Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Office of the Director.

James H. Chillman, Jr., first Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, was born in Philadelphia on December 24, 1891. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts, with concentrations in architecture and drawing. In 1916 he joined the Faculty of Rice University in Houston and was later appointed a Fellow in Architecture at the American Academy in Rome (1919-1922). He served as Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston from 1924 to 1953 and as Interim Director from 1959 to 1960. Chillman placed emphasis on the role of the art museum as a civic institution and was dedicated to the widespread integration of art into public life. He died on May 13, 1972.

Philippe de Montebello was raised in Southern France and educated at Harvard and New York University. He became Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in September 1969, formerly having been Associate Curator of European Paintings at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Under his direction the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston expanded its collections, placing emphasis on the acquisition of antiquities and masterpieces of European painting and drawing. De Montebello remained Director until December 1973.

Art museum director, educator, and patron of the arts, James Johnson Sweeney was born in Brooklyn, New York, on May 30, 1900 and educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, and the Sorbonne. He was Director of the Department of Painting and Sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art (1945-46) and subsequently Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (1952-1960), prior to the commencement of his tenure as Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 1961. A determined advocate of modern art, Sweeney organized major exhibitions and authored books, essays, reviews, and articles which fostered greater interest in twentieth-century art among the American public. He died on April 14, 1986.

James H. Chillman, Jr., first Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, was born in Philadelphia on December 24, 1891. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts, with concentrations in architecture and drawing. In 1916 he joined the Faculty of Rice University in Houston and was later appointed a Fellow in Architecture at the American Academy in Rome (1919-1922). He served as Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston from 1924 to 1953 and as Interim Director from 1959 to 1960. Chillman placed emphasis on the role of the Museum as a civic institution and was dedicated to the widespread integration of art into public life. He died on May 13, 1972.

Peter C. Marzio has been Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston since 1982, the longest tenure of the museum's full-time directors.

Art museum director, educator, and patron of the arts, James Johnson Sweeney was born in Brooklyn, New York, on May 30, 1900 and educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, and at the Sorbonne. He was Director of the Department of Painting and Sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art (1945-1946) and subsequently Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (1952-1960) prior to the commencement of his tenure as Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in 1961. A determined advocate of modern art, Sweeney organized major exhibitions and authored books, essays, reviews, and articles which fostered greater interest in twentieth-century art among the American public. He died on April 14, 1986.

The Board of Trustees of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston began to consider providing the new museum with a paid, professional staff after construction of the building commenced in 1923. The Board realized that a competent professional was needed to oversee the daily administration of the Museum and thus created the office of Director. At first the post carried no specific duties or privileges; rather, the Director was expected to carry out those responsibilities established as norms by "common acceptance of the term, Director, and common practice among museums." The Director was made a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees and was "empowered to speak and act authoritatively for the Board of Trustees" on all matters, insofar as his actions did not conflict with general policies as outlined by the Executive Committee.

In November 1923 the Trustees, with the approval of officers and members of the Houston Art League, hired James H. Chillman, Jr. as the MFA,H's first Director. Chillman, a professor of architecture at Rice Institute (now Rice University) and an accomplished watercolorist, began his duties in April 1924, when the Museum officially opened.

The Directors of the MFA,H have all led the institution with varying styles and emphases and according to their own particular criteria and circumstances. During Chillman's tenure the Museum became established as the prime mover in local art education and provided a venue for regular exhibitions of the work of local and Texas artists. This primarily local focus was expanded under Directors James Johnson Sweeney (1961-1967) and Philippe de Montebello (1969-1973), whose personal tastes and close associations with New York museums fostered a more international atmosphere and guided the MFA,H towards greater national prominence.

Independently of personal management styles, however, the office of Director has evolved, over the years, in accord with the natural growth of the institution. The Director became a full-time position only as late as 1953, when Mr. Chillman retired after having served in a part-time capacity since 1924.

Many early functions of the Director--which included curatorial, managerial, budgetary, and scholarly tasks--were gradually assumed by a growing staff of specialized professionals who arrived as the MFA,H and its collections grew in size and prominence. Ultimately the Director's role remains versatile, combining the functions of curator, art connoisseur, administrator, educator, and fund-raiser. The records illustrate the responsibilities of the office and provide information on every aspect of the institution and its functions. The Director's internal correspondence is especially instructive, reflecting changes in the growth of the collections and in the MFA,H's overall orientation.

Philippe de Montebello was raised in Southern France and educated at Harvard and New York University. He became Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in September 1969, formerly having been Associate Curator of European Paintings at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Under his direction the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston expanded its collections, placing emphasis on the acquisition of antiquities and masterpieces of European painting and drawing. De Montebello remained Director until December 1973.

Peter C. Marzio has been Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston since 1982, the longest tenure of the museum's full-time directors.

James H. Chillman, Jr., first Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, was born in Philadelphia on December 24, 1891. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Academy of Arts, with concentrations in architecture and drawing. In 1916 he joined the Faculty of Rice University in Houston and was later appointed a Fellow in Architecture at the American Academy in Rome (1919-1922). He served as Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston from 1924 to 1953 and as Interim Director from 1959 to 1960. Chillman placed emphasis on the role of the Museum as a civic institution and was dedicated to the widespread integration of art into public life. He died on May 13, 1972.

Philippe de Montebello was raised in Southern France and educated at Harvard and New York University. He became Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in September 1969, formerly having been Associate Curator of European Paintings at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Under his direction the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston expanded its collections, placing emphasis on the acquisition of antiquities and masterpieces of European painting and drawing. De Montebello remained Director until December 1973.

Lee H. B. Malone (1913-1989) served as the first full-time Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston from May 1953 to June 1959. Malone was raised in Europe and educated at Yale University. His years were characterized by the expansion of the Museum's permanent collection and the growth of its facilities, which came to include the monumental Cullinan Hall designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and completed in 1958.

Peter C. Marzio has been Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston since 1982, the longest tenure of the museum's full-time directors.