Includes Wright’s notes on a number of modern British artists, e.g. Muirhead Bone, D Y Cameron, Frank Benson, F L Griggs, and also a collection of materials forming the basis for Wright’s major work on Alphonse Legros, painter, etcher and sculptor, and friend of Courbet, Whistler and Manet; miscellaneous correspondence relating to Harold Wright archive; catalogues written by Wright.
Papers of Harold James Lean Wright, 1885-1961, art historian
This material is held atUniversity of Glasgow Special Collections
- Reference
- GB 247 MS Wright
- Dates of Creation
- 1832-1977
- Name of Creator
- Language of Material
- English
- Physical Description
- 3.4 metres (3500 items)
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Harold James Lean Wright was born in 1885 in London, England. He was educated at the City of London School and joined the firm of Obach & Co in 1903. This firm was merged with the Art dealers P & D Colnaghi Ltd, London, in 1911 and Wright continued to work for Colnaghi's becoming a director in 1939 and became a recognised expert on early and modern prints.
Wright was a natural scholar and published many works - a translation and expansion of Delteil's catalogue of the etchings of Meryon (1924), and catalogues of the work of F L Griggs in collaboration with Campbell Dodgson (1941) and Sir William Russell Flint (1949) and numerous articles on modern etchers such as Rushbury, Nixon and Briscoe in Print Collector's Quarterly. In 1930 he lectured at the Royal Academy of Arts on the etchers Rembrandt, Meryon and James Whistler and again in 1939 on three earlier engravers which were published in the Society's journal.
He was greatly respected both in academic and trade circles for his integrity and careful scholarship. In 1957 Wright received an honorary degree from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, in recognition of his contributions to the study of etching and engraving, and for his services to the University in advising on its art collections. He died in 1961.
Source: Obituary The Times 1 March 1961
Arrangement
The arrangement of this material reflects the original order in which it was received
Access Information
Access is open, however an appointment may be required. Please email Archives and Special Collections for advice: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk
Acquisition Information
Transfer : History of Art : 1975-1990 : ACCNs 4545, 4546, 4590
Purchase : Arts Artis : 1989 : ACCN 4526, 4527
Other Finding Aids
See also University of Glasgow Collections
Conditions Governing Use
Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents. Applications for permission to quote should be sent to Archives and Special Collections, please email: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk
Appraisal Information
This material has been appraised in line with standard GB 247 procedures
Custodial History
Held by the family of Harold Wright and deposited with Glasgow University History of Art department by Isobel Wright c1962
Accruals
None expected