RISD created the Freehand and Painting Department in 1901 as part of a general reorganization of the school. Taught since the school's opening in 1878, painting was part of the general Freehand Department, 1886-1901. Instruction was based upon the independent French atelier system. The appointment of John R. Frazier as Department Head in 1923 led to a gradual move to a unified curriculum. The 1930s brought course work in the Mural Painting (1933-1947) and Portraiture (1933-1946) majors.
The department became part of the new Fine Arts Division in 1940 and the school offered an illustration major in 1943. All three majors led to a BFA beginning in 1943. A 1947 reorganization led to a consolidation of majors under Illustration or Painting. Illustration remained a part of the department until RISD appointed a separate Head of Illustration in 1962.
In 1943 Painting began to offer a lithography course, originally part of Graphic Arts. Renamed the printmaking workshop in 1956, the coursework was expanded in 1962. RISD changed the department name to Painting and Printmaking in 1972 with two separate majors. A subsequent reorganization in 1979 stripped Printmaking from the title, but retained Printmaking as a program within the department. In 1990 all programs within the Fine Arts Division became individual departments.
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Rhode Island School of Design. Painting Department records., 08.05, Rhode Island School of Design Archives.
The BFA theses, 1987-2010, are arranged alphabetically within 3-ring notebooks and folders organized by year. The bulk of the theses include a written statement of varying length, style, composition, and complexity and a set of slides showing the students' work. Slides may be identified by year, size of print, color or b/w, title, or student. Statements, typed and handwritten, may include professor's written comments, including proofreading marks, and statements may include drafts as well. The MFA theses, 1987-2010, are stored separately, the bulk of which do not include slides. Recent theses may include computer discs instead of slides. The BFA theses, 1992 and 1993, include separate students' proposals with slides prepared for the Lief - Peers Awards. Other years may include the proposals with the theses. Thesis slides may be stored with the proposals.
Please contact the Archives to identify students with theses in the collection.
The records are organized into one series:
These materials were transferred from the Painting Department.