In the three decades he served as director, Fiske Kimball worked tirelessly to complete the museum's construction begun in 1919 and to fill the new building with encyclopedic collections of American and international art, architecture and decorative arts. These records document Kimball's devotion to the museum and its staff and his boundless energy to guide his institution through an economic depression, the resulting federal relief programs, a world war, a cold war, and an awakening to the art being created in response to these world-changing events of the 20th century.
While the records consist primarily of correspondence, there is a substantial amount of photographs, mostly of objects, rooms and architectural elements offered for purchase. Also included are numerous newspaper clippings, ephemera, and notes, as well as floor plans and installation drawings, legal documents, reports, minutes, press releases and several publications, including government regulations and statutes. Original cross-references, usually preprinted forms on yellow or blue paper, have also been retained even though many no longer represent accurate referrals. Much of the paperwork generated by Kimball consists of his handwritten drafts and final versions. According to the finding aid prepared when the records were first processed in 1981, the records are a "composite" of files because for a number of years Kimball's records served as the "Museum's central file in which staff records were assembled periodically." Although this implied co-mingling blurs provenance, all the papers, regardless of generating office, make Kimball's involvement in every aspect of the museum's operation apparent.
Kimball's correspondents were numerous, representing all aspects of the art world, from international dealers and auction houses, scholars, artists, educators, and other major art museums to professional organizations and journals, government officials, manufacturers, and endowment organizations. To cultivate a substantial donor base, Kimball wrote frequently to many of Philadelphia's oldest and wealthiest families, such as the Elkins, Lea, Lorimer, McFadden, McIlhenny, Powel and Widener families, and to some of the country's most prominent private collectors, such as Chester Dale, Walter and Louise Arensberg, Edward G. Robinson, and Thomas B. Clarke. Kimball also wrote regularly to the museum's corporate officers and various committee chairs and the Fairmount Park Commissioners, who oversaw the City's financial connection with the museum. From this correspondence emerges the development of many of the museum's policies and procedures affecting operations, funding, staffing, and collection development. For many staff members, both administrative and curatorial, there is significant documentation throughout most of the nine series that comprise these records. For several key personnel, there is documentation of Kimball's recruitment efforts, and for many, especially during the depression years, there are countless letters of recommendation Kimball wrote in an attempt to place those whose jobs were lost through budget cuts.
Kimball's office hours had no limits since it appears that he would continue working on museum matters while home at Lemon Hill, the colonial house in Fairmount Park provided to him and Marie during his directorship. Because most of those papers, usually notated with an "LH" by Kimball, pertain to his other interests of research, writing and consulting, particularly in architectural matters, they have remained as originally processed as part of the Fiske Kimball Papers (FKP). Some of this correspondence, however, does relate to items processed in the records. Therefore, the correspondence series in FKP, also filed alphabetically by author, may need to be consulted.
These records also reveal some of the underlying social and cultural issues that informed many of Kimball's actions and goals. For example, in a 1936 letter Kimball shows an awareness of the psychological impact of the depression, noting the "wretched situation of our men," who were minimally compensated and given no days off, and the need to give "decent treatment" to these employees because "there is much smouldering feeling [sic] of injustice." During World War II, Kimball collected information about bomb shelters and atomic attacks and exchanged correspondence with other institutions regarding the safe keeping of artwork. Another war repercussion becomes evident through a "Notice of Sale" issued in 1944 by the Alien Property Custodian inviting bids on "certain property formerly owned by certain foreign nationals." In a 1950 letter to Her Serene Highness of Liechtenstein, Kimball cuts to the heart of the cold war menace and offers the museum as a site of safe keeping for the royal collection since "nothing can prevent the Russians, in case of war, from making the 'promenade d'Europe,' and taking anything they wish back ... as they did the contents of the Dresden Museum." Such subtle commentaries add a depth to the records, placing the museum's activities within a larger social context.
Kimball's correspondents were numerous, representing all aspects of the art world, from international dealers and auction houses, scholars, artists, educators, and other major art museums to professional organizations and journals, government officials, manufacturers, and endowment organizations. To cultivate a substantial donor base, Kimball wrote frequently to many of Philadelphia's oldest and wealthiest families, such as the Elkins, Lea, Lorimer, McFadden, McIlhenny, Powel and Widener families, and to some of the country's most prominent private collectors, such as Chester Dale, Walter and Louise Arensberg, Edward G. Robinson, and Thomas B. Clarke. Kimball also wrote regularly to the Museum's corporate officers and various committee chairs and the Fairmount Park Commissioners, who oversaw the City's financial connection with the Museum. From this correspondence emerges the development of many of the Museum's policies and procedures affecting operations, funding, staffing, and collection development. For many staff members, both administrative and curatorial, there is significant documentation throughout most of the nine series that comprise these records. For several key personnel, there is documentation of Kimball's recruitment efforts, and for many, especially during the depression years, there are countless letters of recommendation Kimball wrote in an attempt to place those whose jobs were lost through budget cuts.
Kimball's office hours had no limits since it appears that he would continue working on Museum matters while home at Lemon Hill, the colonial house in Fairmount Park provided to him and Marie during his directorship. Because most of those papers, usually notated with an "LH" by Kimball, pertain to his other interests of research, writing and consulting, particularly in architectural matters, they have remained as originally processed as part of the Fiske Kimball Papers (FKP). Some of this correspondence, however, does relate to items processed in the records. Therefore, the correspondence series in FKP, also filed alphabetically by author, may need to be consulted.
These records also reveal some of the underlying social and cultural issues that informed many of Kimball's actions and goals. For example, in a 1936 letter Kimball shows an awareness of the psychological impact of the depression, noting the "wretched situation of our men," who were minimally compensated and given no days off, and the need to give "decent treatment" to these employees because "there is much smouldering feeling [sic] of injustice." During World War II, Kimball collected information about bomb shelters and atomic attacks and exchanged correspondence with other institutions regarding the safe keeping of artwork. Another war repercussion becomes evident through a "Notice of Sale" issued in 1944 by the Alien Property Custodian inviting bids on "certain property formerly owned by certain foreign nationals." In a 1950 letter to Her Serene Highness of Liechtenstein, Kimball cuts to the heart of the cold war menace and offers the Museum as a site of safe keeping for the royal collection since "nothing can prevent the Russians, in case of war, from making the 'promenade d'Europe,' and taking anything they wish back ... as they did the contents of the Dresden Museum." Such subtle commentaries add a depth to the records, placing the Museum's activities within a larger social context.
DIGITAL COLLECTION
Files pertaining to the acquisition of Walter and Louise Arensberg's collection of modern and pre-Columbian art are available in digital format. This digital collection is derived from correspondence and notes documenting Kimball's untiring efforts to bring the art collection to the Museum. The papers also chronicle the development of a sincere friendship between the Arensbergs and Kimball and his wife Marie. Letters from all four are included, and almost a decade's worth of coast-to-coast writing and traveling are represented. Also included are color images of sketches made by Kimball of proposed galleries for the Arensberg's collection. All images for this digital collection are located in the "Art collection" subseries of the "Objects and related topics" series.
As a scholar, author, architect and museum director, Fiske Kimball had an insatiable desire to broaden his knowledge of the arts and, in turn, to educate and excite others in those pursuits. The son of an educator, Sidney Fiske Kimball was born in the Boston suburb of Newton, Massachusetts in 1888. Following his graduation from the Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard in 1909, Kimball found his true academic calling when he entered the university's Architectural School. As the recipient of the Sheldon Fellowship, Kimball traveled to Europe to study architecture and in 1912 graduated from Harvard with a master's degree in the same field. By this time, Kimball began what would become a long and prolific career as a researcher and author. In the spring of 1912, he was invited to edit a book on the history of architecture as part of a series of histories of art to be published by Harper. Over the next ten years, Kimball supported his research efforts by teaching architecture and the fine arts at the universities of Illinois, Michigan, and Virginia. At the University of Virginia, he was a professor and head of the department of architecture and fine arts, and he also served from 1921 to 1923 as the university's supervising architect. During these same years Kimball married Marie Goebel of Urbana, Illinois (1913), earned his Ph.D. in 1915 from the University of Michigan and began lecturing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York while still teaching in Virginia. In 1923, Kimball left Virginia to establish the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University, and was appointed the university's architect the following year. Over the next thirty years, Kimball published many books and articles and served on various editorial boards and numerous committees related to professional organizations and government agencies. He was involved in several historical restoration projects, the most notable being Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Assisted by his wife Marie, Kimball pursued his scholarly interest in Jefferson which kept the couple connected to the Charlottesville area well after Kimball left the University of Virginia. In fact, they built a home nearby at Shack Mountain.
In 1925 Kimball accepted the position as director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. As the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin noted at the time of his death, "few have ever made a greater contribution to Philadelphia's culture." When Kimball assumed his directorship, the museum still operated in Memorial Hall, a Centennial Exhibition structure, and its collection focused on American-made objects with an emphasis on textiles and the industrial arts. Construction of the new building was underway. During his tenure, Kimball oversaw the completion of the building's exterior and a significant expansion of its interior, most of which was accomplished with WPA-sponsored labor. As summarized in a 1955 issue of the Museum's Bulletin, a museum, as conceived by Kimball, should "express the world's artistic culture in all mediums, merging architecture, painting, sculpture and the decorative arts." To that end, Kimball filled the newly built museum with several period rooms and architectural elements from Europe and Asia, and the collections he brought in were significant in representing art through the ages. With the Foulc collection came important Medieval and Renaissance sculpture, furnishings and artifacts. The Crozier collection brought Oriental art, and the Arensberg and Gallatin collections gave the museum a significant holding in 20th century art.
To care for these collections, Kimball worked to develop a professional staff of men and women, some of whom went on to assume head positions at other major museums in the United States and in Europe. To all personnel, Kimball passed on his devotion to the museum and a sense of fairness. As recalled in a Museum Bulletin, Kimball "was preeminent in his relationship with his staff...[giving] credit where credit was due...an inspiring force." As evidenced in his records, Kimball often animated his correspondence with a "Bully!" to signify his approval of a particular action or recommendation. Such commanding enthusiasm complemented his physical appearance of six-foot-one and "of ample girth." Yet Kimball's most notable feature, according to PMA curator Carl Zigrosser, was his "cannonball head." From it "emanated persuasive ideas and an undeviating purpose. He was a titan of directed energy...[which] came from his sense of dedication to the Museum." Kimball's contribution to the museum was publicly acknowledged when he was named the 1950 recipient of the prestigious Philadelphia Award.
In the end, according to his biographers George and Mary Roberts, Kimball's boundless energy and frenetic work habits apparently overwhelmed him, and in January 1955 he resigned as director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. On March 2, Kimball's wife Marie, to whom he was very devoted, died. Five months later, while traveling in Europe, Fiske Kimball suffered a heart attack and stroke. He died on August 14 in Munich.
Asked to write an autobiographical sketch, Kimball best summarized his work and legacy. In collaboration with the museum's presidents, an able staff, and with the support of the City and private benefactors, Fiske Kimball saw the institution "emerge from a minor provincial position to become one of the leading museums of America, now not unworthy of comparison with those of Europe."