Nagel, Charles, 1899-1992

Charles Nagel was born in St. Louis in 1899. After graduating from Yale he worked as an architect, first with Hall & Proetz and then with Coolidge, Shepley, Bullfinch & Abbott, until 1930 when he returned to Yale as Assistant Professor of Art and Curator of Decorative Arts. From 1938-1942 he resumed his career in architecture as a partner in the St. Louis firm of Nagel & Dunn. When Perry Rathbone went into the Navy during WWII, Charles Nagel served as Acting Director of the City Art Museum of St. Louis from 1942-1945. In 1946 he became Director of the Brooklyn Museum. From 1955-1964 he was Director of the City Art Museum of St. Louis. In 1964 he retired and became founding Director of the National Portrait Gallery inWashington, D.C., where he remained for five years. He also served as consultant in the renovation of the Patent Building to house the gallery. He was a member of AIA; Missouri Association of Architects; and AAMD, of which he was president in 1953. He served on the Board of the People's Art Center in St. Louis; and on the Bicentennial Planning Committee; the Commission for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial; the Fine Arts Committee for the White House; the Municipal Arts Commission; and the U.S. Advisory Committee on the Restoration of Independence Hall. He was the recipient of seven design awards and honors, including honors from London, Italy, and France. Nagel published two books on American furniture and interiors, and one work of fiction.

Museum director; architect.

Nagel was born in St. Louis, Mo. He attended Yale University, earning a B.A. in 1923, a B.A. in architecture in 1926 and M.F.A. in architecture in 1928. Upon graduation, he was employed at the firms of Jamieson & Spearl, and Hall & Proetz, St. Louis, and with Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch, Abbott in Boston.

He taught art history at Yale, and served as curator of Decorative Arts at Yale's Gallery of Fine Arts, 1930-1936, returning to architecture with the firm Nagel & Dunn, St. Louis, from 1936-1942. His positions as museum director include the City Art Museum in St. Louis, 1942-1946 (acting) and 1955-1964; the Brooklyn Museum, 1946-1955; and the National Portrait Gallery, 1964-1969.