Main content

Indian and Himalayan Art Department Records

Notifications

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]Philadelphia Museum of Art, PO Box 7646, Philadelphia, PA 19101-7646

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
IHA
Repository:
Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives
Extent:
3.75 linear feet
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Item identification and date], [Series info.], Indian and Himalayan Art Department Records, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Archives.
Date:
1998-2005, undated (inclusive)
Abstract:
None available.

Indian and Himalyan Art, which continues to define the purview of the department, became the official designation of the curatorial office in 1995. In earlier years, the office operated under the divisions of "Eastern Art" and "Oriental Art," becoming a separate "Indian Art" office in 1972.

The impetus for the growth and redefining of the department was largely due to Stella Kramrisch, who joined the Museum as its Indian art curator in 1954. Kramrisch died in 1993, bequesting her personal art collection to the Museum, and endowing the curatorial chair of the department to which she had devoted nearly 40 years of scholarship and service. In 1997 Darielle Mason joined the Museum as its first Stella Kramrisch Curator of Indian and Himalayan Art, a position she continues to hold. Katherine Paul served as Associate Curator from 2003 to 2008. Joining the staff in 2009, Yael Rice now holds that position.

This record group documents curatorial activities from approximately 1995 to the present. The records comprising this group at present pertain solely to the exhibition "Masterpieces of Indian Painting from the Alvin O. Bellak Collections." The exhibition ran from March 2 to April 29, 2001.

Early records of the department are part of the Far Eastern Art Department Records. For departmental records generated primarily during the tenure of Stella Kramrisch, see "Indian Art Department Records." This record group also includes the files for the 1995 exhibition, "Himalayan Paintings for Buddhist Meditation: Visualization of Passion and Enlightenment," which was held after Kramrisch's death but prior to Mason's curatorial appointment. For related documentation, see also Stella Kramrisch Personal Papers.

These materials were arranged and described by Bertha Adams, Susan Anderson and Megan Finn. Funded by a grant from The Institute of Museum and Library Services and National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Publisher
Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Bertha Adams, Susan Anderson and Megan Finn
Finding Aid Date
©2011
Sponsor
Funded by a grant from Institute of Museum and Library Services and National Historical Publications and Records Commission
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research. Access to institutional records less than 10 years old is at the discretion of the Archivist.

Use Restrictions

The Indian and Himalayan Art Department Records are the physical property of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Archives. The Museum holds literary rights only for material created by Museum personnel or given to the Museum with such rights specifically assigned. For all other material, literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for obtaining permission from rights holders for publication and for other purposes where stated.

Collection Inventory

Physical Description

3.5 linear feet

Scope and Content Note

Darielle Mason, The Stella Kramrisch Curator of Indian and Himalayan Art, organized an exhibition spanning five centuries of Indian art that featured some 90 paintings and drawings along with a selection of Indian metal vessels from the private collection of Alvin O. Bellak. The exhibited collection later joined the permanent holdings at the Philadelphia Museum of Art as a bequest from Dr. Bellak. The exhibition records are comprised of conservation files, installation and planning documents, educational and programming materials, and files relating to the exhibition catalogue. Files also document venues considered for a touring exhibition and the exhibition's travel to the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and the Seattle Art Museum in 2002 and 2003. In addition, records relating to Dr. Bellak, his collection, and his memorial services held in 2004 are also included in this subseries.

Arrangement

Records from this exhibition are arranged alphabetically by subject.

Acquisition dates, 1997-2000.
Box 1 Folder 1
Appreciation lunch for staff. April 16, 2001, 2001.
Box 1 Folder 2
Article written by Alvin O. Bellak, 2004.
Box 1 Folder 3
Bellak. Apartment, layout of paintings, 1998.
Box 1 Folder 4
Bellak. Benefactors' wall emails, 2004.
Box 1 Folder 5
Bellak. Emails, 2002-2003.
Box 1 Folder 6
Bellak. Letter from R. Skelton, 2001.
Box 1 Folder 7
Bellak. Memorial, 2004.
Box 1 Folder 8
Bellak. Memorial. Pictures, undated.
Box 1 Folder 9
Bellak. Memorial. Obituary and correspondence, 2004.
Box 1 Folder 10
Bellak. Memorial booklets, 2004.
Box 1 Folder 11
Bellak. Obituary emails, 2004.
Box 1 Folder 12
Bellak. Speech for Asia Society, 2000.
Box 1 Folder 13
Bellak. Speech for exhibition opening, 2001.
Box 1 Folder 14
Catalogue, 2001.
Box 1 Folder 15
Catalogue. Bellak essay, 2000.
Box 1 Folder 16
Catalogue. D'Harnoncourt preface, 2000.
Box 1 Folder 17
Catalogue. Goswamy. Correspondence/permissions, 2000.
Box 1 Folder 18
Catalogue. Goswamy. Correspondence/questions, 1998-2000.
Box 1 Folder 19
Catalogue. Goswamy. Essay, undated.
Box 1 Folder 20
Catalogue. Lists of works by author, 2000.
Box 1 Folder 21
Catalogue. Mason entries, 1999-2000.
Box 1 Folder 22
Catalogue. Mason introduction, 2000.
Box 1 Folder 23
Catalogue. McInerney correspondence. (folder 1 of 3), 2000.
Box 1 Folder 24
Catalogue. McInerney correspondence. (folder 2 of 3), undated.
Box 1 Folder 25
Catalogue. McInerney correspondence. (folder 3 of 3), 2000.
Box 1 Folder 26
Catalogue. McInerney entries, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 1
Catalogue. Ordering copies, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 2
Catalogue. Ordering copies, 2005.
Box 2 Folder 3
Catalogue. Seyller correspondence, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 4
Catalogue. Seyller images, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 5
Catalogue. Seyller entries, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 6
Catalogue. Seyller entries. Unedited, 1999-2000.
Box 2 Folder 7
Catalogue. Seyller entries. Edits, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 8
Catalogue. Smart entries, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 9
Chairmans Council, 1999.
Box 2 Folder 10
Conservation. Complete object list, 1998-2001.
Box 2 Folder 11
Conservation. Costs, 1998.
Box 2 Folder 12
Conservation. Database, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 13
Conservation. Estimates and proposals, 1998.
Box 2 Folder 14
Conservation. Expect object lists, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 15
Conservation. Expect notices, 1998-2000.
Box 2 Folder 16
Conservation. Notes, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 17
Conservation. Pahari images sent to J. Ream, undated.
Box 2 Folder 18
Conservation. Preliminary conservation survey, 1998.
Box 2 Folder 19
Conservation. Proposals, 2000-2001.
Box 2 Folder 20
Conservation. Receipts from Registrar, 1998-2000.
Box 2 Folder 21
Conservation. Transport, 1998-2000.
Box 2 Folder 22
Conservation. Treatment. Minor, 1998.
Box 2 Folder 23
Conservation. Treatment. Moderate, 1998.
Box 2 Folder 24
Conservation. Treatment. Extensive, 1998.
Box 2 Folder 25
Conservation. Treatment. Probable, 1999-2000.
Box 2 Folder 26
Contributing authors' contracts. McInerney, 1999-2000.
Box 2 Folder 27
Contributing authors' contracts. Seyller, 1999.
Box 2 Folder 28
Corporate sponsorship. Binder, 2001.
Box 3 Folder 1
Corporate sponsorship. Carpenter, 2000.
Box 3 Folder 2
Corporate sponsorship. Global Indian Chamber of Commerce, 2000.
Box 3 Folder 3
Corporate sponsorship. Morgan, Lewis, Bockius/Ajay Raju, 2000.
Box 3 Folder 4
Corporate sponsorship. Proposal, 2000-2001.
Box 3 Folder 5
Corporate sponsorship. Jay Sidhu/Sovereign Bank, 2000.
Box 3 Folder 6
Cosmopolitan Club of Philadelphia, 2000.
Box 3 Folder 7
D'Harnoncourt correspondence, 2001.
Box 3 Folder 8
Education. Audio guide lists, undated.
Box 3 Folder 9
Education. Audio guide script, undated.
Box 3 Folder 10
Education. "Gods, Demons, Heroes" Family Tour Planning, 2000-2001.
Box 3 Folder 11
Education. Tour for docents from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000.
Box 3 Folder 12
Exhibition text, 1999.
Box 3 Folder 13
Exhibition. Announcements, undated.
Box 3 Folder 14
Exhibition. Correspondence, 1996-1998.
Box 3 Folder 15
Exhibition. Costs, 2000.
Box 3 Folder 16
Exhibition. Emails, 2001-2003.
Box 3 Folder 17
Exhibition. Final materials, 2001.
Box 3 Folder 18
Exhibition. Final materials. Labels, graphics, photocopies, 2001.
Box 3 Folder 19
Exhibition. Floor plans, undated.
Box 3 Folder 20
Exhibition. Materials list, 2000.
Box 3 Folder 21
Exhibition. Opening invitations, 2001.
Box 3 Folder 22
Exhibition. Opening invitees, 2001.
Box 3 Folder 23
Exhibition. Opening Wood donor list, 2001.
Box 3 Folder 24
Exhibition. Opening memos, 2001.
Box 3 Folder 25
Exhibition. Planning notes, 1997-1999.
Box 3 Folder 26
External Affairs meeting notes, undated.
Box 4 Folder 1
Finalized Bellak list, 2000-2004.
Box 4 Folder 2
Frist Center for the Visual Arts; Nashville, TN. Attendence recap, 2002.
Box 4 Folder 3
Frist Center for the Visual Arts; Nashville, TN. Internet clippings, 2002.
Box 4 Folder 4
Frist Center for the Visual Arts; Nashville, TN. Marketing samples, 2002.
Box 4 Folder 5
Frist Center for the Visual Arts; Nashville, TN. Newsletters, 2002.
Box 4 Folder 6
Frist Center for the Visual Arts; Nashville, TN. Press clippings, 2002.
Box 4 Folder 7
Frist Center for the Visual Arts; Nashville, TN. Press and other clippings, 2002.
Box 4 Folder 8
Insurance, 1999-2000.
Box 4 Folder 9
Invitation, 2000.
Box 4 Folder 10
Invitation lists. Reception, 2000.
Box 4 Folder 11
Invitation lists. Dale's list, 2000-2001.
Box 4 Folder 12
Invitation lists. Address needed, 2001.
Box 4 Folder 13
Invitation lists. Preliminary, 2001.
Box 4 Folder 14
Loan agreements, metal vessels, 2001.
Box 4 Folder 15
Loan cards, undated.
Box 4 Folder 16
Loan numbers, 2000.
Box 4 Folder 17
Materials lists. Alternate numbers with credit lines, 2004.
Box 4 Folder 18
Materials lists. Bellak numbers, 2003.
Box 4 Folder 19
Materials lists.Catalogue numbers, 2003.
Box 4 Folder 20
Object labels, undated.
Box 4 Folder 21
Object lists, 1998-2003.
Box 4 Folder 22
Object lists, Sikh Portrait, undated.
Box 4 Folder 23
Pahari Five Sages question, 1999.
Box 4 Folder 24
Photography, 1998-1999.
Box 4 Folder 25
Photography. Checklist, 2000.
Box 4 Folder 26
Photography. Slide list, undated.
Box 4 Folder 27
Photography. Slides sent for duplication, undated.
Box 4 Folder 28
Photo inscriptions, 2000.
Box 4 Folder 29
Photo inscriptions. Group 2, 1998-1999.
Box 4 Folder 30
Photo inscriptions. Seyller and McInerney, undated.
Box 5 Folder 1
Pledge to Museum, 1999-2000.
Box 5 Folder 2
Press release (final), 2000-2001.
Box 5 Folder 3
Programming. Asia Society, 2001.
Box 5 Folder 4
Programming. Ideas, 2000.
Box 5 Folder 5
Programming. Indian dance troupe performance, 2000.
Box 5 Folder 6
Programming. Leaves of Gold, 1999.
Box 5 Folder 7
Programming. Nrityagram, 2000.
Box 5 Folder 8
Programming. Savitri, 2000.
Box 5 Folder 9
Public Relations entries, 2000.
Box 5 Folder 10
Publicity. Brochures, 2001.
Box 5 Folder 11
Publicity. Brochures. Mailing lists, undated.
Box 5 Folder 12
Publicity. Press clippings (photocopies), 2001-2004.
Box 5 Folder 13
Publicity. TV interview (EGG), 2001.
Box 5 Folder 14
Receipts from Registrar, 2001-2003.
Box 5 Folder 15
Regions and subregions, 1998-2000.
Box 5 Folder 16
Research notes, undated.
Box 5 Folder 17
Returned loans. 530-2000-001, 2000.
Box 5 Folder 18
Returned loans. 362-1999-002 and -003, 2000.
Box 5 Folder 19
Returned loans. 362-1999-004, 2000.
Box 5 Folder 20
Shor International (manufacturer for glasses), 2000-2001.
Box 5 Folder 21
Slides and slide labels, undated.
Box 5 Folder 22
Slides for catalogue, undated.
Box 6 Folder 1
Slide labels, 2000.
Box 6 Folder 2
Sotheby's auction result sheet, 2001.
Box 6 Folder 3
Special exhibition schedule, 1999-2000.
Box 6 Folder 4
Survey, undated.
Box 6 Folder 5
Venues. Frist Center for Visual Arts, 2001-2002.
Box 6 Folder 6
Venues. Frist Center for Visual Arts. Email, 2001-2002.
Box 6 Folder 7
Venues. Seattle Museum of Art, 2000-2003.
Box 6 Folder 8
Venues. Seattle Museum of Art. Email, 2001-2003.
Box 6 Folder 9
Venues, possible. List, 1999-2000.
Box 6 Folder 10
Venues, possible. Ackland Art Museum, 2000.
Box 6 Folder 11
Venues, possible. Art Institute of Chicago, 1999.
Box 6 Folder 12
Venues, possible. Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, 1999.
Box 6 Folder 13
Venues, possible. Brunei Gallery, 1999-2000.
Box 6 Folder 14
Venues, possible. Cleveland Museum of Art, 2000.
Box 6 Folder 15
Venues, possible. Dallas Museum of Art, 1999-2000.
Box 6 Folder 16
Venues, possible. Detroit Institute of Art, 2000.
Box 6 Folder 17
Venues, possible. Frist Center for Visual Arts, 1999.
Box 6 Folder 18
Venues, possible. High Museum, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 1
Venues, possible. Honolulu Academy of Art, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 2
Venues, possible. Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1999.
Box 7 Folder 3
Venues, possible. John Eskenazi Ltd, 2001.
Box 7 Folder 4
Venues, possible. Kimball Art Museum, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 5
Venues, possible. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1999.
Box 7 Folder 6
Venues, possible. Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 7
Venues, possible. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1999.
Box 7 Folder 8
Venues, possible. Museum Rietberg, Zurich, 1999-2000.
Box 7 Folder 9
Venues, possible. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 10
Venues, possible. New Orleans Museum of Art, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 11
Venues, possible. Portland Art Museum, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 12
Venues, possible. Rhode Island School of Design Museum, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 13
Venues, possible. Royal Academy of Arts, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 14
Venues, possible. Royal Ontario Museum, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 15
Venues, possible. San Diego Museum of Art, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 16
Venues, possible. St. Louis Art Museum, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 17
Venues, possible. Toledo Museum of Art, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 18
Venues, possible. University of British Columbia, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 19
Venues, possible. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Museum of Art, 2001.
Box 7 Folder 20
Venues, possible. Vancouver Art Gallery, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 21
Venues, possible. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 22
Venues, possible. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 1999.
Box 7 Folder 23
Venues, possible. Worchester Art Museum, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 24
Venues, possible. Yale University Art Gallery, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 25
Work Schedule, 1998-2001.
Box 7 Folder 26
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. "Loraka Mourns the Death of his Beloved Canda Killed by Snake Bite.", 1998.
Box 7 Folder 27
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. "Portrait of an African Nobleman.", 1990.
Box 7 Folder 28
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. "Madhava Bids Farewell to Kamakandala.", undated.
Box 7 Folder 29
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. "The Siege of Mathura by Jarasandala and Her Helpers.", 1999.
Box 7 Folder 30
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. "Khambavati Ragini: Ladies in a Courtyard Worshipping Brahma.", undated.
Box 7 Folder 31
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. "Krsna and his Wife Rukmini Greet Balarama and his Wife Revati after their Wedding.", undated.
Box 7 Folder 32
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. "Portrait of Jait Singh, Roa of Saiwad.", [1997?].
Box 7 Folder 33
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. "Krishna Frolics with the Cowgirls.", 1999.
Box 7 Folder 34
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. Invoices, 1979-1994.
Box 7 Folder 35
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. Photocopies. (folder 1 of 2), undated.
Box 7 Folder 36
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. Photocopies. (folder 2 of 2), undated.
Box 7 Folder 37
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. Primary worksheets, undated.
Box 7 Folder 38
Works not accessioned or not in exhibition. Slides, undated.
Box 7 Folder 39
Bellak. Correspondence, 2001-2006.
Box 7 Folder 40
Smart, Ellen. Correspondence, 2000-2001.
Box 7 Folder 41
Smart, Ellen. Unedited entries, 2000.
Box 7 Folder 42

Print, Suggest