Charles H. Morgan Papers on George W. Bellows
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).
Arrangement
This collection is organized into four series:
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.
Bibliography
Physical Description
1 records storage box + 12 archives boxes(7 linear ft.)
Subject
- Bellows, George, 1882-1925 (Person)
- 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
Amherst College Archives & Special Collections
Robert Frost Library
61 Quadrangle Drive
Amherst MA 01002-5000
(413) 542-2299
archives@amherst.edu