Clark Art Institute Oral Histories
Scope and Contents of the Records
This collection contains oral history interviews on VHS, audiocassette, DVD, and Betacam, with people affiliated with the Clark family and the early history of the museum and graduate program. Preliminary research and planning materials for the interviews, invoices, correspondence with interviewees, and interview indices are available alongside the audiovisual material.
Included in the collection is a DVD of a panel talk held in 1994 with Lane Faison, Daniel Perry and Venice Partenope discussing their recollections of Robert Sterling Clark moderated by David Brooke. Also included is an interview with architect Daniel Perry alongside historical footage of the Clark and Clark’s racehorse Never Say Die winning the 1954 Epsom Derby.
Dates
- 1978 - 1999
- Majority of material found within 1998 - 1999
Restrictions on Access
This material is open for research.
Biographical / Historical
The subjects of the interviews included in this collection include:
• Javotte Ray, Francine Clark's granddaughter
• Frances Greenough and Cecily Symington, Cooperstown friends of the Clarks
• Cary Grayson, the son of Admiral Cary T. Grayson, a close friend of the Clarks
• Venice Partenope, a nurse who cared for the Clarks in their final years
• Lane Faison, Bill Pierson, and Whitney Stoddard, professors of art history at Williams College who knew the Clarks and were active in the early history of the museum and graduate program
• Norman Hirschl, an art dealer who dealt with the Clarks
• Alexander Stoller, a sculptor who knew Sterling Clark and Peter Guille
• Victor Tardino Sr., one of Sterling Clark's accountants
• Daniel Perry, architect of the 1955 museum building
• George Heard Hamilton, former director of the Clark
• Lou McManus, former superintendent of Buildings and Grounds at the Clark
• David Brooke, former director of the Clark who conducted research on the Clark Family and the early history of the museum
• Casmir de Rham, a Clark trustee.
Extent
3 Linear Feet (6 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains oral history interviews in various formats with important figures in the early history of the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute.
Arrangement of the Records
This collection is arranged into five series:
• Series I: VHS Cassettes is arranged alphabetically.
• Series II: Betacam Cassettes is aranged alphabetically.
• Series III: Audiocassettes is arranged alphabetically.
• Series IV: DVDs is aranged alphabetically.
• Series V: Notes, Invoices, and Transcripts is not arranged in any particular order.
Location of Originals
These items are located in the Clark Institute Archives.
Processing Information
Items were separated by format, alphabetized within each format and placed in individual archival cases and acid-free boxes.
Materials in the collection are visually in good condition. DVDs are functional.
- Title
- Clark Art Institute Oral Histories
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Inventory prepared by Dani Ryan. Revised by Mario Cesareo in January of 2023.
- Date
- March 31, 2009
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Archives Repository