David Berger papers
name: label: Creator
content: Berger, David, 1920-1966
label: Names
content: Cranbrook Academy of Art
topic: label: Topic
content: Sculptors -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Topic
content: Painters -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Topic
content: Educators -- Massachusetts -- Boston
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The collection was donated in 2010 by Ellen Berger Rainville, David Berger's daughter.
creator: label: Creator
content: Berger, David, 1920-1966
setName: label: See more items in
content: David Berger papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of Massachusetts painter, sculptor, and educator David Berger measure 3.8 linear feet and date from circa 1939 to 1986. His career as an artist and professor are documented through biographical material, personal business records, scattered correspondence, gallery files, exhibition catalogs, news clippings, and other printed material, as well as nine sketchbooks and photographs depicting Berger, his family, and artwork.
bioghist: label: Biographical Note
content: David Berger (1920-1966) was a painter, sculptor, and educator in Boston, Massachusetts. Berger was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and earned a B.S. in education from the Massachusetts College of Art in 1946. In 1950 he received a master of fine arts degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He was a professor of art at Framingham State College from 1946 to 1957, and a professor of painting and illustration at Massachusetts College of Art from 1957 until his death on November 15, 1966.

Berger had numerous gallery exhibitions and won several awards in juried shows. He was represented in New York by the Cober Gallery, and in 1967 DeCordova Museum held a memorial exhibition of his work. In 1956 he was selected as on of the "100 Outstanding New Talents in U.S.A." by Art in America.
function: label: Function
content: Artists' studios -- Massachusetts
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 3.8 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1939-1986
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.bergdavi
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Interviews
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Transcripts
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 7 series:

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1939-1966 (Box 1, 5; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Personal Business Records, 1941-1981 (Box 1, OV 6; 0.6 linear feet)

Series 3: Correspondence, 1945-1986 (Box 1-2; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 4: Gallery Files, 1953-1985 (Box 2; 0.6 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1943-1975 (Box 2-3, 5; 1.1 linear feet)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1949-1960s (Box 3-5; 0.6 linear feet)

Series 7: Sketchbooks, circa 1956-1960s (Box 4-5; 0.3 linear feet)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed in 2012 by Erin Kinhart.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Interviews
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
label: Genre/Form
content: Transcripts
label: Genre/Form
content: Sketchbooks
scopecontent: label: Scope and Content Note
content: The papers of Massachusetts painter, sculptor, and educator David Berger measure 3.8 linear feet and date from circa 1939 to 1986. His career as an artist and professor are documented through biographical material, personal business records, scattered correspondence, gallery files, exhibition catalogs, news clippings, and other printed material, as well as nine sketchbooks and photographs depicting Berger, his family, and artwork.

Biographical material consists of Veterans Administration records, interview transcripts, student records, diplomas, and documents from the memorial service held for Berger in 1966. Personal business records include of his employment records, scattered financial documents, and files documenting his submissions for juried art exhibitions. Also found here are inventory and sales records for Berger's artwork and documentation on the construction of Berger's house and studio in the late 1950s, designed by architect Marvin E. Goody.

Correspondence is with art galleries, professional organizations, publishers, Cranbrook Academy of Art, and individuals who purchased works by Berger. These letters primarily concern the sale and exhibition of David Berger's artwork as well as his education and teaching career. Gallery files include correspondence, price lists, artwork sales and loan records, exhibition planning documents, notes, and gallery publications.

Printed material consists of news clippings documenting David Berger's career, catalogs and announcements for exhibitions of works by Berger and others, as well as publications from Massachusetts College of Art and Cranbrook Academy of Art. One children's book includes illustrations by David Berger. Photographs depict Berger at art exhibitions and with his wife and daughters at home and in his studio. Also found are numerous photographs of his artwork. Nine sketchbooks contain various figure studies in pencil, ink, pastel, and charcoal.

Many of these files in this collection were maintained by Berger's wife, Ruth, after his death in 1966 and include her correspondence and notes.