Henry Ward Ranger Estate papers, 1888-circa 1999, bulk 1904-1954

Collection Information

Size: 1 Linear foot

Summary: The estate papers of New York tonalist painter Henry Ward Ranger, measure one linear foot and date from 1888-circa 1999, with the bulk of the material dating from 1904-1954.The collection primarily documents the settlement of Ranger's contested will and the administration of his estate, but also provides scattered biographical information on Ranger's life, provenance information about his work, and documentation of the significance of his estate gift to the National Academy of Design. Records include appraisal information including an estate ledger, correspondence and memoranda including two letters from Ranger, court documents, financial and real estate records, news clippings, and two photographs and eight negatives of Ranger.

Biographical/Historical Note

Tonalist landscape and marine painter, Henry Ward Ranger (1858-1916), became a full academician of the National Academy of Design in 1906 and bequeathed his entire residuary estate to the academy. The investment of this substantial gift of nearly $400,000, known as the Ranger fund, would provide for the purchase of paintings by living American artists, which were distributed or accessioned by the Smithsonian Institution's then National Collection of Fine Arts.

Provenance

The papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by the National Academy of Design in 2018.

Language Note

English .

Digitization Note

This site provides access to the papers of Henry Ward Ranger in the Archives of American Art that were digitized in 2019, and total 1,408 images.

Funding Note

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by The Walton Family Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art.