Guide to the L. Earle Rowe papers, 1910-1937

Rhode Island School of Design Archives
2 College Street
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-709-5922
Fax: 401-709-5932
email: risdarchives@risd.edu

Published in 2010

Collection Overview

Title:	L. Earle Rowe papers
Date range:	1910-1937
Creator:	Rowe, L. Earle (Louis Earle), 1882-1937
Extent:	3.0 linear feet
Abstract:	The L. Earle Rowe papers, 1910-1937, include correspondence, diaries, lectures, notes, and publications.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	Rhode Island School of Design Archives
Collection number:	23.1.2

Scope & content

The L. Earle Rowe personal papers, 1910-1937, include correspondence (1912-1936), with correspondence regarding Rowe’s hire as Director in 1912, and typed copies of speeches delivered by Rowe. The papers also include personal diaries, 1910-1914 and 1931-1936, as well as books from Rowe’s personal library.

Some contents of this series are in French.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Rowe, L. Earle, 1882-1937

Subject Topics

• Art

Arrangement

The materials in this collection are arranged in four series:

• I. Correspondence, 1912-1936
• II. Diaries and records, 1910-1937
• III. Lectures, 1915-1933
• IV. Personal Library

Biographical note

Born in Providence, RI, L. Earle Rowe graduated from Brown University in 1904. While at Brown, Rowe studied drawing and watercolor painting at RISD as part of a new agreement between the two schools. He attended Saturday classes at RISD as a child in 1892. Studying under Professor William C. Poland (RISD President, 1896-1907), Rowe was one of the first Brown students to receive a Master's in Fine Arts (1906).

Rowe studied at the American School of Classical Studies, Athens (1906-1907) before accepting the position of Docent at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in 1907. He became an Assistant in the Egyptian Art Department in 1910 and then traveled to Egypt in 1912 as a Field Assistant on an archaeological expedition. He returned to Providence later that year to accept the position of Director.

Deemed RISD's first "museum man," Director Rowe devoted far greater energies to the Museum of Art than his predecessors serving as Secretary of the Museum Committee and Editor of The Rhode Island School of Design Bulletin, first published January 1913. He inaugurated Sunday Gallery Talks and Docent work. In addition, he wrote for the Bulletin of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Art and Archaeology, and Antiques. He attempted to resign in 1918 in order to serve during World War I. The Board of Trustees did grant a leave of absence, but the Armistice was signed before he could leave.

Rowe's well-being and the stress of his administrative duties led to the appointment of the first full time Dean in 1919. His health declined during the 1920s resulting in a leave of absence in 1928. His return and the resignation of the Dean brought about a profound change in the administrative structure of RISD in 1929. The Board of Trustees voted to divide his administrative duties between two equal positions: the Museum Director and the Educational Director. Rowe continued as Museum Director until his death February 17, 1937. Shortly thereafter, the Museum Director was placed under the administrative control of the newly created position of Executive Vice-President, which replaced the Educational Director.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	The use of certain documents and collections may be restricted. Please consult the Archives staff for further details.
Use of the materials:	Permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from archival materials must be obtained in writing from the Archives. The researcher assumes full responsibility for use of material and for conformity to all applicable laws, including copyright.
Preferred citation:	L. Earle Rowe papers, Rhode Island School of Design Archives.
Contact information:	Rhode Island School of Design Archives 2 College Street Providence, RI 02903 Tel: 401-709-5922 Fax: 401-709-5932 email: risdarchives@risd.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	Series 1, Correspondence of former RISD Museum Director L. Earle Rowe, presented to the Museum of Art in 1980 by his daughter Edith, found in the Rowe summer house in Sorrento, Maine. Series 2-4 were presented to the RISD Archives by granddaughter Anne Rowe in 2022.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Douglas Doe and Andrew Martinez.
Encoding:	Finding aid encoded by Douglas Doe 2010 May 06
Revisions:	2023 Mar 30 The finding aid was updated to include series 2-4.
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Inventory

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