René d'Harnoncourt papers, 1921-1983

Series includes announcements and exhibition catalogs, documentation of the "Art in America Program," published books belonging to and/or referencing d'Harnoncourt, Department of Interior publications, including some issued by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Museum of Modern art press releases, and news clippings primarily relating to exhibitions and other events in which d'Harnoncourt was involved.

Announcements and exhibition catalogs include catalogs for Las Exposicion de Artes Mexicanas (Carnegie Corporation, 1930); Mexican Arts (The American Federation of Arts, 1930-1931); Aboriginal Culture of the Western Hemisphere (Treasure Island, San Franscisco, 1940); American Indian Art (Worcester Art Museum, 1941), El Arte Indígena de Norteamérica (1945) with an introduction by d'Harnoncourt; and Australian Aboriginal Cave Paintings (Australia House, 1947).

Material relating to the "Art in America" program includes issues 1-3, and 5-14 of Art In America News; d'Harnoncourt's annotated copy of Art in America from 1600-1865: An Illustrated Guide for a National Radio Broadcast From February 3 to May 19, 1934 (University of Chicago Press, 1934); a schedule of the program; a transcript of a radio broadcast for the program on November 10, 1934; and a draft of a 1935 report on the program.

Books belonging to d'Harnoncourt and/or Sarah d'Harnoncourt include: Return Ticket inscribed to d'Harnoncourt by author Salvador Novo in a presentation box; and three books in which d'Harnoncourt and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board are referenced, including From Every Zenith: A Memoir (1963); The Indian: America's Unfinished Business (1966); and Dance Around the Sun (1977). Also found are four publications that were used in the exhibition Mexican Arts to demonstrate the quality of typography: Metodo d Dibujo Tradicion Resurgimiento y Evolucion d el Arte Mexican (1923), Antologia De La Poesia Mexicana Moderna (1928), Escalera (Tocata y Fuga) (1929), and El Nuevo Paraiso (circa 1930).

Book covers include the cover of Volume 1 of two volumes issued in connection with the exhibition Las Artes Populares en Mexico, a catalog which d'Harnoncourt apparently consulted regularly, for an exhibition which Sarah d'Harnoncourt stated was the "ancestor" of Mexican Arts; and the illustrated cover, and pages from, Domingos Mexicanos (or Mexican Sundays), a published collection of reproductions of watercolors by René d'Harnoncourt, published by Fred Davis. Publications of the Bureau/Office of Indian Affairs include eight issues of the publication Indians at Work and five pamphlets on Native Americans by region.

Publications of the Department of the Interior Indian Arts and Crafts Board include Bibliography of Articles and Papers on North American Indian Art, compiled by students in d'Harnoncourt's class at Sarah Lawrence College; two pamphlets and seven Fact Sheets, one of which is accompanied by a note of transmittal from Pearl Moeller of the Museum of Modern Art stating how "René battled long and hard for the trademarks, and certification, and the publications, so it's rewarding to see it in print," referring to free pamphlets that are mentioned in a 1978 Fact Sheet; and eight issues of Smoke Signals, the "circular for Indian artists and craftsmen," including the first issue (1951).

One folder relates to Fred Davis's collection. It includes a 1951 catalog of the collection, and a 1957 issue of Mexico This Month, with an article about Davis's collection, and copies of several advertisements for his store.

Government legislation includes a copy of the Act of Congress establishing the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, and a regulation governing the use of "Government trademarks of genuineness for Indian products."

News clippings are primarily from newspapers and magazines and relate to art exhibitions and other events in which d'Harnoncourt was involved, as well as related events and people.

Miscellaneous printed material includes resolutions 16, 41, 43, 45, 52, 73, 88, 93, and 96 of the Papago Council; d'Harnoncourt's copy of Pageant of the Pacific by Miguel Covarrubias (1940); two reports by the Division of Inter-American Activities in the United States; a catalog, Celebrate: The Story of the Museum of International Folk Art (Museum of New Mexico Press,1979); and an undated copy of a poem.

Museum of Modern Art press releases, 1934-1935, relate to the "Art in America Program"; press releases from 1941 relate to the opening of Indian Art of the United States exhibition.