THE BUTLER INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ART: PRO BONO PUBLICO A thesis submitted to the College of the Arts of Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by Ann Michelle McMaster August, 2015 Thesis written by Ann Michelle McMaster B.A. Youngstown State University, 2007 M.A. Kent State University, 2015 Approved by ________________________________________ O. Carol Salus, Ph.D., Advisor ________________________________________ Christine Havice, Ph.D., Director, School of Art _________________________________________ John R. Crawford, Ed.D., Dean, College of the Arts TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES .........................................................................................................................v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... viii INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER I. THE ROLE OF THE MUSEUM IN THE UNITED STATES ................................................... 5 The Practice of Collecting ....................................................................................................... 5 The Early Development of the Art Museum ........................................................................... 6 Early Foundations in the United States ................................................................................... 7 Setting the Standard: The American Artist in Europe.......................................................... 11 The Early Museum Identifies Itself ....................................................................................... 12 Styles of Architecture and the New American Neo-Classical Art Museum ......................... 15 II. ART PROMOTION IN YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO BEFORE 1919 ........................................ 17 Early Activities toward an Art Museum in Youngstown, Ohio ............................................ 21 The Youngstown Museum of Art ......................................................................................... 23 The Mahoning Institute of Art .............................................................................................. 26 Growing Interest in American Art ........................................................................................ 27 Museum Directors Support MIA .......................................................................................... 28 The Evolving History of the MIA ......................................................................................... 30 American Exhibitions Continue ............................................................................................ 33 Formative Developments ...................................................................................................... 34 Butler’s Influence .................................................................................................................. 35 The End of the MIA .............................................................................................................. 36 III. JOSEPH G. BUTLER JR. AND HIS COLLECTION .......................................................... 39 Beginning a Career in Steel ................................................................................................... 40 Butler as Collector ................................................................................................................. 42 Early Publicity for Butler’s Collection.................................................................................. 43 The Iconography of Early Twentieth-Century American Art ............................................... 49 The Fire ................................................................................................................................. 53 iii IV. THE BUTLER INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ART ............................................................ 57 The Collection ....................................................................................................................... 57 The Building .......................................................................................................................... 63 The Opening .......................................................................................................................... 66 The Gift ................................................................................................................................. 68 Butler’s Museum Today ........................................................................................................ 69 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………..………………74 APPENDICES 1. Catalogue of American Paintings, Mahoning Institute of Art, May 4, 1915 ....................112 2. Contract with McKim, Mead, and White ..........................................................................117 3. Letter from McKim, Mead, and White to Butler ..............................................................120 4. Catalogue of the Butler Institute of Art Inaugural Exhibition ..........................................121 5. Articles of Incorporation ...................................................................................................125 BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………………………...128 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Elbridge Ayer Burbank, Ah-all-tah-kone-ine; Umatilla (Nes Pilem, WA) half-male, the Butler Institute of American Art ........................................................................................76 2. Elbridge Ayer Burbank, Ah-ge-pah; Navajo (Ganado, AZ) half-female, the Butler Institute of American Art .................................................................................................................77 3. Joseph Green Butler, Jr. Image provided by the Butler Institute of American Art .................78 4. Butler entrance foyer. Image provided by the Butler Institute of American Art .....................79 5. Butler home third floor gallery. Image provided by the Butler Institute of American Art ......80 6. Butler home third floor gallery with skylights. Image provided by the Butler Institute of American Art ...........................................................................................................................81 7. Butler home Native American Gallery. Image provided by the Butler Institute of American Art ............................................................................................................................................82 8. Adolphe Bouguereau, L'Enfant Jésus et Saint Jean Baptiste,1878, “Gems from Private Galleries,” The Fine Arts Journal, July 1901 ..........................................................................83 9. Adolphe Bouguereau, La Vierge, l'Enfant Jésus et Saint Jean Baptiste, 1881. (accessed March 23, 2013) http://www.bouguereau.org/La-Vierge-LEnfant-Jesus-Et-Saint-Jean- Baptiste2.html. .........................................................................................................................84 10. Charles Merlette, Combat in a Church, date unknown. “Gems from Private Galleries,” The Fine Arts Journal, July 1901 ...................................................................................................85 11. A. Bryan Wall, A Chat by the Wayside, date unknown. “Gems from Private Galleries,” The Fine Arts Journal, July 1901 ...................................................................................................86 12. Edmund H. Osthaus, Hunting Dogs, date unknown. “Gems from Private Galleries,” The Fine Arts Journal, July 1901 ............................................................................................................87 13. Thomas Sully, Mrs. Jonathan Ingersoll, date unknown. Gems from Private Galleries,” The Fine Arts Journal, July 1901 ...................................................................................................88 v 14. Caesare Detti, Jan de Boulognes, date unknown. Youngstown Vindicator, June 13, 1909 .....89 15. Wilfred Constant Beauquesne, The Bugler is Spending His Last Breath to Sound a Charge, date unknown. Youngstown Vindicator, June 13, 1909 ...........................................................90 16. Ridgeway Knight, Girl Drinking from a Jug in the Harvest Field, date unknown. Youngstown Vindicator, June 13, 1909 ........................................................................................................91 17. Robert Henri, The Little Dancer, 1916-18. Image provided by the Butler Institute of American Art ...........................................................................................................................92 18. Ernest Lawson, Misty Day in March, 1917. Image provided by the Butler Institute of American Art ...........................................................................................................................93 19. Robert Henri, Bridget,date unknown. Youngstown Vindicator, June 13, 1909 .......................94 20. Arthur B. Davies, Arethusa, 1901. Image provided by the Butler Institute of American .......95 21. Telegram informing Butler of fire that destroyed his home. Joseph G. Butler’s scrapbook. Mahoning Valley Historical Society, Youngstown, Ohio .......................................................96 22. George Inness, Tragedy of the Sea, ca. 1864. (accessed June 28, 2013) Birmingham Museum of Art ........................................................................................................................................97