Roy J. Beard art collection
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of 38 works of art, along with one text document related to the artwork.
Beard donated sixteen oil paintings. Texas artists Ulrich W. Fisher, Joseph Lane, Gerald Harvey Jones (G. Harvey), Renne Hughes, and Porfirio Salinas are represented in the collection, as well as paintings by Earl G. Hammock (Arizona), Robert Wesley Amick (Connecticut/Colorado), Oscar Edmund Berninghas (New Mexico/Missouri/Kansas), Ross Stefan (Arizona), Harry Worthman (New York), Leonard Howard Reedy (Illinois), Mike Carroll (unknown), and William Herbert Dunton (Main/New Mexico). Many of the paintings are Texas landscapes and scenes related to the old West.
Beard also selected twenty engravings produced by Star Engraving Company of Houston, Texas. Nine of these engravings were created by artist Bernhardt Wall.
Dates
- early 20th century
Creator
- Beard, Roy J. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Researchers are encouraged to use digital surrogates. In-person research with original artwork(s) must be approved/scheduled by the University Archivist.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright restrictions may apply. Special Collections and Archives owns the physical items in our collections, but the researcher has full responsibility for determining copyright status, obtaining permission to publish from copyright holders, and abiding by current copyright laws when publishing or displaying copies.
Historical note
Roy Jasper Beard (1888-1971) was a 1913 alumnus of Southwest Texas State Normal School and a long-time supporter of the school and the Ex-Students Association. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1966. An advocate of the realistic school of art, Beard felt that many colleges and universities were "art poor" and hoped that donating art for the University to display would encourage modern realistic artists.
As founder, president, and chairman of the board of Star Engraving Company of Houston, he made substantial contributions of artwork to SWT (now Texas State University) during his lifetime, and the Roy J. Beard Educational Art Foundation provided scholarships for award-winning high school artists to attend SWT.
Extent
39 items
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This early 20th century art collection was given to the University by distinguished alumnus and Houston businessman Roy J. Beard, along with several other individuals. The collection consists of 38 artworks: sixteen oil paintings on canvas, one oil painting on masonite, twenty sepia-toned engravings, and one pressed repousse copper plaque.
Physical Location
Materials are stored off-site and on display. Advance notice may be required for use.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Principal donor Roy J. Beard, 1964. Other donors noted were: Mr. and Mrs. N. B. (Noah Burl) Beard of Austin, the brother and sister-in-law of Roy J. Beard; Mrs. G. C. (George Cleveland) Beard of Lubbock, widow of a third brother; and Hodge Pickens, a business associate of Roy Beard.
The first donation of art was made prior to July 1964.
On July 24, 1964, the College Star reported that seven new paintings were donated: Amick's cattle drive scene; Hammock's flower and mountain scene; Stefan's "Cow Camp"; two bluebonnet scenes by G. Harvey; Dunton's American Indians on horseback; and Salinas' bullfighting scene.
The July 1965 issue of Hillviews notes that immediately following the June 1965 ceremony transferring the Federal Fish Hatchery property to SWT, Roy J. Beard presented four additional works of art to add to his already impressive collection on the campus.
General
Descriptions of artwork and biographies of artists provided by Attal Appraisal Service, but were likely written decades ago. As this finding aid was crated, the word "Indian" was changed to "American Indian" or "Native American" to provide clarity.
- Title
- Roy J. Beard Art Collection
- Status
- In Progress
- Author
- Nicole Critchley
- Date
- 2021 August
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Edition statement
- June 2022. Finding aid revised when the items on display in the J.C. Kellam Building were were moved prior to renovation work.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and Archives Repository
Alkek Library Room 580
601 University Drive
San Marcos Texas 78666 USA
univarchives@txstate.edu
