Bach, Richard F. 1888-1968

Born in 1888, Richard F. Bach became known as a supporter of collaboration between museums and the industrial arts and as an advocate for value of aesthetics in industrial production, a concept he termed "Art in Industry." He received his A.B. from Columbia University in 1909, was the Acting Librarian of Avery Library from 1918 to 1920, and held curatorial and education positions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 1918 to 1952. During the latter 1940s, Bach corresponded with United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's copyright division, seeking support and guidance for design copyright legislation in the United States. From 1952 to 1961, he served as an educational advisor to the American Institute of Interior Designers. He was a prolific writer and lecturer, publishing numerous articles about American industrial art and a book entitled Museums and the Industrial World (1926). Bach died in his home in the Bronx in 1968.

From the description of Richard F. Bach Papers, 1915-1962. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 456567038

Richard F. Bach worked at The Metropolitan Museum of Art as Associate in Industrial Arts (1918-1929), Director of Industrial Relations (1929-1941), Dean of Education and Extension (1941-1949), and Consultant in Industrial Arts (1949-1952). Bach championed the collaboration of museums and the industrial arts, working extensively with manufacturers, industrial designers, and educational institutions across the United States. He organized a series of popular Museum exhibitions devoted to American industrial design. Bach was a member and leader of arts and education organizations including the American Federation of Arts, the Architectural League of New York, and the Advisory Board on Vocational Education of the New York Board of Education.

From the description of Richard F. Bach records, 1913-1953 (bulk 1939-1953). (Metropolitan Museum of Art). WorldCat record id: 429606051