Scope and Contents
The papers of Sumner McKnight Crosby range over the years 1937-1977, the duration of his work in the History of Art Department at the Yale University School of Art. The papers do not appear to be complete, but most of his activities are at least partially represented and documented. The bulk of the collection is papers from organizational committees on which Crosby served; these take the form of official minutes, related correspondence, and printed matter. Most of this material is not directly related to Yale, but is concerned either with the preservation of works of art damaged in World War II, or with international exchange programs in the arts. The papers which do show Crosby's work at the university are for the most part memos and correspondence from the History of Art Department, the Audio-Visual Center, and the Art Gallery, as well as Crosby's own correspondence with students. There is also a small amount of personal correspondence and other personal papers.
The collection presently fills 20 gray boxes and 1 large gray box. Three-quarters of it is arranged as correspondence; but personal papers (not correspondence), some printed matter, and restricted material have been kept separate. The restricted material falls into two categories: papers concerning Yale students and employees, and papers concerning other letters of recommendation.
The collection presently fills 20 gray boxes and 1 large gray box. Three-quarters of it is arranged as correspondence; but personal papers (not correspondence), some printed matter, and restricted material have been kept separate. The restricted material falls into two categories: papers concerning Yale students and employees, and papers concerning other letters of recommendation.
Dates
- 1937-1977
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
Material in boxes 19 and 20 is closed to researchers for 75 years, or as late as 2051. Restriction dates are indicated at the folder level.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Transferred from the Yale University School of Art, 1977-1978.
Arrangement
Correspondence is arranged alphabetically.
Extent
9 Linear Feet (23 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Overview
Correspondence, minutes of meetings, and reports documenting Crosby's Yale-related work, and his service on various commissions on the arts outside of Yale. The papers record his activities as chairman of the History of Art Department (1947-1953, 1962-1965), as advisor to the Audio-Visual Center, and as curator of Medieval Art at the Yale Art Gallery. His membership on commissions to preserve works of art damaged in World War II, and to foster international exchange programs in the arts is shown through the memoranda and publications of these groups. Among these groups are the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas, the American Council of Learned Societies, the American Federation of the Arts, the College Art Association, the United States Advisory Committee on the Arts, and the United States National Commission for UNESCO. There is very little material on his major scholarly contribution, namely the excavation of the Abbey of St. Denis. His correspondents include James S. Ackerman, Jean Bony, André Chastel, Henri Focillon, Theodore Sizer, Whitney Snow Stoddard and Denys Sutton.
- Abbaye de Saint-Denis (Saint-Denis, France)
- Ackerman, James S., 1919-2016
- American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas
- American Council of Learned Societies
- American Federation of Arts
- Art
- Art historians
- Bony, Jean
- Chastel, André, 1912-1990
- College Art Association of America
- Crosby, Sumner McK. (Sumner McKnight), 1909-1982
- Educators
- Focillon, Henri, 1881-1943
- Sizer, Theodore, 1892-1967
- Stoddard, Whitney S., 1913-
- Sutton, Denys, 1917-
- U.S. National Commission for UNESCO
- United States Advisory Commission on the Arts
- World War, 1939-1945
- Yale University -- Faculty
- Yale University. Art Gallery
- Yale University. Department of the History of Art
- Title
- Guide to the Sumner McKnight Crosby Papers
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- Preliminary Inventory by John Espy
- Date
- October 1984
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Created In Accordance With Manuscripts And Archives Processing Manual
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
Contact:
Yale University Library
P.O. Box 208240
New Haven CT 06520-8240 US
(203) 432-1735
(203) 432-7441 (Fax)
mssa.assist@yale.edu
Yale University Library
P.O. Box 208240
New Haven CT 06520-8240 US
(203) 432-1735
(203) 432-7441 (Fax)
mssa.assist@yale.edu
Location
Sterling Memorial Library
Room 147
120 High Street
New Haven, CT 06511