Arthur W. Heintzelman, born November 22, 1890 in Newark, NJ, attended RISD from 1901-1912, receiving a diploma in Freehand Drawing and Painting in 1910. Heintzelman continued with postgraduate courses in 1910-1911 earning the first Alumni Association Traveling Scholarship that spring. Following a summer in Europe, he returned to RISD for another year of postgraduate work as well as working as an Instructor's assistant. He served as Head of the Fine Arts Department, Detroit School of Design, 1912-1915.
Heintzelman returned to RISD as an Instructor, 1915-1920, during which time he began a create etchings. Goodspeed’s Bookstore (Boston) held his first exhibition in October 1917. He took a year's leave of absence in 1920 before leaving for Europe the next year. He lived in Paris and Liginieres sur Chexbres overlooking Lake Geneva, 1921-1935, where he continued his work as a world-renowned etcher. In 1941, he became Keeper of the Prints of the Albert H. Wiggin Collection and the Print Department of the Boston Public Library, holding the position until his retirement in 1960. He served as President of the RISD Alumni Association, 1944-1945, RISD Trustee, 1946-1964, and Emeritus Trustee, 1964-1965.
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Arthur W. Heintzelman papers, Rhode Island School of Design Archives.
Seven postcards and one transcript of letters sent by Arthur Heintzelman document his trip to Europe in 1911 after receiving the first RISD Alumni Association Traveling Scholarship. His thank you letter for receiving the scholarship is included. Heintzelman sailed for Europe with RISD Instructor William Drury, RISD '09, on June 6, 1911. Their itinerary included Rotterdam, The Hague, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Paris, Madrid, London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. Heintzelman sent postcards to RISD Instructor Anna J. Dyer, RISD '04, with brief notations. The stamps have been torn off of two postcards.
The Alumni Association's Executive Committee instructed Heintzelman to write monthly letters to Dyer. At the request of the Executive Committee she, with Heintzelman's assistance, wrote a seven page summary transcription of the letters, which she read at the November 1, 1911 Alumni Association business meeting. The letters describe his travels, artists and their work, and museums visited including the Mauritshuis, the Rijksmuseum, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (Antwerp), the Louvre, the Prado Museum, the Tate Gallery, and the British Museum. Heintzelman returned to the United States on the Lusitania, arriving in New York on September 16, 1911.
The Arthur Heintzelman papers are filed with the Alumni Association records, Box 2 Folder 17.
Materials are arranged chronologically.
The papers were transferred from the RISD Library.