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Sixties Home |
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Acquisitions
The Elmer Belt Library of Vinciana
During the Fall of 1961, Dr. and Mrs. Elmer Belt gave UCLA the Elmer Belt Library of Vinciana. The library included materials--books, articles, manuscripts, photographs, etc--that either belonged to, or were related to Leonardo da Vinci.
As a first year medical student in 1917, Dr. Belt bought a copy of Leonardo’s Del l’Anatomia Fogli B in Berkeley, and found it so useful that he decided to begin a collection of similar materials. Dr. Belt’s major goal for the library was that it would become a one of a kind research tool of the Italian Renaissance.
The Elmer Belt Library of Vinciana gift included 56 books that were printed before 1501 and 175 books that were printed before 1650. All editions of one of Leonardo’s most famous written works, Treatise on Painting, were included in the collection.
The library was placed in the Arts Library in the Dickson Art Center in 1964. Currently different portions of the library are housed throughout the university. Some rare materials are currently on view through YRL Special Collections, others are available in the Arts Library, and the texts concerning science--anatomy mostly--are housed within the science libraries.
Bruce A. Russell Editorial Cartoons
UCLA acquired Bruce Alexander Russell’s editorial cartoons during the Summer of 1961. The acquisition included originals to Russell’s editorial cartoons that appeared in the Los Angeles Times from 1934 to 1961. The material covered under Russell’s cartoons were: the Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and Truman administrations, World War II, the Cold War, and the Korean War.
Bruce A. Russell was born in Los Angeles in 1903. He later attended UCLA before becoming a cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times. Russell won the Pulitzer Prize for his work in 1946, and in 1951 received The Edward A. Dickson UCLA Alumnus of the Year Award. Russell was also a part of President Eisenhower's Cartoonists Committee, and headed the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists as president.
Currently, the editorial cartoons can be viewed by request at YRL Special Collections.
In 1965, UCLA acquired the Sir Henry Wellcome Collection which helped the development of the Museum and Laboratories of Ethnic Arts and Technology (the Fowler Museum of Cultural History). Chancellor Murphy had been attempting to get the museum running, but was having difficulties because the collection for the museum was small. The collection kept Chancellor Murphy and Ralph Altman motivated to continue with their venture.
History of Medicine Professor C.D. O’Malley had connections to the Wellcome Medical History Institute and Library in London. Professor O’Malley approached Chancellor Murphy when he learned that the trustees of the Wellcome Trust were planning to get rid of the art collection. Unfortunetely, Professor O’Malley passed away during this time, but Chancellor Murphy continued to pursue the possibility of obtaining the collection; he even visited London to explain to the trustees why the collection should go to UCLA. The Wellcome Trust approached Oxford and Cambridge about the collection, but neither showed much interest since they figured they would get it; much to their surprise, the trust actually decided to give the collection to UCLA.
Sir Henry Wellcome was actually born in America. In 1853, Wellcome was born in Wisconsin. His father was a farmer and missionary to the local Native Americans. Being exposed to “primitive cultures” from an early age, he grew to respect them:
“I have endeavored to urge upon my readers a humane consideration of all Aboriginal peoples; and I shall be more than repaid for my efforts if my words should in any measure result in promoting better understanding of their capacities and a recognition of what is due them as fellow men.”
Sir Henry Wellcome moved to England in 1880 and founded the Burroughts-Wellcome phamaceutical firm. He became an English citizen in 1911, knighted in 1932, and died four years later in 1936.
The Sir Henry Wellcome Collection included art works of many cultures from throughout the world. Included in the collection were pieces from: Polynesia, Northwest Coast American Indian, Malaysia, Pre-Columbian American Indian, Africa, New Guinea, Melanesia, and Australia.
For more on Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy, please visit the Individuals page.
For more information on the Museum and Laboratories of Ethnic Arts and Technology, please visit the Institue of Ethnomusicology and Ethnic Arts page.
Acquisitions for the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden
Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy envisioned a sculpture garden for UCLA’s North Campus (for those not familiar with UCLA, North Campus is the northern part of campus where the social sciences, humanities, and arts are housed). Despite not having any sculptures to display, Chancellor Murphy asked UCLA Landscape architect Ralph Cornell to design a garden where sculptures of all sizes could be placed. Soon after, UCLA attained its first sculpture. UCLA assembled a Lipchitz exhibition in 1965, and the exhibition included Song of the Vowels. After raising the necessary funds--$90,000 donated by Regent Norton Simon and the Art Council--UCLA acquired its first piece for the sculpture garden.
The next acquisition came in 1967. David Bright, who gained his wealth in the cable business, passed away in 1965. Bright had mentioned to Chancellor Murphy that in his will he had left some of his art to UCLA, another part to the Los Angeles Museum of Art, and the rest to his wife Dolly Bright. After his passing, Chancellor Murphy approached Mrs. Bright about possibly switching art works--UCLA would get the sculptures and Mrs. Bright would get the paintings left to UCLA. Mrs. Bright agreed and 12 sculptures were sent to UCLA in 1967--2 other 
ones were given to UCLA in 1969.
After acquiring Bright’s collection, UCLA received more sculptures throughout the late 60s and 70s. Some of the sculptures were given to UCLA by art collectors, others were acquired after exhibitions--after the Jean Arp, the Gerhard Marcks, and Alexander Archipenko exhibitions, sculptures from these artists were given to UCLA--in other instances the artists themselves donated their sculptures to the UCLA Sculpture Garden.
The sculpture garden was named after Chancellor Murphy who had, from the very beginning, the idea to build a one-of-a kind garden at UCLA. What was once a dirt parking lot is now a beautiful garden where individuals can be in the presence of great art without any barriers or restrictions. The Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden is still as Chancellor Murphy envisioned it--open and free for the students and the community to interact with art in a relaxing and enjoyable way.
For more on The Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden, please visit Jaime Gilmour's page.
For a list of the sculptures, please visit the UCLA Hammer Museum's page.
For more on Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy, please visit the Individuals page.