Full Name: Roussel, Christine Leo
Other Names:
- Christine Roussel
- Christine Leo
- Christine Leo Roussel
Gender: female
Date Born: 20 January 1939
Place Born: New York, NY, USA
Home Country/ies: United States
Subject Area(s): Modern (style or period), sculpture (visual works), and statues
Institution(s): Metropolitan Museum of Art
Overview
Statue and sculpture conservator; special assistant for International Exhibit Loans at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Leo was born in New York City to Elinore Baisley Leo (Wellington) (1914–2008) and Arnold Leo II. Graduating from The High School of Music and Art, Roussel continued her studies at Wilson College, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree. Enrolling in Goddard College, Ms. Leo received her Master’s Degree in Art and Education before traveling to Greece and later France to intern under the sculptor Ossip Zadkine and study at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. After returning to New York City, Roussel began her decade of work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Working as a Special Assistant to the director, Thomas Hoving, Roussel traveled internationally to curate the Metropolitan’s exhibits of King Tutankhamen, the Scythian Treasures, and Treasures of Island. In 1977, Roussel founded the art conservation company Roussel Studios, where she focused primarily on New York City art. Restoring the Statue of Liberty, The Reclining Figure by Henry Moore, and Le Guichet by Alexander Calder. Internationally, Roussel worked in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, the Louvre, and the Musées de France. She was a board member of the American Friends of the Benaki Museum in Athens, the Madoo Gardens in Sagaponack, and the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. In addition, Roussel worked at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts.
For her work in New York art conservation, Roussel was honored with awards from both the National Association of Professional Women and the Association for a Better New York. She also served as an art consultant for four Presidential Administrations, and Vice President Nelson Rockefeller—helping him establish a 3-D art reproduction studio. Roussel appeared on The Daily Show, the Cunard Insight Series, and in the Men in Lunch Movie where she explained her investigation into the famed “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” photograph.
Selected Bibliography
- Lucien Romier (1885-1944): historien, économiste, journaliste, homme politique. Paris: Editions France-Empire, 1979;
- Concurrences de pouvoirs et aménagement du territoire en Ile-de-France. Lille: Atelier national de Reproduction des Thèses, 1997;
- The Art of Rockefeller Center. New York, NY: Norton, 2006;
- The Guide to the Art of Rockefeller Center. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006.
Sources
- “C. Roussel Inc. Company History Est. 1977.” . Roussel Art Conservation. https://www.rousselartconservation.com/about.html;
- “Christine Roussell’s Art Credentials Extensive: Art Reproductions Expert to Speak at Town Hall Meeting.” The Oklahoman February 13, 1983. https://oklahoman.com/article/2013684/christine-roussels-art-credentials-extensive-art-reproductions-expert-to-speak-at-town-hall-meeting;
- Zydel-Harris, Adele. “Inside Lincoln Center: The Cleaning Experts.” Playbill, December 15, 2005. https://playbill.com/features/article/3376.html.
- Gambino, Megan. “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper Photograph: The Story Behind the Famous Shot.” Smithsonian Magazine. September 19, 2012. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/lunch-atop-a-skyscraper-photograph-the-story-behind-the-famous-shot-43931148/;
- Kamp, David. “The King of New York.” Vanity Fair March 19, 2013. https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/04/king-tut-exhibit-new-york;
- “DVD Review: Men At Lunch.”Dodge City Daily Globe December 14, 2013. https://www.dodgeglobe.com/article/20131214/blogs/312149976.
Contributors: Eleanor Ross