Finding Aid for the Philip Conisbee Research Files, 1961–2004 

Summary Information

Repository National Gallery of Art Archives

Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue, NW 

Washington, DC 20565 

archives@nga.gov

Title Philip Conisbee Research Files

Identifier SC.025 

Creator Conisbee, Philip, 1946–2008

Date 1961-2004 

Extent 3.5 cubic feet (7 boxes)

Scope and Content

This collection consists of research files compiled by art scholar and curator Philip Conisbee, 

documenting his work on 19th century French art. Materials include notes, correspondence, 

photocopies of excerpts from published sources, articles, photographs, and exhibition-related 

ephemera.

Arrangement

Materials are arranged in original folder order by volume number. Some volumes included loose 

documents.

Biographical Note

January 3, 1946 Born, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

1968 Earns Bachelor of Arts at the Courtauld Institute.

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1971 Receives doctorate for thesis on French landscape artist Claude Joseph 

Vernet.

1971-1986 Lectures at Leicester University, England.

1981 Publishes Painting in 18th–Century France. 

1985 Publishes Chardin. 

1986 Moves to the United States to become curator of French Art at the 

Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts.

1988-1993 Works as curator of European painting and sculpture at the Los Angeles 

County Museum of Art, California.

1993 Is appointed curator of French paintings at National Gallery of Art in 

Washington, D.C. and later becomes senior curator.

1993-2006 Organizes notable exhibitions at the National Gallery including In the Light 

of Italy: Corot and Early Open-Air Painting, Adolf Menzel: Between 

Romanticism and Impressionism, Georges de La Tour and His World, Degas 

at the Races, Manet, Monet, and the Gare Saint-Lazare, and Van Gogh’s Van 

Goghs. 

1994 Becomes citizen of the United States.

2003 Is awarded Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur by the French government.

January 16, 2008 Dies, Washington, DC. 

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Access This collection is open for research by appointment under 

the conditions of the National Gallery of Art Archives 

Access Policy. For all inquiries or to schedule an 

appointment, please contact archives@nga.gov.

Preferred Citation National Gallery of Art Archives. Philip Conisbee Research 

Files. 

Rights Status In copyright

Rights Holder National Gallery of Art

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Language English and French

Processing Information Arranged and described by archives staff in 2022. 

Acquisition Gift of Faya Causey, 2021.

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Philip Conisbee Research Files, 1961–2004

Box 1

Volume I - Baudelaire, 1974

Volume I - Goya, 1975–1984

Volume I - Goya, 1975–1977

Volume II - works of art, photocopies, and photographs, undated

Volume II - landscape history, undated

Volume II - Vernet - lectures, 1976–1987

Volume II - Vernet - lectures, undated

Volume II - Castletown, 2002–2004

Volume III - Neptunia, 1972–1981

Volume III - Phaidon Press - Chardin, 1979–1987

Volume III - Constable, undated

Volume IV - Vien, Greuze, and History of Painting (1750-1780) - lectures, 1982–1985

Box 2

Volume IV - correspondence and photographs related to artists Granet, de Valenciennes, Constantin

Hansen, Théodore Caruelle d'Aligny, and Rohden, 1987-1988

Volume IV - notes about Chardin, photographs and negatives of works of art, and dinner menu,

undated

Volume IV - Chardin attribution, 1986–1999

Volume IV - oil sketches exhibition, 1979-1980

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Philip Conisbee Research Files, 1961–2004

Volume IV - Dunuoy and Vernet, 1987

Volume IV - Lindstrom, undated

Volume V - 18th century French paintings, undated

Volume V - landscapes, 1965–1994 (folder 1 of 3)

Volume V - landscapes, 1965–1994 (folder 2 of 3)

Volume V - landscapes, 1965–1994 (folder 3 of 3)

Volume VI - de Valenciennes, Pierre-Henri, 1986–1992

Volume VI - correspondence, 1968–1980

Correspondence in French and English.

Box 3

Volume VI - Vleughels, 1974

Volume VI - Neoclassical, 1977

Volume VI - gallery exhibition programs, correspondence, journal articles, and photocopies of

excerpts from published sources, 1976–1997

Volume VII - photographs of works of art, 1976

Volume VII - Allan Ramsay sketchbook, undated

Volume VII - Boucher, undated

Volume VII - French draughtsmen in Italy, undated

Volume VII - photographs of works of art, undated

Volume VII - Natoire, undated

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Philip Conisbee Research Files, 1961–2004

Volume VII - Blanchet, Challes, undated

Volume VII - Vanwitelli, Rosa, Panini, Busiri, Bianchi, undated

Volume VII - Dughet, Gaspard, and C17 Roman frescoes, undated

Volume VIII - notebooks with handwritten notes and ephemera, 1968–1983

Box 4

Volume VIII - Stockholm - lecture, 1983

Volume VIII - Lemoyne, 1987

Volume IX - notes and photocopies of excerpts from published sources, undated

Volume IX - Trémolières, Pierre Charles, undated

Volume IX - Galloche, undated

Volume IX - P.A. Paris, 1973

Volume IX - French art and artists in Italy, 1975

Volume IX - photocopies of excerpts from published sources, undated

Volume IX - notes and photocopies of excerpts from published sources, 1982-1983

Volume X - Natoire, undated

Volume X - Claude and Dughet, Gaspard, 1978-1979

Volume X - Watteau, Jean-Antoine, 1961–1984

Volume X - Subleyras, Pierre, 1969–1986, undated

Volume X - Besançon, undated

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Philip Conisbee Research Files, 1961–2004

Volume X - Robert, Hubert & gardens, Fragonard, 1971

Box 5

Volume X - Poussin, Nicolas, 1979

Volume X - Delacroix, Eugène, 1970

Volume XI - notes, correspondence, and photocopies of excerpts from published sources, 1986–1997

Volume XI - landscapes, undated

Volume XI - Bonavia and Neapolitan Landscape, undated

Volume XI - Geminiani, 1968–1986, undated

Volume XI - photographs of works of art, undated

Volume XI - Forest, undated

Volume XI - Watteau, undated

Volume XII - early and mid-century non-Italian, undated

Volume XII - Boyer, Cossiau, Focus, Millet, undated

Volume XII - Oudry, undated

Volume XII - Neoclassical, undated

Volume XII - photographs of works of art, undated

Volume XII - Ducros, undated

Volume XII - photographs of works of art, undated

Volume XII - photographs of works of art, undated

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Philip Conisbee Research Files, 1961–2004

Volume XII - Allegrain, Patel, undated

Box 6

Volume XII - Chauanire, undated

Volume XII - Largilliere, Desportes, undated

Volume XIII - Fragonard and Paris Collection, undated

Volume XIII - Lebel, Julliard, Volaire, De Loutherbourg, undated

Volume XIII - Manglard, Adrien, undated

Volume XIII - Robert, Hubert, undated

Volume XIV - notes and photocopies of excerpts from published sources, photographs of works of

arts, and exhibition brochures, 1963–1988

Volume XIV - photocopies of excerpts from published sources, and other reference materials,

1982–1989

Volume XV - Vien, undated

Volume XV - photographs and negatives of works of arts, undated

Volume XV - religious painting in the Age of Reason, undated

Volume XV - notes and photocopies of excerpts from published sources, undated

Volume XV - early texts, Jean Forest, Francisque, Dutch influence, undated

Volume XV - bibliography, undated

Includes negatives.

Volume XV - Sous-bois by Cézanne - lecture, 1993, undated

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Philip Conisbee Research Files, 1961–2004

Box 7

Volume XV - Golden Age of Panini painting lecture and proceedings for the colloquium Le paysage

en Europe, 1994

Volume XVI - oil sketches and Pissaro Cézanne show, 1994 (folder 1 of 2)

Volume XVI - oil sketches and Pissaro Cézanne show, 1994 (folder 2 of 2)

Volume XVI - proposed exhibition on the foundations of French 19th century landscape, 1988-1989

Volume XVI - photocopies of excerpts from published sources, and other reference materials,

1989–1993

Volume XVI - photocopies of excerpts from published sources, and other reference materials,

1981–1987

Volume XVII - Corot, 1995

Volume XVII - illustrations, undated

Volume XVII - oil sketches, 1974–1981

Volume XVII - oil sketches, 1968–1981

Volume XVII - photographs and printed matter, 1976

Volume XVII - Vernet - Corot, 1977–1981

Still life print by Philip Conisbee, 1983

First state print, signed “P.C.” on verso.

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