ABOUT THE LIBRARY
The Clark houses one of the most distinguished art research libraries in the country, with more than 280,000 volumes in over 65 languages. Focusing on post-medieval European and American art, the collection is outstanding in the fields of Italian and Northern Renaissance, Baroque, and nineteenth-century French art, the history of photography, and international contemporary art, as well as theory and visual cultu
The library’s special collections enhance both library and museum holdings. Highlights include the founding collection of Robert Sterling Clark's rare books, the history of photomechanical reproduction, early illustrated printed books, decorative arts and sample books, twentieth- and twenty-first century artists’ books, and archival collections.
special collections book of the month
David A. Hanson Collection
Washington Irving, Rip Van Winkle: a Legend of the Kaatskill Mountains. (New York: G.P. Putnam, 1870)
The Clark library has three copies of the Rip Van Winkle, Jefferson Edition, published by G. P. Putnam in 1870 and 1871. This edition of Washington Irving’s classic tale featured wood engravings from a number of eminent artists and most notably carbon photographs of the actor Joseph Jefferson by the photographer Napoleon Sarony. Each of the Clark’s copies contains a different set of photographic images.
Joseph Jefferson was a well-regarded American comedic actor whose long career spanned much of the nineteenth century. He was particularly known for his portrayal of Rip Van Winkle, which he performed numerous times on stage and in several early silent films.
FOLLOW THE LIBRARY
Open to the general public as well as to visiting scholars and local students and faculty, the Clark library welcomes all visitors to use its reference and research services. An extensive array of electronic resources and reference materials support scholarly research in the field of Art History. Library staff are dedicated to assisting all users to gain access to the library’s wide-ranging and diverse collections.
MORE
New Acquisitions Book of the Week
Stories of Traumatic Pasts: Colonialism, Antisemitism, and Turbo-Nationalism. Edited by Marina Gržinić, Jovita Pristovšek, Sophie Utiz, and Christina Jauernik (Berlin : Hatje Cantz [2020])
“Belgian colonialism in the Congo. Antisemitism in Austria. Turbo-nationalism in former Yugoslavia. Over the last two centuries, these three historic lines of violence and annihilation (re)enforced a process of oblivion that to this day prevents a processing of the genocides they caused. Today involuntary or performed amnesia again threatens to destroy what has already come to a point of possible coexistence. This exhibition catalogue goes back to these traumatic events in history and the recent past, which had such a violent impact on communities and people, states and territories, and confronts them with a system of interventions. The scars that remain after atrocities, although hidden and obliterated, are recovered through artistic, scientific, and political reflections."
LIBRARY HOURS
PUBLIC HOURS
The Clark library is currently closed to the public, but we are able to provide reference and research services.
Click here for information on library services during COVID-19.
You are welcome to email the library with reference/research questions.
HOLIDAYS
The Library is closed on the following holidays:
Labor Day
Thanksgiving (2 days)
Christmas Eve and Day (2 days)
New Year's Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
EXTENDED HOURS
Extended hours are available to holders of Clark badges.
Mon-Thurs. 8 am to 11 pm
Friday 8 am to 6 pm
Saturday 9 am to 6 pm
Sunday 9 am to 11 pm
HOLIDAYS
With the exception of Christmas Day and New Year's Day the library is open during holidays to anyone eligible for extended hours.