Guide to the Donald Lent papers, 1962-1998 n.d.


Historical Note

Scope and Content Note

Organization and Arrangement

Restrictions

Index Terms

Related Material

Administrative Information

Series Description

Sketchbooks/Writings, 1962, 1972-1985

Publications, 1962-1998, n.d.

Publicity material, 1965-1992, n.d.

Collection Summary

Title Donald Lent papers
Creator Lent, Donald, 1933-
Dates 1962-1998 n.d.
Extent 1 linear foot
Collection ID MC084
Abstract Contains sketchbooks, writings, exhibit catalogs, programs and other material created and collected by Donald Lent, Dana Professor of Art at Bates College from 1970 to 1999.
Repository Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library, Bates College

Historical Note

Born in 1933, Donald Lent was raised in Marblehead, MA and served as a Russian translator in the United States Army from 1952 to 1955. He received a B.A. degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he studied painting and drawing with William Dole and Howard Warshaw. Lent received his Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees from Yale and returned to USC, Santa Barbara where he taught for several years. In 1970, not long after spending a year teaching at Bowdoin College, Lent came to Bates as the Dana Professor of Art and chairman of the Art Department, retiring in 1999.

At Bates, Lent taught painting, drawing and printmaking but his work and influence extended beyond the classroom. As part of a renovation of Chase Hall in the early 1970s, Lent painted a mural based on Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and in 1971 during Short Term, Lent's students created a mural, in downtown Lewiston, which portrayed the world of the pedestrian. Lent also created sets and costumes for several Bates theater productions including The Trojan Women, Love's Labours Lost, Caucasian Chalk Circle and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

In addition to his numerous individual paintings and drawings, Lent's artwork illustrates several literary texts including original etchings for Alan Stephens' book, The Heat Lightning. He also collaborated with Bowdoin music professor and composer Elliot Schwartz to create Isla Vista, a presentation featuring an electronic composition and slides of drawings and paintings. The presentation was shown at Bowdoin College and on WCBB-TV.

His work has been shown throughout the country with solo exhibitions at the Esther Bear Gallery in Santa Barbara, Maine Coast Artists in Rockport, University of Maine at Orono, State University of New York, Binghamton, Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Bates College and others. Two exhibitions, one at Bowdoin in 1967 and the other at the Treat Gallery at Bates in 1971, were accompanied by catalogues and essays by Marvin Sadik (Bowdoin) and Phillip Isaacson (Bates). Group exhibitions include the Grolier Society, New York; the Barone Gallery, New York; Harvard University; New York Public Library; Long Beach State College, California and Matin Village Gallery, London.

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Scope and Content Note

The collection contains material created and collected by Donald Lent, a member of the Bates faculty and Dana Professor of Art from 1970-1999. Includes sketchbooks and writings, exhibit catalogs, programs and photocopies from publications featuring his artwork, news clippings and assorted publicity brochures.

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Organization and Arrangement

The collection is organized into three series: I. Sketchbooks/Writings; II. Publications; and III. Publicity material.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

The collection is the physical property of Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library. Bates College holds literary rights only for material created by College personnel working on official behalf of the College, or for material which was given to the College with such rights specifically assigned. For all other material, literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for obtaining permission from rights holders for publication or other purposes that exceed fair use.

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Related Material

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Index Terms

These records are indexed under the following headings in the Bates College Library catalog. Researchers wishing to find related materials should search the catalog under these index terms.



Personal Names:

Lent, Donald, 1933---Archives

Corporate Names:

Bates College (Lewiston, Me.)--Faculty

Topical Subjects:

Art, American--20th century

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Administrative Information

Acquisition and Custody Information

Gift of Donald Lent, 1999. Accession No.: 99-008.

Preferred Citation

Donald Lent papers, Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library, Bates College.

Processing Information

Processed by Elaine Ardia, 2008.

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Series Description

MC084/01: Sketchbooks/Writings, 1962, 1972-1985
Scope and Content Note
This series consists of several sketchbook diaries which contain Lent's drawings and notations, along with personal observations and reflections. One of the sketchbook diaries contains autobiographical material, including early influences, written as a companion to his catalogue. Also includes a journal containing notes for a book on drawing; a typescript describing a trip to Seal Island to do drawings of puffins and Arctic terns; and drafts and final version of a talk given at the opening of an exhibit celebrating his 25 years at Bates.
Organization and Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by folder.
box
1 Cubist notebook, 1962
1 Paris 1972, Feb. 20, 1972-Oct. 28, 1972
1 Drawing book, March 14, 1972-July 27, 1973
1 Engelberg 1972, Jun. 9, 1972-Jan. 1, 1973; Nov. 27, 1977-Jun. 11, 1978
1 Lewiston 1973, Feb. 23, 1973-Feb. 2, 1974
1 Sanctuary: Machias Seal Island, July 16, 1973
1 [Untitled], Aug. 8, 1975-Nov. 16, 1976
1 [Untitled], April 16, 1980-March 1, 1984
1 [War and Peace], 1985
box
2 Bates talk--drafts, circa Nov. 1994
2 Bates talk--final, circa Jan. 1995
MC084/02: Publications, 1962-1998, n.d.
Scope and Content Note
This series is comprised of exhibition catalogues, assorted programs and photocopies from publications featuring Lent's art work. Also includes a couple of his articles, a book review and several pieces of work by students and colleagues.
Organization and Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically and then chronologically by folder title.
box
2 Exhibition catalogues, 1963-1969
2 Exhibition catalogues, 1971-1982, n.d.
2 Work by Don Lent, 1963-1998
2 Work by others, 1962-1971
MC084/03: Publicity material, 1965-1992, n.d.
Scope and Content Note
This series contains assorted material including brochures and news clippings which feature information on his exhibits and reviews of his work. Also includes a photograph of Lent in his studio and a news clipping of an interview with him in which he discusses the meaning behind his Chase Hall mural.
Organization and Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
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Page author: Jim Hart
Date: 12/09/2007


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