Heinrich Schwarz was born 1894 November 9 in Prague and graduated from the Akademisches Gymnasium (Vienna) in 1913. He attended the University of Vienna, 1913-1914, then served in the Austro-Hungarian military returning to the University of Vienna in 1919 to continue his studies. He wrote his dissertation on the origins of Austria lithography under the guidance of Max Dvorak and was awarded a doctorate in 1921. Schwarz began his career in Vienna as a curatorial assistant in the Albertina Print Room from 1921 until 1923 when he was appointed curator of the Austrian State Gallery in the Belvedere Palace.
While working at the Modern Gallery in Vienna Schwarz organized an exhibition on the works of the 1840s Scottish painter and photographer, David Octavious Hill, displaying 180 calotype photographs. In 1931 Schwarz published the first full-length monograph on a photographer, David Octavious Hill: Der Meister der Photographie. Nazi Germany’s annexation of Austria led to his dismissal from the museum because of his Jewish ancestry. Schwarz came to the United States in 1940 with the assistance of the Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced Foreign Scholars and Beaumont Newhall of the Museum of Modern Art.
Newhall’s 1937 Museum of Modern Art exhibition, “Photography, 1839-1937,” included works by David Octavious Hill on loan from the Albright Art Gallery (Buffalo, NY). The Albright was the first American museum to exhibit Hill’s work as part of their “International Exhibition of Pictorial Photography” (1910). Schwarz began his U.S. career at the Albright Art Gallery in 1941 as Research Scholar and Resident Assistant under the directorship of Gordon Bailey Washburn. His personal collection of calotypes by Hill and his colleague Robert Adamson was shown at the Museum of Modern Art in 1941 September. Schwarz served on the Museum of Modern Art's Advisory Committee on Photography, 1943-1944.
Washburn left the Albright in 1942 to become director of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art and Schwarz followed in 1943 to become a Research Assistant. Schwarz was charged with studying the museum’s collection, gathering together all written and pictorial materials relating to the works of art, and making them more useful to students and researchers. In 1947 Schwarz became Curator of Painting, Drawings, and Prints, a position he held until 1954. During his tenure at RISD, Schwarz was credited with building the Print Collection and bringing a continental perspective to his work. Schwarz had maintained his connections with European dealers, collectors, and curators. These connections combined with his interest in photography, lithography, and print-making were valuable assets that he brought to the RISD community. Schwarz’s contribution to the museum included exhibitions on early photography, including the calotypes of David O. Hill and Robert Adamson, old master paintings, American folk art, pre-Columbian art, and noteworthy works such as “Landscape with a Mill,” circa 1653-1657, by Sebastian Bourdon and “Seine at Giverny,” 1885, by Claude Monet. His scholarship on photography was both ground-breaking and influential. Later writers such as Newhall, Aaron Scharf, Van Deren Coke, and Peter Galassi were influenced by Schwarz’s writings.
Heinrich Schwarz married Elisabeth Arany in New York City 1948 August. He left RISD in 1954 to become Curator of the Davison Art Center and Professor of History of Art at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. He worked there until his retirement in 1972. Heinrich Schwarz died 1974 September in New York.
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Heinrich Schwarz papers, Rhode Island School of Design Archives.
The Heinrich Schwarz papers document his personal and professional correspondence, 1940-1953, while at the Rhode Island School of Design, Museum of Art and include records documenting the activities of employees before and after his tenure, 1926-1942 and 1954-1970. The records include bills of lading and receipts of sale documenting the acquisition of prints, valuation inquiries, research inquiries, internal Museum of Art memos, and exhibition correspondence. Most letters are written in English, but some correspondence is in German or French plus a few examples of shorthand. Series II and III contain correspondence pertaining to World War Two, friends and colleagues left behind, American citizenship, and bureaucratic necessities related to adjusting to life in America. Schwarz formed deep attachments with several other native Europeans, including John Berger, Rudolf Berliner, Wolfgang Born, Otto Demus, with whom he corresponded more significantly.
Organized into three series:
The records were transferred to the Archives by the Museum of Art, Office of the Registrar. Series II includes records transferred by the Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs.
The records document the activities of Heinrich Schwarz and other staff members working in the Museum of Art's Print Room. The documents are organized into three subseries: Internal records (1926-1953); Topical files (1944-1953); and Business files (1944-1953, 1966). Records include memos from President Max Sullivan, budgets, reports, catalogues of prints with research notes, and exhibition lists. Records document hiring, the Evening School, a collection stamp designed by John Howard Benson, an illustrated museum calendar, the Alumni Print Club, and the policy on reproduction. The Business files document requisitions, supply lists, data relating to a fumigation cabinet and other equipment. There are three letters between Museum Director L. Earle Rowe and M. Knoedler and Co. (1926) and one business supply letter from 1966.
The Correspondence files (1932-1970, bulk 1947-1953) document Heinrich Schwarz' work on researchers' queries and reproduction requests; acknowledgements to donors; referrals to collectors; budget problems; acquisition approvals and rejections by the Museum Committee; and the physical condition of acquisitions upon receipt. Other topics include Schwarz’ scholarly work and teaching; his collection philosophy and objectives; his curatorial principles; and exhibitions.
Correspondents include John Howard Benson, the Albertina Museum, Pierre Beres, Lucien Goldschmidt, Winslow Ames, William and Frederick Schab, the British Museum, the John Carter Brown Library, Mrs. John Nicholas Brown, Simon and Schuster, the Sharpe family (Henry D., Mary Elizabeth, Ellen D.), the Curt Vallentin Gallery, and Mrs. Herbert N. Straus
There are two folders documenting the activities of Museum Directors L. Earle Rowe and Alexander Dorner regarding Parisian art dealer Richard Owen (1932-1939) and one folder containing records from Chief Curator Bernice F. Davidson (1957-1970).
The series contains Heinrich Schwarz' personal and professional correspondence, 1940-1951, particularly the period 1942-1946 not documented in series II. The documents are primarily related to the acquisition of prints, bills of lading and receipts of sale, valuation inquiries, and exhibition correspondence. Correspondents include his colleagues at the Albright Art Gallery, Eleanor Sayre, RISD President Helen M. Danforth, Paul J. Sachs, and Ruth Washburn. Museum and gallery correspondence includes the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Fogg Art Museum. There is correspondence sprinkled throughout the series pertaining to the war, friends and colleagues left behind, American citizenship, and other bureaucratic necessities related to adjusting to life in America. Schwarz formed deep attachments with several other Europeans, including John Berger, Rudolph Berliner, Wolfgang Born, Otto Demus, with whom he corresponded more significantly. Most letters are written in English, but some correspondence is in German or French languages plus a few examples of shorthand.
The series was organized as part of the Archives of American Art 1985 microfilm project finding aid created by John Carpenter and Joyce Tyler. An index of the correspondents prepared by Carpenter and Tyler is available at the RISD Archives.
Acquisition of prints; bills of lading and receipts of sale; valuation inquiries; exhibition correspondence; Albright correspondence is mostly personal, to Elizabeth Bissel, but also contains letters to Andrew Ritchie, Director. NY Tax forms., The Blue Book, The Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced Foreign Scholars, English war prisoners in Italy, A. Ritchie’s article re: bringing the Crown Insignie back to Vienna,; pamphlet and meeting notes for Am. Assoc of Museums, Am. Council of Learned Societies – call to protect European Artifacts. Shorthand.
Acquisition of prints; bills of lading and receipts of sale; valuation inquiries; Exhibition of Western Prints; Hill calotypes; Personal Correspondence with John Berger re: destruction of Vienna, “Elisabeth” HS’s companion,; Rudolph Berliner correspondence German Language Correspondence: Hans Berger.
Acquisition of prints; bills of lading and receipts of sale; valuation inquiries; exhibition correspondence; Correspondence of note includes: Wolfgang, Born – news of Vienna; Alfred Stix, art of mentally ill, Robert Kohl killed at Auschwitz; Boston MFA – reference for Eleanor Sayre, personal correspondence with Eleanor Sayre, “Exhibition of Fakes, 1947-48,” Jean Adhemar lecture series; Stephen Bourgeois – citizenship witness request; Brown University – Fellowship for Miss Gertrude Achenbach, “Friends of Brown U. booklet, “The Amateurs of Ancient Greece (club), The German Club, Brown U. Weekly Bulletin 9/28/1947, #577; Buchholz Gallery – escape of the Robertsons, Nov 1943; Mrs. Eric Budde – UNNRA; Ernest H. Buschbeck – HS’s desire to reclaim pre-occupation “treasures”, Count Collaredo and Bushbeck’s possible appointment as Austrian Rep in the Museum’s Council in Paris. Foreign language: (German) Bondy, Oscar; Mrs. Felice de Buda; Henry C. Burton; Dr. Fristerlibe Klemmer - Unhistorisches Museum.
Acquisition of prints; bills of lading and receipts of sale; valuation inquiries; exhibition correspondence; examples of shorthand. Correspondence of note includes: Letter from Helen Danforth to Cleveland Museum of Art, Collins, Leo C. – HS inquires re: his Viennese record (11/10/1948); Common Council for American Unity – HS request booklet for citizenship (6/8/44); Captain Conway – HS inquires re: status of friend/neighbor in Austria (11/20/1945); Cooper Square – HS reports re: Dr. Leporini during Nazi Period (9/8/1947) Foreign language: (French) Cramer, Gerald. (German)Collins, Leo
Acquisition of prints; bills of lading and receipts of sale; valuation inquiries; exhibition correspondence, Correspondence of note includes: Helen Danforth, Otto Demus. French: deHauke, Cesare; Devigne, Mme. Marguerite, Foreign language: (German) Defray, Dr. A.C.,
Acquisition of prints; bills of lading and receipts of sale; valuation inquiries; exhibition correspondence, Correspondence of note includes: Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced Foreign Scholars; Edward Epstean. Foreign language: (German) ECADFS, Elam, Charles; Engel, Eugene; Ephron Gallery
Acquisition of prints; bills of lading and receipts of sale; valuation inquiries; exhibition correspondence, Correspondence of note includes: Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University.
Acquisition of prints; bills of lading and receipts of sale; valuation inquiries; exhibition correspondence print mounting and bookbinding, lecture requests. Correspondence of note: Theodore F. Green. Foreign language: (German) Glueck, Gustav, Glueckselig, Max.
Acquisition of prints; bills of lading and receipts of sale; valuation inquiries; exhibition correspondence print mounting and bookbinding, lecture requests. Correspondence of note: Mrs. Robert Hass – personal correspondence, parent’s tombs in Europe; Helen (Mr. Joseph) Head – John Arndt’s 16th century “True Christianity;” Mr. W. Heiman – personal re: Europe; Lynette Heminway – brother hero, VE Day; Philip Hofer, Houghton Library at Harvard University; Harvard – Survey of European Experts. Israels, J. – military correspondence. Foreign language : (German) Hoffman, Fritz
Acquisition of postcards, prints; bills of lading and receipts of sale; valuation inquiries; exhibition correspondence; blueprint cabinet purchase. Correspondence of note: Jessner, Augustus, Esq. Viennese Friend; Dr. G. A. Kahn, friend, doctor, military.
Correspondence re: mounting, re-mounting, matting, acquisitions, Correspondence of note: letter to Mrs. Helen Danforth 11/8/1948; Kodak Research Lab re: Hill-Adamson prints; Foreign language : (German) A.J. Kremenezky.
Correspondence re: loan of paintings, inquiries re: prints, correspondence with dealers re: catalogs, prints, books. Correspondence of note: Library Of Congress re: copyright, Fred Lion, re: brother in occupied Nice. Photograph of Rembrandt print, “Portrait of Hendrikje Stoffels;” Lutheran Theological Seminary re: camera obscura Louvre. Foreign language: (French); Lerch, Franz (German)
Acquisition of prints, furniture, receipts of sale; valuation inquiries; exhibition loans, including request for Hill exhibition, Correspondence of note: John E. McCall re: early television 1948, Correspondence with Pierre Matisse, youngest son of Henry Matisse. Disposal of Rembrandts through Guy Mayer. Foreign Language: Dr. Curt Martin (German), Mme. Hendrick Mauquoy (French); Francis G. Mayer (German); Mermod Editions (French)
Requests for photographs of paintings, books, catalogs, authenticity inquiries; sales and acquisitions. Most correspondence is with Hyatt Mayor. Other Correspondence of Note: To Francis Taylor re: article to “Liberation” magazine, devoted to the Liberation of Austria 1943; Ltr to Lydia Powel re: Ellen D. Sharpe use of wheelchair at MMA’s exhibit 1948; Reference to “Kinsey’s report” to Hyatt Mayor 3/2/1948; camera obscura – HW Williams 6/10/1948 Foreign Language: (German) Winternitz
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, letter of recommendation. Correspondence of Note: ER Meyer re: cataloging/library work. Lily Morand re: Swedish Gov’t Cargo Clearance Committee. Willard Morgan – request for Heinrich’s article in “The Complete Photographer.”
Acquisition of prints, research inquiries, Advisory Committee on Photography - Minutes of Meetings; Exhibition details. Beaumont Newhall personal correspondence, correspondence re: Beaumont’s departure from MOMA, book publication, Hill/Adamson photography.
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints., invoices. Correspondence of Note: Dr. Alfred Neumeyer re: Adamson/Hill. Beaumont Newhall. Henrich Heuhn’s daughter re: Alfred Stieglitz prints. Foreign language: (German) – Frtiz Nathan; Heinrich Heuhn’s daughter, Nyhoff, Hedi.
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints, invoices. Correspondence of Note: Richard Offner re: trip to Europe/Italy, Georgia O’Keefe re: the passing of Alfred Stieglitz. Oxford University Press re: Shoolman-Slatkin mss on French drawings, + Gustav Glueck
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints, invoices. Correspondence of Note: Wolfgang Pauli, Nobel Prize winner re: relatives in Vienna; Phil. Museum of Art re: Daumier print; Hans Robertson photographs lost through German occupation. Invitation to dine with George F. Plimpton; German correspondence with Dr. Alfred Porada; Personal correspondence, Lydia Powel.
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints, invoices. Correspondence of Note: Mrs. Kurt Riezler re: her father’s paintings.
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints, invoices. Correspondence of Note: Paul J. Sachs; Schardt, Dr. Alois J. (personal correspondence)
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints, invoices. Correspondence of Note: Mr. and Mrs. Henry D. Sharpe, personal and business correspondence.
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints, invoices. Correspondence of Note: Elsie Steiner re: HS safe deposit box in Paris, 1945; Personal correspondence Louis E. Stern re: Albert Barr’s resignation from NY MOMA; Chagall; Countess Sternberg and Count Czernin, Teresa Straus, personal corr.
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints, invoices. Correspondence of Note: Dr. Hans Tietze re: Vienna, Simon de Vaulchier – American Committee for Émigré Scholars, Writers and Artists re: Dr. Emma Borgmann-Milch, Austrian artist; Viking Press re: HS naturalization, Mrs. Elizabeth von Genderingen-Frank re: safe deposit box in Paris.
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints, invoices. Correspondence of Note: Simon de Vaulchier – American Committee for Émigré Scholars, Writers and Artists re: Dr. Emma Borgmann-Milch, Austrian artist; Viking Press re: HS naturalization, Mrs. Elizabeth von Genderingen-Frank re: safe deposit box in Paris
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints, invoices. Correspondence of Note: Helen (Mrs. Clarence) Ward – personal correspondence. War Manpower Commission. Ruth Washburn, personal corr.
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints, invoices.
Acquisition of prints, requests for catalogs, research inquiries, exhibition loan requests, requests for photographs of prints, invoices. Correspondence of Note: Worcester Art Museum 50th Anniversary Celebration. John H. Wykert, personal corr.