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Charles H. Morgan Papers on George W. Bellows

 Collection
Identifier: MA.00050

Scope and Contents

This collection documents the research and writing that Morgan undertook for the books George Bellows: Painter of America (1965) and The Drawings of George Bellows (1973). It includes Morgan's correspondence with individuals or institutions regarding Bellows, transcripts of letters between Bellows and other individuals, photographic reproductions of many of Bellows' drawings and paintings that were used in the books, catalogues of exhibitions of Bellows' work, several draft manuscripts of Morgan's biography and subsequent correspondence concerning its reception upon publication.

Dates

  • Creation: 1882-1979 1960-1975

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There is no restriction on access to the Morgan Papers on George W. Bellows for research use. Particularly fragile items are restricted for preservation purposes.

Conditions Governing Use

Requests for permission to publish material from the Papers should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

Biographical / Historical

In 1965 Charles H. Morgan, professor of fine arts at Amherst College, published George Bellows: Painter of America, the first full-length biography of the well-known artist. Professor Morgan began work on his biography in 1962 and spent three years gathering information from Bellows' friends, relatives, and contemporaries, as well as from a number of institutions, in order to reconstruct the most complete portrait of the artist and his times as possible.

In 1973 Morgan followed up the biography with The Drawings of George Bellows (Alhambra, Calif.: Borden Publishing Co.; Master Draughtsman Series). Morgan wrote the introduction.

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1902, Charles Hill Morgan earned his bachelor's, master's, and PhD from Harvard University. He left Harvard in 1928 to attend the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. After lecturing at Bryn Mawr College from 1929-30, Morgan accepted an assistant professorship at Amherst College and the opportunity to direct the construction of the new Mead Art Museum and the acquisition of its collection.

Morgan served as director of the Mead Art Museum from its opening in 1949 to his retirement in 1969. The Amherst Fine Arts department grew during his career from one to eight faculty members. He also worked with Trinity College to establish and organize the Austin Center of Art in 1965-66.

Morgan's love of classical art was also expressed in his long-standing relationship with the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. He returned to the school in 1933 and 1952 as a professor and research fellow. Between 1936 and 1938 he directed both the school and the excavation of the Agora (a marketplace) of ancient Corinth.

Morgan served as an Air Intelligence officer in the European Theatre from 1942 to 1945. He was awarded the Allied Legion of Merit Award and the Belgian Croix de Guerre.

Morgan's articles were published in the American Journal of Archaeology, the Hesperia, The Archaelogike Ephemeris, and numerous other professional journals. In addition to his work on Bellows, Morgan published a biography of Michelangelo (1960) and a book on the development of the Art Collection at Amherst College.

In 1928 Morgan married the Rev. Janet Barton, who later became deacon at Grace Episcopal Church. They had a son and two daughters, George S.B. Morgan, Audrey Leaf, and Prudence Eppich. Morgan died in 1984.

Extent

7 Linear feet (12 archives boxes, 1 records storage box)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Research notes, correspondence, transcripts, photographs, exhibition catalogs, and draft manuscripts compiled by Morgan for his books George Bellows - Painter of America (1965) and The Drawings of George Bellows (1973).

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was received in the Archives and Special Collections in several installments from Professor Morgan beginning in 1974. In 2004, an addendum consisting mainly of materials documenting Morgan's preparation of the book The Drawings of George Bellows was integrated into the collection as Series 4.

Related Materials

Missing Title

  1. Non-Alumni Biographical Files - Morgan, Charles H.
  2. George Bellows Papers
  3. Charles H. Morgan Papers on Michelangelo
  4. Charles H. Morgan Papers on Greece

Bibliography

Below is a list of periodical articles that provide background material on Bellows (not in the Papers):1: Academy Notes, Oct. - Dec., 1919, The Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, N.Y., The Exhibition of the Paintings of George Bellows, N.A., at the Albright Art Gallery.2: American Artist, Feb., 1940, "George Bellows - Most American of Our Painters," by Warren Wheelock.3: The Annual, yearbook of High School of Commerce, (Bellows' high school): Columbus, Ohio, May, 1924, Tribute to George Bellows, page 27, illustration of Bellows lithograph - "Sunday - 1897," page 284: The Art Digest, Jan. 1, 1945, "Bellows in the National Gallery," by Margaret Breuning5: The Art Digest, Feb. 1, 1946, "First Full View of George Bellows for Chicago", by C.J. Bulliet6: The Art News Annual, 1939, "The Story of the Armory Show," by Walt Kuhn.7: Arts and Decoration, Feb., 1925, "George Bellows' Art" (three illustrations of his paintings)8: The Arts Portfolio Series - Eugene Speicher, edited by Forbes Watson, prints of twelve of Speicher's works.9: Arts Yearbook 1, The Turn of the Century, "The World of the Eight," by Leslie Katz.10: Century, Oct., 1923 "Characterizations from Lithographs by George Bellows," (six illustrations)11: Century, Oct., 1926, "The Art of George Bellows," by Carlo Beuf12: Early Homes of Columbus. (pamphlet) painted by Leland S. McClelland, sponsored by Buckeye Federal Savings and Loan Association and the Franklin County Historical Society, illustration - Boyhood Home of George Bellows (placed in collection, 5, 21)13: First Methodist Episcopal Church of Columbus, Ohio, Yearbook, 1900, Picture of George Bellows Senior (father of Bellows), President of the Board of Trustees.14: Fortune, July, 1939, "The Painter's City" (series of pictures) "Cliff Dwellers" by George Bellows, illustrations in color.15: Esquire, April, 1936, "George Bellows, Native," by Harry Salpater with colored illustrations16: John Sloan, 1871-1951, pp. 42-43, mention of The Masses, and art magazine run by Sloan to which Bellows contributed.17: Life, pages from, March 26, 1946, "George W. Bellows," article and illustrations (some in color)18: The Literary Digest, June 3, 1922, "How Art Has Gone to the Dogs," editorial with illustration.19: The Literary Digest, Jan 31, 1925, "The Americanism of George Bellows," with illustrations of three paintings.20: The Literary Digest, August 7, 1926, on cover - "Anne in White," also short article on Bellows.21: Book of drawings by Phil May.22: The Mentor, Oct., 1924, "Six Modern American Portrait Painters" with one illustration of Bellows.23: The Mentor, May, 1925, "The Crowning of Labor," The John W. Alexander Mural Paintings in the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, with descriptive text by Mrs. John W. Alexander.24: Montclair Athletic Club News, June, 1926, "George Wesley Bellows, Artist and Ballplayer."25: The Nation, Jan., 1925, "George Bellows"26: Picasso, Forty Years of his Art, Edited by Alfred H. Barr, Jr., The Museum of Modern Art, New York.27: Sports Illustrated, Aug. 16, 1954, "Athlete and Artist," with three colored illustrations.28: Vanity Fair, Jan., 1924, "The Crucifiction, A Painting by George Bellows," with illustration.29: Vanity Fair, Feb., 1925, "Lady Jean, a Portrait by George Bellows," with illustration.30: Vanity Fair, March, 1925, "The Dempsy-Firpo Fight, a Painting by George Bellows," with illustration.31: Vanity Fair, Nov., 1935, "Lady Jean, by George Bellows: a Portrait of the American Artist's Younger Daughter," with color illustration.32: WFMT Perspective, May, 1962, "Bellows' Stag at Sharkey's," with illustration.33: Publications of the Woodstock Historical Society, no. 5, August, 1931, "George Bellows," by Carl Eric Lindin, page 50.34: Publications of the Woodstock Historical Society, Sept. 1931, no. 6, "Lithography," by Bolton Brown, page 8

Physical Description

1 records storage box + 12 archives boxes(7 linear ft.)

Title
Charles H. Morgan Papers on George W. Bellows, 1882-1979 (bulk 1960-1975) Finding Aid
Status
Completed
Author
Finding aid prepared by Patricia Keyes, Intern; Peter A. Nelson, Archivist.
Date
2011
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Amherst College Archives & Special Collections
Robert Frost Library
61 Quadrangle Drive
Amherst MA 01002-5000
(413) 542-2299