Richard McLanathan (1916-1998) was an art historian, curator, museum administrator, consultant, and author in New York and Boston. McLanathan began his career at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, followed by the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, New York before moving on to consulting work for the remainder of his career. He published numerous books and articles, was a key member of several professional and cultural organizations, and consulted on multiple projects for corporations, municipalities, museums, and educational institutions.
McLanathan graduated from high school from The Choate School in 1934, followed by his bachelor's degree and doctorate from Harvard University. While writing his dissertation on the early-American architect Charles Bulfinch, McLanathan was hired as assistant curator of paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA). Other titles he held there include Secretary of the Museum (1949-1956), Editor of Museum Publications (1952-1957), and Curator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts (1954-1957). Additionally, McLanathan was a member of the art and executive committees for the Boys' Club of Boston (circa 1950-1956).
McLanathan moved to Utica, New York, in 1957, for the position of director at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Museum of Art (MWP) where he organized exhibitions, was responsible for the institute's community arts program, oversaw the planning and completion of a new museum building designed by Philip Johnson, and worked on the restoration of Fountain Elms, a nearby 1850s Tuscan villa. McLanathan was then assigned as curator of the art exhibition at the American National Exhibition, Moscow, USSR, in 1959. This led to additional roles as an American specialist for the State Department in West Germany (1959), Poland (1959), Denmark (1959), and Yugoslavia (1961). Around this time, McLanathan also served on the Commissioner's Committee for the Arts and Museum Resources under the New York State Council of the Arts (1960-1964).
After resigning from MWP in 1961, McLanathan worked primarily as a freelance writer, lecturer, and consultant. His consulting projects included program planning, future development, curriculum development, administrative reorganization, exhibitions, historic preservation, budgeting and funding, and policy development. His clients included the Atlanta Art Association, IBM, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Time-Life, State University of New Mexico, and U. S. Plywood. In the late 1960s, McLanathan began working as a project consultant for the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. While there, his projects included
As a writer, McLanathan contributed to the
The papers of art historian, arts administrator, consultant, and author Richard McLanathan, measure 29.8 linear feet and date from 1901 to 1995, with the bulk of the records dating from the 1940s to 1990s. The collection documents McLanathan's career through correspondence with artists, museum professionals, and collectors; records from his education at Harvard, including papers related to the American architect Charles Bulfinch; papers pertaining to various lectures, essay, and book projects; material documenting his career at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and his directorship at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute; and project files from his consulting work in arts, education, historic preservation, and administrative reorganization, funding, and publicity. Also included is a significant amount of material related to McLanathan's post as art curator at the American National Exhibition, Moscow, USSR, in 1959; and his work as writer, researcher, and editor at the National Gallery of art form the late-1960s to late-1970s.
The collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment, and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
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
This collection is arranged as 9 series
The collection was processed and a finding aid was written by Christopher DeMairo in 2019.
This collection was donated in two installments by Richard McLanathan, 1994-1995, and by Jane McLanathan, 2005-2007, via her estate's executor.
Richard McLanathan papers, 1901-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Some of the sound recordings in the collection were digitized for research access and are available at Archives of American Art offices.
Papers include Richard and Jane McLanathan's marriage announcement, addresses, residential building plans, and some custodial papers pertaining to Mclanathan's records. Also included are audio recordings of music, a dialogue, as well as video footage of home recordings, and a television program.
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Correspondence is with family members, museums and universities that sought to hire McLanathan;, the U.S. Department of State in reference to the Freedom of Information Act, and also includes general correspondence with colleagues, friends, and historians regarding art history, current events, and consulting business. Also found is correspondence, printed material, shipping receipts, and other ephemera related to McLanathan's time as a fellow at the American Academy in Rome.
This series is arranged as four sub-series.
Included in this series are notes, drafts, printed material, correspondence, and research files related to McLanathan's education at Harvard; his lectures on art history, artists, architecture, the Renaisssance, and education; his book projects; articles, essays, book chapters, and short stories.
This subseries includes notes, drafts, printed material, research files, and correspondence related to McLanathan's study of art history at Harvard University. There are notes and assignments from courses in the fields of United States history and art, renaissance art, modern European art, and museology; and writings, correspondence, lecture papers, and research files regarding McLanathan's dissertation topic, Charles Bulfinch. Included in the Bulfinch records is a bound copy of McLanathan's dissertation, "Charles Bulfinch and the Maine Statehouse: A Study in the Development of American Architecture." Also found here is correspondence, printed material, and a video recording related to McLanathan's membership in the Harvard Society of Fellows.
Found here are correspondence, drafts, notes, and research material related to McLanathan's essays, published articles, book reviews, essays and biographical writings. Topics include medieval and renaissance art, modern art, museology, antiques, and architecture in the United States. While a majority of McLanathan's writings are non-fiction, he did draft a fictional story about cat, Phip, titled "The Story of Phip: An Autobiography in 9 Lives."
Records are arranged chronologically, with undated material housed at the end of the series.
Found here are notes and research, correspondence, scripts, a dossier, some expense reports, as well as audio recordings and printed ephemera from various lectures, talks, and discussions. Topics include arts and architecture in the United States, renaissance art, and antiques. Also included are papers and audio recordings from McLanathan's radio show in the 1960s,
Lecture material is arranged chronologically with folder titles indicating the subject or title of the lecture. This is followed by notes and drafts and chronologically arranged papers. Audio material of lectures delivered at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and material from the radio show
This subseries includes research material, notes, drafts, correspondence, contracts, reviews, and printed material related to several of McLanathan's published books:
Also found here are correspondence, notes, and writings related to book projects that did not materialize to publication. Included in the batch of unpublished projects are papers and a sound recording related to "Seeds of Change," McLanathan's monograph on the history of the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture.
Chronologically arranged book projects are followed by chronologically arranged unpublished book projects. Related correspondence is housed at the end of the series.
Series is comprised of printed material, correspondence, reports and meeting minutes, photographs, writings, and some audio recordings related to McLanathan's involvement with various professional and cultural associations.
The records document McLanathan's membership on the art and executive committees of the Boys' Club of Boston; his work as a consultant and committee member for the New York State Council on the Arts; and his work as a consultant and honorary trustee for the National Museum of Sport. Also documented is McLanathan's service as a trustee for the Brandywine Museum and Tri-County Conservancy, where he worked on exhibition catalogs and authored the book
Records are are arranged by name of association or organization.
Administrative correspondence and papers, writings, printed material, and photographs document the various roles McLanathan held at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), which included assistant curator of paintings (1946-1948), secretary of the museum (1949-1956), editor of museum publications (1952-1957), and curator of sculpture and decorative arts (1954-1957). The series includes files pertaining to the museum's collections, exhibitions and radio program,
Administrative correspondence and papers, writings, printed material, and photographs documenting McLanathan's years as director of the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts institute. Found in this series is material related to exhibits, the institute's community arts program, the planning and completion of a new museum building designed by Philip Johnson, and the restoration of nearby Fountain Elms, an 1850s Tuscan villa.
Correspondence, photographs, printed material, financial information, drafts, notes, and some audiovisual material documenting McLanathan's time working on projects for the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; as a specialist representing the United States in Russia, Yugoslavia, Germany, and other countries; and as a consultant on projects for companies, museums, municipalities, universities, and other organizations.
This series is arranged as 3 sub-series.
This series includes correspondence, contracts, research material, drafts, magazines, books, writings, meeting reports, printed material, photographs, and film strips. McLanathan's projects with the National Gallery included his work on
Correspondence, addresses, documents, and travel ephemera related to McLanathan's work working in the Soviet Union, West Germany, Poland, Denmark, and Yugoslavia as an exhibition and art specialist for the United States Department of State. Also found are reports and articles written by McLanathan regarding his work in these countries; a translated comment book from the American Art Exhibition in Moscow; audio recording of McLanathan's talks and lectures of Russian art and people, the American National Exhibition's acoustiguide, and a discussion on the Moscow Fair; and miscellaneous printed material about the Soviet Union. Also included in this series is a file related to McLanathan's service as a guide for the Brooklyn Museum's study tour to Russia in 1967.
Correspondence, expense reports, printed material, writings, project reports, exhibition files, and sound recordings from McLanathan's consulting projects. Projects relate to program planning, future development, curriculum development, administrative reorganization, exhibitions, historic preservation, budgeting and funding, policy development, writing and other subjects. Also included are some papers related to the authentication of artwork by Gilbert Stuart and Thomas Cole.
Printed material includes newsletters, annual reports, clippings, booklets, and other ephemera regarding McLanathan and some of his family members, the arts, business, education, history, science, and current events. Also included are event announcements, schedules, and other papers published by museums, universities, and historic sites.
Photographs include images taken by Richard and Jane McLanathan while traveling in Europe and the United States, professional portraits of McLanathan, and some photographs of art and architecture from the medieval period to the 20th century.