Charlie Arnold print collection

Collection

Identifier: D.540

Staff Only

Biographical / Historical note

Charles "Charlie" Arnold was born and raised in 1922 in Providence, Rhode Island and served in the Navy during World War II. After his service, he attended the Rhode Island School of Design where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in illustration. After graduating in 1949 and working as a museum photographer in Manhattan for a few years, Arnold returned to the Rhode Island School of Design to teach the school's first-ever photography course. As the teaching of photography gained more popularity in the 1950s, Arnold was offered a job at the newly opened Museum of Photography at George Eastman House in Rochester, New York. Subsequently, two years later, Arnold was offered a job at the School of Photography at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where he would teach for the next 31 years. One of Arnold's major achievements was his pioneering work in xerography as an art form, which he likely began experimenting with for the first time while working on his thesis in the summer of 1965. Arnold travelled extensively throughout his career, teaching and working in locations such as England, Brazil, and Spain. Arnold passed away at the age of 89 on October 11, 2011.

Scope and Contents

The Charlie Arnold print collection (1959-2012) consists of three series containing nine boxes that predominately house matte prints of artwork created by Charlie Arnold, with the exception of three photographs by his wife, June Arnold, which were exhibited March 6-27, 1989 in the Arnolds' joint exhibition at RIT entitled "Xerographs and Color Photographs." Majority of the matte prints in this collection are from Charlie Arnold's period of work in the 1980s. His artwork in this collection ranges from Xerox prints of found objects (which Arnold notes as "original objects" on the back of one print) including his first print ever produced by the Xerox copy machine, to prints of illustrations. Additionally, there is also a mounted photograph of Arnold's RIT class, a mounted poster of the film "Just Call me Charlie" directed by George M. Cochran, and an invitation to the March 9th, 1989 opening reception of "Xerographs and Color Photographs." The Charlie Arnold Collection provides a glimpse into the innovative printing techniques Arnold used in the process of creating his artwork.

Creator

Arnold, Charlie (Person)

Dates

Creation: circa 1959-2012

Language of Materials

English

Extent

3.3 cubic feet (9 containers)

Access

The Charlie Arnold print collection is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books Special Collections & Preservation Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.

Use

In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, item date], Charlie Arnold Print Collection, D.540, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester