Clapp, Frederick Mortimer, 1879-

American poet.

From the description of Frederick Clapp papers, 1938-1960. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 754872491

Frederick Mortimer Clapp was an American art historian, educator, and poet, and the first director of The Frick Collection from 1936 to 1951. He was born in New York City in 1879, and attended the City College of New York (1896-1899) and then Yale (1899-1902) receiving a B.A. and M.A. He taught at City College and the University of California extension services before traveling throughout Europe and studying art. Clapp married Maud Caroline Ede (1876-1960), an artist in Florence, in 1908. He received a doctorate in art history from the Sorbonne in 1914 and wrote his dissertation on Pontormo's drawings. In 1916 Clapp published a book and catalogue raisonné on Pontormo's paintings. The same year, he began publishing poetry, issuing collections of verse through the 1950s.

Clapp served with the 17th and 22nd Aero Squadrons during the First World War, and wrote a history of the 17th Aero Squadron that was published in 1920. In 1926 Clapp joined the University of Pittsburgh as chair of the art history program. His association with The Frick Collection began in 1931, when he was named advisor to the collection after the death of Mrs. Frick. He became organizing director in 1933, overseeing the transformation of the Frick mansion from a home into the present museum, and then director in 1936, eventually retiring in 1951. Clapp died in 1969 at the age of ninety.

Biographical information drawn from Dictionary of Art Historians: http://www.dictionaryofarthistorians.org/clappf.htm (accessed on 28 January 2011).

From the guide to the Frederick Mortimer Clapp Papers, 1852-1969, 1906-1969, (Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library)