Cornell Art Gallery

Photograph of John Cornell from a Massachusetts legislative publication archives.lib.state.ma.us/handle/2452/204185

Upon his death, John Cornell (1830-1892), an Andover businessman and state legislator, bequeathed funds to Memorial Hall Library for the purpose of creating a room for the community to view works of art, historical documents and artifacts. Originally known as the Cornell Art and Historical Collection, the retrofitted third floor attic space became a popular destination for townspeople of all ages and was locally called The Cornell Art Gallery. A digitized copy of the collection catalog can be viewed here. https://archive.org/details/catalogue-of-the-john-cornell-legacy-art-collection-memorial-hall-library-broadsheet/mode/2up?q=cornell

The top-level part of the building where the Gallery existed was removed from the building in the 1926-27 addition and remodel. During the renovation, pictures from the Gallery were loaned out to the Andover Public Schools. In 1927, the Trustees of Memorial Hall Library officially voted to discontinue the Cornell Art Gallery and to distribute its collections throughout the library and to the Andover Public Schools and Town Offices. Original works of art, reproductions, etchings and historical objects of interest, were displayed in the gallery. Collection items were loaned out to schools for classroom instruction.

When it opened in 1900, librarian Julia E. Twitchell was the Custodian of the Cornell Art Gallery. She was responsible for keeping attendance statistics, maintaining the spaces and making an annual report to the Town of Andover. Ms. Twitchell's position was also referred to as Superintendent of the Cornell Art Collection. Miss Twitchell and others contributed detailed collection information to the Andover Townsman as a means of encouraging the public to come and view the artwork. Abbie S. Davis took over the role around 1907.

A February 23, 1915 'Suburban News' column in the Evening Tribune (Lawrence) cited Miss Davis as the person "in charge" of the gallery. The column cites that the Gallery had recently received a set of large steel engravings made from Raphel's frescoes in the Vatican as a gift from Susan C. Dove's will. The column also said that Andover teachers sent school children to examine the artwork in the collection. Town of Andover Annual Reports included yearly reports from Miss Twitchell and Miss Davis under the headline Report of the Custodian of the John Cornell Art Gallery.

John Cornell was born in Wilmington, MA in 1830 and died in Andover on December 27, 1892. John Cornell ran a successful business dealing in coal, wood, hay and straw and served as a Trustee of Memorial Hall Library and Spring Grove Cemetery. He was also Director of the Andover National Bank. In addition to providing funds for the art gallery, John Cornell funded an art book collection at Memorial Hall Library, scholarships at Phillips Academy, Abbott Academy and a fuel assistance program for those in need from the Town of Andover, which is still in operation of 2024. https://andoverma.gov/367/Trustees-of-Cornell-Fund

from the Springfield Daily Union January 18, 1892

References

• Andover Townsman, January 5, 1900, page 4 for an article on the opening of the gallery.
  
• Framed Daguerreotype of John Cornell, Andover Center for History and Culture catalog # 1938.013.1
  
• John Cornell's obituary, John Cornell's Obituary from the Andover Townsman Dec. 30, 1892, p.4.
  

Cornell Art Gallery Discontinued, Andover Townsman Sept. 9, 1927

--Stephanie (talk) 13:54, 20 June 2024 (EDT)
--Tricia (talk) 09:32, 6 March 2023 (EST)
--Stephanie (talk) 17:59, 22 February 2023 (EST)
--Eleanor 14:21, June 16, 2006 (EDT)

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