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