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William “Bill” Camfield papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS 495
Finding aid note: Stored off-site at the Library Service Center. Please request this material via woodson@rice.edu or call 713-348-2586.

Scope and Contents

The William Camfield papers include correspondence concerning Visiting Professors from the Craig Francis Cullinan Visiting Chair in Fine Arts, Architecture and Urban Planning program, a gift of Mrs. George R. Brown for sculpture for Rice University Campus, photographs and slides, newspaper clippings and brochures of Rice exhibits and sculpture. Correspondents include Mrs.Geogre R. Brown, Robert Irwin, Michael Heizer, Ellsworth Kelly, David Parsons, William McVey, John Angel, Isamu Noguchi, and others. Also included are material concerning the Rice Institute for the Arts and tapes of lectures by Robert Irwin, Cullinan Lecturer.

Dates

  • 1925-1997
  • Majority of material found within 1982 - 1990

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This material is open for research.

Stored off-site at the Library Service Center. Please request this material via woodson@rice.edu or call 713-348-2586.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish from the William “Bill” Camfield papers, 1925-1997, MS 495, must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

Biographical / Historical

William “Bill” Camfield came to Rice University in 1969 as an Associate Professor of Art History. Prior to coming to Rice, he taught at the University of St. Thomas (1964-69) and came to Rice when Dominique and John deMenil left the sponsorship at St. Thomas and proposed moving those activities to Rice University.

He served as acting chairman of the Rice University Art Department in 1970-72 and again in 1999-2001. He became a full professor in 1977 and became the Joseph and Joanna Nazro Mullen Professor of Art History in 1980. He taught courses on European and American art and art history, Cubism, Dada and Surrealism. He has received grants and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the NEH, American Philosophical Society and ACLS.

Dr. Camfield originated the internship course that sends a number of Rice students to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston each semester. As a surprise at his retirement, the William A. Camfield Fellowship was announced. It will provide support to allow one Rice undergraduate per year to spend two semesters in a working internship at the museum.

He has published books on Frank Freed, Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp and Francis Picabia and numerous articles. He received his B.A. in Art History in 1957 from Princeton University, and his MA (1961) and Ph.D. (1964) from Yale University.

Dr. Camfield retired from his teaching position at Rice in 2002.

Extent

2.5 Linear Feet (5 boxes)

14.9 Gigabytes (Nearline access: MS0495aip_001 (14.9 GB))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Overview

The papers of art historian William Camfield include correspondence concerning Rice University Cullinan Visiting Professors, gift of Mrs. George R. Brown for sculpture for Rice University Campus, photographs and slides, newspaper clippings and brochures of Rice exhibits and sculpture. Also included is material concerning the Rice Institute for the Arts. There are also tapes of lectures by Robert Irwin, Cullinan Lecturer.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was received from Dr. William Camfield after his retirement, 2002-2003.

Related Materials

See also Information Files for Camfield, William and for Art and Art History Department.

See also (Department of) Fine Arts Record Group.

Subjects

Record Groups

Related Names

Creator

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the William “Bill” Camfield papers, 1925-1997
Status
Completed
Author
Sharon Link
Date
2004
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Woodson Research Center, Rice University, Houston, Texas Repository

https://library.rice.edu/woodson
Contact:
Fondren Library MS-44, Rice University
6100 Main St.
Houston Texas 77005 USA

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Harmful Content Statement
© 2023 Woodson Research Center
Fondren Library, Rice University
Physical Address: 6100 Main, Houston, Texas 77005-1827
Mailing Address: MS-44, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251-1892