MS 7440
Papers of James Gleeson (1915-2008)
Biographical Note
Artist, author and art critic. Chairman, Acquisitions Committee, Australian National
Gallery (1974-1975), member of Australian National Gallery Council (1974-82),
Deputy Chairman Visual Arts Board, Australian Council for the Arts (1974-1976)
and Director Sir William Dobell Art Foundation (1975-1979).
Access
Part available for research (Series 1-5, 7, 10-13); part not available for research (Series 6, 8).
Series List
Series Description Box
1 Family correspondence 1
2 Correspondence with Writers & Artists 1-6
3 Diaries & notebooks 7-8
4 Poems 9
5 Manuscripts 10-12
6 Australian National Gallery 13-36
7 William Dobell Art Foundation 37
8 Visual Arts Board 38-45
9 Commonwealth Art Advisory Board 46
10 Sydney College of the Arts (2 folders) 47
11 Victoria College of the Arts (1 folder) 47
12 International Association of the Art 47
Art Critics (1 folder)
13 Art Galleries Association of Australia 47
(2 folders)
Series 1 : Family Correspondence
Box 1
Folder 1 Letters to and from his mother 1956-58
Folder 2-3 Letters from Isabel Paul (sister) 1956, 1958
Folder 4 Letters from Francine (niece) 1956, 1958,
1965-67, 1971
Series 2 : Correspondence with Writers and Artists
Folders 5-9 Letters from Edward & Honor Smith 1957-60
Box 2
Folders 10-18 Letters from Edward & Honor Smith 1961-80
Box 3
Folder 19 Letters from Mervyn Horton 1958-59
Garry Shead 1972
John Armstrong 1974
David Dridan 1965
Roger Kemp [n.d.]
Ronald Millen [n.d.]
Thea Proctor 1955-57
Elmyr Dory [n.d.]
Oscar Edwards 1966
Folder 20 Letters from Treania Smith 1958
Camilla Wedgwood 1949
John Henshaw 1968
James Davenport 1975
Louis Kahan 1973
Desmond Digby [n.d.]
Carl Plate 1956
William Peascod 1965, 1970
Max Newton 1949
Geoffrey Dutton 1975
Michael Hall 1963
Michael West 1968
Folder 21 Letters from Norman Behan [n.d.]
Inge King 1949, 1963
Bill Salmon 1969
Max Feuerring 1969
Kevin Connor 1964, 1966, 1975
Barbara Tribe 1969
John Hetherington 1962
John Baily 1975
Wendy Dickson -
Edgar Eduard Aavik 1960, 1964
Marc Moyens -
Royston Harpur 1966
Arthur McIntyre 1973
Bruce Adams 1971
Stan Ostoja-Kotowski 1963
Earle Backen 1972
Doris Fitton 1963
Daniel Cotton Rich -
Edmund Capon 1980, 1982
David Thomas 1971
Tony Tuckson 1961
Sweeney Reed 1972
Folder 22 Letters from Judy Cassab 1964
Graham King 1973
Claude Alcosso 1947
Herbert Read 1965
Jennifer Phipps 1987
Eric Westbrook 1972
Douglas Pratt 1950
Jan Senbergs 1984
Elaine Haxton 1976
Dick Foot 1950
Clifford Last 1974
Murray Bail 1985
Reinis Zusters 1980
Box 3
Folder 23 Letters from Pam Bell [1963], 1976, 1984
Margaret Olley 1964
Margaret Carnegie 1962, 1964, 1968
Darani Lewers 1971
Geoff de Groen 1968
Sali Herman 1965-66
Hanne Fairfax [n.d.]
Len Annois 1960
Rod Milgate 1966-67
John Perceval 1965, 1966, 1969
Elwyn Lynn
Folder 24 Letters from A.D. Trendall 1963
Guy Grey-Smith 1972
J. Carrington Smith 1971
Charles Reddington 1963
Oliffe Richmond 1949
Stuart Scougall 1955, 1962
Barbara Blackman 1974
Jeffrey Smart 1959, 1984?
Richard Haese 1975
Noo Bilu 1969
Asher Bilu 1968
Peter Upward 1962, 1971
Bernard Smith 1969, 1971
Folder 25 Letters from May Marsden 1948
Helen Wark 1949
Margo Lewers 1967
Bryan Westwood [n.d.]
Margaret Nogueria 1971
Box 4
Folder 26 Letters from Laurie Thomas 1965
Charles Doolin
Ruth Faeber [n.d.]
Barbara Blackman 1964, 1966
Weaver Hawkins 1967
Joe Rose 1971
Folder 27 Letters from Errol Peisby 1946-63
Folder 28 Letters from Desiderious Orban 1973, 1981-82
Paul Haeflinger 1958-59
Alister Kershaw 1947
William Ohly 1948, 1950
Folder 29 Letters from Bob Klippel 1949
Rosemary Madigan 1980, 1984
John Olsen 1964
Miriam Mermey 1957
Folder 30 Letters from Lucy Swanton 1953, 1972, 1976
Joan Lindsay 1979
Estelle Wakelin 1971
Grace Crowley 1973
Folder 31 Letters fromLloyd Rees 1971, 1974
Tass Drysdale 1973
Fred Williams 1972
Leonard French [n.d.]
Francis Lymburner 1951
Folder 32 Letters from Robin Lovejoy 1968
Patrick White 1961
Hal Missingham 1952, 1963
Peter Melocco 1953, 1954, 1958
Ross Crothall 1964
Virginia Freeman 1972
Folder 33 Letters from Tom & Else Gleghorn 1972, 1982
Harry Abrams 1974
Judith Pins [n.d.]
Box 5
Folder 34 Miscellaneous letters 1947-66; and
some newspaper clippings and
broadcasts
Folder 35 Miscellaneous letters 1969-72
Folder 36 Miscellaneous letters 1974-76
Folder 37 Miscellaneous letters 1977-78
Folder 38 Miscellaneous letters 1979-81
Folder 39 Letters of invitations to open and 1977-81
judge exhibitions
Folder 40 Invitations and brochures of 1976-82
exhibitions
Folder 41 Ephemera : circulars, advertising
brochures etc.
Box 6
5 plastic bags with greeting cards from various artists
Series 3 : Diaries and Notebooks
Box 7
Diaries kept during Gleeson's travels:
Item 1 1948
Item 2 July 1958 - Mar 1959
Item 3 Mar 1959 - May 1959
Item 4 Oct 1964 - Mar 1965
Item 5 Oct 1965 - Feb 1966
Item 6 Nov 1966 - August
1967
Item 7 Feb 1968 - April 1968
March 1969 - Sept 1969
August 1971 - Oct 1971
Item 8 January 1973 - June
1974
Item 9 Nov 1974 - Dec 1974
Item 10 Jan 1980 - June 1980
Item 11 July 1980 - Oct 1981
Item 12 August 1983 - July
1985
Item 13 August 1985 - Oct 1987
Box 8
Notebook, drafts of articles
published in Sun Herald
Item 14 [n.d.]
Item 15 1964-65
Item 16 1966-67
Item 17 December 1967-70
Item 18 May 1970 - August 1972
Item 19 Septr 1972 - May 1974
Item 20 June 1974 August 1974,
including drafts of letters 1974-87
Item 21
Notebooks; drafts of articles and
letters, notes on acquisitions,
exhibitions etc.
Item 22
Notebooks, manuscript of The
Dynamic nature of Western art and
other writings
Item 23
Notebooks; and notes on
exhibitions, paintings etc.
Item 24
1 photocopy of a diary
Item 24a 2 notebooks
Series 4 : Poems
Box 9
Folders 42-44 Poems by J. Gleeson 1938-1939
Folder 45 What is my Trauma play by J.
Gleeson
Series 5 : Manuscripts
Box 10
Folders 46-50 'Masterpieces of Australian Paintings.' -
manuscripts,
typescripts
and
bibliographical
notes
Folder 51 'Modern Art and Australia' - manuscripts
Folder 52 'The Visible Voices' - manuscripts
Folder 53 'Eric Wilson' - manuscripts and notes for proposed
book
Box 11
Folders 54-61 'Robert Klippel' - manuscripts, typescripts, working
notes etc.
Box 12
Folder 62 'William Dobell' - manuscripts and complete
typescripts
Folders 63-64 'William Dobell' - manuscripts and complete
typescripts
Folder 65 'The Dobell Sketchbook' - manuscripts
Folder 66 'Douglas Dundas Memorial Lecture 1983' -
typescript and publication
Folder 67 Notebook and typescripts of lectures
Series 6 : Australian National Gallery
This series contains minutes of meetings, reports, financial statements, some
correspondence, background informations and works offered for possible
acquisition by the Gallery.
This series is not available for research (under the Archives Act 1983).
Box 13
Folder 68 Correspondence 1973-82
Folder 68a Report of Australian National Gallery
Committee of Inquiry, March 1966
Folders 69-75 Minutes of meetings, correspondence January -July
1974
(Draft of a Bill for an Act in folder 74)
Box 14
Folder 76 Minutes of meetings etc.
Folders 77-82 Minutes of meetings etc., January - July
1976
Box 15
Folders 83-90 Minutes of meetings etc., August - Dec
1976
Box 16
Folders 91-97 Minutes of meetings etc., February - May
1977
Box 17
Folder 98 Photocopies of newspaper articles, August 1977
Folders 99-100 Draft of annual report, 1977-78
Folder 101 Minutes of meetings, Nov 1977 - Feb
1978
Folder 102 Directors comments on Works recommended
Folder 103 Exhibition manual, April 1978
Folders 104-5 Minutes of meetings,
correspondence etc. May - June 1978
Box 18
Folders 106-113 Minutes of meetings, correspondence,
reports and recommendations of
acquisitions, June 1978 -
Nov 1978
Box 19
Folder 114 Minutes of meetings etc., December 1978
Folder 115 Report on Seven Bronxes from
Southeast
Asia, Smithsonian Institute, January 1979
Washington,
Folders 116-117 Annual report and financial 1978-79
statements,
Folders 118-121 Minutes of meetings etc., January - April
1979
Box 20
Folder 122 Agreement between J. Gleeson and ANG April 1979
Folders 123-130 Minutes of meetings, annual reports,
background informations, May - August 1979
Box 21
Folders 131-136 Minutes of meetings, reports and
recommendations of acquisitions,
photographs of art work, Sept 1979 -Dec 1979
Box 22
Folders 137-144 Minutes of meetings etc., Feb - May 1980
Box 23
Folders 145-152 Minutes of meetings, works offered
for
acquisitions, financial
statements, press
clippings, June - August 1989
Box 24
Folders 153-161 Minutes of meetings, reports,
works
offered etc., August - Sept 1980
Box 25
Folders 162-168 Minutes of meetings, reports etc., Sept - Dec 1980
Folder 169 Photocopy of Una Johnsons 1977
catalogue
Folder 170 Press clippings, December 1980
Box 26
Folders 171-177 Minutes of meetings, some
correspondence works offered for , Jan - Feb 1981
acquisition
Box
27
Folders 178-185 Minutes of meetings, works offered
for
acquisition etc., Feb - May 1981
Box 28
Folders 186-193 Minutes of meetings, reports,
press cuttings etc., June - Oct 1981
Box 29
Folders 194-195 Minutes of meetings, November 1981
Folders 196-197 Overseas Visit report, job
applications,
newspaper cuttings, miscellaneous November 1981
notes,
Folder 198 Minutes of meetings, December 1981
Folder 199 Development strategy 1981-84
prepared by Nadia Burch
Folder 200 Overseas Visit report part II and 1982
Membership of the National Gallery
revised report prepared by N.
Burch,
Box 30
Folders 201-207 Minutes of meetings, press January - May 1982
clippings, reports, some
correspondence,
Folders 208-209 Ceremonial opening of the National April 1982
Gallery
Box 31
Folders 210-214 Photographs and negatives of art [n.d.]
works,
Box 32
Folders 215-219 Photographs, negatives and slides [n.d.]
of art works
Box 33
Folder 220 Oxford University Memorandum 1979
Agreement,
Folders 221-223 Job applications for senior
positions
1 Volume The Australian National Gallery;
a historical note 1901-1982 by
M.J.E. Steven
Folders 224-225 Interviews between James Gleeson
and various artists
Box 34
Folders 226-232 Miscellaneous correspondence, notes, lists,
catalogues
Folder 233 Authority list of Australian Artists, also
biography of artists Ellsworth Kelly, Mon
Levinson, Bridget Riley, Josef Albert and
Victor Vosasely
Box 35
Folder 234 Transcript of an interview: Laurence
Durrel talks to Pierre Vicary, 1975; also
Ecology of the Art by John Passmore
Folders 235-236 Announcement of and invitations to
exhibitions
Folders 237-241 Miscellaneous printed material:
ANG News V.1. No.1, 1981,
Artforce, 1980-81
Folders 242-246 Press cuttings and photocopies of articles
and printed material
Series 7 : William Dobell Art Foundation
Box 37
Folders 247-248 Minutes of meetings, 1975-79
correspondence, reports, and
photographs
Folder 249 'Yours sincerely Bill Dobell' an
ABC documentary
Folders 250-251 Photocopy of courtcase against the 1944
Trustees of the National Gallery
of NSW and William Dobell,
Series 8 : Visual Art Board
This series is not available for research (under the Archives Act 1983).
Box 38
Folders 252-260 Minutes of meetings, reports, some March - Nov 1973
correspondence, public hearings,
Box 39
Folders 261-268 Minutes of meetings, public Jan - May 1974
hearings,
Box 40
Folders 269-271 Special and standard grants January - May 1974
applications,
Folders 272-275 Minutes of meetings, public August - Dec 1974
hearings,
Box 41
Folders 276-284 Minutes of meetings, lists of Feb - June 1975
grants paid,
Box 42
Folders 285-294 Minutes of meetings and grants, July - Dec 1975
Box 43
Folders 295-299 Minutes of meetings, January - June 1976
Folder 300 Printed material
Box 44
Applications for grants [n.d.]
Box 45 Australian Council for The Arts
Folder 306 Policy and functions of the April 1974
Committee,
Folders 307-309 11th meeting, May 1974
Folder 310 12th meeting, June 1974
Series 9 : Commonwealth Art Advisory Board
Box 46
Folders 311-317 Minutes of meetings, some February 1972-73
correspondence, financial
statements, reports,
Folders 318 XII Sao Paulo Biennial, 1973
Series 10 : Sydney College of the Arts
Box 47
Folders 319-320 Minutes of meetings, Nov 1976-May 1977
Series 11 : Victorian College of the Arts
Box 47
Folder 321 Minutes of meetings, November 1976
Series 12 : International Association of the Art Critics
Box 47
Folder 322 Australian Division meetings, 1977, 1979, 1980.
International Congress, 1973, 1976, 1980
Series 13 : Art Galleries Association of Australia
Box 47
Folder 323 Applications for travel awards, 1975
Folder 324 Travel awards, 1974
Folio Items
Folio No.1 1 Volume of Newspaper clippings of
articles by J. Gleeson published in
The Sun, 1949-
Folio No.2 2 Volumes of Newspaper clippings, 1963-67; 1967-79
Folio No.3 Catalogues and invitations
|