Archives of American Art

Oral history interview with Daniel Varney Thompson

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.thomps74
Creators:
Thompson, Daniel V. (Daniel Varney), 1902-1980
Brown, Robert F.
Dates:
1974 September 25-1976 November 2
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
46 Pages
Transcript
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
An interview of Daniel Varney Thompson conducted 1974 September 25-1976 November 2, by Robert F. Brown, for the Archives of American Art.
Scope and Contents
Thompson speaks of authenticating a painting by Leonardo Da Vinci; teaching at Harvard University with Edward Waldo Forbes; his 1923-1925 expedition to India and China with Langdon Warner and Fogg Art Museum personnel to study cave paintings; setting up the art history department at Yale with Everett Meeks and teaching tempera painting; his studies in Europe and work at the Courtauld Institute in London; and translating manuscripts dealing with medieval painting techniques and media. He recalls Bernard Berenson and William Mills Ivins.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Daniel V. Thompson (1902-1980) was an art historian, conservator, professor, and chemist engineer. Thompson studied techniques of medieval and Renaissance painting. He was a professor at the Courtald Institute, London, 1938-1947.

Administration

Sponsor
Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.
Existence and Location of Copies
Transcript available online.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This interview is part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.

Digital Content


Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Transcript is available on the Archives of American Art's website.

More Information

General

General
Originally recorded on 4 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 7 digital wav files. Duration is 6 hr., 55 min.


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art historians -- Interviews Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Conservators -- Interviews Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painting -- Technique Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art -- History -- Study and teaching Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cave paintings Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painting, Medieval -- Study and teaching Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painting, Medieval -- Technique Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
China -- Description and Travel Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
India -- description and travel Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Berenson, Bernard, 1865-1959 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Forbes, Edward Waldo, 1873-1969 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ivins, William Mills, 1881-1961 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Meeks, Everett, 1879-1954 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Warner, Langdon (1881-1955) Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Courtauld Institute of Art -- Faculty Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Harvard University -- Faculty Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Yale University -- Faculty Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Fogg Art Museum Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions