Faison, S. Lane (Samson Lane), 1907-2006

S. Lane Faison (1907-2006) was an art historian of Williamstown, Mass.

S. Lane (Samson Lane) Faison, Jr., born Washington, D.C. 16 November 1907; died Williamstown, Mass. 11 November 2006; Williams College Class of 1929; member of the Williams College Art Department, 1936-1976, chair of the Department, 1940-1970; Director of the Williams College Museum of Art, 1948-1976. Faison, with William Pierson and Whitney Stoddard, played an instrumental role in the shaping of an Art Department at Williams, which would go on to produce what is referred to as the "Williams Art Mafia", a select group of Williams graduates from the '60s and '70s who make up a disproportionately large part of the nation's art powers. A visit to Chartres Cathedral after high school sparked Faison's interest in art history; at Williams, he took one of Karl Weston's art courses as a sophomore. As Williams did not offer an art major at that time, Faison graduated as a Philosophy major but went on to study Art History at Harvard, where he got his M.A.; he received his M.F.A. from Princeton. Faison taught at Yale in the graduate program for four years as a Medieval art specialist but left to accept a position teaching at his alma mater, fulfilling his deep desire to teach undergraduates, an opportunity offered him by Williams but which Yale would not provide. Faison taught at Williams for forty years, save during World War II, when he enlisted in the Navy. He transferred later to the Office of Strategic Services Art Looting Investigation Unit. During his long tenure at the College, Faison helped establish the Art History major and create an actual Art Department. He was an innovative instructor, instrumental in Williams' unprecedented move of incorporating studio experience into the major. His professorship went hand in hand with his directorship of the museum (an unsalaried position) as he envisioned WCMA as a teaching museum, enabling students to learn not just from slides, but from real art works. He had his own book review column in "The nation" and "The Saturday evening review", contributed to various magazines and journals, wrote regularly for "The Berkshire eagle", published books for both the layman and the scholar, and served as a consultant.

Samson Lane Faison (b. Nov. 29, 1860, North Carolina-d. Oct. 17, 1940), Brigadier General in the U.S. Army, graduated from West Point in 1883 and later served in the Philippines. During World War I, he was commander of the 60th Infantry Brigade and the 30th Division, participating in several key offensives.

Art historian; Williamstown, Mass.

S. Lane Faison, 1907-, art historian of Williamstown, Mass.

Art historian. Educated at Williams, Harvard, and Princeton. Director of the Williams College Museum of Art in Williamstown, Mass. b. 1907. d. 2006.