Burke, Robert Elisha, 1884-1957.

Indiana University Professor of Fine Arts from 1907-1949.

Burke became a professor at Indiana University shortly after his graduation from the Pratt Institute in New York. He completed work for his A.B. and M.A. while teaching. In 1921 he became the head of the Fine Arts Department and held that position until 1941.

Robert Elisha Burke (1884-1957), artist and professor of Fine Arts at Indiana University, was born on September 10, 1884, in Winsted, CT. He graduated from the Pratt Institute of New York in 1907, and that same year joined the Indiana University Fine Arts Department as an instructor. While fulfilling his duties as teacher, Burke completed work at Indiana University in 1913 for the A.B. degree and in 1914 for the M.A.

In 1911 Burke advanced from instructor to assistant professor, in 1921 to associate professor, and in 1926 to professor. During this time, he married Avis Adalaide Tarrant (1886-1984) of Bloomington on August 31, 1916. In 1921 Professor Burke replaced retiring Alfred M. Brooks as head of the Fine Arts Department. He held that position until 1941, at which time he resumed teaching. Professor Burke's tenure at IU spanned forty-two years, and he retired in 1949. From 1949 until his death in 1957 Burke was Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts.

Professionally, Professor Burke was a member of the Brown County Art Gallery Association, the College Art Association, and the American Association of University Professors. Burke also enjoyed spending his spare time painting. He was highly regarded as a watercolorist and traveled throughout the Southwest and other parts of the United States painting landscapes.

Robert E. Burke died in Bloomington on May 11, 1957, at the age seventy-two. Upon his death, Burke’s wife Avis endowed the department of the History of Art for the purpose of bringing distinguished scholars to Bloomington, which later culminated into the Robert and Avis Burke Lecture Series. This lecture series continues to run on the IU-Bloomington campus.