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SOCIETY OF FELLOWS NEWS AMERICAN ACADEMY IN ROME LAUNDRY SPRING 2005 From the Editor SOF President’s Message Catherine Seavitt Nordenson FAAR’98 James L. Bodnar FAAR’80 Spring cleaning means polishing, vac- can’t wait to try this one at home. We Society of Fellows NEWS The holiday season at the American Academy in Rome is the Fellows the gifts that had been sent from the cuuming, window-washing, tossing also have the transformation of col- SPRING 2005 unique every year. A different group of Fellows, most pre- Fellows in Los Angeles. The gifts were collected at a out - evoking also a sense of the new lage images, the core samples of Published by the Society of Fellows of viously strangers to one another, come together to cele- dinner this past fall at the home of Hsin-Ming Fung - new carpets, clean sheets. For this Roman lanscapes by Cheryl Barton The American Academy in Rome brate as an extended family far away from the United FAAR’92 and Craig Hodgetts. Each SOF member attend- Spring 2005 Laundry edition of the FAAR’04 into woven tapestries, made 7 East 60 Street States in their incredible new home. The shared custom- ing was asked to bring a gift that they would like to SOF NEWS, it is a pleasure to publish by computer-driven looms in New York, NY 10022-1001 USA ary events of meals, pageants and parties unfold with all have received when they were in Rome. Of course this such a diversity of work relating to Belgium. Many Fellows submitted tel 212 751 7200 www.sof-aarome.org Editor: Catherine Seavitt Nordenson of Rome as a backdrop, and with an underlying sense that leaves a great deal open to individual interpretation, fabrics and textiles. Our cover image, images of their work, seen on the FAAR’98 something very special is leaving its mark on each individ- depending upon your year, discipline and personal a fabric miniature, Overcoat, by Charles pages of the Fellows’ News. Thank Co-Editors: Stefanie Walker FAAR’01 text ual that they will cherish and long remember. interests, which certainly became evident when the LeDray FAAR’98, powerfully evokes an you to all who contributed to this Joanne Spurza FAAR’89 news During the two short days I stayed in Rome this past gifts were opened during that lunch in Rome. They eerily empty image of the embrace of issue. Brian Curran FAAR’94 obits December I witnessed the tradition continue for this were a complete surprise! Not only that new Fellows Piero della Francesco’s Madonna della Other features in this SOF NEWS Wendy Heller FAAR’01 events were receiving them from past Fellows they had never Misericordia, symbolically gathering a include a transcript from the SOF Liaison: Megan McNamee year's class. The Fellows glowingly spoke of their past few met, but also by the strange and bizarre nature of some diversity of creative work. Academy’s The Art of Biography panel months together, the walks and talks, and trips to come, Contents of the gifts themselves. It took a little explaining in The work of our contributors this discussion, held in New York last fall, and how, unfortunately, time was moving too fast. My first SOF President’s Message 3 some cases to these occupants of the newly restored issue ranges from the restoration of and the transcript of an SOF Oral From the AAR President, New York 4 evening before dinner I noticed that the salone was Academy why they might need a flashlight, or a hot modernist textiles - the upholstery of History, with Richard Brilliant FAAR’62. From the AAR Director, Rome 6 closed; the drapes pulled and the doors shut. Obviously water bottle, or peanut butter and hot sauce, or other Frank Lloyd Wright’s Zimmerman We hope to include the Oral History News From Rome, Arts Director 7 seen as an interloper, I ventured into old, familiar territo- Spellbound by Rome 8 gifts that are beyond description here. The group then House by Deirdre Windsor FAAR’01 - to as a regular feature in upcoming ry. The furniture was pushed to the side, the lighting Recent SOF Events 9 began to barter and exchange until all felt they had the creation of new printed fabrics, newsletters, drawing from the rich SOF Oral History Richard Brilliant FAAR’62 10 bright, and Fellows, several with children, were rehearsing Napkin Folding Stefanie Walker FAAR’01 12 received a coveted prize. And at the end they turned with the screening of the Tempieto archive of SOF-sponsored interviews. for the Christmas pageant scheduled for the next after- Garden Rains and Stains Deirdre Windsor towards me, each with their gift raised high in thanks drawings by Rachel Allen FAAR’03 onto As always, the Archives of the FAAR’01 and Hetty Startup 13 noon. Each person rehearsed with a clear focus: reading (see photo below). bolts of cotton jersey. Stefanie Walker American Academy proved a rich Rome Prize Winners 2005-06 16 lines, coordinating choreography, and helping to move the For the first time this group of Fellows realized that FAAR’01 contributes a delightful piece source of images of Laundry - literal- Tessuto Romano Cheryl Barton FAAR’04 18 sets that seemed to grow more and more elaborate and they were not going to be alone in their experiences, on Baroque napkin folding in Italy - ly! The Academy staff laundry rooms Art of Biography Anthony Grafton RAAR’04 20 Bramante in Fashion Rachel Allen FAAR’03 24 ridiculous as dinner grew closer. I was overwhelmed by but were to be part of the larger family of Fellows - not were for some unknown reason well Recent Books by Academy Authors 26 their efforts, friendship, spirit, and unbridled commitment just in Los Angeles, but throughout the United States - documented in the 1960s, and it is News from Fellows 28 who continue to share, through the SOF, regardless of surprising to see how little things had In Memoriam 34 to make this the best Academy Christmas pageant ever, year and discipline, in the unique experience of the changed when the photo, below left, In Praise of Ironing 37 which it may have been. Recent Work 39 The next day at lunch, I had the honor of presenting to American Academy in Rome. was taken in 1994, just prior to the From the Archives 40 renovation of the McKim Mead & The Fall 2005 issue of the SOF NEWS will White building. Compare this image focus on ISLANDS. We seek contributions The Rome Fellows display their gifts from the Los Angeles Fellows, at lunch in the dinning room. Nice tablecloths! Photo by James Bodnar with the one on the back cover, taken from Academy Fellows, Residents, and 30 years earlier! Visitors about island life and work. We One of the greatest gifts of a will consider work from any medium or Fellowship at the Academy is never period. Articles and poetry are also encouraged, along with artwork. Please having to wash your own sheets, thus submit your contribution to the Editor, in gaining plenty of extra time to spend care of the American Academy in Rome’s in our studios and studies. This issue New York City office, or via email to is a grateful tribute to all the Academy [email protected] by August 1, 2005. staff who have washed and pressed COVER: our laundry for years. Charles LeDray FAAR’98 Overcoat, 2004 Left: Staff Laundry Room, pre-renovation, 1994 25 1/2” x 20” x 11” Private Collection AAR Archive Photo by Roberto Einaudi Image courtesy of Sperone Westwater Gallery, New York 2 SPRING 2005 SOF NEWS 3 From the AAR President, New York Adele Chatfield-Taylor FAAR’84 Considering that our Director, Professor Lester K. Little logical system and thus our "post-classical" fellowships were ally as President in 2003-04. He also planned and led two mem- intermediate and advanced instruction for the first three weeks. RAAR’96, and his wife, our Public Affairs Officer, Lella Gandini, renamed Medieval (6th through the 14th centuries), orable conferences in Rome that have publications under con- Often thereafter, Fellows continue studying independently. are to retire from the Academy in July of 2005, this issue of Renaissance and Early Modern Studies (14th through the 18th tract: one on curses and blessings in traditional societies, the Lella's legendary charm has made her autumn Welcome the SOF NEWS would seem a good place to begin a "laundry centuries), and Modern Italian Studies (18th century to the other on the Justinianic Plague, AD 541-750. Party a sought-after invitation among Romans, expats, former list" of their accomplishments. present). Rather than being a separate category, the history of Lester did a turn, too, as president of the Unione Fellows, and international artists and scholars resident in Lester and Lella have been at the Academy from 1998-2005, art became an intrinsic possibility across all these new cate- Internazionale degli Instituti, Instituti di Archaeologia, Storia, e Rome. This kick-off party gives new Fellows a chance to meet record service for the last 45 years of our history, and second gories as well as in Ancient Studies (Classical Studies) which Storia dell'Arte, the consortium of 23 foreign and 10 Italian kindred spirits and Romans. It also provides an introduction only in duration to Gorham Phillips Stevens (who served for 15 included the period through the 6th century, and which con- scholarly institutes in Rome. In the process, he found a way to for many crucial working relationships that persist throughout years between 1917-32) and Laurance and Isabel Roberts (who tinues to offer the most Fellowships of any sector.

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