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Amherst College Mead Art Museum Records

 Collection
Identifier: RG 002-004-001

Scope and Contents

The collection contains correspondence, research notes, news clippings, guest books, exhibition catalogues, monographs, press releases, and photographs relating to Amherst College's Mead Art Museum. The records include significant documentation of the museum's first major exhibition, the Armory Show Retrospective of 1958.

Dates

  • Creation: 1874-present
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1946-present

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There is no restriction on access to the Amherst College Mead Art Museum Records for research use. Particularly fragile items are restricted for preservation purposes.

Conditions Governing Use

Requests for permission to publish material from the Records 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

Professor Charles H. Morgan of the College's Fine Arts Department was responsible for developing the museum's original art collection. He became the museum's first director in 1948, a position which he held for twenty years. (Morgan wrote a detailed history of the collection in 1972, entitled The Development of the Art Collection of Amherst College, 1821- 1971).

The Mead Art Museum building was constructed in 1948-49 on the site of the Stearns Church (the Stearns Church spire was retained). Construction was financed by gift from architect William R. Mead (AC 1867) and directed by the college architect, James Kellum Smith of the firm McKim, Mead and White, in collaboration with Professor Morgan. Originally the Mead facility served as both a venue for displaying works of art and a teaching facility with offices and studio space.

As the Fine Arts Department evolved, it shifted its curriculum slightly away from the scholarly study of art and towards the creation of art in the studio. As early as the 1970s Mead's studio facilities became obsolete. In 1985 the college planned a major renovation and extension of the museum, but these plans were postponed; the Arts department relied instead on the use of the Fayerweather building for studio space. Finally, in 1999, when it was apparent that Mead's facilities were inadequate to even preserve its existing collection, the College began an ambitious renovation project. The interior of the building was completely gutted, offices and studios made way for display and storage space, and state-of-the-art climate control and security systems were installed to protect the collection. The museum reopened in March 2001.

Extent

8.6 Linear feet (5 records storage boxes, 3 archives boxes, 4 half archives boxes, 3 oversize flat boxes, 1 oversize folder)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Correspondence, research notes, news clippings, guest books, exhibition catalogues, monographs, press releases, and photographs relating to Amherst College's Mead Art Museum. The records include significant documentation of the museum's first major exhibition, the Armory Show Retrospective of 1958.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into three series:

  1. Series 1: Exhibition Files, 1946-present
  2. Series 2: Printed Material, 1930s-present
  3. Series 3: Art Gallery Guest Books, 1874-1879, 1970-1980

Related Materials

Charles H. Morgan, The Development of the Art Collection of Amherst College, 1821- 1971. Amherst College Press, 1972.

Amherst College Photographer Negatives, 1960-2005 (Bulk: 1962-2005) (see separate finding aid)

Buildings and Grounds Collection. Series 1 (Buildings) - Mead Art Museum (see separate finding aid)

William Rutherford Mead (AC 1867), and Olga Kilyeni Mead Papers, 1840-2001 (Bulk: 1846-1950) (see separate finding aid)

Processing Information

Reprocessed in 2013 by Peter A. Nelson, Archivist, and Nicole Sanches (AC 2013), Student Assistant.

Status
Completed
Author
Peter A. Nelson
Date
2013
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

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