By the time André Malraux asked Balthus to get involved, most intellectually sophisticated people disparaged this institution that had once been so prestigious. They felt that the competition in Rome destroyed the spirit of young artists and made them conform to flawed and dated artistic standards […] But Malraux knew that in summoning his friend to the post of director, the controversial painter would both elevate the artistic tenor of the academy and restore its stature. The minister was certain that, with his eye for quality and passion for creativity, Balthus would be able to restore to the Villa Medici the life and spirit that had once reigned there but was now nearly extinct.
– Nicholas Fox Weber, Balthus: A Biography