The collection was donated in 2011 by the Smithsonian American Art Museum via George Gurney, curator.
The Archives of American Art holds several collections related to Abbott Handerson Thayer. These include the Abbott Handerson Thayer and Thayer family papers, 1851-1999; research material on Abbott Handerson Thayer and other artists, 1895-1990, donated by Thomas B. Brumbaugh; the Abbott Handerson Thayer letter and drawings to Caroline Peddle Ball, circa 1890-1893; "The Drawings of Abbott Thayer", by Elizabeth Robins Pennell, circa 1921; and the Nelson and Henry C. White research material, 1898-1978, which includes many letters, photographs, and other material originally belonging to the Thayer family.
The collection was processed in 2011-2012 by Erin Kinhart.
Richard Murray research material regarding Abbott Handerson Thayer, 1948-2004, bulk 1994-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
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Richard Murray (1942-2006) was a curator and art historian at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. Murray specialized in the works of Abbott Thayer and curated the 1999 exhibition, "Abbott Thayer: The Nature of Art." Before his death Murray was researching to write a book on Thayer's paintings and his involvement with conservation projects.
The Richard Murray research material regarding Abbot Handerson Thayer measures 9.0 linear feet and dates from 1948 to 2004, with the bulk of the material dating from 1994 to 2001. Project files primarily document Murray's work on the 1999 exhibition "Abbott Thayer: The Nature of Art" and subsequent Thayer book project. Also found are extensive research files on Abbott Handerson Thayer and his specific works of art as well as photographic materials depicting Thayer, his family, studio, house, and works of art.
Project files document Richard Murray's research projects regarding Abbott Handerson Thayer. Found here is Murray's correspondence with fellow Thayer scholars, collectors, art museums, and Thayer family members. Also included are planning documents, loan forms, press clippings, conservation requests, checklists and other materials for the exhibition "Abbott Thayer: The Nature of Art" which Murray curated at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (formerly National Museum of American Art) in 1999. Additional project files are primarily for his proposed book on Abbott Thayer and include research grant applications, fundraising, photograph orders, and reviews of the initial manuscript.
Research files contain documentation on archival collections regarding Thayer, subject files on family members, models, and friends of Thayer, private and museum collections of his artwork, and other subject's relevant to Thayer's career as an artist. Files may include Murray's correspondence and notes. However, the bulk of the material consists of photocopies or microfilm print-outs of archival documents, newspaper clippings, and other printed material. Also found are files on specific works of art by Thayer. These files may contain catalog descriptions, provenance information, correspondence, and images of the work of art.
Photographs depict Thayer, his family, friends, studio, house, and his artwork. Also found are negatives, color transparencies, and slides of these photographs. Of note are photographs of x-rays of Thayer paintings. Researchers should note that all photographs of Thayer, his family, house, studio, and artwork are copy prints of original photographs which Richard Murray requested from the owners for his research.
The collection is arranged as 3 series:
Project files document Richard Murray's various research projects regarding Abbott Handerson Thayer. Included are records regarding the exhibition "Abbott Thayer: The Nature of Art" which he curated at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (formerly National Museum of American Art) in 1999. These files include planning documents, loan forms, press clippings, conservation requests, exhibition text, and exhibition checklists. Additional project files are primarily for his proposed book on Abbott Thayer and include research grant applications, fundraising, photograph orders, and reviews of the initial manuscript. Also found is Murray's correspondence regarding his Thayer projects. Correspondence is with fellow Thayer scholars, collectors, art museums, and Thayer family members.
Research files contain documentation on archival collections regarding Thayer, subject files on family members, models, and friends of Thayer, private and museum collections of his artwork, and other subject's relevant to Thayer's career as an artist. Of note is a group of research files on concealing coloration, and files on the "Centennial Exhibition of Paintings by Abbott Handerson Thayer." Files may include Murray's correspondence and notes. However, the bulk of the material consists of photocopies or microfilm print-outs of archival documents, newspaper clippings, and other printed material.
Murray also maintained a set of research files on specific works of art by Thayer. Folder headings for these files he included the title of the work and in most cases the gallery, museum, or private owner of the work. Some files do not include owner information. The files may contain catalog descriptions, provenance information, correspondence, and images of the work of art.
Folders are arranged alphabetically. There is also a grouping of unsorted research material which may relate to or duplicate material in other files. General research files are followed by a separate arrangement of files on specific works of art which are arranged alphabetically by title. In most cases folder headings have been transcribed from Murray's original folder labels.
Found here are photographs of Thayer, his family, friends, studio, house, as well as photographs of his artwork. Also found are negatives, color transparencies, and slides of these photographs. Of note are photographs of a Thayer exhibition at the Lyman Allyn Museum and photographs of x-rays of Thayer paintings.
Researchers should note that all photographs of Thayer, his family, house, studio, and artwork are copy prints of original photographs which Richard Murray requested from the owners for his research. Most of the original photographs of Thayer and his family can be found in archival collections at the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Photographs are arranged by subject. Negatives and transparencies are also arranged by subject, but slides are arranged in no particular order.