Rhode Island School of Design. Museum of Art. Presidents' and Directors' correspondence. (23.1.1)

Historical note

Eliza G. Radeke, Museum Committee Chair (1893-1931) and President (1913-1931), led the development of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art assisted by L. Earle Rowe, RISD Director (1912-1929) and Museum Director (1929-1937). Working together and with the generosity and assistance of her family and friends including Edward Perry Warren, they established the foundation of the Museum’s collection of works of art. Her collection strengths were Japanese and Classical works of art and 19th century French paintings and drawings.

Helen M. Danforth followed her aunt serving as President (1931-1947) and Museum Committee Chair (1931-1947) as well as the Chairman of the RISD Board of Trustees (1947-1965). She joined the committee in 1927 beginning a long period of gifts and loans to the Museum. She worked with Rowe and his successors: Alexander Dorner (1938-1941), Gordon B. Washburn (1942-1949), and Roberta M. Alford (1949-1952) during the period covered by the Presidents’ and Directors’ correspondence.

Radeke’s brothers, Stephen O., Jesse H., and Manton B. Metcalf provided financial support as well as donations of works of art. Stephen and Jesse financed the construction of the Eliza G. Radeke Museum of Art building in 1926. The Lyra Brown Nickerson bequest (1916) provided substantial funding for purchases of works of art until World War Two.