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Hollingsworth Pearce Papers, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
1 linear foot
Abstract:
Approximately 60 black and white photographs comprise this collection, documenting the work of Hollingsworth Pearce (1878-1936), Philadelphia designer, metalsmith and engraver. There is also a hand-written inventory of the photographed objects, which are primarily silver or pewter items Pearce crafted for several churches and chapels, such as altar and processional crosses, sanctuary lamps and a baptismal bowl. Tablets, trophy cups and bowls are also illustrated.

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Henry P. McIlhenny Papers, 1817-1824, 1902-1988, undated (bulk 1934-1986) (inclusive)

Extent:
62.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Henry P. McIlhenny Papers document the privileged and urbane lifestyle of the man whose tastes and talents earned him a reputation as a distinguished connoisseur of art and antiques, world traveler, host extraordinaire, philanthropist and generous friend. Although Henry McIlhenny (1910-1986) is the primary creator, this collection is very much a family affair, encompassing the art collections initiated by his parents, John D. and Frances P. McIlhenny, which passed, along with the family trust fund, on to McIlhenny and his sister Bernice ("Bonnnie") Wintersteen. Much of the material deals with McIlhenny's activities from the mid-1930s to his final years, with particularly extensive documentation of his art collection and of his homes, the latter of which encompasses his penchant for interior design and his passion for horticulture. Also well documented are his many years of service to and support of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Academy of Music, and the Philadelphia...(see more)

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John Stephen Benezet Diaries, 1838-1850, 1892, 1949 (inclusive)

Extent:
2 linear feet
Abstract:
The diaries of John Stephen Benezet offer a glimpse of life in antebellum Philadelphia from 1838 to 1850. By the time he begins to keep these journals, Benezet is already a husband and father supporting a family of at least four children as a clerk at the United States Mint in Philadelphia. In addition to his personal activities, such as attending church, assisting at a school and taking tea and dinner with family and friends, Benezet's entries occasionally give a glimpse of contemporary social and political activities. The most recurring subject is the outbreak of cholera.

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Zieget Shaker Collection Papers, 1841-1868, 1919-1968, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Zieget Shaker Collection Papers underscore Irene and Julius Zieget's reliance on members of the Shaker community in acquiring hundreds of samples of their art and crafts. Correspondence dating from 1929 to 1968 and a journal illustrated with photographs document the Ziegets' interaction with a number of Shaker sisters and eldresses, particularly Sister Marguerite Frost of Canterbury, NH. The papers also include some of the Ziegets' acquisitions--nineteenth- and early twentieth-century manuscript material. Included here are records of deaths, recipes and other household instructions along with spiritual messages, blessings and hymns all recorded neatly in the distinctive and decorative Shaker hand. A scrapbook Irene Zieget compiled of printed material dating from 1881 to 1960 includes published writings by Shakers as well as numerous newspaper and magazine articles and advertisements that chronicle the public's interest in the Shaker lifestyle and aesthetic.

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John G. Johnson Papers, 1846-1918, 1927-1955, 1973-1993, undated [bulk: 1880-1918] (inclusive)

Extent:
26.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Born, raised and educated in Philadelphia, John Graver Johnson (1841-1917) became one of the city's preeminent citizens, noted not only for his long and successful practice as a corporate lawyer but also for his extensive collection of European art. The John G. Johnson Papers consist of correspondence, hundreds of photographs and other documents that make evident Johnson's consultation with noted scholars and art dealers and his own methodology in building and refining an art collection. Estate inventories and appraisals and a copy of Johnson's will outline the disposition of those acquisitions and other personal belongings after his death. Also well documented are three of Johnson's European excursions. Oversized photograph albums hold more than twelve hundred images of the sites Johnson took in with his wife Ida. The lives of Johnson and his wife are also chronicled through portraits--Johnson from the ages of six to sixty-six and Ida from little girl to young mother to...(see more)

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Frances Lichten Research Collection, circa 1850-1961, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
8 cubic feet
Abstract:
The Frances Lichten Research Collection covers a broad range of styles and subjects within the broad category of "decorative arts." Lichten's work as a Research Associate at the Philadelphia Museum of Art was concentrated on Pennsylvania German folk art, the foundation of which was Ms. Lichten's work on the WPA Index of American Design project in the 1930s. This series contains many photographs and drawings, as well as magazine and newspaper clippings. Frances Lichten published numerous books, the last of which was "Decorative Arts of Victoria's Era." The Research Collection contains the majority of research files for this book, which are rich in illustrations, Victorian paper artifacts, and records of the social standards of this era. This collection contains also materials relating to general categories within decorative arts, mainly in the form of clippings from magazines and newspapers.

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Julien Levy Gallery records, 1857-1982 (inclusive)

Extent:
19.0 linear feet (46 containers)
Abstract:
Julien Levy (1906-1981) was a pioneering New York art dealer of the 1930s and 1940s. He was introduced to the art world in Paris by Marcel Duchamp, who he met in New York in 1926. In Paris he met photographers and artists, including Man Ray, Berenice Abbot, and his future wife Joella Haweis, daughter of Dadaist muse Mina Loy. Upon his return to the United States, Levy worked briefly at the Weyhe Gallery before opening the Julien Levy Gallery at 602 Madison Avenue. In 1932, Levy mounted “Surrealisme,” an exhibition that introduced the Surrealist art movement to New York. This collection documents the career of prominent art gallery owner Julien Levy. The records date from 1857 to 1983 and include correspondence, exhibit announcements and invitations, scrapbooks, gallery financial ledgers, audio-visual materials, and personal papers such as letters, diaries, appointment books and calendars. The material in this collection reflects the course of Levy’s life, beginning with childhood...(see more)

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Julien Levy Gallery records, 1857-1982 (inclusive)

Extent:
19.0 linear feet (46 containers)
Abstract:
Julien Levy (1906-1981) was a pioneering New York art dealer of the 1930s and 1940s. He was introduced to the art world in Paris by Marcel Duchamp, who he met in New York in 1926. In Paris he met photographers and artists, including Man Ray, Berenice Abbot, and his future wife Joella Haweis, daughter of Dadaist muse Mina Loy. Upon his return to the United States, Levy worked briefly at the Weyhe Gallery before opening the Julien Levy Gallery at 602 Madison Avenue. In 1932, Levy mounted “Surrealisme,” an exhibition that introduced the Surrealist art movement to New York. This collection documents the career of prominent art gallery owner Julien Levy. The records date from 1857 to 1983 and include correspondence, exhibit announcements and invitations, scrapbooks, gallery financial ledgers, audio-visual materials, and personal papers such as letters, diaries, appointment books and calendars. The material in this collection reflects the course of Levy’s life, beginning with childhood...(see more)

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Daniel M. Williams Biographical Collection of George Grey Barnard, 1863-1969, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
8.5 linear feet
Abstract:
This collection documents the tireless efforts of journalist Daniel M. Williams to refine and publish a biography of the American sculptor and collector George Grey Barnard. While the project never came to fruition, the collection represents approximately 30 years of Williams's accumulated research and writings, and consists of correspondence, including some of Barnard's personal letters to his family, as well as clippings, ephemera and photographs regarding the artist's life and career as a sculptor and important collector of Medieval art and architecture. Works by Barnard documented here include his celebrated commissions, such as the monumental figural group for the Pennsylvania Capitol at Harrisburg, as well as his controversial depictions of Abraham Lincoln and the god Pan. References to Barnard's excursions to the French countryside in search of artifacts include his sale to John D. Rockefeller, Jr. of more than 600 pieces, which would collectively be housed and referred to as...(see more)

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Hannah Ann Zell Scrapbook, 1873-1904, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
0.25 linear foot
Abstract:
Hannah Ann Zell devoted her scrapbook to the Centennial Exhibition held in Philadelphia in 1876, as well as to the Pennsylvania Museum's School of Industrial Art and the Associate Committee of Women, which primarily raised funds on behalf of the school. Her scrapbook, which consists of clippings, ephemera and occasional correspondence, attests to the civic spirit of women of the period.

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Fiske Kimball Papers, 1874-1957, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
101 linear feet
Abstract:
The Fiske Kimball Papers document the myriad interests and tireless professional pursuits of architect, scholar and museum director Fiske Kimball (1888-1955). The papers include professional and personal correspondence; architectural drawings; manuscript, typescript, and printed versions of articles, books, and reviews; photographs, including some personal snapshots and portraits of Kimball and his family; and research and reference material, particularly notes and clippings.

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Board of Trustees Records, 1875-1998 (inclusive)

Extent:
20 linear feet
Abstract:
These records consist primarily of meeting minutes of the Museum's Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, from the time of the institution's incorporation to the 1990s. Reports presented at Trustee meetings, resolutions and minutes of meetings of a few of the earliest Standing Committees are also included. Gifts, loans, membership and finances are the most frequently discussed topics. Other material pertains to the exhibitions of 1888 and 1889, held to promote American industrial arts, and the Museum Fund, a fundraising and publicity campaign introduced in the late 1920s. Indexed correspondence from exhibitors documents the former. The latter consists primarily of correspondence, proposal and summary reports, and ephemera.

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Dalton Dorr records, 1876-1904 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.25 linear feet (10 document boxes)
Abstract:
Dalton Dorr played a key role in the early years of the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art (later known as the Philadelphia Museum of Art). Dorr was elected Secretary of the Corporation in 1880. In 1888 he acted as both Secretary and Curator, and by 1892 he was performing the duties of Secretary, Director, and Curator. In 1899 William Platt Pepper took over as Director of the Museum, and Dorr continued on as Curator and Secretary. Dalton Door died on February 26, 1901. Shortly after, Edwin Atlee Barber assumed the roles of Secretary and Curator. This collection contains letter books, dating from 1876 to 1904, containing the correspondences of Dorr, Pepper, and Barber. The correspondence pertains to the Centennial exposition, Museum collections, acquisitions, exhibitions, staff, and repairs to Memorial Hall, as well as information regarding the formation of the Museum and its associated schools.

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Joan Root Collections, 1876-1926, 1969-2000 (inclusive)

Extent:
0.25 linear foot
Abstract:
Most of the material comprising the Joan Root Collections consists of correspondence she received from Carl Otto Kretzschmar von Kienbusch, who amassed one of the world's greatest private collections of arms and armor, which he bequeathed to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Their correspondence began in 1969 when Mrs. Root became vice chair (and later chairman) of the Museum's Guides, and continued until von Kienbusch's death in 1976. There are also a few pieces of correspondence from some of von Kienbusch's associates and other PMA staff members. Other related material includes writings about von Kienbusch and the PMA's acquisition of his collection as well as photographs. The second subgroup highlights a completely different interest of Mrs. Root--a small compilation of ephemera pertaining to the City of Philadelphia, namely the Centennial, Sesqui-centennial and dedication of the equestrian monument of George Washington in Fairmount Park.

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Dalton Dorr Records, 1876-1904 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.25 linear feet (10 document boxes)
Abstract:
Dalton Dorr played a key role in the early years of the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art (later known as the Philadelphia Museum of Art). Dorr was elected Secretary of the Corporation in 1880. In 1888 he acted as both Secretary and Curator, and by 1892 he was performing the duties of Secretary, Director, and Curator. In 1899 William Platt Pepper took over as Director of the Museum, and Dorr continued on as Curator and Secretary. Dalton Door died on February 26, 1901. Shortly after, Edwin Atlee Barber assumed the roles of Secretary and Curator. This collection contains letter books, dating from 1876 to 1904, containing the correspondences of Dorr, Pepper, and Barber. The correspondence pertains to the Centennial exposition, Museum collections, acquisitions, exhibitions, staff, and repairs to Memorial Hall, as well as information regarding the formation of the Museum and its associated schools.

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Women's Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art Records, 1883-1989, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
14.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The collection documents the role of the Women's Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in support of the Museum, its affiliates, and the Philadelphia arts community. The records illustrate approximately one hundred and twenty five years of successful service and leadership in planning various events and programs, and provide insight into the Women's Committee's untiring efforts, dedication, and expertise. The collection consists of minute books, scrapbooks, financial records, reports, and plans of events, marketing strategies, public relations, and special projects such as publishing a cookbook.

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Edwin Atlee Barber Papers, 1885-1916 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Edwin Atlee Barber was Director/Curator of the Philadelphia Museum of Art from 1901 to 1916, and Honorary Curator of American Pottery and Porcelain from 1893 to 1916. His great interest was pottery, porcelain, and ceramics, primarily early American works. This collection contains a small selection of his writings and research about these topics.

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Alexina and Marcel Duchamp Papers, circa 1886-1990, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
18 linear feet
Abstract:
The Alexina and Marcel Duchamp Papers are comprised of some personal papers of Marcel Duchamp as well as published material documenting the artist and his work that were compiled and organized by his widow, Alexina Duchamp. The collection is comprised of approximately 800 personal photographs; a small portion of Duchamp's correspondence; his lecture notes and transcripts; vital records; transcripts of several interviews with Duchamp; and published material concerning the artist.

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Mary Curran Papers, 1891-1958, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
10.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Mary Curran (1885-1976) devoted most of her professional life to some of the most progressive practices in social reform and relief during the first half of the 20th century. Her papers primarily document the significant role she played in the education of young working women, which segued into the promotion of modern art in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the management of the federal relief programs for artists in that state during most of the 1930s. The material is arranged in four series: I. Working women's clubs; II. New Students League and the Little Gallery of Contemporary Art; III. Federal Art Project and earlier relief programs; and IV. Personal papers. The bulk of documentation consists of correspondence, clippings, photographs, artist application forms and related reports for federal relief work, and 15-years' worth of bulletins, catalogs and ephemera, primarily from Philadelphia and New York museums, galleries and art alliances. Correspondents include...(see more)

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Rodin Museum Records, 1892-1991, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
4 linear feet
Abstract:
The Rodin Museum, located on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, houses Philadelphian movie theater magnate and philanthropist Jules E. Mastbaum's exceptional collection of works by French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Mastbaum amassed the collection between 1923 and 1926 for the expressed purpose of founding a museum for the citizens of Philadelphia. The buiding was designed by noted architects Paul Philippe Cret and Jacques Greber between 1926 and 1929. The Rodin Museum is administered by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Records in this collection document the administration, maintenance, and renovation of the Rodin Museum.

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Lloyd and Edith Havens Goodrich, Whitney Museum of American Art, Record of Works by Thomas Eakins, 1894, 1903, 1915-1986 (inclusive)

Extent:
42 linear feet
Abstract:
The Lloyd and Edith Havens Goodrich, Whitney Museum of American Art, Record of Works by Thomas Eakins consists mainly of typescript and manuscript papers, correspondence, and a variety of research and reference materials pertaining to Lloyd Goodrich's major published and unpublished works on American artist Thomas Eakins. This collection documents more than 50 years of Eakins scholarship, during which Goodrich published "Thomas Eakins: his life and work" (1933) and the revised and augmented monograph, "Thomas Eakins" (1982). A revision of the 1933 publication's catalogue raisonne section, intended as a separate volume, never reached the final stages before Goodrich's death, but represents a significant volume of material. Of note is correspondence with Thomas Eakins's widow, Susan Macdowell Eakins; Goodrich's transcriptions of Thomas Eakins's own correspondence, much of which is now lost; and his interview notes with Eakins's sitters, students, friends, and relatives, including...(see more)

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George Grey Barnard Papers, 1895-1941 (inclusive)

Extent:
19 linear feet
Abstract:
George Grey Barnard was an American sculptor and collector of Medieval art, locating and arranging the pieces that eventually became "The Cloisters," now of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. His papers are comprised primarily of correspondence and financial and business records documenting both his collecting and creation of art. The collection includes a significant amount of personal correspondence, biographical information, and family financial records as well.

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Giuseppe Donato Papers, 1897-1965, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
6 linear feet
Abstract:
This collection consists primarily of personal correspondence between the French sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) and his former student Giuseppe Donato (1881-1965), who became a noted Philadelphia sculptor. There are approximately one dozen original items written by Rodin, and photocopied versions of the 30 pieces of correspondence sent by Donato. Letters from a few other individuals associated with Rodin are also included, as well as a small portrait photograph Rodin autographed to Donato and a clip of Rodin's hair. All 20 pieces of correspondence, including the notated calling cards, are in French. The 1965 obituary of Donato published in the Philadelphia Bulletin is also included.

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Dorothy Norman Research Collection, 1897-1992, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
4 linear feet
Abstract:
During her twenty-year relationship with photographer and art promoter Alfred Stieglitz, Dorothy Norman, herself a photographer as well as writer, came to know artists such as John Marin, who were defining American modernism during the 1930s and 1940s. Norman published and edited writings about both men, and likely compiled this material in preparation. Documentation pertaining to Alfred Stieglitz consists primarily of exhibition announcements and checklists, and copies of writings published by his gallery An American Place. Equally significant in amount are the copyprints of photographs by Stieglitz, and of works by artists he promoted, such as Georgia O'Keefe, Arthur G. Dove, John Marin and Marsden Hartley. John Marin material consists primarily of photographs and published writings about the artist, including clippings and exhibition catalogues. Material relating to Norman's other endeavors include ephemera of her publication "Twice a Year" and other works published by the same...(see more)

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Edwin Atlee Barber records, 1901-1916 (bulk) 1898-1933 (inclusive)

Extent:
19.6 linear feet (47 document boxes)
Abstract:
Edwin Atlee Barber was Curator/Secretary of the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art from 1901to 1907, Director/Curator from 1907 to 1916 and Honorary Curator of American Pottery and Porcelain from 1893 to 1916. His great interest was in pottery, porcelain, and ceramics, primarily early American works. A scholar and prolific writer, Barber wrote and published numerous articles on his specialty. He is considered a pioneering scholar in his field. The Edwin Atlee Barber records include both general and administrative correspondence from Barber’s tenure at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art. The Museum was know as the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art until 1938, when it was changed to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Materials date from 1898 to 1933. Included in the collection are letters sent to Barber after his death; some of these letters were answered by Barber’s wife or daughter. This collection contains correspondence covering a broad...(see more)

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Edwin Atlee Barber Records, 1901-1916 (bulk) 1898-1933 (inclusive)

Extent:
19.6 linear feet (47 document boxes)
Abstract:
Edwin Atlee Barber was Curator/Secretary of the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art from 1901to 1907, Director/Curator from 1907 to 1916 and Honorary Curator of American Pottery and Porcelain from 1893 to 1916. His great interest was in pottery, porcelain, and ceramics, primarily early American works. A scholar and prolific writer, Barber wrote and published numerous articles on his specialty. He is considered a pioneering scholar in his field. The Edwin Atlee Barber records include both general and administrative correspondence from Barber’s tenure at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art. The Museum was know as the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art until 1938, when it was changed to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Materials date from 1898 to 1933. Included in the collection are letters sent to Barber after his death; some of these letters were answered by Barber’s wife or daughter. This collection contains correspondence covering a broad...(see more)

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Christian Brinton Research Collection, 1902-1926 (inclusive)

Extent:
1 linear foot
Abstract:
Through his writings and the exhibitions he curated, Christian Brinton (1870-1942) promoted modern and contemporary art, particularly from the areas outside of the traditional western European school, and has been credited with introducing Nordic, Slavic and Teutonic modernism to Americirca This collection consists of material compiled by Brinton pertaining to two contemporary artists, namely the Spanish painter Ignacio Zuloaga and the Russian sculptor Prince Paul Troubetzkoy. Files pertaining to Zuloaga make up the first series and consist primarily of correspondence, 1904-1922, from the artist to Brinton. There are also clippings about the artist and many photographs of his works, as well as some of Brinton's notes and draft writings. The second series pertains to Paul Troubetzkoy, and consists primarily of Brinton's research notes and photographs and prints of the artist's objects, as well as reference files of newsclippings and other journal writings about Troubetzkoy.

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Arthur Edwin Bye Papers, 1903-1907, 1920-1965, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
4 linear feet
Abstract:
During his 80+ years of life, Arthur Edwin Bye (1885-1969) worked as an artist, art dealer, art restorer, curator and scholar. Based on the content of his four unidentified scrapbooks as well as the two short writings, this collection reflects a few of Bye's multiple interests and practices in the fine and decorative arts, including graphic design and printmaking.

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Arensberg Archives, 1905-1957, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
33 linear feet
Abstract:
Art collectors Walter and Louise Arensberg amassed a seminal collection of Modern and pre-Columbian art between 1913 and 1950, when they presented it to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Arensberg Archives contain correspondence, ephemera, clippings, writings, personal and art collection records, and photographs documenting the couple's art collecting activities as well as their friendship with many important artists, writers and scholars, including Marcel Duchamp, Charles Sheeler, Walter Pach, Beatrice Wood, and Elmer Ernest Southard. The collection also includes some material related to Walter Arensberg's study of Francis Bacon and the founding of his research institute, the Francis Bacon Foundation.

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Earl Horter Collection, 1908-1980, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
2 linear feet
Abstract:
Philadelphia-area artist, teacher and collector Earl Horter (1881-1940) was one of the city's most influential practitioners and promoters of modern art. This collection consists primarily of photographs, clippings, and exhibition catalogues and checklists pertaining to Horter during his lifetime, as well as some correspondence, writings and ephemera. Several items, particularly newsclippings of posthumous retrospective exhibitions are also included as well as a death mask and hand of the artist, given by his widow. Item-level inventories were prepared in 1995 and 1999.

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Fiske Kimball Records, 1908-1955, undated (bulk 1925-1954) (inclusive)

Extent:
94.5 linear feet
Abstract:
From 1925 to 1955, Fiske Kimball served as director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, steering the institution from what he described as "a minor provincial position to become one of the leading museums of Americirca" The Fiske Kimball Records document Kimball's efforts in achieving this transformation in collaboration with the Museum's officers, staff, and the Fairmount Park Commission, and with the assistance of private benefactors and City funding. Comprised primarily of correspondence, these records also include ephemera, clippings, notes, legal documents, reports, minutes, press releases, publications, floor plans, installation drawings, and photographs, mostly of objects, rooms and architectural elements offered for purchase. Kimball's correspondents include preeminent leaders of art museums, universities, auction houses and professional affiliations, as well as government representatives, private collectors, scholars, and artists. Kimball's often successful courting of...(see more)

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Director's Exhibition records, 1915-1983 (inclusive)

Extent:
25.42 linear feet (61 document boxes)
Abstract:
The Director's Exhibition records of the Philadelphia Museum of Art contain documentation of exhibition activities at the Museum. These records are not a comprehensive account of exhibitions held by the Museum, but an ongoing file produced by the executive office in the course of administering exhibitions for the Museum, kept in the Director’s office between 1915 and 1981. Additional exhibition records may be located within a specific Director’s records, or in Curatorial records; Museum Directors during this period included Edwin Atlee Barber, Langdon Warner, Fiske Kimball, Henri Marceau, Evan Turner, and Jean Sutherland Boggs.

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Director's Exhibition Records, 1915-1983 (inclusive)

Extent:
25.42 linear feet (61 document boxes)
Abstract:
The Director's Exhibition records of the Philadelphia Museum of Art contain documentation of exhibition activities at the Museum. These records are not a comprehensive account of exhibitions held by the Museum, but an ongoing file produced by the executive office in the course of administering exhibitions for the Museum, kept in the Director’s office between 1915 and 1981. Additional exhibition records may be located within a specific Director’s records, or in Curatorial records; Museum Directors during this period included Edwin Atlee Barber, Langdon Warner, Fiske Kimball, Henri Marceau, Evan Turner, and Jean Sutherland Boggs.

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Langdon Warner records, 1917-1923 (bulk) 1916-1929 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.58 linear feet (11 document boxes)
Abstract:
Langdon Warner, a scholar of Asian art and an archeologist, was Director of the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art from 1917 to 1923. Warner also served as Curator of the Wilstach Collection (the Wilstach family art collection was bequeathed to the city in 1892 and custodianship was transferred to the Museum in 1917). While serving as Director of the Museum Warner, traveled extensively in Asia and was often away from the Museum. Almost immediately after taking the job, he departed for Japan where he set about acquiring works of art that "were thought too good to lose." The Langdon Warner records contain correspondence of Langdon Warner, Museum Director between 1917 and 1923, and E. Hamilton Bell, Acting Director during Warner’s absence. At the time, the Museum's collections were housed in Fairmount Park's Memorial Hall. The correspondence mainly concerns the Museum's facilities, collections, exhibitions and purchases. This collection is divided into two series: Series...(see more)

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Langdon Warner Records, 1917-1923 (bulk) 1916-1929 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.58 linear feet (11 document boxes)
Abstract:
Langdon Warner, a scholar of Asian art and an archeologist, was Director of the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art from 1917 to 1923. Warner also served as Curator of the Wilstach Collection (the Wilstach family art collection was bequeathed to the city in 1892 and custodianship was transferred to the Museum in 1917). While serving as Director of the Museum Warner, traveled extensively in Asia and was often away from the Museum. Almost immediately after taking the job, he departed for Japan where he set about acquiring works of art that "were thought too good to lose." The Langdon Warner records contain correspondence of Langdon Warner, Museum Director between 1917 and 1923, and E. Hamilton Bell, Acting Director during Warner’s absence. At the time, the Museum's collections were housed in Fairmount Park's Memorial Hall. The correspondence mainly concerns the Museum's facilities, collections, exhibitions and purchases. This collection is divided into two series: Series...(see more)

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Johnson Collection Curatorial Records, 1917-2007, undated (bulk 1927-1992) (inclusive)

Extent:
56.25 linear feet
Abstract:
The Johnson Collection Curatorial Records represent two "generations" of curatorial oversight of the art collection acquired by John Graver Johnson (19841-1917), one of Philadelphia's most prominent corporate lawyers. While the collection of more than 1,600 European paintings, sculpture and textiles is owned by the City of Philadelphia through Johnson's bequest, it is administered by and housed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as is Johnson's extensive art library. In these curatorial records, the earlier files reflect the administrative and curatorial activities of Henri Marceau and Barbara Sweeny, roughly documenting their combined years of service, 1926-1972. Joseph J. Rishel succeeded Sweeny as Johnson Collection curator in November of 1972. His tenure, which continues to this day, comprises the second curatorial term, from 1973 to 1992. A small amount of papers created later are included separately. The second generation of records also reflects the work of assistant and...(see more)

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John Raphael Covert Papers, 1919-1976, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
5 linear feet
Abstract:
The painter John Raphael Covert (1882-1960) was an active participant in the American avant-garde art movement between 1915 and 1923. He later became a travelling salesman for his family's Vesuvius Crucible Company and pursued his intense interest in cryptography, word games and magic squares. The John Raphael Covert Papers consist of the artist's correspondence, word and number puzzles (such as anagrams, acrostics, and riddles), financial records, photographic portraits, and a few sketches. Approximately half of the papers are in code, and thus are cryptic in both intent and meaning.

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The Stella Kramrisch papers, 1921-1998 (inclusive)

Extent:
60.0 linear feet
Abstract:
As a teacher, lecturer, curator and prolific writer, Dr. Stella Kramrisch (1898-1993) devoted nearly 70 years to the study and appreciation of Indian art. She served as the curator of Indian art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art from 1954 until her death in 1993. The Stella Kramrisch papers document her activities, correspondence and publications as a collector and historian of Indian art. The records in this collection date from 1921 to 1998 and contain information about the art objects in Stella Kramrisch’s personal collection (which were later donated to the Philadelphia Museum of Art), and her publications and research. There is also a large collection of photographs of Indian architecture, paintings and sculpture. The majority of the collection is printed material related to Kramrisch’s research and scholarship; the breadth of the materials in this collection attests to her seminal influence on and ground-breaking contributions to Indian art scholarship.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Beatrice Wood Collection, circa 1921-2001, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
0.5 linear feet
Abstract:
This collection includes archival material documenting the life and work of Beatrice Wood (1893-1998), a central figure in the New York Dada movement and a notable ceramic artist. The archival material comes from two different sources: the artist herself and Conrad C. M. Arensberg. It includes documentation of several exhibitions and events, specifically personal photographs of her 96th birthday.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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A. E. (Albert Eugene) Gallatin Papers, 1927-1943 (inclusive)

Extent:
1 linear foot
Abstract:
These three scrapbooks document the first museum gallery in America devoted to modern art and founded by the collector and art historian Albert Eugene Gallatin. The scrapbooks contain newspaper and magazine clippings, press releases and announcements of exhibitions, acquisitions and new publications. Coverage starts with the 1927 announcement of the opening of the Gallery of Living Art, which was housed and operated by New York University on its main Washington Square campus, and concludes in 1943 when the University closed the facility, which by then operated as the Museum of Living Art, and Gallatin's collection was transferred to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Marketing and Public Relations Department Records, 1960-1995 (bulk) 1927-2006 (inclusive)

Extent:
67.0 linear feet (67 containers)
Abstract:
The Philadelphia Museum of Art was founded in 1876, just after the close of the United States Centennial Celebration. While a Public Relations office has long been part of its organizational structure, the Museum did not designate a formal office of Marketing until 1994. That year's annual report noted for the first time a joint Marketing and Public Relations department operated by a staff of seven. The Marketing and Public Relations Department records houses photographs and documents created and used by the marketing team at the Philadelphia Museum of Art to promote exhibits, events and other activities of the Museum and its various departments. The records were used for external advertising as well as for publication in the Museum’s internally produced and distributed publications, like the annual report or the Bulletin . The collection dates from 1947 to 1999 (bulk: 1970-1995) and includes a wide array of materials, including photographs of events and featured works of art, press...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Anne d'Harnoncourt Papers, circa 1927-2012, undated (bulk 1951-2008) (inclusive)

Extent:
31.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Art to Anne d'Harnoncourt (1943-2008) was both a professional and personal passion. Best recognized for her twenty-five year tenure as director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, d'Harnoncourt collaborated with local, national and international people and organizations, to keep art--and all the arts--relevant and essential in building and bridging communities. Most of the material comprising the Anne d'Harnoncourt Papers traces her professional development in and away from the Museum and consists primarily of correspondence, press clippings, photographs of works of art and events, draft lectures, notes, ephemera and a number of certificates, citations and object awards. Several files of photos and papers pertain to her husband and Museum colleague, Joseph J. Rishel. Family papers and photographs and school records comprise her personal papers. Also made part of the Anne d'Harnoncourt Papers is the significant documentation of the worldwide reaction to her unexpected death on June 1,...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Yasuo Kuniyoshi Papers, 1931-1932, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
0.5 linear foot
Abstract:
This collection consists of approximately five months worth of letters written by the artist Yasuo Kuniyoshi (1889-1953) in which he describes his 1931-1932 journey back to Japan in vivid detail. Writing to his wife Katherine (Schmidt) in New York, Kuniyoshi details every experience, particularly the social and media activities surrounding his one-man exhibitions in Tokyo and Osaka, and his visits to Okayama to spend time with his dying father. A few photographs of Kuniyoshi's train stop in Montana and an original writing in Japanese, laid out in a scroll format, are also included.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Conservation and Technical Research Collection, 1932-1969, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
39 linear feet
Abstract:
The collection documents the establishment and early operations of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's conservation laboratory and the use of photographic technology in conservation and curatorial work. While the majority of the material pertains to the activities of Henri Marceau, Curator of Painting and Sculpture, and of the John G. Johnson Collection, and of David Rosen, who served as an adviser to the Museum's conservation and technical research projects, the collection also includes some records of Theodor Siegl, who was hired as the Museum's first full-time conservator in 1955. In addition to correspondence, technical brochures, and educational materials, the collection includes extensive files of prints, negatives, and lantern slides documenting works of art in the Philadelphia Museum of Art and John G. Johnson collections, as well as works sent to the Museum for restoration and/or exhibition purposes.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Marcel Duchamp Research Collection, 1933-2003, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
9 linear feet
Abstract:
The Marcel Duchamp Research Collection is comprised of ephemera, photographs, clippings, writings and correspondence related to the artist Marcel Duchamp, his life, work, and legacy which was collected and compiled by the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Henri Gabriel Marceau Director records, 1955-1964 (bulk) 1933-1980 (inclusive)

Extent:
53.2 linear feet (135 document boxes)
Abstract:
Henri Gabriel Marceau was an internationally known scholar, art historian, and architect, and served as Director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art from 1955 to 1964. R. Sturgess Ingersoll, President of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, made the following comments upon Marceau’s retirement from the post of Director: “Mr. Marceau has been a tower of strength through the period of the development of the Philadelphia Museum of Art…His authoritative publications on Thomas Eakins, Cezanne, William Rush, Benjamin West, Flemish paintings and Corot represent an amazing range of scholarship. He has always been particularly interested in sculpture, and the three international exhibitions of sculpture, - held in 1933, 1940 and 1949 in the courtyard of the Museum, - did much to bring about the present refreshing interest in sculptors and sculpture. He has probably had closer relations with contemporary artists than any twentieth century museum director” (Box 103, folder 4). The Henri Gabriel...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Henri Gabriel Marceau Director Records, 1955-1964 (bulk) 1933-1980 (inclusive)

Extent:
53.2 linear feet (135 document boxes)
Abstract:
Henri Gabriel Marceau was an internationally known scholar, art historian, and architect, and served as Director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art from 1955 to 1964. R. Sturgess Ingersoll, President of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, made the following comments upon Marceau’s retirement from the post of Director: “Mr. Marceau has been a tower of strength through the period of the development of the Philadelphia Museum of Art…His authoritative publications on Thomas Eakins, Cezanne, William Rush, Benjamin West, Flemish paintings and Corot represent an amazing range of scholarship. He has always been particularly interested in sculpture, and the three international exhibitions of sculpture, - held in 1933, 1940 and 1949 in the courtyard of the Museum, - did much to bring about the present refreshing interest in sculptors and sculpture. He has probably had closer relations with contemporary artists than any twentieth century museum director” (Box 103, folder 4). The Henri Gabriel...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Gloria Braggiotti Etting Photographs, 1935-1994, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
0.75 linear foot
Abstract:
Born in Italy's Tuscan region, author and photographer Gloria Braggiotti Etting easily made her home among Philadelphia's high society upon her marriage to artist Emlen Etting. Her photographs, taken primarily from the 1960s to 1980s, record some of the most prominent citizens, as well as noted artists, authors and celebrities the world-over. While some of the subjects Etting photographed are formally posed in portrait fashion, many are more candid as they casually mingle at black-tie dinners and other social gatherings. Etting did not take all of these photographs, although it is unclear how many. For many of the photographs, Etting identified each person. Few, however, are dated. Several pieces of correspondence are also included. Most are from American composer Ned Rorem, as well as a published score of his 1970 composition "Gloria."

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Sarah Dickson Lowrie Biography of Eli Kirk Price, 1935-1936, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
1 volume
Abstract:
"Price Papers" is the original bound typescript compiled by Sarah Dickson Lowrie that she intended to publish as a biography of Eli Kirk Price (1870-1933), a well-known civic leader, who was closely associated with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The volume is richly illustrated with maps, clippings, ephemera and photographs and includes some correspondence and typescripts of family letters.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Francis Bacon Foundation Records, 1936-1997, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
18 cubic feet
Abstract:
The Francis Bacon Foundation was formed by Walter and Louise Arensberg in 1938 to promote study in science, literature, religion, history and philosophy with special reference to the works of Francis Bacon. The Foundation also served as the legal owner of the Walter and Louise Arensberg art collection. The Francis Bacon Foundation Records consist of correspondence, administrative and financial records which illustrate the organizational aspects of the Foundation, the Baconian research conducted by its staff, and the art historical research conducted by outside researchers using the Francis Bacon Foundation Library and Arensberg Archives. Because of the Foundation's close association with Walter and Louise Arensberg, the Records also shed some light on their personal lives.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Titus C. Geesey Papers, 1945-1969, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
0.25 linear foot
Abstract:
Titus C. Geesey (d. 1969) was an avid collector of American folk art, particularly Pennsylvania German objects, which were popularly referred to as "Pennsylvania Dutch." This manuscript collection consists of his correspondence primarily with curators and directors of museums and historical societies in the Mid-Atlantic area, written from 1945 to 1969, regarding loans and gifts from his collection. Geesey's offerings in 1953 to the Philadelphia Museum of Art significantly strengthened its rural Pennsylvania collection. Lists of objects accompanying several of the letters suggest the extent of Geesey's holdings, which included walnut and decorated furniture, pottery, porcelain, paintings, silver, glass, frakturs, textiles, wrought iron, toleware, children's books and toys, maps, engravings, lithographs, firearms, tools and cooking utensils.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Julius Zieget Memorabilia, 1947 (inclusive)

Extent:
1 oversized folder
Abstract:
This collection consists of a 12"x15" chalk on paper caricature of Julius Zieget, who served for nearly four decades as Secretary and Treasurer of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philadelphia artist Louis Hirshman drew this likeness in 1947.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Community Programs and Urban Outreach Records, 1970-1980 (bulk) 1951-1984 (inclusive)

Extent:
18.0 linear feet (18 containers)
Abstract:
The Department of Urban Outreach (DUO) of the Philadelphia Museum of Art was established in 1970 as an effort to reach new audiences by bringing art and art programs directly into Philadelphia’s inner city neighborhoods. In 1977, it became the Department of Community Programs, hereafter referred to as the Department. This collection documents the activities of the Department. The records date from 1951 to 1984, the bulk dating from 1970 to 1980, and include correspondence, exhibit planning documentation, photographs and scrapbooks, information concerning artists involved in various projects, and some general research files concerning related events and initiatives in the art community. While the collection does not provide comprehensive documentation of all aspects of the Department, it does include a wide variety of resources that demonstrate the Department’s intentions of appealing to culturally, economically and ethnically diverse communities. Of particular interest are the...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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George Kubler Records of the Arensberg Collection Catalog, 1954 (inclusive)

Extent:
1 linear foot
Abstract:
In preparing a catalog of the pre-Columbian sculpture in the Louise and Walter Arensberg art collection, the Philadelphia Museum of Art called upon the expertise of Yale art historian George Kubler to classify and annotate each object. This collection consists of the annotated photographs of each of the 197 objects illustrated in the catalog, which was published in 1954. Based on certain markings, these were the photographs used by the printer. A second "Miscellaneous" series of photographs, some with annotations, primarily document other objects in the Arensberg collection that did not appear in the catalog. Some are unidentified.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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