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ARCH.2003.25, Rendition: 793959
The image is a photograph of a yellowed newspaper clipping with a headline that reads, "Letter Laid to Crank Sent Harvard Institution as It Buys $50,000 Painting." The article is attributed to Lucius Beebe, a staff correspondent, and is dated March 7, 1934, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The clipping details an incident where officials of the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University received a threatening letter following the expenditure of $50,000 for a painting, "Saviour With the Crown of Thorns," which had been recently acquired by the museum. The letter, allegedly from a Black Hand or Communist source, was received after the painting's acquisition was announced in early February.
The painting is described as an authentic work by Botticelli, produced in the latter years of the artist's career. The article mentions that the letter was addressed to "Fogg Museum, Harvard College," and that the museum officials did not take the contents of the letter seriously, considering it to be from a "crank or mentally unbalanced person." However, the letter was still given to Charles Apted, the chief of the Harvard yard police, for safety.
The article further discusses the acquisition of the painting, stating that it was part of the "Friends of the Fogg Museum Fund" and that the painting's existence was previously unknown to art experts. It also cites an art expert, Dr. Raymond Von Marle, who wrote in the October issue of "International Studio" about the painting's authenticity and its modest status in Botticelli's work.
The overall tone of the clipping suggests a mix of concern and amusement at the unusual threat, providing a snapshot of the cultural and financial concerns of the time regarding art acquisitions.
The image shows a clipping from a newspaper article dated March 7, written by Lucius Beebe, a staff correspondent. The headline reads, "Letter Laid to Crank Sent Harvard Institution as It Buys $50,000 Painting." The article discusses a threatening letter received by officials of the Fogg Art Museum of Harvard University after they purchased a painting for $50,000. The painting is believed to be an authentic work by Botticelli from the later years of his career.
The letter was addressed to "Fogg Museum, Harvard College," and the officials decided to turn it over to the Harvard yard police to prevent potential harm to the museum or university property. The article mentions that the letter contained caustic comments on the expenditure of such a large sum of money during a time of prevailing unemployment and suggested that the money could have been used more profitably to alleviate suffering among the laboring classes. The letter was not signed.
The painting, titled "Saviour With the Crown of Thorns," was brought to Cambridge and purchased by Harvard authorities after long consideration using funds from "The Friends of the Fogg Museum Fund." The painting, which had been lost for centuries, was recently discovered by Agnew & Co., a New York firm of art dealers.
The article also includes a quote from Dr. Raymond Von Marle, an art expert, who discusses the delicate matter of including a new work among the productions of a painter of such fame as Botticelli, noting that this particular painting is modest and not one of the master's great and imposing productions.
This image shows a single, aged newspaper clipping, likely from the mid-20th century, mounted or displayed against a plain, off-white background. The clipping is rectangular, vertically oriented, and its paper has yellowed with age, with slightly irregular and frayed edges, suggesting it may have been cut by hand from a larger publication.
The article’s headline is bold and prominent: “Letter Laid to Crank Sent Harvard Institution as It Buys $50,000 Painting”. Below the headline, the byline reads: “By Lucius Beebe / A Staff Correspondent”.
The article reports from Cambridge, Mass., March 7. It recounts how officials of the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University received a threatening letter following the museum’s controversial purchase of a painting for $50,000. The letter, supposedly from communist or Black Hand sources, criticized the expenditure.
Key details from the article include:
The clipping is a historical artifact, capturing a moment of controversy around art acquisition, institutional spending, and public reaction during a period of economic hardship, with an undercurrent of Cold War-era anxieties reflected in the threat’s alleged sourcing.
The image is a scanned page from a newspaper, dated March 7, 1933, featuring an article titled "Letter Laid to Crank Sent Harvard Institution as It Buys $50,000 Painting." The article discusses a letter sent to the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University, expressing concern over the museum's acquisition of a painting for $50,000. The letter, which was threatening in nature, was sent by Edward W. Forbes, a Harvard fine arts lecturer and one of the museum's directors. Forbes had received the letter after the announcement of the painting's purchase in February. The painting, believed to be an authentic Botticelli, was purchased by the museum's fund, known as the Friends of the Fogg Museum. The article also mentions that the painting was brought to Cambridge and was purchased by Harvard authorities after long consideration. The author of the article, Lucius Beebe, discusses the authenticity of the painting and the potential implications of the letter's contents.
The image is a photograph of a newspaper clipping with a headline that reads, "Letter Laid to Crank Sent Harvard Institution as It Buys $50,000 Painting." The clipping appears to be from a newspaper article dated March 7, and it is written by Lucius Beebe, identified as a staff correspondent.
The article discusses a situation where officials of the Fogg Art Museum of Harvard University received a threatening letter from an unknown source, allegedly a Black Hand or Communist, after the museum had spent $50,000 on a painting. The painting in question is titled "The Saviour With the Crown of Thorns" and is attributed to the artist Botticelli. It was purchased early in February and is believed to be an authentic work by the artist, produced in the later years of the master's career.
The threatening letter was addressed to "Fogg Museum, Harvard College" and was signed by someone who referred to themselves as "some crank or preferably unbalanced person." The letter was received by Edward W. Forbes, who is a Harvard fine arts lecturer and one of the directors of the Fogg Museum. Forbes had announced the threatening letter after the acquisition of the painting.
Forbes chose not to make the contents of the letter public, as he believed it contained caustic comments on the expenditure of a large sum of money by Harvard for a work of art in the face of prevailing unemployment and suggested that the money could have been more profitably employed in alleviating suffering among the laboring classes. He also did not declare whether the letter was signed by the person who sent it.
The acquisition of the Botticelli painting was announced last month, and the painting was brought to Cambridge. It was purchased by Harvard authorities after long consideration by means of the fund known as "The Friends of the Fogg Museum Fund." The painting had been lost to art experts for centuries and was recently discovered by Agnew & Co., a New York firm of art dealers.
In reference to the painting, Dr. Raymond Von Marle, an art expert, writes in the October issue of "International Studio": "I hesitated for a long time before I finally came to the conclusion that the picture of the 'Saviour With the Crown of Thorns' is a work of Botticelli. It is rather a delicate matter to include a new work among the productions of a painter of such fame as Botticelli. The reader, however, should keep in mind that this is not supposed to be one of the master's great and imposing productions, but a modest work like the like of which Botticelli seems to have created only on rare occasions."
The image is a scanned page from a newspaper or news article titled "Letter Laid to Crank Sent Harvard Institution as It Buys $50,000 Painting" by Lucius Beebe, a staff correspondent. The article is dated March 7, 1936, and is published in CAMBRIDGE, Mass.
The article discusses a controversial acquisition by the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University. The museum had recently purchased a painting for $50,000, which sparked a reaction from supposed Black Hand or Communist sources. The article details the following key points:
This article provides a snapshot of the cultural and political climate of the 1930s, illustrating how art acquisitions could become entangled with broader societal issues.
The image depicts a newspaper clipping from a Cambridge, Massachusetts newspaper, dated March 7, 1934. The clipping features an article about the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University acquiring a painting for $50,000. The article highlights the controversy surrounding the purchase, as some individuals questioned the value of the painting and the use of funds for such a purchase during a time of economic hardship.
The article also mentions that the painting was acquired through the "Friends of the Fogg Museum Fund," which was established to support the museum's activities. The clipping provides insight into the cultural and artistic landscape of Cambridge in the 1930s, as well as the challenges faced by institutions like the Fogg Art Museum during times of economic uncertainty.
This image is a newspaper clipping about the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University acquiring a painting for $50,000. The article discusses a threatening letter received by the museum, which was later revealed to be a hoax. The letter claimed that the painting was produced by an authentic Botticelli in the latter years of the master's career, but the museum's art authorities believed it to be a work of a painter of such fame as Botticelli. The article also mentions that the acquisition of the Botticelli was announced last month, and the painting is entitled "Saviour With the Crown of Thorns."
The image presents a vintage newspaper clipping on a gray background, featuring an article titled "Letter Laid to Crank Sent Harvard Institution as It Buys $50,000 Painting" by Lucius Beebe.
In summary, the image shows a vintage newspaper clipping discussing a letter sent to Harvard University officials regarding the purchase of a $50,000 painting believed to be an authentic Botticelli. The letter was considered to be from a mentally unbalanced person and threatened to blacken the university's name. The article provides context about the painting and its acquisition by Harvard authorities.
The image presents a vintage newspaper clipping, featuring an article with the headline "Letter Laid to Crank Sent Harvard Institution as It Buys $50,000 Painting" by Lucius Beebe.
Article Details:
Content Summary:
The article discusses the acquisition of a Botticelli painting by the Fogg Art Museum, which sparked controversy due to the high expenditure. A threatening letter was sent to the museum, allegedly from a crank, criticizing the purchase. The article provides context about the painting, its authenticity, and the reaction of museum officials.
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