Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
s’était refermé sur une activité muséographique
English translation:
was re-purposed for certain kinds of museum activities
Added to glossary by
Barbara Cochran, MFA
Aug 6, 2021 22:33
2 yrs ago
32 viewers *
French term
s’était refermé sur une activité muséographique
French to English
Art/Literary
History
From An Art History Book
Contexte:
Pendant les trois mois qui venaient de s’écouler, le petit bâtiment de la terrasse des Tuileries s’était refermé sur une activité muséogra- phique qui rappelait celle des grandes expositions internationales. Hélas, il ne s’agissait pas des mêmes échanges culturels, amicaux et désintéressés ! Les experts allemands travaillaient seuls aux inventaires des objets d’art saisis dont le nombre augmentait chaque jour.
Merci Beaucoup,
Barbara
Pendant les trois mois qui venaient de s’écouler, le petit bâtiment de la terrasse des Tuileries s’était refermé sur une activité muséogra- phique qui rappelait celle des grandes expositions internationales. Hélas, il ne s’agissait pas des mêmes échanges culturels, amicaux et désintéressés ! Les experts allemands travaillaient seuls aux inventaires des objets d’art saisis dont le nombre augmentait chaque jour.
Merci Beaucoup,
Barbara
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Aug 8, 2021 02:19: Barbara Cochran, MFA Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+1
42 mins
Selected
was closed for (redesignated for) museographic work
Peer comment(s):
agree |
ormiston
: Or what about 'had been reserved for' / to Mr it means they (perhaps literally) shut the doors to concentrate on the job in hand
11 hrs
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Merci Orrmiston. I don't know the word referme - does it mean reserved, or is it more like converted/repurposed? In the context, repurposed seems more likely to me.
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neutral |
philgoddard
: I don't think readers will know what museographic means - I didn't, and I've been working with museums for 20 years. It basically means cataloguing.
16 hrs
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OK thanks, me either, but see wikidiff link supra which made me think I was supposed to know :-).
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3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
3 hrs
French term (edited):
s’était refermé sur une activité muséographique
had secretly been involved in a gathering together of works of art
`(...) had secretly been involved in a gathering together of works of art that was reminiscent of the activity pertaining to big, international exhibitions.`
I consider the literal translation of French adjective `muséographique`conveys too abstract a sense here, where the context is evidently one concerning the concrete assemblage of captured art works.
I consider the literal translation of French adjective `muséographique`conveys too abstract a sense here, where the context is evidently one concerning the concrete assemblage of captured art works.
Peer comment(s):
neutral |
polyglot45
: from my knowledge of this business, I think "secretly" is an addition without foundation
5 hrs
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neutral |
ormiston
: I agree with polyglots reading above, don't see where secretly comes from
5 hrs
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neutral |
mrrafe
: Not secretly, just closed to the public. Also I presumed, perhaps wrongly, that they weren't assembling art but merely cataloguing what they already had next door - hence museography.
10 hrs
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13 hrs
...had withdrawn into a museographic activity...
This is the meaning.
2 hrs
had been concentrating on a museographic activity...
reminiscent of... etc., i.e., that of working on the inventory of stolen art confiscated...etc.
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Note added at 15 hrs (2021-08-07 14:00:31 GMT)
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had concentrated
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Note added at 15 hrs (2021-08-07 14:00:31 GMT)
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had concentrated
Peer comment(s):
neutral |
ormiston
: The subject of the sentence is 'a small building'
9 hrs
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Yes, wrong verb tense - I meant concentrated, i.e., focussed
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Discussion
But thanks, anyway, for your suggestion.
Concentrated on / focused on. How about 'carry out diligently museum activities' ?
I don't think the expression, in this case, would necessarily refer to anything as specific or mundane as "cataloging", but rather to museum activities, more generally, but which were carried out under the eyes of the Germans. For example, special exhibits were set up for Goering (talk about full of himself), so he could pick and choose what he wanted to get for Hitler, and for his own personal collection.
Thanks everyone!
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