Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V. Rinse, repeat.
ARCH.2003.37, Rendition: 808820
This image displays an open book or binder containing three newspaper clippings from The New York Times, all concerning Harvard University’s Fogg Art Museum and its controversial plans related to fundraising and expansion in early 1982.
The clippings are arranged on two pages, with handwritten annotations in blue ink.
Left Page:
Top Article:
“Fogg Warned on Selling Art” by Grace Glueck, dated January 21, 1982.
The article reports that an association of art museum directors warned Harvard’s Fogg Museum against selling off artworks from its collection to fund a new wing. They expressed concern that deaccessioning art for capital projects could harm the museum’s reputation and set a dangerous precedent. The museum was reportedly considering raising $3 million through the sale of art to fund a $7.3 million new wing designed by Sir James Stirling.
Handwritten note above this article: “30 Jan 1982 / N.Y. Times”
Bottom Article:
“Fogg Considering Sale of Art to Help Finance New Building” by Michael W. Miller, dated February 5, 1982.
This article confirms that university officials were actively considering selling artworks to raise funds for construction and operations of a new wing, which had been projected to cost $5.9 million. The article notes that the project was “in jeopardy” due to budget constraints, and that the museum had already raised $1.7 million from contractors. The sale was presented as a “limited sale” of "certain redundant pieces.”
Handwritten note below: “FRI 5 Feb 1982 / NYT”
Right Page:
Top Article:
“Harvard May Sell Art to Pay for Wing” — also from January 21, 1982, by Fox Butterfield.
This article reiterates the plan to deaccession artworks to fund the new wing. It notes that the Harvard Corporation was considering a sale, and that the proposed wing — designed by James Stirling — had already received $7.3 million in donations. The article adds that the museum’s holdings are especially strong in American watercolors, Chinese jades, and master drawings. It also notes that architect James Stirling, who designed the new wing, had won the 1981 Pritzker Prize.
Bottom Article:
“Harvard Won’t Expand Fogg” by David M. Rosen — dated February 4, 1982.
This article reports that, following “sharp criticism,” Harvard President Derek C. Bok had canceled the planned $7.8 million expansion project. The decision was made after concerns were raised that selling art to fund construction would harm the museum’s mission and integrity. Although the university had already spent $1.2 million on design and site preparation, the project was officially canceled. The article notes that the museum would instead focus on “conservation and care of existing collections.”
(The article begins: “SILVE: ‘We can’t display what we have.’” — likely referring to Seymour Slive, then director of the Fogg.)
Overall Context:
These clippings capture a pivotal moment in museum ethics history — the debate over whether institutions should sell artworks from their permanent collections to cover operating or capital costs. Harvard’s initial proposal to sell artworks to fund the Fogg’s expansion, met with significant criticism from the museum community, ultimately led to the cancellation of the expansion.
The handwritten notes (“N.Y. Times,” dates) suggest this was compiled as a personal or institutional archive, possibly for research or record-keeping purposes.
The physical state of the clippings — yellowed paper, creases, and the presentation in a binder — indicates these are preserved historical documents.
The key takeaway from the collection: Harvard initially planned to sell art to fund a new museum wing, faced backlash, and ultimately canceled the expansion.
The image appears to be a scan of a page from a newspaper, specifically The New York Times, dated Thursday, January 21, 1982. The page is filled with articles related to the Fogg Art Museum of Harvard University. The content includes several clippings and articles discussing the potential sale of art by the Fogg Art Museum to finance the construction of a new wing. The articles mention the concerns raised by the Association of Art Museum Directors and the Harvard Corporation regarding the financial implications and the ethical considerations of deaccessioning art. There are also notes and labels on the page, with dates such as "30 Jan 1982" and "Fri 5 Feb 1982," indicating the days and years when these notes were added. The page also includes a banner on the bottom right that says "REMEMBER THE NEEDIEST!"
The image shows an open scrapbook or document binder with several newspaper clippings and handwritten notes. The clippings are from "The New York Times" and discuss the Harvard Fogg Art Museum's proposal to sell some of its art collection to fund a new wing. The articles are dated from January 1982 and February 1982.
The clippings discuss the controversial plan to sell art from the Fogg Museum's collection to raise funds for a new wing, the criticism from the Association of Art Museum Directors, and the eventual decision not to expand the Fogg Museum due to financial concerns. There are also handwritten notes on the pages, indicating the dates and possibly summarizing the content of the clippings.
The image shows an open book with pages from a newspaper. The book is open to two pages of a newspaper, with the title "The New York Times" visible at the top. The newspaper pages are dated January 21, 1982, and February 5, 1982, respectively. The pages are filled with text, and the headlines are bold and larger than the rest of the text. The headlines read "Harvard May Sell Art to Pay for Wing" and "Fogg Warned on Selling Art." The text is written in black ink on white paper, and the pages appear to be in good condition.
The image is of a newspaper clipping from the New York Times, dated January 21, 1982. The clipping is about Harvard University's plan to sell some of its art collection to pay for the construction of a new wing of the Fogg Art Museum. The article mentions that the university had already raised $7.3 million from the sale of deaccessioned art and was considering selling more art to meet the $11 million shortfall in funds for the new wing. The article also discusses the controversy surrounding the sale of art and the concerns of art historians and museum directors.
The image shows an open newspaper spread from The New York Times, dated Thursday, January 21, 1982. The spread features several articles, with a focus on Harvard University's plans regarding its art collection and financial strategies. Here’s a detailed description:
Headline and Main Articles:
Secondary Headlines:
Visual Elements:
The image captures a moment of tension and decision-making at Harvard University, illustrating the complex interplay between financial needs, cultural preservation, and institutional priorities. The handwritten notes suggest that the pages were part of a collection or archive, possibly for research or historical documentation.
This image depicts a collection of clipped newspaper articles and printed materials mounted on a scrapbook or archival book page. The articles are various sizes and relate to the Harvard Fogg Art Museum, referencing debates about selling art to fund building renovations or expansions.
The clippings have different headings, including:
The notes and markings, such as handwritten dates ("30 Jan 1982"), are likely from archival or personal annotations documenting the publications' dates. The articles are mounted with two overlapping pieces in the center. Some material held with a visible plastic strip is partially folded.
This is an image of an open newspaper, specifically The New York Times, dated Thursday, January 21, 1982. There are three articles visible in the image:
The articles discuss a controversial and then-topical issue concerning Harvard University's potential sale of artworks to finance a new building, and decisions related to the expansion of the Fogg Museum.
The images of the text are partially obstructed by what appears to be a yellowed transparent tape securing the newspaper clipping, and by the fold of the page.
Handwritten notes indicate the date "30 Jan 1982" and initials "NYT," possibly denoting a personal archive or reference system. There are also additional handwritten notes, including one that appears to say "FRI 15 Jan ‘82 NYT" near the bottom right corner, indicating the date when the articles were possibly retrieved or of significance to the reader.
The image shows a scrapbook page with several newspaper clippings pasted on it. These clippings are related to Harvard University's financial considerations regarding the Fogg Museum of Art.
The largest clipping, dated Thursday, January 21, 1982, from The New York Times, has the headline "Harvard May Sell Art to Pay for Wing" and is written by Fox Butterfield. It discusses Harvard University, specifically the Fogg Art Museum, seeking funds by possibly selling some of its art collection to help finance a new wing for the museum. It details the considerations, financial pressures, and the value assigned to the art.
Another clipping warns about selling art and is dated January 30, 1982, sourced from the New York Times, written by Grace Glueck. It addresses concerns and warnings related to institutions selling art.
There are two other smaller clippings: one titled "Harvard Won't Expand Fogg," dated Friday, February 5, 1982, also from The New York Times, which reports on Harvard's decision not to expand the Fogg Museum, countering earlier ideas about selling art for funding. The fourth clipping, partially obscured and with a curled corner, touches on financial strategies related to the museum like charging admission and other fundraising efforts.
The clippings collectively give a snapshot of the internal debate and decision-making process at Harvard about financing the Fogg Art Museum in early 1982.