Allen Memorial Art Museum Records, 1899-2007, 2013
| Oberlin College Archives
Administrative/Biographical History
ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
The interest of Oberlin College's faculty and students in art dates almost from the founding of the college. Oberlin's first art class was "a course in linear drawing for young ladies in the Junior Class of the Preparatory College" offered in 1836 (Laurine Bongiorno, "The Fine Arts in Oberlin, 1836-1918," AMAM Bulletin, Spring 1958, p. 101). Despite this early interest in art, Oberlin did not develop a significant collection until the death of Clevelander Charles Olney in 1904. Olney, a public school teacher, founder of the New York Teachers Association, and Vice President of the Cleveland School of Art, died in 1904 and bequeathed his paintings, ivories, and bronzes to the college because of "Oberlin's highest ideals in human character." The collection was stored in Cleveland for a year, and then moved to the third floor of Carnegie Library, with Warner Gymnasium and Rice Hall providing additional exhibit space. Olney's "heterogeneous accumulation of paintings, objets d'art, and curios" came without restrictions; therefore, only the better works were kept. The remainder was sold over a period of several decades, "the funds so obtained being used to purchase objects of superior quality to which the name of Olney is attached" (Bongiorno, p. 114).
Within a decade, Olney's bequest was followed by two other major acquisitions. In 1912, Charles L. Freer of Detroit personally selected 100 Japanese and Chinese works of art from his private collection and gave them to Oberlin. Charles Martin Hall's 1915 bequest included a large collection of oriental rugs and fine porcelain. With those three major gifts and bequests, the makeshift storage and exhibition space at the college proved inadequate and the need for an art museum became increasingly apparent. This need was finally met when the Dudley Peter Allen Memorial Art Museum was dedicated on June 12, 1917. Dr. Dudley Peter and Elizabeth Severance Allen were the principal benefactors behind the new museum, which was designed by renowned architect Cass Gilbert. Dr. Allen worked with Gilbert on the plans until his death in 1915; his widow saw the project to completion. In addition to the building, Allen's will included a $100,000 endowment for the Adelia A. Field Johnston Professorship in Fine Arts.
The role of the new Art Museum at Oberlin College was three-fold: it provided adequate exhibition space, a library of books and slides for the students and faculty of the Fine Arts Department, and classroom and studio space. While the museum served, in effect, as a "laboratory" for the art department, it also provided adult education and instruction of children for the communities of Oberlin and Lorain County.
Both the Museum and the Art Department grew rapidly in programming and enrollment in the decade following the opening of the new building. By the mid-1930's, they were cramped for storage and exhibit space, classrooms, and studios. Elizabeth Severance Allen had married Francis Fleury Prentiss, but continued the support for the museum that she and Dr. Allen had begun. In 1937, Mrs. Prentiss gave $100,000 for an addition to the Museum. The new wing was designed by Clarence Ward, Director of the Art Museum and Chairman of the Art Department. It housed painting, printmaking, and silk-screen studios, a lecture hall, two classrooms, and administrative offices.
The expansion of the Art Museum was seen by Curator Hazel B. King as an appropriate time to follow the example of other major college and university museums (Harvard, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and Wellesley) by establishing a voluntary society known as the Oberlin Friends of Art. In 1938, the organization had 50 members; by 1964 that number had grown to 700, and as of 1989, membership stood at 475. Revenue from member dues was used to purchase works of art selected and approved in meetings of the membership. The first purchase was Dancers, a drawing by Edgar Degas; subsequent purchases have included works by such major artists as Durer, Gorky, and De Kooning. An exhibition of paintings from college and university art museums and galleries celebrated both the dedication of the new wing and the founding of the Friends of Art.
Until the early 1940's, the Art Museum had depended upon relatively small gifts and bequests of individual donors and the Friends of Art for adding new works to the collection and supporting exhibits. In 1940, however, R. T. Miller, Jr., '91, gave $25,000 for the purchase of works of art. He continued making annual gifts for purchases until his death in 1958. By 1958, Miller's gifts to Oberlin totaled nearly $1 million, about half of which went to the Allen Art Museum. In January 1944, Elizabeth Severance Allen Prentiss died, leaving a trust fund of more than $434,000 to the Allen Art Museum.
Mr. Miller's gifts and Mrs. Prentiss's bequest enabled the Art Museum to begin systematically selecting and purchasing works of art from its own funds for the first time. According to Wolfgang Stechow, Professor of Art, an acquisitions policy was developed at about that time:
In accordance with the specific set-up of our art department, it was decided to consider the needs of practical as well as historical art instruction and to offer our students as complete a survey of the art production of the past and the present as possible, with respect to task, technique, epoch, and country . . . .[Only] characteristic and well-preserved works of really good masters should be allowed to enter the collection." ("Oberlin Art Collection Grows in Importance," Alumni Magazine, January 1944, p. 9).
A Committee on the Purchase and Sale of Art Objects was established within the Prudential Committee in 1940 to implement the acquisitions policy and to oversee expenditure of Mr. Miller's gifts, as well as other gifts and endowments that subsequently became available.
During the period from 1940 to the mid-1970's, the Allen Art Museum emerged as one of the finest college art museums in the country. Among the many special programs offered by or associated with the museum, two in particular stand out for their uniqueness. In 1940, art librarian and instructor Ellen Johnson developed an "art rental" program in the belief that living with art is an essential means of developing critical judgment. The program allowed students and townspeople to rent works of art each semester for a nominal fee. At first, the rental collection contained only reproductions. The collection now consists of more than 300 original works of art, including works by Picasso, Matisse, and Chagall. In 1952, the Intermuseum Conservation Association (ICA) was founded as the nation's first cooperative art conservation laboratory. Although the ICA has, since its inception, been housed on the campus of Oberlin College, the ICA has never been owned or operated by the college. An independent alliance of eighteen museums in seven states, of which Oberlin is a founding member, the ICA provides conservation services and historical and technical information to its members.
Allen Memorial Art Museum has traditionally taken an active role in promoting contemporary art. In 1951, the museum initiated a biennial exhibition entitled "Young Americans" to showcase major contemporary American artists. In 1982, the Ruth Coates Roush Fund for Contemporary Art was established by the Buckeye Trust and has been used primarily to underwrite the biennial "Young Americans" show, produce related publications, and purchase works of art for the museum from that show. The Buckeye Trust was established through the estate of Ruth Coates Roush, a fine arts major in the Class of 1934 who anonymously gave large amounts of money to the Art Museum from 1965 until her death in 1979.
By the early 1970's, the Allen Art Museum was once again badly in need of space and a fundraising drive was underway for the construction of a new wing. In 1975, a benefit auction in honor of Ellen Johnson was held at Castelli and Sonabend Galleries in New York City. The exhibit/auction, organized by museum director Richard Spear, raised enough money to break ground on the new addition. Ruth Roush and her husband Galen, co-founder of Roadway Express, then gave $1.7 million toward the construction project, along with 113 works of contemporary art, including Oldenburg's "Giant Three-way Plug." The new wing, designed by Robert Venturi, was dedicated on January 14, 1977. It increased the museum's exhibit space by fifty percent, adding the Ruth Coates Roush Gallery for the display of modern art and the Clarence V. Ward Art Library.
When M. Kirby Talley, Jr., was appointed director of the Allen Art Museum in 1984, he was the first full-time director. (In the early decades of the Art Museum, the director also served on the faculty of the Art Department.) Talley remained at Oberlin for less than a year. He was succeeded by William J. Chiego in August 1985. As director, Chiego had overall responsibility for planning and implementing exhibits, developing educational programs, recommending purchases to the Collections Committee, meeting with potential donors, developing close ties with other cultural organizations in the region, and soliciting grant support for museum programming. Under Chiego, the Museum staff was expanded, and included a chief curator, curator of modern art, curator of education, registrar, preparator, special events coordinator, museum security supervisor, an administrative assistant, two graduate interns, and a varying number of student assistants.
During the first four years of Chiego's tenure (1985-89), museum attendance grew on average 20% to 30% annually. Grant support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and other agencies increased considerably. A docent program was initiated in 1985-86 allowing volunteers to participate in a three-hour training session and devote from three to fifteen hours per month to conducting tours, greeting visitors, and participating in discussions with art specialists and faculty members.
In 1987, two committees were established which marked the beginning of a new period in the administration of the Allen Art Museum. The Collections Committee was formed to replace the Committee on the Purchase and Sale of Art Objects that had existed, at least in name, since 1940. Committee members are invited to serve by the president on the recommendation of the museum director, with a trustee and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences serving ex officio. Other members are curators and art museum professionals from outside the college with specialties in a variety of fields. The Collections Committee role is to review and comment on proposed art purchases and collection management policies. In addition to the Collections Committee, a Visiting Committee composed of "distinguished men and women from the world of visual art" acts in an advisory capacity to the museum director and the president on matters of policy and long-range planning (Annual Report of the President, 1986-87).
In 1991 William J. Chiego resigned as Director of the Allen Memorial Art Museum. He was succeeded by Anne Moore as acting director. Moore was named Director in May 1992, becoming the first woman to hold the Director's post. Moore was followed by three directors, all women. See the list of directors below.
Directors
Clarence Ward 1917-49; Acting 1952-53
Charles Percy Parkhurst 1949-62
John Spencer Acting 1962-63; 1963-71
Richard Spear Acting 1971; 1972-83
Chloe H. Young Acting 1977-78, 1980
William Olander Acting 1983-84
M. Kirby Talley, Jr. 1984-85
Kimberlie Gumz Fixx Acting 1985
William J. Chiego 1986-1991
Anne Moore Acting 1991-92; May 1992-December 1996
Marjorie E. Wieseman Acting 1997-Oct. 1998
Sharon Patton Oct. 1998 - Feb. 7, 2003
Katherine Solender Acting Feb. 1, 2003 - June 30, 2004
Stephanie Wiles July 1, 2004 - November 6, 2011
Katherine Solender Acting November 7, 2011 - June 14, 2012
Andria Derstine June 15, 2012 -
Chief Curators
Hazel Barker King 1928-52
Chloe Hamilton Young Acting 1952-54; 1954-84
Patricia Anne Rose Acting 1959
Elizabeth Shepard Acting 1983-84
Larry Feinberg 1986-1991
Sources on the History of Art at Oberlin
Artz, Frederick B. "The Renaissance of the Oberlin Art Museum." Oberlin Alumni Magazine, n.d.
Blodgett, Geoffrey. Oberlin Architecture, College and Town. Oberlin College, 1985.
Bongiorno, Laurine. "The Fine Arts in Oberlin, 1836-1918." Allen Memorial Art Museum Bulletin, Spring 1958, pp. 101-115.
Feigenbaum, Gail. "Benefit New York Auction Supports Art Museum Expansion." Oberlin Alumni Magazine, May/June 1975, pp.
Keeler, Harriet L. The Life of Adelia A. Field Johnston. Cleveland, 1912.
King, Hazel B. "Alumna Leaves Chinese Art Treasures to College." Oberlin Alumni Magazine, March 1947, pp. 3-5.
King, Hazel B. "The Cause of Art is the Cause of the People." Oberlin Alumni Magazine, February 1929, pp. 135-36.
Parkhurst, Charles P. "Building a Museum." Oberlin Alumni Magazine, May 1962, pp. 8-13, 25.
Stechow, Wolfgang. "Oberlin Art Collection Grows in Importance." Oberlin Alumni Magazine, January 1944, pp. 9-10.
"Visiting Committees Established." Oberlin Observer, February 1987, pp. 1-2.
Ward, Clarence. "Addition to Art Building Completed." Oberlin Alumni Magazine, April 1938, pp. 2-5, 14.
Zerby, Eleanor. "Oberlin Friends of Art Contribute New Art Treasures." Oberlin Alumni Magazine, May 1955, pp. 12-13.
Forms of Material (links to similar genres)exhibition catalogs
lecture notes
manuscripts
moving images - videocassettes
photographs
photographs - color transparencies
photographs - photographic prints
photographs - slides
postcards
posters
publications
records (documents)
scrapbooks
sound recordings - audiocassettes
visitors' books
Administrative InformationAccession No: 1993/066, 1994/044, 1995/038, 1995/056, 1996/050, 1996/128, 1997/024, 1997/050, 1997/068, 1997/098, 1999/014, 1999/028, 1999/040, 1999/046, 2000/002, 2001/094, 2006/082, 2007/008, 2010/019, 2017/043, 2019/027
Accessions not filed (27.55 l.f.): 1999/087, 1999/118, 1999/133, 2000/042, 2004/055, 2006/097, 2010/019
PROVENANCE
Records of the Allen Memorial Art Museum were received in twenty-one lots between 1972 and 2010. The bulk of the material was transferred by James Burke, Curator of Art before 1800, on January 17, 1972. Other files were received from Chloe Young (4-9-75), Richard Spear (10-4, 10-27-76), Jeff Weidman (8-27-85) Joan-Elizabeth Reid (5-25-89), and Kim Fixx. In July 1993 Archives staff made a records inspection of Museum records and retrieved eight cartons that were recorded under accession 1993/66. Additional material was received from the Oberlin College Library in 2001. In 1999, thirty linear feet of material were received from Director Sharon Patton’s office, as well as architectural records for the art museum, art building, Severance Hall and the Centennial Memorial. Additional architectural records were received in 2006. In 2000 files relating to the Eva Hesse Archives were transferred. The Acting Director transferred files in 2004 relating to the director search and the Intermuseum Conservation Association. A small amount of art museum administrative files were transferred in 2010. All exhibit files were returned to the AMAM in 2012. Videotapes and audio tapes relating to the 1987 exhibition "Corresponding Worlds: Artists' Stamps" were received from the Art Library, which holds the curator's collection, in 2015. In 2017 photographs of the Intermuseum Conservation Association, and a file of historical materials, were placed into the art museum’s record group from other record groups. Six videotapes from five exhibition events were received from the Art Library in 2019. In 2007 the Museum transferred exhibit materials as noted in the scope note.
The records of the Allen Memorial Art Museum date from 1899 to the present. A significant portion of the collection consists of correspondence files of the directors and curators, spanning the years from 1919 to 1991. The correspondence deals with various issues pertaining to acquiring, lending, and borrowing works of art. Extensive files also document exhibits from 1919 to 1987. These exhibition files often include checklists, catalogs, brochures, photographs, and correspondence. The rest of the collection includes buildings and grounds records (highlighting the 1977 Venturi addition to the Museum), museum publications, files related to professional associations and conferences, scholarly correspondence of Clarence Ward, and a small amount of material regarding Art Department curriculum and programs, 1924 to 1939, and 1971. Art Department records acquired since 1995 were placed in a separate record group, reflecting the separation between museum and art department functions that evolved over time.
The records are arranged in the following subgroups and series:
Subgroup I. Administration
Series 1. Annual Reports
Series 2. Director's Correspondence
Series 3. Curator's Correspondence
Series 4. Other Correspondence
Series 5. Financial Records
Series 6. Receipts - Returned to AMAM, 12/18/97
Series 7. Graduate Assistants
Series 8. Committees
Series 9. Visitors
Series 10. Auctions
Series 11. Buildings and Grounds Records
Series 12. Files of Membership and Special Events Coordinator
Series 13. Topical Files
Series 14. Art Building Construction Papers
Series 15. Files Relating to External Funding Bodies
Series 16. Personnel Files*
Series 17. Intermuseum Conservation Association
Series 18. Historical File
Subgroup II. Exhibit Files - Returned to AMAM, 4/13/12 & 10/2/2012, with the exception of Series 3, Subseries 3
Series 1. AMAM exhibits
Series 2. Materials Related to Exhibitions
Series 3. Non-Textual Records
Subgroup III. Publications and Publicity
Series 1. Bulletins
Series 2. Exhibit Booklets and Miscellaneous Booklets
Series 3. News Releases
Series 4. Publicity Flyers, Brochures
Series 5. Clippings
Series 6. Allen Memorial Art Museum Newsletter
Series 7. Miscellaneous Publications Files
Series 8. Occasional Papers Series
Series 9. The Living Object: The Art Collection of Ellen Johnson [1996/050]
Subgroup IV. Clarence Ward Records
Series 1. Personal
Series 2. Lecture Correspondence
Series 3. Documents and Late Correspondence
Subgroup V. Associations, Organizations and Conferences
Series 1. National Organizations
Series 2. State Organizations
Series 3. Local Organizations
Series 4. Conferences
Series 5. Symposia
Subgroup VI. Art Department
Series 1. Art Department Memorandums
Series 2. Budget Matter
Series 3. Classes and Examinations
Series 4. Baldwin Lectures
Series 5. Children's Art Classes
Series 6. Miscellaneous Files Relating to the Loans of Student Works
*Restricted
SUBGROUP AND SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Subgroup I. Administration, 1911-91 (39.05 l.f.)
Consists of reports, correspondence, financial records, and other material documenting the administration of the Allen Memorial Art Museum. Arranged in seventeen series: 1. Annual Reports; 2. Director's Correspondence; 3. Curator's Correspondence; 4. Other Correspondence; 5. Financial Records; 6. Receipts; 7. Graduate Assistants; 8. Committees; 9. Visitors; 10. Auctions; 11. Buildings and Grounds Records; 12. Files of Membership and Special Events Coordinator; 13. Topical Files; 14. Art Building Construction Papers; 15. Files Relating to External Funding Bodies; 16. Personnel Files; 17. Intermuseum Conservation Association Files; and 18. Historical File.
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1911-34, 1959- (0.4 l.f.)
Early reports are comprised of letters from the Curator to the President of Oberlin College describing the year's exhibitions and accessions. Reports from the 1959/60 academic year through 1987/88, although incomplete, offer a detailed summary of major activities during the year as well as figures on annual visitation. Arranged chronologically.
Series 2. Director's Correspondence, 1919-2004 (15.3 l.f.)
Encompassing the tenures of several different Museum directors, this correspondence series describes arrangements for exhibitions, shipping of art work, dealers' notification of available art work, and donation offers as well as routine administrative matters. Arranged in two subseries: 1. Correspondence and 2. Memorandums. Correspondence is arranged chronologically in three to ten year groups and alphabetically within each group for the early years, with some overlapping of dates. The final segment of William Chiego's correspondence includes a chronological file dating from 1987 to 1991. Sharon Patton’s correspondence covers 1998-2002. The acting director and Stephanie Wiles’ correspondence begins in 2002
Series 3. Curator's Correspondence, 1929-84 (9.2 l.f.)
Correspondence concerning exhibits, shipping of art, solicitation by dealers, and donation offers and responses. Arranged chronologically in groups of three to ten years and alphabetically within each group through 1969. Later additions are less well organized.
Series 4. Other Correspondence, 1926, 1927-34, 1936-37, 1941-53, 1960-62, 1968-85 (1.4 l.f.)
Correspondence including the Miller Gift Fund files containing photographs and correspondence between dealers and the museum; the Kenwood file containing correspondence regarding a show of 80 Oberlin works at the Kenwood House in Hampstead, London, England; the Samuel H. Kress correspondence concerning the donation of ten major works of Italian artists; and correspondence between dealers and the museum regarding purchase shows, shipping of art, and buying decisions of the purchase committee. Arranged by topic.
Series 5. Financial Records, 1943-85 (4.45 l.f.)
Organized in two subseries: 1. Ledgers and 2. Budget Records. Subseries one contains ledgers recording accounts of both the Art Department and Museum. Arranged chronologically. The second subseries contains budgetary records starting in 1985.
Series 6. Receipts, 1950-67 (1.6 l.f.)
Returned to AMAM, 12/18/97
Receipts document the coming and going of artwork to and from the museum. Divided into incoming and outgoing receipts. Arranged chronologically in 3 to 10 year groups and alphabetically within each group.
Series 7. Graduate Assistants Applications, 1951-57 (0.2 l.f.)
Essays by applicants, general information, letters of recommendation, transcripts and decision letters. Divided into two groups chronologically and alphabetized within each group. *Restricted*
Series 8. Committees, 1928-53, 1987 (0.4 l.f.)
Records of the Acquisitions Committee, Centennial Committee, College Curriculum Committee, Prudential Committee, Committee on Photography, the Faculty Committee on Location, Plans and Construction of College Buildings and the Committee on Purchase and Sale of Art Objects. Arranged by committee.
Series 9. Visitors, 1949-55 (0.2 l.f.)
A single bound volume listing number of visitors each day; gives names of special visiting groups from 1949 to 1955.
Series 10. Auctions, 1974-78 (0.4 l.f.)
Consists of documents relating to the auction and fundraising exhibition held to raise money for the construction of the Ellen Johnson Gallery of Modern Art. Records include correspondence with artists and donors, a catalog, and photographs of the auctioned artwork and photographs from the exhibition.
Series 11. Buildings and Grounds Records, 1936-37, 1964-88 (3.1 l.f.)
Includes daily construction reports (1937) from the building of the Centennial Memorial and the Auditorium. The bulk of the records consist of specifications and planning for the 1977 Venturi addition to the Art Museum. Contains numerous articles on the architects as well as the building addition. Also includes records related to the Bandstand Project. See also the Architectural Records Collection (RG 53).
Series 12. Files of Membership and Special Events Coordinator, 1986-89, 1997 (0.2 l.f.)
Files document the activities of this administrative support position which was responsible for coordinating the Museum's membership program, promoting the Museum, and arranging for special events and publications. These files were created by Susan Harvith who held the position from 1987 to 1989. Also includes membership brochure (Friends of Art), 1997.
Series 13. Topical Files, 1955-91 (1.0 l.f.)
Topical files, arranged alphabetically, contain information on specific issues facing the Museum, primarily during the period from 1970 to 1988. Notable files include handicapped access, development of the Docent program, and funds to honor former faculty members Wolfgang Stechow and Clarence Ward.
Series 14. Art Building Construction Papers, 1915-16 (0.8 l.f.)
Papers reporting on the work of Cass Gilbert and George Richardson Harlow, who supervised the construction of the Allen Memorial Art Museum. Harlow’s correspondence and memoranda provide a first-hand glimpse into every minute detail of the construction process.
Series 15. Files Relating to External Funding Bodies, 1972-92 (1.6 l.f.)
Series consists of grant applications, budgetary files, correspondence, and other printed material which documents the Allen Memorial Art Museum’s receipt of grants from such bodies as the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), the Ohio Humanities Council (OHC), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Series is organized into five subseries: 1. OAC/OHC Files; 2. NEA Files; 3. NEH Files; 4. IMS Files; and 5. Other Foundations. Arrangement thereunder is chronological.
Series 16. Personnel Files, 1974-85* (1.25 l.f.)
Employee files and search files make up this series. Of note are files on the AMAM director search of 1982-83, and 1985. Series is organized into two subseries: 1. Employee Files and 2. Searches. Arrangement thereunder is chronological. Series is RESTRICTED.
Series 17. Intermuseum Conservation Association Files, 1951-87 (1.45 l.f.)
With the exception of one folder of photographs taken in 1980, these files reflect the operations of ICA, the nation's first non-profit regional art conservation center, founded in 1952 by the directors of six major Midwestern museums. The organization was located on the campus of Oberlin College for the first fifty years of its existence.
Series 18. Historical File, 1893, 1928, 1944, 1970, n.d. (0.02 l.f.)
Comprises one folder of miscellaneous materials, including biographical sketches of Anna M. Wyett, who established the “School of Art” at Oberlin in 1855, Charles Fayette Olney, who bequeathed his art collection and an endowment to the museum, and Dr. Dudley P. Allen, an important benefactor whose gift made the museum’s building possible. Another document of interest is a lengthy statement dictated by Clarence Ward, the museum’s first director, in 1970.
Subgroup II. Exhibition Files, 1919-2000 (16.43 l.f.)
Returned to AMAM, 4/13/12 & 10/2/2012, with the exception of Series 3, Subseries 3
Records related to the development, organization, and implementation of exhibits. Arranged in three series: 1. Allen Memorial Art Museum Exhibitions; 2. Materials Related to Exhibits; 3. Non-Textual Records.
Series 1. AMAM Exhibitions, 1919-2000 (13.6 l.f.)
Photographs, correspondence, post cards, brochures, checklists, catalogs, and news releases filed by exhibit. Arranged chronologically.
Series 2. Materials Related to Exhibits, 1945-61 (0.4 l.f.)
Documents related to faculty and student shows at AMAM and a file of catalogs selling traveling exhibits. Arranged chronologically within each topic.
Series 3. Non-Textual Records, 1964-83 (2.03 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Slides, 1964-83 (0.2 l.f.)
Slides taken of AMAM exhibits. Includes the “Young Americans” exhibits, the N. E. Wall Installation (1973), and Cynthia Carlson’s “New Voices” exhibit (1980). Subseries is arranged chronologically by exhibit.
Subseries 2. Melvin Gatman Collection of Ancient and Medieval Gold Exhibit, 1961
This subseries includes negatives, prints, slides and color transparencies. See also Subgroup II. Exhibition Files, Series 1. AMAM Exhibition Files, box 7.
Subseries 3. Audiovisual, 1987, 1983-84, 1996, 1994-95, n.d. (2.63 l.f.)
Audiocassette tapes and videotapes recorded at events associated with the exhibition "Corresponding Worlds: Artists' Stamps", February 6-8, 1987. (See also a later videotape of the curator in the Records of the Library). Also included are tapes of various events associated with exhibitions.
Subgroup III. Publications and Publicity, 1907-2005 (4.75 l.f.)
This subgroup contains six series: 1. Bulletins; 2. Exhibit Booklets and Miscellaneous Booklets; 3. News Releases; 4. Publicity Flyers and Brochures; 5. Clippings; and 6. AMAM Newsletter.
Series 1. Bulletins, 1944- (2.50 l.f.)
Published three times a year, the Bulletin contains articles on current exhibits, works in the Allen Memorial Art Museum, and museum news. Subseries 1 consists of published bulletins, arranged chronologically. Subseries 2 holds manuscript and research files.
Series 2. Exhibit and Miscellaneous Booklets, 1912-90 (1.2 l.f.)
Includes exhibit booklets, a catalog of AMAM's drawings, and a 1976 issue of Apollo magazine featuring the Museum. Correspondence and related material on several of the major catalog publication projects is located here although copies of the actual catalogs are not filed herewith. Arranged chronologically.
Series 3. News Releases, 1950-65, 1985-88 (0.4 l.f.)
Publicity notices and news releases concerning Art Museum exhibits and activities. Arranged chronologically.
Series 4. Publicity Flyers and Brochures, 1907-92 (1.0 l.f.)
Publicity flyers and brochures on museum exhibits and programs and a scrapbook of flyers and brochures. Arranged chronologically.
Series 5. Clippings, 1917-2005 (0.4 l.f.)
Clippings regarding exhibits and activities at the Art Museum. Included is the Kenwood Exhibit in London. Arranged chronologically. Additions are arrange chronologically by folder.
Series 6. AMAM Newsletter, 1989- (0.4 l.f.)
Allen Memorial Art Museum Newsletter. Arranged chronologically beginning with volume 1, number 1, Fall 1989.
Series 7. Miscellaneous Publications Files, 1987-91 (0.1 l.f.)
Series consists of copies of AMAM News, 1989-90, and planning files for the AMAM Bulletin, 1987-91. Arrangement is alphabetical by folder title and chronological thereunder.
Series 8. Occasional Papers Series (0.1 l.f.)
Series consists of writings focusing on Oberlin College faculty scholarship and collections of the Museum.
Series 9. The Living Object (2.5 l.f.)
Series consists of files relating to the 1992 AMAM Bulletin, The Living Object: The Art Collection of Ellen Johnson.
Subgroup IV. Clarence Ward, 1923-85 (2.4 l.f.)
Subgroup consists of the papers of the first Director of the Allen Art Museum, which are divided into 3 series: 1. Personal; 2. Lecture Correspondence; 3. Late Correspondence and Writings.
Series 1. Personal, 1923-1942 (1.2 l.f.)
Personal letters, photographs, lecture notes, and family records. Arranged chronologically within each document type.
Series 2. Lecture Correspondence, 1931-1944 (0.8 l.f.)
Letters concerning lectures given by Ward and colleagues. Arranged chronologically.
Series 3. Late Correspondence and Writings, 1965, 1971-85 (0.4 l.f.)
Correspondence concerns donation of Ward's architectural negatives to the National Gallery of Art, photographs to Berea College, and an exhibit by the Smithsonian. Documents are rough draft, carbon copy and "original Copy" of a 1965 lengthy manuscript concerning "the evolution and decoration in the buildings of France from the twelfth century emergence of Gothic architecture to its submergence in sixteenth century architecture of the Renaissance." Arranged by topic.
Subgroup V. Associations, Organizations and Conferences, 1899-1990, 2013 (2.58 l.f.)
Records concerning the Art Museum's dealings with various organizations and participation in conferences and symposiums. Arranged in five series: 1. National Organizations; 2. State Organizations; 3. Local Organizations; 4. Conferences; and 5. Symposiums. Included among the local organizations are files of the Oberlin Friends of Art.
Series 1. National Organizations, 1928-39, 1943-46, 1966, 1977,
1981-89 (1.0 l.f.)
Consists of files relating to Oberlin's involvement in national organizations as well as comparative material from Oberlin's peer programs. Arranged alphabetically by organization title.
Series 2. State Organizations, 1977-90 (0.2 l.f.)
Includes records of Oberlin's participation in activity within Ohio designed to bolster and promote arts and the interchange of museum information. Arranged alphabetically by organization title.
Series 3. Local Organizations, 1899-1928, ca. 1955 (0.98 l.f.)
Contains records of the Oberlin Art Association and the Oberlin Friends of Art. Art Association material includes catalogs for exhibitions at Warner Gymnasium (pre-AMAM), correspondence, financial records, and minutes of meetings. Friends of Art material contains membership and programming information. Arranged chronologically.
Series 4. Conferences, 1935-39 (0.2 l.f.)
Correspondence concerns planning conferences of various college art departments and art historians to be held at Oberlin. Arranged chronologically.
Series 5. Symposia, 1937-38, 1986, 2013 (0.4 l.f.)
Letters concern a symposium on fine arts at the 1938 dedication of the Clarence Ward addition to the Allen Art Museum. Also includes a 1986 seminar of Japanese prints given by Roger Keyes. Arranged chronologically. The papers given at a 2013 symposium are represented as sound recordings on ten cassettes.
Subgroup VI. Art Department, 1924-40, 1971 (0.8 l.f.)
Correspondence, reports, financial records, and curricular material concerning Art Department courses and programs. Arranged in six series: 1. Memoranda; 2. Budget Matters; 3. Classes and Exams; 4. Baldwin Lectures; 5. Children's Art Classes; 6. Self-Study.
Series 1. Memorandums, 1924-38 (0.1 l.f.)
Memorandums notifying faculty and students of Art Department policies. Arranged chronologically.
Series 2. Budget Matters, 1926-34 (0.1 l.f.)
Correspondence of the Committee on Budget and Appointment. Arranged chronologically.
Series 3. Classes and Exams, 1920-36 (0.2 l.f.)
Class outlines, enrollment lists, and master copies of exams. Arranged by topic.
Series 4. Baldwin Lectures, 1935-39 (0.1 l.f.)
Correspondence concerning the Baldwin Lectures. Arranged chronologically.
Series 5. Children's Art Classes, "1930's" (0.2 l.f.)
Correspondence and reports on art instruction in China and Mexico, with samples of children's drawings. No particular order.
Series 6. Miscellaneous Files Relating to the Loans of Student Works, 1971 (0.1 l.f.)
Includes records on loans of student works.
Later accessions: 1999/087, 2007/008
These materials are organized but not interfiled in the main collection. Accession 1999 holds a significant quantity of records listed in an order similar to the main collection, but not in subgroups or series. Accession 2007/008 consists of oversized mounted and unmounted photographs used in an exhibition in honor of Professor and former Museum Director Clarence Ward in 2007.