Correspondence, 1867-1972, of Peabody Institute officials regarding gallery exhibitions, including artists' and museums' requests for exhibition space and gifts, loans, and purchases of works of art. Correspondents include Robert Aitken, Gaetano Cecere, F. Tolles Chamberlin, Isidore Konti, Albert Laessle, Paul Manship, Walter Pach, Leonce Rabillon, Saul Raskin, Hans Schuler, Charles Watson, Mahonri M. Young, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Charcoal Club, the Maryland Academy of Design, and the School Art League of Baltimore.
Also included is a 22 page letter from Frank Blackwell Mayer to George W. Dobbin, 1872, in which he enumerates the requisites for the establishment of an art school. Also includes Provost's reports, reports to the Trustees, submitted by Executive Secretary Louis H. Dielman, annual reports and Gallery of Art committee reports concerning gallery expenditures, acquisitions, and renovations; acquisition records and lists of works of art in the Institute; lists of works deposited at the Baltimore Museum of Art, undated & 1964; records concerning the Art Loan exhibition, 1879; ca. 100 exhibition catalogs and announcements, ca. 1879-1924; printed materials; photographs of the gallery and of works of art; and miscellany.
Biographical / Historical:
Established 1866, Baltimore, Md. Founded by George Peabody to improve "the moral and intellectual culture of the inhabitants of Baltimore and ...the State." The institute was to include a research library, lecture series, academy of music and gallery of art. Served as Baltimore's art school and museum until the opening of the Baltimore Museum of Art in 1914 and the Walters Gallery in 1934. To enlarge the space available to the expanding conservatory of music, much of the Peabody collection was transferred to these institutions. Works of art belonging to the Peabody are still exhibited regularly including occasional exhibitions at the Institute.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming 1984 by the Peabody Institute of the John Hopkins University.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Topic:
Art patronage -- Maryland -- Baltimore Search this
Function:
Art museums, University and college -- Maryland -- Baltimore
Use of original material requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Edgar P. Richardson papers, 1814-1996, bulk 1921-1996. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Smithsonian Institution Collections Care and Preservation Fund.