Collection Guide
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Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery Archival Collection
WG001.ead
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Table of contents
Title: The Guide to the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery Collection
Date Range: 1870 - 2005,
Date (bulk): 1950 - 2005 bulk
Identification: WG001.ead
Repository: Scripps College
Scripps College
1030 Columbia Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
Abstract: The Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery was built in 1993 on the campus of Scripps College and shows the artwork of professional
artists as well as works by the college's teachers and students. The Williamson Gallery is most known for hosting the “Scripps
College Annual Ceramic Exhibition,” which has the distinction of being the longest running ceramics show in the United States.
The archival collection covers years 1870-2005, with the bulk of the material ranging from 1950-2005.
Physical Description:
40.25 cubic feet
Language of Material:
English
Physical Location: Baxter Hall, Scripps College
This collection is open for research with permission from the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery staff. Donor records are restricted
to staff use only.
Additional material may be added to this collection as donations are received.
Property rights reside with Scripps College, Claremont, California.
[Identification of item]. Chandler Williamson Gallery Collection, Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Scripps College, Claremont,
California.
Scripps College has had numerous locations for art exhibitions since its founding in 1926. The Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery,
built in 1993 is the school’s most recent venue. In the early years, the first exhibitions were held at Balch Hall until
Lang Gallery was built in 1939. In 1974 an agreement joined the Montgomery Gallery of Pomona College and the Lang Gallery
together administratively to be known as the Galleries of the Claremont Colleges. This agreement remained in effect until
1994, around the time the Williamson gallery was opened and the galleries returned to being separate entities. Over the years
the Scripps’ galleries have shown the work of its art teachers including painter Millard Sheets, sculptor Albert Stewart,
and ceramist Paul Soldner. Most of the artwork housed at the Williamson Gallery is a result of donations from collectors and
artists. The largest donated collection is the Fred Marer ceramics collection. Other significant donors are Edward M. Nagle,
who donated a variety of art objects, General E. C. Young, who donated several American paintings, and General Munth and W.
B. Pettus donators of Asian paintings and decorative arts.
Scripps College has played an important role in the promotion of ceramics and ceramists. Since 1944 it has hosted the “Scripps
College Annual Ceramic Exhibition,” which has the distinction of being the longest running ceramics show in the United States.
| 1926 | Scripps founded as an undergraduate school for women only |
| 1933 | Scripps hosts for first Ceramic Annual exhibition |
| 1937 | Construction begins on the Florence Rand Lang building |
| 1939 | Florence Rand Lang building opens and houses the Art Department and Art Gallery |
| 1944 | First Annual Ceramic Exhibition |
| 1974 | Pomona College and Scripps College enter an agreement whereby their art galleries (Montgomery at Pomona and Lang at Scripps) would be joined administratively and known as the Galleries of the Claremont Colleges. |
| 1993 | Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery opens |
| 1994 | Pomona College and Scripps College end the agreement of 1974 regarding gallery administration and return to separate entities. |
Collection Scope and Content Summary
The Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery Collection contains correspondence, photographs, financial documents, insurance documents,
contracts, biographic material, art reviews, newspaper clippings and other records related to the gallery’s administration,
art collection, and exhibitions.
The largest series in the collection is in Series 1. Artist Records. The documents pertain to artists who have artwork in
the permanent collection or of artists who have exhibited their artwork at the gallery in the past. The artist records consist
of photographs, resumes, announcement cards and art reviews.
Documents relating to art exhibitions can be found in Series 8. Exhibitions, Series 2. Ceramic Annuals, and Series 3. Loan
Records. These documents represent exhibitions held on the Scripps College campus or of exhibitions held by other institutions
that borrowed artwork from Scripps’ permanent collection. Much of the material in these series consist s of contracts, correspondence,
publicity, insurance valuations and appraisals.
Administrative records can be found in Series 4. Annual Reports, which range from 1979 through 2005, Series 5. Donor Records,
Series 6. Internships, and Series 7. Grants. These series consist of correspondence, reports, wills and testaments, insurance
valuations and appraisals, applications, and contracts.
Series 9. Subject files is a small series that contains information about topics of interest to the Gallery’s administration
and contains essays, articles, and correspondence.
- Series 1: Artist Records, 1870-2005, 12 cubic ft.
- Series 2: Ceramic Annuals, 1950-2005, 7 cubic ft.
- Series 3: Loan Records, 1950-2005, 3 cubic ft.
- Series 4: Annual Reports, 1973-2005, 1.5 cubic ft.
- Series 5: Donor Records, 1925-2005, 7 cubic ft.
- Series 6: Internships, 1993-2005, 3 cubic ft.
- Series 7: Grants, 1980-2001, .25 cubic ft.
- Series 8: Exhibitions, 1943-2005, 16 cubic ft.
- Series 9: Subject files, 1946-1995, .5 cubic ft.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection.
Claremont Colleges (Claremont, Calif.)
Scripps College (Claremont, Calif.)
Williamson Gallery
Sheets, Millard, 1907-
Steward, Albert
Soldner, Paul
The Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery Collection is an artificial collection encompassing materials acquired from various sources
and is organized into nine series.