A Guide to the Records of the Curator of Paintings, 1957-1996

The Records of the Curator of Paintings, 1957-1989, are comprised of records created by David Cass, Alexandra Murphy, and Steven Kern. David Cass was associate curator from 1973-1985, Alexandra Murphy was curator from 1985-1987, and Steven Kern was curator from 1988-1996.

The majority of Cass’s material consists of alphabetized correspondence with businesses, museums, and other staff members. Cass oversaw acquisitions and loans during his tenure, as well as various exhibitions, including In the Studio, In the Manner of Rembrandt, and an exhibition on late-19th century Italian art planned in conjunction with the Prints and Drawings Department. Cass and Murphy were both involved with exhibitions proposed by Williams College graduate students, and correspondence and proposals related to the program are included in the records.

Alexandra Murphy’s files contain administrative records, including financial documents, reports and meeting minutes, policy information, subject files, and communications with other staff members. Murphy was active in acquisitions and loans, making recommendations to the director, David Brooke, and was also involved with the Williamstown Regional Art Conservation Laboratory, or WRACL. WRACL examined and conserved the museum’s collections, as well as advised on the acquisitions and loans of artworks to and from the Clark. Murphy also worked on exhibitions and catalogues on Winslow Homer, Edgar Degas, and Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux.

Steven Kern's records contain correspondence, memoranda, research materials, conservation appraisals, and loan information concerning exhibitions, labels, and catalogues. Alongside these records are files concerning curatorial department administration, such as correspondence and departmental budgeting.

The collection also includes records created by Moira Jones, curatorial secretary, and John Hallmark Neff, assistant curator. The bulk of these records were created by Jones, consisting of correspondence, memoranda, and research materials about the Clark Art Institute's collection, and files on departmental matters such as staffing and budgets.

An accrual was added in August of 2007. These files consist of handwritten notes, research, typed drafts of exhibition labels, and photographs of artwork. Included are newspaper clippings and copies of articles referring to the Clark, as well as printing plates for a work attributed to Winslow Homer.