Skip to main content

Kimball, Fiske, 1888-1955

 Person

Biography as described by the Philadelphia Museum of Art:

"Already an established author, architect and professor, Kimball in 1925 accepted the position as director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (operating at that time as the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art). As the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin noted at the time of his death, "few have ever made a greater contribution to Philadelphia's culture." When Kimball assumed his directorship, the Museum still operated in Memorial Hall, a Centennial Exhibition structure, and its collection focused on American-made objects with an emphasis on textiles and the industrial arts. Construction of the new building was underway. During his tenure, Kimball oversaw the completion of the building's exterior and a significant installation of its interior, most of which was accomplished with WPA-sponsored labor. Kimball filled the newly built Museum with several period rooms and architectural elements from Europe and Asia. For this and his own academic purposes, Kimball, always accompanied by [his wife] Marie, traveled to Europe many times to meet with dealers, visit architectural sites of interest, and conduct extensive research in French archives. In addition, Kimball was responsible for bringing several major collections to the Museum, including the Foulc collection of Medieval and Renaissance sculpture, furnishings and artifacts, the Crozier collection of Oriental art, and the Arensberg and Gallatin collections of 20th century painting and sculpture."

NACO Variants

Kimball, Sidney Fiske, 1888-1955

NACO URI(s)

http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n80051084

Found in 5 Collections and/or Records:

West Fairmount Park, Belmont Mansion: Restaurant and banquet facility: Photographs, printed images, and slides of Belmont Mansion and Fairmount Park, bulk: Bulk, 1952-1955, 1948-1963

 File
General information This file contains both personal photographs taken by the Mai family of Belmont Mansion and Fairmount Park, as well as photographs and photographic prints provided to the Mai family by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The latter appear to have been requested by Ernestine Mai to be used for postcards. Some of the prints contain handwritten measurements and notes relating to this project. Also included with this file are two pieces of correspondence from the Philadelphia Museum of Art staff....
Dates: Majority of material found within Bulk, 1952-1955; 1948-1963

Filtered By

  • Subject: Philadelphia Museum of Art X

Additional filters:

Subject
Correspondence 4
Belmont Mansion 1
West Fairmount Park 1
Wilstach Gallery 1