Archives of American Art

Alfred Hamilton Barr papers

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.barralfr
Creators:
Barr, Alfred H., Jr., 1902-1981
Dates:
[ca. 1915-1983]
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
61 Microfilm reels
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Files kept during Barr's tenure at the Museum of Modern Art, including personal and professional correspondence with museum officials, curators, writers, historians, critics, art associations, foundations, magazines, artists, and collectors, including John Canaday, Stanton Catlin, Camilla Gray, Rene d'Harnoncourt, John Hightower, Roland Penrose, and James Thrall Soby; files on staff, exhibitions, publications and collections of MoMA, and abstract art, cubism and futurism, some related to Barr's book CUBISM AND ABSTRACT ART, 1936; files on the Foundation for Arts, Religion and Culture (ARC), Barr's travels, lectures, speeches, exhibitions, publications, political controversies, and artists and collections in the U.S.S.R.; writings, including travel notebooks regarding his trip to Russia, 1959, visits with Pablo Picasso, 1956, and Henri Matisse, 1952; exhibition catalogs, clippings and printed material; and photographs.
Scope and Contents
Also included are material collected by Margaret Scolari Barr, including Alfred's obituaries, A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE, 1981, an invitation and guest list to the memorial service, and condolence letters; and photocopies of autograph letters, ca. 1920s-1970s, from the Barr's collection sold to Arthur A. Cohen in 1975.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Museum director, curator, and critic; New York, N.Y. Died 1981. Became the first director of the Museum of Modern Art in 1929. He was married to Margaret Scolari Barr, art historian and teacher.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm reels 2164-2199, 3145-3160 and 3259-3266 available at Archives of American Art offices, the Museum of Modern Art Archives, and through interlibrary loan.
Existence and Location of Originals
Originals in the Museum of Modern Art, New York, N.Y.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Museum of Modern Art was responsible for the selection, organization and arrangement of the papers microfilmed. Five series were not microfilmed, including Matisse (6 ft.), Picasso (7 ft.), Russian culture (6 ft.), family letters (2 ft.), and education (2 ft.).

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Citation
Alfred H. Barr, Jr. papers, [ca. 1915-1983]. Owned by the Museum of Modern Art. Museum of Modern Art requires full citation to include microfilm reel and frame numbers, and reference to MoMA as the owner of the Alfred H. Barr papers.

More Information

Other Finding Aids

Other Finding Aids
A microfilm inventory prepared by the Archives of American Art and an inventory for record groups 5-10 compiled by the Museum of Modern Art is available in all Archives of American Art offices and at the Museum of Modern Art.


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art, Modern -- 20th century Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cubism Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art, Abstract Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art, Russian Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum directors -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art museum directors -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art museums -- New York (State) -- New York Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Matisse, Henri, 1869-1954 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Picasso, Pablo, 1881-1973 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gray, Camilla Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
D'Harnoncourt, Rene, 1901-1968 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hightower, John Brantley, 1933- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Penrose, Roland, Sir Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Soby, James Thrall, 1906-1979 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Canaday, John, 1907-1985 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Catlin, Stanton L. (Stanton Loomis) Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Barr, Margaret Scolari, 1901-1987 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Foundation for Arts, Religion and Culture Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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