The papers of museum director, curator, writer, art historian, and collector Ralph T. Coe measure 12.5 linear feet and date from 1928 to 2010, with the bulk of the records dating from the 1950s to 2010. The papers consist of some biographical material; writings by Coe for essays, articles, and book chapters; exhibition material, most notably from Lost and Found Traditions: Native American Art 1965-1985 (1985-1986); records from Coe's tenure at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (1959-1982); Coe's association and membership records; files related to Coe's personal collection of Native American and European art; personal business records; printed material, photographs, and audiovisual material.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of museum director, curator, writer, art historian, and collector Ralph T. Coe measure 12.5 linear feet and date from 1928 to 2010, with the bulk of the records dating from the 1950s to 2010. Biographical material includes resumes, contact and address information, and some ephemera. Writings consist of notes, essays, articles, and book chapters written by Coe on collecting, Native American art, European art, and museology. Exhibition material, most notably from Lost and Found Traditions: Native American Art 1965-1985 (1985-1986), document Coe's involvement with various exhibitions as curator, consultant, and catalogue contributor. Records from Coe's time at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (1959-1982) include administrative papers and correspondence, some exhibition material, and papers related to Coe's resignation as director in 1982. Coe's association and membership records document his affiliation with various collections, government institutions, professional societies, and non-profit organizations. Coe's collector files consist of papers related to the purchase of Native American and European art for both himself and on behalf of Henry Bloch, as well as art loans from Coe's personal collection and tours held at his home. Personal business records consist of correspondence, receipts, bills, and tax information documenting Coe's various endeavors as an art consultant and valuator, guest speaker, and writer. Printed material includes clippings on a variety of topics, and ephemera from his travels to different communities, museums, galleries, and historic sites.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as 11 series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1944-2005 (11 folders, Box 1)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1928-2010, bulk 1955-2010 (1.5 linear feet, Box 1-2)
Series 3: Writings, 1982-2010 (0.5 linear feet, Box 2-3)
Series 4: Exhibition Material, 1973-2003 (2.4 linear feet, Box 3-5)
Series 5: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 1959-2010 (7 folder, Box 5-6)
Series 6: Association and Membership Records, 1977-2005 (0.8 linear feet, Box 6)
Series 7: Collector Files, 1953, bulk 1979-2010 (0.7 linear feet, Box 6-7)
Series 8: Personal Business Records, 1974-2006 (0.7 linear feet, Box 7-8)
Series 9: Printed Material, 1930, bulk 1950s-2000s (1.5 linear feet, Box 8-9)
Series 10: Photographs, circa 1960s-2000s (2.5 linear feet, Box 9-12, OV 14)
Series 11: Sound and Video Material, 1972-2007 (1.4 linear feet, Box 12-13)
Biographical / Historical:
Ralph T. Coe (1929-2010) was a museum director, art collector, writer, and art historian who primarily focused on contemporary Native American art, but also worked on European impressionism to some extent. He was born in Cleveland Ohio, received his bachelor's degree from Oberlin College in 1953, and then his M.A. from Yale University in 1957. His first position out of Yale was as an assistant curator for the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Coe then worked for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri from 1959 to 1982.
In 1982 Coe was officially hired by the National Museum of American Art as a senior visiting scholar, working on an acquisition/exhibition project. This project ultimately produced the traveling exhibition, Lost and Found Traditions: Native American Art 1965-1985 (1985-1986), and established the largest collection of Native American contemporary art at the time. The project was funded by The American Federation of Arts (AFA) in conjunction with the American Can Corporation. It first opened at the American Museum of Natural History, New York City, in 1986, and then traveled for two years under the auspices of the AFA. The collection was showcased at the Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, and the Kulturhuset, Stockholm, Sweden, among others. Coe also published a book-length catalogue for the exhibit.
As an independent art historian and writer, Coe published essays, articles, and book chapters. Coe worked closely with the collections of Eugene V. Thaw and Henry Bloch, and functioned as both a committee and trustee member for several organizations including the American Federation of Arts, Association of Art Museum Directors, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Art Advisory Panel, the American Council for Cultural Policy, the Archives of American Art, and the Southwestern Association on Indian Affairs.
As an art collector, Coe consistently traveled throughout North America meeting with Native American artists and cultural representatives. Coe established a wide range of relationships with Native American communities from coast to coast as he collected their art and engaged with their cultural practices.
Provenance:
This collection was donated by the Ralph T. Coe Estate in 2013.
Restrictions:
This material is ACCESS RESTRICTED; permission; written permission is required. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Art historians -- New Mexico -- Santa Fe Search this
Arts administrators -- New Mexico -- Santa Fe Search this
Ralph T. Coe papers, 1928-2010, bulk 1950s-2010. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
