Archives of American Art

Joshua Charles Taylor papers

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.tayljosh
Creators:
Taylor, Joshua C. (Joshua Charles), 1917-1981
Dates:
1931-1982
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
20.3 Items
linear ft. (partially microfilmed)
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of museum director and art historian Joshua Charles Taylor, measure 20.3 linear feet and date from 1931-1982 and include biographical information, correspondence, writings, works of art, a scrpabook, photographs, teaching material and printed material. Biographical information consists of curriculum vitae, bibliographies, and a military honorable discharge certificate. Correspondence is with students and others. Writings include journals 1967, 1969, 1978-1981. Works of art consist of 12 sketchbooks and sketches by Taylor and others. A scrapbook contains programs, photographs, and clippings concerning puppet shows, musical reviews, symphony concerts, and plays, 1933, 1935-1941. Writings include notes, manuscripts, and typescripts for forewords, publications and lectures. photographs and slides are of Taylor, others and artwork. Taylor;s teaching material regards the University of Chicago and includes minutes of meetings, class lists and course outlines, and students' papers.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Museum director, art historian; Washington, D.C. Taylor was born in Oregon and received his B.A. from Reed College in 1939. He taught theater and served in World War II before completing his M.F.A. and Ph.D. in Art History at Princeton. For more than twenty years he was professor of art history and humanities at the University of Chicago. In 1970 he became the director of the National Museum of American Art (then the National Collection of Fine Arts) a position he held until his death in 1981.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
Portions of the collection including resumes, military service records and other biographical material; correspondence, 1935-1971; a diary with brief daily entries, January 1-March 6, 1931; journals, 1951, 1956-1957, 1960, 1965, 1972-1975, and 1977-1978; drawings by Taylor including costume and set designs, illustrations for THE TEMPEST, Act I, and sketches of Africa, 1936-1939, and 1944; and photographs of Taylor and others available on 35 mm microfilm reels 2228-2232 for use at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Material on reels 2228-2232 and 14 feet of unmicrofilmed material donated 1981 by Mrs. Stanley Johnson and Mrs. William Wuorinen, sisters of Joshua C. Taylor. Additional 2 feet of additional material was transferred from the National Museum of American Art, 1982-1984.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art, American -- Study and teaching -- Illinois -- Chicago Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art historians Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art museum directors Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art museums -- Washington (D.C.) Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Collection of Fine Arts (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American Art (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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