Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Robert Arneson Papers, circa 1963-1977, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.arnerobe
Creators:
Arneson, Robert, 1930-1992
Dates:
circa 1963-1977
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.2 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of California ceramicist, sculptor, and educator Robert Arneson measure 0.2 linear feet and date from circa 1963 to 1977. The collection provides scattered documentation of Arneson's career through through records including an artist statement, a bibliography of published material about Arneson, printed material, and correspondence with art collector Rene di Rosa and various galleries, museums, and art publications.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of California ceramicist, sculptor, and educator Robert Arneson measure 0.2 linear feet and date from circa 1963 to 1977. The collection provides scattered documentation of Arneson's career through an artist statement, a bibliography of published material about Arneson, clippings, announcements and catalogs for Arneson's exhibitions, a press release regarding an Arneson exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Art, and other miscellaneous printed materials. Also found in the collection is correspondence with art collector Rene di Rosa, and various galleries, museums, and art publications, and letters regarding an NEA grant.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
California ceramicist, sculptor, and educator Robert Arneson (1930-1992) was known for introducing ceramics into the Funk art movement that began in California in the 1960s.
Arneson was born in Benicia, California where he worked as a cartoonist for the Benicia Herald. He received a B.A. from the California College of the Arts in 1954 and a M.F.A. from Mills College in 1958. In the 1980s he earned honorary doctorate degrees from the Rhode Island School of Design and San Francisco Art Institute.
Arneson was a faculty member at the University of California in Davis from 1962 to 1991, where he established the ceramic sculpture program and helping bring ceramics into the realm of fine art.
Arneson died in 1992 in Benicia.

Administration

Author
Sarah Mundy
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Robert Arneson papers were donated in 1977 by Robert Arneson.
Existence and Location of Copies
The collection is available on 35mm microfilm reel 1711 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Processing Information
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Mundy in 2022.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
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.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Preferred Citation
Robert Arneson papers, circa 1963-1977. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Related Materials
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Robert Arneson conducted on August 14-15, 1981 by Mady Jones for the Archives of American Art.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Ceramicists -- California Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Educators -- California Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sculptors -- California Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Funk Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ceramics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Di Rosa, Rene Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
San Francisco Museum of Art Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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