National Museum of the American Indian

Anne Forbes Collection, 1948-1977

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAI.AC.060
Creators:
Forbes, Anne, 1919-
Dates:
1948-1977
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
472 Photographic prints
1 Linear foot
Repository:
The Anne Forbes collection includes documents and photographs pertaining to her research on Indian arts in the Southwest, United States conducted during 1948-1948 and revisited in 1958. The work culminated in the dissemination of a survey titled "Survey of American Indian Arts and Crafts, Southwest and Northern Plains." Forbes focused mostly on Pueblo paintings having developed personal relationships with several Pueblo painters including Joe Herrera (Cochiti Pueblo), Velino Herrera (Zia Pueblo) and Jose Rey Toledo (Jemez Pueblo).

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The bulk of the Anne Forbes collection consists of documentation concerning her survey on American Indian arts and crafts in the Southwest and Northern Plains conducted in 1948-1949 and then revisited in 1958. This includes biographical notes on individual Native artists from New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, South Dakota and California as well as notes on museum collections and art dealers whose collections and purchases included Indian art from the Southwest. Forbes also visited Pueblo schools during the 1948-1948 trip in order to examine the status of arts education and collected drawings from students as well as took careful notes on each school. Also included in the Forbes papers are the draft and final reports of Forbes' survey as well as responses to the report from prominent institutions and individuals in the Indian art world such as friend and artist Joe H. Herrera. Supporting materials to Forbes' research includes a collection of Smoke Signals newsletters from 1951 to 1965, which was published by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, brochures and pamphlets from the Bureau of Indian Affairs concerning education and the arts, and exhibition documents and catalogs from museums featuring Native artists' works from the Southwest and Northern Plains.
The photo albums titled "Indian Paintings, Pottery, Pictographs, Prehistoric Murals, Dances, Artists" and "Pueblo Indian Paintings" hold photographs collected and taken by Forbes during her research. The bulk of the photographs are of works of art and are arranged by culture group and artist. There are also a small amount of photographs of the artists themselves and their families.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The Anne Forbes collection is arranged into two series. Series 1: Indian Arts Research and Supporting Documentation is arranged alphabetically by folder. Series 2: Photo Albums contains two photo albums that have been left in their original orders.

Biographical Note

Biographical Note
Miss Anne Forbes originated from Cambridge Massachusetts. After majoring in art from Bennington College in Vermont, Forbes pursued a Master's degree in social anthropology from Harvard University's Radcliffe College. Taking an interest in Southwest Indian Art, Forbes applied for a fellowship through the Indian Arts Fund for the summer of 1948 to study painting and other techniques used in Pueblo art. Although the fellowship lasted only a summer, Forbes spent the following year visiting various pueblos meeting native artists and purchasing original art works from them. It was at this time that Forbes befriended artists Joe Herrera (Cochiti Pueblo), Velino Herrera (Zia Pueblo) and Jose Rey Toledo (Jemez Pueblo). Forbes also spent time visiting Pueblo schools examining the state of arts education for native children as well as acquiring paintings and drawings made by the Pueblo schoolchildren. In 1958, Forbes sent out a first draft of her "Survey of American Indian Arts and Crafts, Southwest and Northern Plains" which was the culmination of her research on the state of native art at the time with a particular focus on Pueblo artists. Following the release of her report, Forbes did not continue professionally in the world of art instead moving into human relations. Forbes held onto the bulk of her art collection, exhibiting pieces here and there, until donating a large portion of the collection to the National Museum of the American Indian in 2003. A longtime member of the Self-Realization Fellowship, Forbes also donated some of her pieces to that organization.

Administration

Author
Rachel Menyuk
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was donated by Anne Forbes in November of 2003.
Separated Materials
This collection was part of a donation made by Anne Forbes that included 143 paintings and other works of art on paper that are now a part of the NMAI Modern and Contemporary Arts Collection with object numbers 26/3091 to 26/3227 and 26/3854, 26/3855. Artists include Harrison Begay, Theodore Edaaki, Luis Gonzales (Wo Peen), Joe Herrera, Velino Herrera, James Humetewa, Michael Kabotie, Richard Martinez, Theodore Suina, Beatien Yazz and others. For more information on these paintings please contact NMAI Collections at NMAICollections@si.edu.
Processing Information
Processed by Rachel Menyuk, archives technician, in May 2013.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Conditions Governing Use
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish or broadcast materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiarchives@si.edu.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Anne Forbes Collection, Box and Folder Number; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Cochiti Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Taos Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tesuque Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Notes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Picuris Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
K'apovi (Santa Clara Pueblo) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Laguna Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jemez Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Indians of North America -- Education -- Southwest, New Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Nambe Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pueblo Artists -- Directories Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Isleta Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pueblo Artists -- Exhibitions Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pueblo Artists -- Photographs Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
San Ildefonso Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Reports Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Indian artists -- New Mexico -- Research Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Santo Domingo Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Indian artists -- Arizona -- Research Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Zia Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Diné (Navajo) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Acoma Pueblo Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Indian Arts and Crafts Board Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Martínez, María Montoya Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Martinez, Julian, -1943 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Herrera, Velino Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Herrera, Joe, 1923-2001 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Toledo, José Rey, 1915-1994 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Indian Arts Fund (Santa Fe, N.M.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Museum of the American Indian
4220 Silver Hill Rd
Suitland, Maryland 20746-2863
nmaiarchives@si.edu