum and lead she did. Under her leadership the Museum grow finacially, physcially and in stature.

Her impact was profound and appreciated by all. She made the quality of life in Philadelphia better. Her vision and leadership made all of us proud of her accomplishments and made Philadelphia a world class destination for the Arts.

For all of that and more I thank you Anne.

Sara Manzano-Diaz

Aunt Anne was an absolutely amazing woman to whom I am very grateful. Personally, and as I am learning more now professionally as well, she exuded a joy to life to which I cannot properly describe. This feeling was very much contagious, and I am sure many of you know what I am referring to. It saddens me deeply that she is now gone, though I am sure she wouldn't want it to be this way. Upon my father's passing she made sure I did not mourn his death but celebrate his life. It would be remiss of us to not do the same for her.

Hearing about Anne's untimely death was such a terrible shock. Forty seven years ago, I approached Anne to ask her sign her senior yearbook page for me. Collecting autographs from the goddess-like seniors was a spring time ritual for middle schoolers at our all-girls school. Most seniors just scribbled their name and moved on. Not Anne. I watched, rapt, as she drew a picture of a fantastical dancing creature with extraordinarily large ears. “Her name is Beulah Jane,” wrote Anne, “please treat her with kindness. She is very sensitive”. What a lovely gift to a younger girl she would never see again, and doubtless not remember. I still have Beulah Jane and I hope I treat her with kindness. Thank you, Anne.

What a great and gracious lady! In Anne, the Museum, the city of Philadelphia, and the country at large had a superlative ambassador. The Art World has lost one of its greatest advocates, but the mark she made will endure, and her legacy is inviolable.

I had the pleasure of meeting Anne very briefly in 2004 while interviewing for a position with the museum. Her warmth, grace and elegance were completely disarming and I have never forgotten her. Thank you Anne for all that you did for Philadelphia and the arts community in general.

I have read and heard many heartfelt and wonderful stories about Anne over the past few days. For those of us of a younger generation, who aspire to be great art professionals and leaders, Anne, with her profound humanity, integrity, and tireless championing of art, stood as a real inspiration and role model. Her passing, as sad and tragic as it is, has given me cause to consider who, what, and how I want to be a leader in the arts, and why I want to be like Anne, a great lioness for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the arts, and museums all over the world.