Finding Aid for the E. Parker Lesley, Jr. Papers, 1934-1969

Summary Information

Repository National Gallery of Art Archives

Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue, NW 

Washington, DC 20565 

archives@nga.gov

Title E. Parker Lesley, Jr. Papers

Identifier SC.017

Creator Lesley, Everett Parker (Bill) Jr., 1913-1982

Date 1934-1969

Extent 1.25 cubic feet (3 boxes); approximately 175 digital files

Abstract This collection documents the activities of E. Parker Lesley, Jr., as an officer 

with the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) Section of the United 

States Army in Germany during and immediately after World War II. These 

materials also relate to Lesley’s career as a museum professional and 

scholar of decorative arts. Papers include correspondence, reports, and 

publications.

Biographical Note

August 31, 1913 Born, Baltimore, Maryland

1934 B.A., Classical Literature (Greek), Stanford University, Palo Alto,

California

1935 Certificate, University of Paris, France

1937 M.F.A., Art and Archeology, Princeton University, Princeton, New

Jersey

Certificate, Free University of Brussels, Belgium

1938-1939 Curator of European Art, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan

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1939-1942 Assistant Professor of Art and Architecture, University of Minnesota,

Minnesota

1946-1947 Chief, Restitution Branch, Office of Military Government for Greater

Hesse, Germany

1946 Awarded Chevalier, Order of Poland Restored (Polinia Restituta),

Poland

1947 Honorary Medal of Art & Science, House Order of Orange-Nassau

(Orde van Oranje-Nassau), The Netherlands

1947-1948 Studied at New York University, New York, New York

1950-1954 Keeper, Department of Exhibitions, Cooper Union Museum, New

York, New York

Acting Director, Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences (later, Chrysler 

Museum of Art), Norfolk, Virginia

Assistant Professor of Art, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, 

Virginia

1959-1979 Professor of Art, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia

1974-1976 Curator of Decorative Arts, National Gallery of Art, Washington

1978-1979 Eminent Professor of Art (later, Professor Emeritus), Old Dominion 

University

February 1982 Died, Norfolk, Virginia

Scope and Content

 

This collection documents the activities of Everett Parker (Bill) Lesley, Jr., as a captain with the 

Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) Section of the United States Military Government in 

Germany immediately after World War II. While in Germany, Lesley was assigned to several posts, 

including Frankfurt and Bad Nauheim. In April 1946, he accompanied a restitution train of twentyseven cars, Special Train A, from Nuremberg, Germany, to Cracow, Poland. The shipment included 

many important works of art and cultural monuments, most notably the Veit Stoss altar from the 

Church of Our Lady, Cracow, and Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine. Lesley helped draft and 

later signed the Wiesbaden Manifesto, which opposed the military decision to transport 202 

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German-owned works of art to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, for safekeeping. This 

collection also reflects Lesley's research interest in decorative arts.

The collection consists of official documents relating to Lesley's work with the MFAA. Materials 

include a daily journal, a sworn statement regarding a Cracow shooting incident,

memoranda regarding the Bernterode mine repository, requests for an investigation relating to

property, a report of the discovery of property belonging to the House of Saxe-Weimar, and a

guest book from the Wiesbaden Central Collecting Point. Of special interest are the

approximately 200 photographs documenting the journey of the restitution train from Germany

to Poland in April and May 1946.

Lesley's academic and scholarly work include a research paper on the arts and crafts movement, 

notes taken during an interview with artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, exhibition catalogues 

from the Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration, correspondence, and reference 

material on the Chalice of Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis. 

Arrangement 

Materials are arranged in the following series: 

Series 1 Art Restitution-Related Materials, 1944-1951

Series 2 Professional Subject Files, 1934-1969

Series 3 Photographs, 1946

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. E. Parker Lesley, Jr. Papers. 

Rights Status Copyright undetermined

Language English

 

Acquisition Information Gift of E. Parker Lesley, Jr., 1979

Processing Information Initially organized by National Gallery of Art Library staff 

before transfer to the National Gallery of Art Archives, 1999. 

Arranged and described by archives staff, 2007.

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Related Archival Materials National Gallery of Art Archives. Curatorial Records - E. 

Lesley Parker Jr. Office Files, 1973-1976. 

Resources Relating to World War II describes other WWIIrelated archival materials available at the National Gallery

of Art.

The National Archives and Records Administration of the 

United States (NARA) holds official government records 

relating to the work of the Monuments, Fine Arts and

Archives officers and the American Commission for the

Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments

in War Areas (Roberts Commission).

Monuments Men Foundation Archives available at the

National WWII Museum.

Series Descriptions

Series 1 Art Restitution-Related Materials, 1944-1951 [box 1] 

Arranged alphabetically. This series contains a catalogue of an exhibition of eighteenth-century 

paintings held at the Central Collecting Point, Wiesbaden, organized by the Monuments, Fine Arts 

and Archives (MFAA) Section of the United States Military Government in Germany. Also 

included is the Wiesbaden Manifesto and a publication containing editorials about the Berlin 

paintings controversy, and materials relating to the military government and transportation of 

looted art. Of special interest is a report detailing the discovery and transportation of property

belonging to the House of Saxe-Weimar.

Series 2 Professional Subject Files, 1934-1969 [box 2] 

Arranged alphabetically. This series contains materials relating to Lesley's academic and scholarly 

work. Included are a research paper on the arts and crafts movement, notes taken during an 

interview with artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, a bound collection of exhibition catalogues 

from the Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration, correspondence, and reference 

material on the Chalice of Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis. 

Series 3 Photographs, 1946 [box 3] 

Arranged alphabetically by subject. This series documents Lesley's supervision of the removal and 

return of looted works of art and other cultural materials. Included are nearly 200 photographs 

documenting the journey of Special Train A from Nuremberg, Germany to Cracow, Poland.

Photographs in this series have been digitized and are available to researchers.

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E. Parker Lesley Jr. Papers

Series 1 Art Restitution-Related Materials, 1944-1951

Box 1

Catalogue - Eighteenth Century Painting, Central Collecting Point Wiesbaden (Landesmuseum), 1947

Includes 2 concert programs, 1 in English and 1 in German.

1-1

Civil Affairs and Military Government Activities in Connection with Monuments, Fine Arts, and

Archives. Report of the General Board United States Forces, European Theater, undated

1-2

1-3 Daily journal, December 4, 1944-May 21, 1945 (reference copy and fragile original)

Disposition of contents at Bernterode Mine Repository, 1945-1946

Includes documents on Operation Bodysnatch, disposition of Hohenzollern and Hindenburg caskets, regimental standards

in the Marburg Collecting Point, and German war banners, includes preservation copies.

1-4

1-5 Guest book - Wiesbaden, 1947, 1951

Magazine of Art (February 1946)

Includes editorials relating to the Berlin Paintings controversy.

1-6

1-7 Military investigations, 1945-1946

Report on the discovery and transportation from Eschwege to Frankfurt/Main of property belonging to

the House of Saxe-Weimar, 1946

1-8

1-9 Statement of Lesley regarding Cracow [Krakow] shooting incident in May 1946

1-10 Wiesbaden Manifesto, 1945 (reference copy and fragile original)

Series 2 Professional Subject Files, 1934-1969

Box 2

Collected catalogues of exhibitions presented at the Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration,

1950-1954

2-1

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E. Parker Lesley Jr. Papers

Correspondence - Joan Evans, 1963-1969

Includes a color slide and photograph of Evans.

2-2

2-3 Reference files regarding Suger Chalice

2-4 Reference files regarding Suger Chalice (microfilm and printout)

Research paper by Everett P. Lesley, Jr. "A History of the Development and Ideals of the Craftsman

Movement, 1850-1915"

Research paper for a Stanford University graphic arts class, spring quarter, 1934.

2-5

2-6 Notes and transcript of conversations with Frida Kahlo de Rivera and Diego Rivera, 27 May 1939

Series 3 Photographs, 1946

Box 3

Cracow [Krakow] - general, April-May 1946

43 images. Digitized version(s) available.

3-1

Cracow [Krakow] - Special Train A, April-May 1946

14 images. Digitized version(s) available.

3-2

Journey of Special Train A, April-May 1946

120 images. Digitized version(s) available.

3-3

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