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An exhibit called The Marzio Years charts the institution s explosive growth under his stewardship
Molly Glentzer December 29, 2020Updated: December 29, 2020, 8:30 pm
Peter C. Marzio served as director of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts from 1982 until his death of cancer in 2010. In this photograph from early in his career, he stands next to Walter Ufer’s painting “Anna.” Photo: Timothy Bullard / Houston Chronicle
The late Peter Marzio used to answer humbly when people asked what drove his acquisition choices for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
“Well, you know, you can do the usual this is quality, this is provenance, this work is the right size, it addresses a gap or builds on strengths in the collection,” he might say. “But in the end, what really matters is, if a work of art makes me want to tap someone on the shoulder and say, ‘Look at that.’”