Harald Keller papers, 1929-1990

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Summary

Creators:

Frommel, Christoph Luitpold, Heydenreich, Ludwig H. (Ludwig Heinrich), 1903-1978, Keller, Harald, 1903-1989, Middeldorf, Ulrich, 1901-1983, Krautheimer, Richard, 1897-1994, Schlumberger, Daniel, Müller, Theodor, 1905-1996, Wittkower, Rudolf, and Sedlmayr, Hans, 1896-1984

Abstract:

German art historian and teacher (1903-1989). Lecture notes, correspondence, and manuscripts compiled during Keller's 35-year academic career cover major periods and works in the history of art and architecture. Papers include research notes and annotated copies of several Keller publications, including his dissertation. The correspondence documents Keller's relationships with numerous art historians, including Richard Krautheimer, Christoph Frommel, Hans Sedlmayr, L.H. Heydenreich, K. Müller, Ulrich Middeldorf, and Rudolf Wittkower.

Extent:

15 Linear Feet

Language:

German .

Preferred citation:

Harald Keller papers, 1929-1990, Research Library, The Getty Research Institute, Accession no. 920043.

http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa920043

Background

Scope and content:

Harald Keller's papers span the years 1929-1990 and comprise extensive lecture and course notes from 35 years of teaching (mostly undated); research notes related to his writings, teachings, and travels (ca. 1930-1987); manuscripts of published and unpublished books and articles, arranged chronologically (ca. 1935-1988); and correspondence with students and colleagues, including some on the versos of lectures and notes. (1930-1989).

Keller taught widely on art subjects, and his detailed, carefully-composed course and lecture notes deal with aspects of painting, sculpture, architecture, and urbanism from the Early Christian and Byzantine eras to the Impressionist period. His manuscripts likewise cover a broad range of topics, including Baroque staircases (the subject of his dissertation), Renaissance landscape, Italian Gothic sculpture, urbanism in Italy, Central Europe and the Baltic countries, Impressionism, the history of portraiture, a scholarly autobiography, and notes for an historical novel. Many manuscripts included in the collection contain his annotations, as does a printed copy of his dissertation, Das Treppenhaus im deutschen Schloss- und Klosterbau des Barock.

The reverse side of many of the pages of lecture and course notes contain correspondence between Keller and art historians, primarily from the years 1938 - 1963. Series IV contains significant correspondence with other scholars and includes 50 letters (1943-1989) from Richard Krautheimer, rich in detail about their common scholarly interests and the work of other colleagues, 11 letters (1974-1980) from Christoph Frommel, as well as letters from Hans Sedlmayer, Rudolf Wittkower, L.H. Heydenreich, T. Müller and others.

Biographical / historical:

Harald Keller was trained as an art historian in Leipzig, Heidelberg, and Munich by such influential scholars as Wilhelm Pinder, Heinrich Wölfflin, C. G. Heise at the Lübeck Museum and Hans Jantzen in Frankfurt. Keller served as Assistant Director of the Hertziana in Rome from 1930 - 1935. He wrote 20 books and over 100 articles. In his 35 years as a teacher, Keller helped shape a generation of German art historians, in part by supervising 53 dissertations. The course and lecture notes included among his papers provide a precise record of his teaching methods and document a formative period in the discipline.

Acquisition information:

Acquired in 1992.

Processing information:

Rose Lachman processed, arranged and described the collection in early 1995. Wherever possible, the collection retains Keller's original order and labeling.

Arrangement:

The Papers are arranged in 4 series: Series I. Lectures and notes, with correspondence on verso, ca. 1939-1987; Series II. Research notes, ca. 1930-1987, n.d.; Series III. Manuscripts, ca. 1929-1988; Series IV. Correspondence, ca. 1930-1989.

Physical location:

Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the catalog record for this collection. Click here for the access policy.

Rules or conventions:

archives, personal papers, and manuscripts

Access and use

Restrictions:: Open for use by qualified researchers.
Terms of access:: Contact Library Rights and Reproductions.