The Sumner McKnight Crosby Papers : [finding aid]

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GUIDE TO THE PAPERS
OF
SUMNER MCKNIGHT CROSBY
The Cloisters Archives
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Fort Tryon Park
New York, NY 10040
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GUIDE TO THE PAPERS
OF
SUMNER MCKNIGHT CROSBY
This guide is printed on acid-free PermaLife buffered paper, produced from 25% rag and 75% wood fiber.
Cover illustration: The royal abbey of Saint-Denis. Reconstruction of the twelfth-century design of the west facade, based on
photogrammetric analysis. (From the Cloisters Archives; also published as Fig. 173 of Sumner McKnight Crosby's The Royal
Abbey of Saint-Denis from Its Beginnings to the Death of Suger, 475-1151, New Haven and London: Yale University Press,
1987.)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 1
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE 5
CONSERVATION NOTE 9
NOTE ON ABBREVIATIONS 11
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS 13
CONTAINER LISTS
I. Research Files 29
II. Card Files
a. Note and Bibliography Cards 46
b. Notecards on Churches 52
III. Correspondence 53
IV. Financial Records 73
V. Manuscripts of Published and Edited Works by 75
Sumner McKnight Crosby
VI. Manuscripts of Unpublished Works by 96
Sumner McKnight Crosby
VII. Manuscripts of Colleagues and Students 100
VIII. General Subject Files 110
IX. Photographic Prints
a. Contact Prints in Strips 114
b. 8 x 10 115
c. 11 x 14 144
d. 20 x 24 148
X. Negative Films
a. 35mm Strips 149
b. 4 x 5 203
c. 5 x 7 216
d. 8 x 10 219
XI. Glass Plate Negatives 221
XII. Films and Videotapes 222
XIII. Architectural Drawings, Prints and Sketchbooks
a. Drawings and Prints 231
b. Sketchbooks 235
XIV. Eighteenth and Nineteenth-Century Engravings 236
XV. Paper Casts and Rubbings 240
XVI. Architectural Models 242
XVII. Published Material in Copy 246
BIBLIOGRAPHY 254
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PREFACE
After the posthumous publication of Sumner McKnight Crosby's final monograph in 1987,
editor Pamela Z. Blum recognized the need to preserve the author's research materials, which
contained a wealth of information on the royal abbey of Saint-Denis. After Dr. Blum consulted
with Dr. Jane Hayward and William D. Wixom of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the family
of Sumner Crosby, it was decided that the Cloisters Library, specializing in Medieval art and
architecture, would be an appropriate repository for the Crosby Papers. The papers of Sumner
Crosby were transferred from his home in Woodbridge, Connecticut to the Cloisters Library in the
fall of 1989. A grant from the International Center of Medieval Art provided the funding for the
processing of the collection and the preparation of this guide. The project began June 1, 1992 and
was completed during the summer of 1993.
The Cloisters Library and Archives of the Metropolitan Museum of Art thank many
individuals for their continuing support of the project to process the research papers of Sumner
McKnight Crosby. The collection came to the Cloisters through the generosity of Mrs. Sumner
McKnight Crosby, Sr., Gerrit L. Crosby, Frederick T. Crosby, William F. Crosby, and Mr. and Mrs.
Sumner McKnight Crosby, Jr. In particular, we would like to thank Sumner McKnight Crosby, Jr.
and his wife Susie for their assistance in arranging the transfer of the papers from Connecticut to
the Cloisters, the coordination of the finances necessary to properly process the collection, the
computer equipment which speeded the documentation of the project, and their continuing
enthusiasm and interest. We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of various members
of the International Center of Medieval Art, including Dr. Stephen K. Scher, Dr. Paula Gerson,
Treasurer, and Margaret Lubel, Administrative Assistant.
We also extend our thanks to many individuals from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Without the vision of Cloisters Chairman William D. Wixom, the undertaking of this project would
not have been possible. Through his ongoing support for the development of an archives at the
Cloisters, valuable resources in the study of Medieval art are being made available to the scholarly
community. With the advice of Michele D. Marincola, Assistant Conservator at the Cloisters,
many conservation issues within the collection were resolved. We would also like to thank
Philippe de Montebello, Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Sharon H. Cott,
Secretary and General Counsel of The Museum, for their support and advice for this archival
project at the Cloisters.
Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Pamela Z. Blum. Throughout the
year-long project to process the Crosby Papers, Dr. Blum has proved to be an invaluable consultant.
Without her constant support, advice, and forbearance, the successful and timely completion of the
project would not have been possible. Dr. Blum's extensive knowledge of Saint-Denis and
Crosby's research was essential to the identification of many of the materials. She made sense of
countless puzzling files and provided continuing encouragement throughout the year, and to her we
would like to offer special thanks.
Elaine M. McCluskey, Associate Archivist
Lauren Jackson-Beck, Associate Museum Librarian
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Sumner McKnight Crosby (1909-1982) was a historian of Medieval art and architecture,
whose many contributions to the field placed him among the preeminent Medieval scholars of his
day. As a teacher, scholar, and active member of many organizations concerned with Medieval
studies, Crosby played a key role in furthering research in Medieval art here and abroad. Apart
from these achievements, Crosby is perhaps best known for his lifelong study of the royal abbey of
Saint-Denis. Located just north of Paris, this monumental basilica is considered the first Gothic
church and the cradle of Gothic art. Through nearly fifty years of excavation and research, Crosby
became widely recognized as the expert on the 12th-century and pre-Romanesque churches of
Saint-Denis.
Sumner McKnight Crosby was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 29 July 1909 to Franklin
Muzzy and Harriet McKnight Crosby. His early education was taken at the Blake School in
Hopkins, Minnesota from 1916 to 1926. The following two years were spent at the Phillips
Academy in Andover, Massachusetts in preparation for his matriculation at Yale University in
1928.
As an undergraduate in New Haven, Connecticut, Crosby initially studied the history of art
as it was traditionally taught; by graphic artists, painters, and architects. With the arrival of visiting
lecturers Marcel Aubert and Henri Focillon of the Sorbonne in 1931, Crosby's perception of art
history was forever changed as the scope of the history of art at Yale was enlarged. As the first art
historians to teach at Yale, Aubert and Focillon offered lectures on Medieval art exclusively in
French. Crosby received his B.A. from Yale University in 1932 and continued to pursue his studies
in Medieval art as part of the "équipe" of graduate students who met several times a week to hear
lectures by Aubert and Focillon. Additional studies at the Ecole des Chartes of the Institut d'Art et
d'Archeologie in Paris enriched Crosby's graduate work from 1934 to 1936, and he completed his
Ph.D at Yale University in 1937. During these early years in New Haven, Crosby met Sarah
Rathbone Townsend whom he married in 1935; they had four children, Sumner McKnight, Jr.,
William Fellowes, Frederick Townsend, and Gerrit Lansing. The Crosby's made their home in
Woodbridge, Connecticut.
Crosby's lifelong study of Saint-Denis began early in his career, while a student of Aubert
and Focillon at Yale University. He first wrote on the "so-called manuscript school" of Saint-Denis
in 1932, and his interest in the monument developed to become the subject of his doctoral
dissertation. Saint-Denis fascinated Sumner Crosby for many reasons. As the burial place of kings
and one of the oldest monastic communities in France, Saint-Denis ranks among the foremost
French Medieval churches and abbeys. Crosby was intrigued by the fact that the 12th-century
church, conceived and built under the patronage of Abbot Suger, was considered the first Gothic
church. Trained by Aubert and Focillon to consider an archeological approach to Medieval
architecture, Crosby found the church as it exists today, primarily of 12th and 13th-century
architecture, to present many unanswered questions.
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Crosby ventured to France during the summers of 1938 and 1939 to direct his first
excavations at Saint-Denis. Initial findings included the unexpected discovery of portions of the
Carolingian building and masonry of Suger's unfinished 12th-century nave and transept. Crosby
also uncovered Gallo-Roman blocks which were reused in the foundations of Ste. Geneviève's
Chapel in the fifth century. Results of Crosby's excavations showed how previous churches on the
site were treated as relics and incorporated into new buildings over several centuries.
After World War II, Crosby resumed excavations at Saint-Denis during 1946, 1947, and
1948 with funding provided by the American Council of Learned Societies, a Guggenheim
Fellowship, and the American Philosophical Society. His most important findings during these
excavations included the discovery of the Apostle bas-relief used as a cover on a 13th-century
sarcophagus found under the south transept. Other discoveries included the extensive foundations
of the Carolingian church under the pavement of the north side aisle and the arms of the transept, as
well as four bases of the Carolingian nave colonnade, in situ. After the discoveries of 1948,
Crosby's permission to excavate was suspended for twenty years in favor of Jules Formigé, the
newly-appointed architect in charge of Saint-Denis.
It was not until 1968 that Crosby was permitted to return to Saint-Denis and continue his
excavations and research. From 1968 through 1970, Crosby delegated the study of the tympanum
and archivolts of the western portals to colleague Pamela Z. Blum. Through meticulous
examination of the portal sculpture, 19th-century insertions, repairs, and alterations to the original
12th-century sculpture were identified and documented. Crosby was also occupied with the use of
photogrammetry in his studies of Saint-Denis at this time. In 1969, the Institut Géographique
National in Paris accepted Crosby's commission to produce photogrammetric plans, photographs,
and elevations of the 12th-century structure at Saint-Denis, including the west facade, western bays,
and the ambulatories and radiating chapels of the eastern crypt and choir. Crosby's research at
Saint-Denis continued during several more trips to France, until his retirement from Yale
University in 1978.
Crosby's reputation throughout the scholarly community also rests on his teaching and
administrative career at Yale University. More than forty-three years of dedicated service began in
1936, when Crosby was appointed Instructor in the program of History, Arts and Letters. As art
historical studies at Yale were enhanced with the presence of French visiting lecturers Aubert and
Focillon, Crosby was promoted to Assistant Professor of the newly formed Department of the
History of Art in 1942. In 1952, he became a full Professor, and continued in that capacity until his
retirement in 1978. Valued for his teaching, administration, and leadership within the community
of art historians, Crosby remained the chairman of the History of Art department almost
continuously from 1946 through 1964. Constantly involved in a variety of professional activities
throughout his Yale career, Crosby was a member in the Yale University Alumni Board, acted as
Curator of Medieval Art in the Yale University Art Gallery and as Director of the Yale University
Audio-Visual Center, and participated in the Yale University Division of the Arts Committee on
Slides and Photographs. Crosby also became a Fellow of Berkeley College at Yale in 1938.
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Saint-Denis research, including trips to France to excavate and the writing of several major
publications, generally took place when Crosby's teaching obligations at Yale ceased for the
summer months. Crosby published four monographs, one posthumously, and many articles in
professional journals on his research and excavations at Saint-Denis. In these publications, Crosby
provided the Medieval scholarly community with the results of his exhaustive study and an
extraordinary collection of elevation and excavation plans. His first publication, The Abbey of St.-
Denis, 475-1122, vol. I (New Haven, 1942), focused on the early history of Saint-Denis, including
the legend of the saint and the building campaigns of the church through the 9th-century. L'Abbaye
Royale de Saint-Denis (Paris, 1953) provided a history of the church through the centuries and a
visual record of the building as it stands today, with photographs by colleague Pierre Devinoy and
text by Crosby. Twenty-five years after the surprising discovery of the bas-relief, Crosby produced
his volume, The Apostle Bas-Relief at Saint-Denis (New Haven and London, 1972). In it he
offered an in-depth analysis of this 12th-century sculpture and provided students of art history with
an exemplary model for the study of a previously unknown work of art and ornamental motifs.
Crosby's final monograph, The Royal Abbey of Saint-Denis, from Its Beginnings to the
Death of Suger, 475-1151 (New Haven and London, 1987), was published posthumously under the
editorship of Pamela Z. Blum. Although for nearly forty years Crosby did the research for what
was to be his magnum opus, continuous writing was not possible until after his retirement from
Yale in 1978. Teaching obligations and suspended permission to excavate after 1948 delayed the
publication of the volume. The text of the 1987 volume supersedes Crosby's initial studies of the
basilica, offering revised interpretations of earlier excavations and updating architectural plans.
The 1987 volume also presents an intensive study of the 12th-century building campaigns at the
abbey.
Other significant contributions to the field of art history include Crosby's involvement in
various editing projects. In 1959, he edited and coordinated a major revision by the Yale University
History of Art Department of Art Through the Ages by the late Helen Gardner. A leading text used
in art courses throughout the country, it was considered the most complete single-volume history of
art in the English language. Crosby was appointed consulting editor of the Bollingen translation of
Émile Mâle's L'Art religieux de XIIIe siécle en France. From 1968 to the spring of 1969, Crosby
revised the footnotes and brought the bibliography up to date with the assistance of Pamela Z.
Blum. Other editorial contributions to art historical studies included his participation in the
Editorial Selection Committee of the Bobbs-Merrill Company from 1966 through 1967. This
committee was charged with choosing a reprint series in the history of art. Crosby also served on
the editorial boards of Art Bulletin, Speculum, and Magazine of Art.
Throughout his career, Crosby actively participated in a great number of professional
societies, associations, and councils which promoted Medieval studies and research. His
leadership, counsel, and enthusiastic involvement in these organizations furthered the study and
preservation of Medieval art throughout the world. As one of the founders of the International
Center of Romanesque Art in 1956, Crosby remained involved in the organization through its
change to the International Center of Medieval Art in 1966, first as president, then as a member of
the Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and ultimately as a Fellow for Life. While
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president of the College Art Association from 1941 through 1945, Crosby wrote the report of the
Art Committee on College Curriculum Adjustments, for the United States Office of Education,
Wartime Commission, entitled "Art as Wartime Study"; his participation in the College Art
Association also included serving on the Executive Committee. As a member of the American
Association of Museums, Crosby was involved with the Committee on Preparation for Museum
Work from 1947 to 1948 and determined coursework, degree requirements, and tuition costs for the
program. His other memberships included the American Federation of the Arts (Board of
Trustees), Medieval Academy of America (Councilor and Executive Committee), American
Philosophical Society, Archaeological Institute of America, Société d'Archéologie Française, and
the Société Nationale des Antiquaires de France.
During World War II, Crosby dedicated much of his time to ensuring that works of art in
Europe survived the conflict. As a special advisor to the American Commission for the Protection
and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas, Crosby traveled in 1944 to the
United Kingdom as an official representative of the commission and was designated a technical
consultant to the American Education Delegation of the Department of State. Through 1945, he
continued his involvement as Special Advisor to the Department of State on the Restitution of
Cultural Materials by drafting the principles governing the return and repayment of confiscated
cultural properties. Crosby's interest in the preservation of works of art during wartime persisted,
and in 1954 he participated at the Hague in the United States National Commission for UNESCO's
American Delegation to the Intergovernmental Conference on the Protection of Cultural Property in
the Event of Armed Conflict.
Crosby's national involvement in the arts and education also included membership in the
United States Advisory Committee for the Arts and the United States Advisory Commission on
Educational Exchange. Within the academic community, Crosby was an influential leader and
consultant. From 1959 through 1965, he was a member of the Visiting Committee of the Fine Arts
Department at Harvard University. And from 1962 through 1968, he acted in a similar capacity as
a member of the Visiting Committee of the Department of Art and Archaeology at Princeton
University.
As a well-respected member of the scholarly community, Crosby received honors for his
contributions and achievements in the study, preservation, and teaching of art. Through the award
of a Guggenheim Fellowship, he was able to finance continued excavations at Saint-Denis in the
1940s. Crosby was decorated by the French government in 1950, in the rank of Chevalier in the
Legion d'Honneur. In 1965, he returned to the city of his birth to receive an honorary degree from
the Minneapolis School of Art, and in 1977 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and
Sciences.
Sumner McKnight Crosby died at age seventy-three on 16 November 1982, just four
months after submitting his manuscript of The Royal Abbey of Saint-Denis to Yale University
Press. This volume represents the culmination of nearly fifty years of research.
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SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The Sumner McKnight Crosby Papers (bulk dates: 1938-1987) contain a wide variety of
archival material pertaining to the royal abbey of Saint-Denis in France, including research and card
files, correspondence, financial records, manuscripts of published, unpublished, and edited works,
manuscripts of colleagues and students, photographs, negatives, films, and architectural drawings,
prints, sketchbooks, and models. These papers represent a lifetime of accumulated research by
Crosby, primarily focusing on his career as Medieval art and architectural historian. While the bulk
dates of the papers correspond to Crosby's most active years of study and excavation at Saint-Denis,
some materials within the collection date before and after his lifetime. The earliest materials in the
papers were collected by Crosby for their references to the Medieval abbey, such as eighteenth and
nineteenth-century engravings of Saint-Denis and photographs taken ca. 1900. The latest items of
the collection generally pertain to the posthumous publication of Crosby's final monograph on
Saint-Denis in 1987.
The papers (131 boxes, 8 oversize map case drawers, 1 extra-oversize folder; 64.5 linear
feet) are divided into seventeen series as follows:
Series I Research Files: 1922-1982
(8 boxes; 4 linear feet)
Series II Card Files: Undated
(7 boxes; 6 linear feet)
Series III Correspondence: 1938-1987
(4 boxes; 2 linear feet)
Series IV Financial Records: 1940-1981
(1 box; .5 linear feet)
Series V Manuscripts of Published and Edited Works by Sumner McKnight Crosby:
1939-1986
(24 boxes; 12 linear feet)
Series VI Manuscripts of Unpublished Works by Sumner McKnight Crosby: 1937-
1980
(2 boxes; 1 linear foot)
Series VII Manuscripts of Colleagues and Students: 1935-1983
(6 boxes; 3 linear feet)
Series VIII General Subject Files: 1939-1993
(2 boxes; 1 linear foot)
Series IX Photographic Prints: ca. 1900-1987
(51 boxes; 12.75 linear feet)
Series X Negative Films: 1930s-1987
(12 boxes; 8 linear feet)
Series XI Glass Plate Negatives: ca. 1953
(2 boxes; 1.75 linear feet)
Series XII Films and Videotapes: 1940s-1979
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(1 box; .25 linear feet)
Series XIII Architectural Drawings, Prints and Sketchbooks: 1938-1987
(7 oversize map case drawers, 2 boxes; 2.25 linear feet)
Series XIV Eighteenth and Nineteenth-Century Engravings: 1706-1874
(1 box; .25 linear feet)
Series XV Paper Casts and Rubbings: 1947
(2 boxes; .5 linear feet)
Series XVI Architectural Models: 1976 and Undated
(3 boxes; 7.5 linear feet)
Series XVII Published Material in Copy: 1791-1981
(3 boxes; 1.5 linear feet)
Series I-XVII Oversize Materials
(1 oversize map case drawer, 1 extra-oversize folder; .25 linear feet)
All oversize materials were removed from the standard size boxing systems for each series and
transferred to oversize storage at the end of the collection. Oversize storage for Series I-XVII
consists of a map case drawer (Crosby Map Case, Drawer No. 8) and the extra-oversize folder
located in the Archives. Oversize materials for all series have been housed within these two
locations and follow the same series arrangement as noted above. Cross-references have been
created on the container lists to direct researchers to the proper oversize storage location.
The research papers focus on archeological evidence collected by Crosby which enabled
him to reconstruct the plans of various building campaigns at Saint-Denis from the fifth to the
twelfth centuries. These include Ste. Geneviève's Chapel as well as the Merovingian, Carolingian,
and twelfth-century building programs sponsored by Dagobert I and Abbots Fulrad, Hilduin, and
Suger. Researchers will find that the research papers housed within the Cloisters Archives refute
the findings of Jules Formigé, architect in charge of the works at Saint-Denis, just as much of
Crosby's published scholarship does. Another frequent subject throughout the papers involves
Crosby's study of the Apostle bas-relief, discovered during his 1947 excavation of the south
transept at Saint-Denis.
Researchers should note that the Crosby Papers of the Cloisters Archives primarily focus on
the scholar's study of Saint-Denis; very few of the papers generated by Crosby pertaining to his
teaching and administrative career at Yale University as well as his involvement with various
professional organizations are available within this collection. All lecture notes and preparatory
material for classes in art history taught at Yale University were given to a colleague during
Crosby's lifetime. The working library of Sumner Crosby was sold by the estate, with the exception
of a small collection of books on Medieval art which were discovered among the papers deposited
at the Cloisters Archives. These books have been added to the Cloisters Library; a listing of
cataloged Crosby books is available within a card index stored at the end of the archival collection.
Other published material, such as reprints, offprints, and complete issues of periodicals, which
were discovered within the Crosby Papers have also been transferred to the Cloisters Library. A
small collection of slides was transferred to the Cloisters Library as well and added to the existing
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slide collection.
Papers dealing with Crosby's administrative work at Yale University, including the History
of Art Department, the Audio-Visual Center, and the Art Gallery, are deposited with the Yale
University Sterling Memorial Library Manuscripts and Archives department (Manuscript Group
Number 1144). During the year-long project to process the Crosby Papers at the Cloisters
Archives, the Crosby Papers at Yale were surveyed for material relating to Saint-Denis. Several
documents were photocopied and incorporated into the Crosby Papers at the Cloisters. These
documents are identified within the collection, with notation explaining that the original is on file
within the Yale Archives. A complete listing of these documents, additional notes on the Yale
Crosby Papers, and the Preliminary Inventory to the Yale collection is available within the "Yale
University Archives" file of Series VIII, General Subject Files.
The Crosby Papers at the Cloisters Archives are rich in manuscript and visual material
generated and collected by the Medieval scholar throughout his career. One of the most
voluminous groups of material within the collection is Series V, Manuscripts of Published and
Edited Works by Sumner McKnight Crosby. Numerous manuscript and typescript drafts of
Crosby's final publication, The Royal Abbey of Saint-Denis (1987), have been preserved within this
series and represent an invaluable archive of data, above and beyond what appears in the published
version. The manuscripts of Series V, as well as the research and note card files of Series I and II,
provides a wealth of unpublished information for Saint-Denis scholars who continue to study the
monumental basilica.
The visual resources pertaining to Saint-Denis within the Crosby Papers are abundant,
including collections of photographic prints, negative films, glass plate negatives, and architectural
prints and drawings. Of the photographic images, perhaps the most valuable are the
photogrammetrics. These photographs, dating from the late 1960s through the 1970s, provide some
of the most accurate visual records of Saint-Denis available today, offering exact elevations and
contours of stone vaults within millimeters. Architectural prints and drawings of Saint-Denis
within the collection completely document Crosby's excavation discoveries as early as 1938, and
include renderings of unpublished excavation sites.
Unusual formats of archival material found among Crosby's research papers include the
architectural models and films relating to Saint-Denis. Their presence within this collection
documents Crosby's innovative techniques in teaching Medieval architectural history. Models
illustrate the various building campaigns of the abbey church and require the interactive
participation of students. These models appear on Crosby's teaching films as well, combined with
film footage of excavation sites.
Besides material pertaining specifically to the abbey church, the Crosby Papers contain
comparative material which was used in Crosby's study of the twelfth-century structure at Saint-
Denis. Such comparative material includes negative collections of Medieval churches and towns
throughout Europe and architectural prints illustrating plans and elevations of comparable Medieval
churches. These materials have been housed with similar formats within the Crosby Papers, but
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remain as collections, separate from the bulk of Saint-Denis materials.
Other material of note within the Crosby Papers includes the professional and personal
correspondence of Series III. Professional correspondence with colleagues such as Henri Focillon,
Marcel Aubert, and Louis Grodecki contain lengthy discussions regarding Crosby's excavation
findings at Saint-Denis. Transcriptions of personal letters from Crosby to his family during his
1939, 1946, and 1947 excavations also contain fascinating descriptions and reactions to his
archeological discoveries beneath the present-day structure at Saint-Denis.
When organizing this archival collection, materials were left in Crosby's original order as
much as possible. Whether research files, photographs, or negatives, Crosby generally filed his
Saint-Denis papers by building campaign, and then by area of the church. Excavation material was
filed by area or by excavation year. This arrangement was maintained whenever possible, as it
appears to reflect Crosby's thought process. It is obvious that he tended to organize his Saint-Denis
research in this manner, as the chapters of his 1987 volume on the church follow a similar
arrangement. For the most part, new titles on archival folders have been labeled in an attempt to
reproduce Crosby's original folder titles. Unfortunately, many of Crosby's research files containing
manuscript notes were dispersed throughout the collection, without much order. For this reason,
Series I has been arranged alphabetically by subject.
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CONSERVATION NOTE
The manuscript materials of this collection (Series I-VIII, XVII) have been refiled and
rehoused in acid-free folders and boxes. All metal fasteners were removed and replaced with
plastic clips when necessary. Brittle and torn newspaper clippings have been photocopied onto
acid-free, Permalife bond paper.
Photographic prints, negative films, and glass plate negatives (Series IX-XI) have been
rehoused in appropriate conservation storage systems. The bulk of the photographs were
individually stored in mylar fold-lock sleeves, with groups of photos by subject filed in archival
print folders made of alpha cellulose photographic conservation paper. Larger print formats are
housed in oversize archival print folders of the same material and interleaved with non-buffered
tissue; the engravings of Series XIV have been stored in the same manner. Negative films have
been individually stored in mylar interleaving folders within non-buffered thumb-cut envelopes or
in polyethylene print file sleeves within archival print folders. The glass plate negative collection
has been rehoused within four-flap envelopes made of alpha cellulose photographic conservation
paper. All photographic materials are stored in the appropriate archival boxing systems based on
size.
The video material of Series XII has been stored in two locations. Original, 16mm films
were transferred to the Film, Library & Media Services vault of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's
Education Department in order to ensure their permanent storage in the appropriate climate control.
All films were copied onto videotape cassettes and are stored in the single archival box of Series
XII.
Approximately five-hundred architectural prints and drawings of Series XIII underwent a
two-month flattening project and are presently stored within unbuffered, photographic/blueprint
folders in map case drawers. Many of the architectural prints and drawings of the Crosby Papers
came to the Cloisters Library rolled, within acidic cardboard tubes. A humidity chamber was
constructed in order to introduce moisture to the rolled prints and drawings; humidified rolls were
then laid flat between blotting paper and placed within a press. Once the paper dried and the curl
was removed, prints and drawings were refiled within the above-mentioned flat storage system.
A single excavation plan from Series XIII as well as eight paper casts and two rubbings of
sculpture at Saint-Denis were sent to the Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover,
Massachusetts for treatment. The excavation plan came to the Cloisters Library mounted with
masking tape on a formica and wooden base measuring approximately 8' x 3.5'. Sections of the
drawing were attached in layers with scotch tape. The NEDCC removed the masking tape,
encapsulated the entire plan in mylar, and stored it within a specially constructed oversize folder
made of acid-free board. Papers casts and rubbings were matted into archival mats designed by the
NEDCC to protect their surfaces from abrasion. The paper casts were placed into sink mats with 8-
ply window mats and 4-ply wrappers. Rubbings were stored in standard 4-ply mats with 4-ply
wrappers across the top of the window openings. In all ten conservation mats, the paper objects
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were slightly covered by the window mats.
The architectural models of Series XVI were cleaned, repaired, and rehoused in specialized
boxing systems. Model No. 1 (primarily of white illustration board) underwent treatment
consisting of the following: flaking paint was secured with a 1% solution of methyl cellulose in
distilled water; the paint surface was lightly cleaned with a soft, grit-free vinyl eraser; four broken
flying buttresses and one nave pinnacle were reattached with an 85% solution of Acryloid B-72
acrylic resin in acetone, bulked with 1% fumed silica, and the adhesive was allowed to set under
clamps. The storage system for Model No. 1 consists of a foundation constructed of polyethylene
foam and acid-free Fome-Cor within two archival boxes. Treatment of Model No. 2 (plexiglass
and wire on a wooden base) consisted of cleaning the plexiglass foundation with plexiglass cleaner,
the wooden base with a soft, grit-free vinyl eraser, and the wire arches with acetone. The storage
system for Model No. 2 consists of a polyethylene foam and acid-free Fome-Cor base within a
specially constructed drop-front box made of binder's board, acrylic book cloth, and acid-free lining
paper.
Complete treatment reports and descriptions of conservation procedures used throughout
the Crosby Papers are available upon request.
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NOTE ON ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations appear throughout the finding aid and collection:
Am. American
A.Ms. autograph manuscript (in the hand of the author)
A.Mss. autograph manuscripts
arch. architecture
bis duplicate copy
Cath. Cathedral(e)
Comm. Commission
con't. continued
corresp. correspondence
desc. description
excav. excavation
ext. exterior
gen. general
gov't. government
ICMA International Center of Medieval Art
illus. illustrations
info. information
int. interior
Met. Metropolitan Museum of Art
misc. miscellaneous
Mon.Hist. Monuments Historiques
ms. manuscript
mss. manuscripts
N. north
n.d. no date
NE northeast
p. page
pp. pages
PZB Pamela Z. Blum
quart fourth copy
re: regarding
sarco. sarcophagus
SD Saint-Denis
SE southeast
SMC Sumner McKnight Crosby
STC Sarah Townsend Crosby (Sallie; SMC's wife)
12
ter third copy
T.Ms. typed manuscript
T.Mss. typed manuscripts
W. west
w/ with
< facing
13
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series I - Research Files: 1922 - 1982 (8 boxes; 4 linear feet) are comprised of research
materials collected by Crosby throughout his career and primarily pertain to his study of Saint-
Denis. These files contain a variety of research materials, including notes, outlines, bibliographies,
reports, xeroxes of excerpts from publications, translations, drawings, and field measurements.
Much of this research material was compiled by Crosby for the completion of his second volume on
Saint-Denis (often referred to as "volume II" by Crosby throughout the research files). While
"volume II" was never completed as he originally envisioned, much of the research material of
Series I was consulted over many years, as he compiled the manuscript of what was to become his
posthumous volume, The Royal Abbey of Saint-Denis, from Its Beginnings to the Death of Suger,
475-1151 (New Haven and London, 1987).
The research files of Series I are arranged alphabetically by subject, with a large portion of
the papers alphabetized under a general heading of "Saint-Denis," and then further alphabetized
under sub-headings (example: Saint-Denis. West facade). Folder titles, or subjects, have been
copied from Crosby's original folder labels as much as possible. Unless material was found
completely unlabeled, the labels duplicate Crosby's original folder titles. Once materials were
transferred to new, acid-neutral file folders with subject titles from the original Crosby folders, the
files were arranged alphabetically.
The bulk of the papers in Series I dates from the 1930s through the 1970s, with much of the
material stemming from Crosby's most active years of excavation work at Saint-Denis. Research
notes and drawings with on-site measurements often document his excavation findings. Much of
this information was used by the architects who created the large-scale drawings found within
Series XIII and which were eventually published in final form for the 1987 volume. A significant
portion of the information on Saint-Denis which Crosby accumulated in his research files was
incorporated in the 1987 volume. Researchers should also note that Series I contains valuable
research which was never published, as the 1987 volume could not completely document
approximately fifty years of excavations and research on Saint-Denis.
Besides the many excavation drawings and field measurements found within Series I, other
material of note includes collections of profile drawings of mouldings by Crosby and Pierre
Rousseau. These profiles are primarily of bases of columns, and were used to assist in the dating of
various areas within Medieval buildings. Small-scale profile drawings by Rousseau within Series I
were taken from a wide variety of Medieval churches throughout France, and are a valuable tool for
comparisons in the study of these buildings. Many of the full-scale profile drawings of Series I
were taken from Saint-Denis by Crosby. Researchers interested in these study collections should
note that large-scale profile drawings have been housed with the oversize material of the Crosby
Papers; cross-references to the oversize storage at the end of the collection have been incorporated
into the container list for Series I.
14
Series II - Card Files: Undated (7 boxes; 6 linear feet) contain notecard collections
compiled by Crosby throughout his career. Originally found within deteriorating cardboard boxes,
these card files have been transferred to archival cardfile boxes in their original order, as arranged
by Crosby. While this order is not necessarily ideal for use by researchers, it does reflect the
manner in which Crosby organized his thoughts and research. The container listing for Series II
simply provides an inventory of the main subject cards; researcher should note that the number of
cards filed under these headings varies, and all remain in Crosby's original order.
Subseries IIa (Boxes 1-5) consists of note and bibliography cards pertaining to Crosby's
research on Saint-Denis. As with the research files of Series I, these card files were used
throughout Crosby's career, and were consulted as he wrote the manuscript for his 1987 volume, as
well as other publications on Saint-Denis. Box I contains notecards filed under general subject
headings, based either on building periods of Saint-Denis or areas within the church. Box 2 holds
notecards pertaining to Crosby's research on the Apostle Bas-Relief, discovered during his
excavation of the south transept in 1947. Boxes 3-5 hold notecards on mason's marks at Saint-
Denis, and various groupings of bibliography cards on sources consulted by Crosby on Saint-Denis.
Subseries IIb (Boxes 6-7) consists of notecards on Medieval churches, probably compiled
by Crosby and used as comparative material in the study of Saint-Denis. Box 6 holds notecards
which were originally found within a box labeled "Romanesque Churches of the Rhine." Notecards
on churches are arranged alphabetically by name and contain descriptions of the buildings with
page citations to several bibliography cards found at the front of the box. The second half of Box 6
holds a group of notecards on Medieval churches, arranged alphabetically by name and holding
notes on the various dates of building campaigns for each building. Box 7 contains a second group
of notecards on Medieval churches, also arranged alphabetically and holding similar listings of
building campaign dates.
Crosby's note and bibliography card collections of Series II were probably useful research
tools, used in writing his many published manuscripts on Saint-Denis. They are now valuable
additions to the Crosby Papers; bibliography cards document the many literary sources and
publications he consulted, and note cards contain both published and unpublished research
compiled by Crosby.
Series III - Correspondence: 1938 - 1987 (4 boxes; 2 linear feet) holds the incoming and
outgoing manuscript, typescript, and carbon letters relating to Crosby's research on Saint-Denis.
While the bulk of the correspondence of Series III was generated throughout Crosby's career, some
letters pertaining to the publication of his 1987 volume and the gift of his papers to the Cloisters
Archives date from after his death in 1982.
Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by correspondent or the corresponding agency's
name and then chronologically within each file. For the most part, correspondence is with
individual colleagues and students in the field, and contains information on research involving
Saint-Denis, Medieval art and architectural history in general, and comments on Crosby's
publications involving Saint-Denis. This series represents the bulk of Crosby's professional
15
correspondence dealing with his studies, excavations, and discoveries relating to Saint-Denis. It
was obviously collected and stored by Crosby, along with the rest of his research papers pertaining
to Saint-Denis. In many cases, these letters are annotated by Crosby; it appears that he marked
subjects of interest within his correspondence from fellow Medievalists, including concepts and
ideas he might incorporate in future writings and publications.
While this series is rich in manuscript material relating to Crosby's study of Saint-Denis, it
is not representative of all the correspondence he generated and collected throughout his career.
Researchers interested in correspondence dealing with other aspects of Crosby's career, including
his teaching and administrative work within the Yale University History of Art Department, should
consult the Sumner McKnight Crosby Papers at the Yale University Sterling Memorial Library,
Manuscripts and Archives (Manuscript Group Number 1144). As well as correspondence relating
to Crosby's activities at Yale University, this collection also documents his involvement with
various professional societies.
Crosby's correspondence with prominent figures in the field of Medieval art history include
Marcel Aubert, Henri Focillon, Louis Grodecki, and Erwin Panofsky; these files contain lengthy
discussions of the various periods and building campaigns of Saint-Denis, as well as Crosby's
excavation findings. Perhaps the most valuable letters of Series III are found within the "Family"
files. These files consist of transcriptions of excerpts of letters written by Crosby to his family
during 1939, 1946, and 1947, his most important years of excavation at Saint-Denis. The
transcriptions, provided Mrs. Sumner McKnight Crosby, Jr., chronicle his day-to-day excavation
operations and discoveries, including his reactions to both his findings and his general environment.
Correspondence dealing with the posthumous publication of the 1987 volume is also
located in Series III, within the files of the editor, Pamela Z. Blum, and the publisher, Yale
University Press.
Series IV - Financial Records: 1940-1981 (1 box; .5 linear feet) contains invoices,
receipts, and an accounting of funds relating to Crosby's research involving Saint-Denis. Files,
arranged chronologically, are most extensive for the years in which excavation work took place in
France.
While the actual accounting of funds spent each year on Saint-Denis may not be of great
interest, these financial documents are valuable as records of the many architects, assistants,
photographers, and workmen involved in the excavations. Account files provide information on the
dates of various excavations, as well as the names of those involved in the on-site measurement-taking,
drawing, and photography.
Series V - Manuscripts of Published and Edited Works by Sumner McKnight Crosby:
1939 - 1986 (24 boxes; 12 linear feet) constitutes the largest series of manuscript material within
the Crosby Papers and documents nearly fifty years of writing on Saint-Denis. The manuscripts of
this series include autograph (in the hand of the author) and typescript notes, outlines, drafts, and
printers' proofs for both books and articles published in periodicals throughout Crosby's career as an
16
architectural historian.
Series V has been arranged alphabetically by the title of the published work; if several
manuscript drafts exist for a single title, the various versions are further arranged chronologically by
approximate date of revision. The most voluminous files for a single published book are those of
Crosby's final monograph, The Royal Abbey of Saint-Denis, from Its Beginnings to the Death of
Suger, 475-1151 (1987). One hundred eighty-seven folders in Boxes 6-24 hold the many
manuscript versions of this volume, which were written and revised over many years. The earliest
drafts of this volume date from after the 1942 publication of The Abbey of St.-Denis, 475-1122,
volume I, and before 1968. These early manuscripts reflect Crosby's initial concept of the 1987
book as volume II in a series, and contain a great deal of research which was eventually excluded
from the final, published volume. Many of these drafts involve xeroxed pages from the 1942
volume, cut and pasted, with Crosby's additions, changes, and comments throughout. Later
manuscripts for the 1987 volume appear much closer in form to the final, published version.
Folders containing drafts dating from the late 1970s through the mid 1980s begin to reflect the
involvement of Dr. Pamela Z. Blum, who edited and completed the book after Crosby's death in
1982.
The preservation of the multiple drafts for Crosby's final volume on Saint-Denis will be
valuable to future Saint-Denis scholars for several reasons. As mentioned above, the published
version of the book is quite different from Crosby's original conception of his "magnum opus" as
volume II of his series on Saint-Denis. The earliest drafts of the book contain a significant amount
of important research material, which was cut to make the publication of the book more feasible.
Researchers should keep in mind that these manuscripts hold the bulk of Crosby's excavation
findings and research from nearly fifty years devoted to the study of Saint-Denis. The manuscript
drafts of the 1987 volume also document Pamela Blum's involvement in the project to complete the
book after Crosby's death; her editing, additions, and completion of the footnotes and bibliography
are evident throughout the later manuscript drafts of the 1987 volume.
Researchers should also note that the files of Series I contain much of the research included
and excluded from Crosby's final 1987 volume on Saint-Denis. Supplementary material, which
further supports Crosby's statements and findings throughout the 1987 volume, can be found within
the earliest manuscript drafts of Series V as well as in the research material compiled in Series I.
Series VI - Manuscripts of Unpublished Works by Sumner McKnight Crosby: 1937 -
1980 (2 boxes; 1 linear foot) contains a variety of manuscripts on Saint-Denis and early Gothic
architecture generated throughout Crosby's career, but never published as a monograph or article.
Writings appear in autograph and typed manuscript form, and include reports, lectures, reviews, and
individual chapters of unidentified works which were never published as written. The files of Series
VI are arranged alphabetically by title, and in many cases, they remain undated.
The earliest work of this series is a carbon typescript of Crosby's 1937 doctoral dissertation,
which served as an introduction to his life-long study of Saint-Denis. This manuscript, entitled
"The Abbey of St. Denis in the XIIth Century: A Study of the Historical Backgrounds and of
17
Problems Relating to the XIIth Century Church," became the foundation of his first published
monograph on the subject, The Abbey of St.-Denis, 475-1122, vol. I (1942). Other manuscripts of
note within Series VI include a variety of unpublished excavation reports, written upon Crosby's
return from Saint-Denis in the 1940s, 1960s, and 1970s.
Series VII - Manuscripts of Colleagues and Students: 1935 - 1983 (6 boxes; 3 linear
feet) is comprised of autograph manuscripts, typescripts, and xerox copies of papers written by
colleagues within the field of Medieval art and students from Crosby's classes in the History of Art
Department of Yale University. Files are arranged alphabetically by author's name.
The manuscripts of colleagues are often early drafts of articles which were later published,
or typescripts of papers presented and lectures given at a variety of professional societies devoted to
the study of Medieval art history. It appears that these manuscripts were submitted to Crosby for
his comments, or simply because their subject somehow related to his study of Saint-Denis. Crosby
compiled quite a collection of these manuscripts by fellow Medieval art historians, and must have
consulted them as he did the research files of Series I and the professional correspondence of Series
III.
Manuscripts written by students in Crosby's classes at Yale University are also included in
Series VII. For the most part, these papers pertain to Saint-Denis, and were retained within
Crosby's research material because he felt they were valid studies, worth consideration in his own
research of the abbey church.
Series VIII - General Subject Files: 1939 - 1993 (2 boxes; 1 linear foot) includes diverse
materials collected by Crosby throughout his career, reflecting his involvement in a number of
professional and honorary societies, Yale University, and the publication of several of his articles
on Saint-Denis. The series is arranged alphabetically by subject title.
Types of documents located within the general subject files relating to Crosby's professional
organizations include certificates of membership, minutes, and reports. Other subject files include
miscellaneous pamphlets collected during trips abroad, reviews of and advertisements for Crosby
books on Saint-Denis, and biographical information relating to his career. Series VIII houses only a
small portion of this type of material collected by Crosby during his lifetime; the Crosby Papers
within the Yale University Archives contain much more extensive files on many of these subjects,
which pertain to aspects of Crosby's career other than his research on Saint-Denis.
Series IX - Photographic Prints: ca. 1900 - 1987 (51 boxes; 12.75 linear feet) is primarily
a study collection of black and white photographs focusing on the church of Saint-Denis. This
collection of images was developed over many years by Crosby, for use in his research and
publications on Saint-Denis. It is one of the largest series of the Crosby Papers, containing both
published and unpublished photographs. All photographs found within the Crosby Papers have
been retained and stored within Series IX, without any weeding done based on quality or quantity of
images.
18
The photographic prints of Series IX have been organized into four subseries by size:
IXa. Contact prints in strips (each strip containing up to six frames)
Box 1
IXb. 8 x 10 (prints 8" x 10" and smaller)
Box 2 - 43
IXc. 11 x 14 (prints between 8" x 10" and 11" x 14")
Box 44 - 50
IXd. 20 x 24 (prints between 11" x 14" and 20" x 24")
Box 51
Within each subseries, photographs follow the same arrangement and are filed alphabetically by
subject. All images of Saint-Denis are filed into three major groupings as follows:
1. Under building campaign or period, then by area of church (areas as
determined by Crosby).
Example: Saint-Denis, Suger's Campaigns [XIIth c.].
West facade, Central portal, Archivolts
2. Under excavations, then by area of excavation (areas as determined by
Crosby).
Example: Saint-Denis, Excavations.
Nave, North side
3. Under miscellaneous, then alphabetically by subjects pertaining to the
church.
Example: Saint-Denis, Miscellaneous.
Masons' marks
The photographs of Saint-Denis form the bulk of this series; approximately ninety percent
of the photographic prints within the Crosby Papers are views of the church or excavation sites and
finds. Photographs alphabetized under subjects other than Saint-Denis were obviously included in
Crosby's research papers as comparative material used in his study of the abbey church.
With the exception of the creation of subseries by overall dimensions of the images, the
photographs remain as much as possible in Crosby's original order. As with much of the archival
material in his research collection for Saint-Denis, Crosby's filing system by building campaign and
excavation site has been duplicated in the arrangement of the photograph series.
The photographs were placed into subseries based on size in order to preserve the
photographs. Housing similarly sized photographs together limits the wear on the photograph
caused by bends, folds, and tears. Four standard boxing systems based on size (contact prints in
strips, 8 x 10, 11 x 14, 20 x 24) were selected in an attempt to store the photos in folders and boxes
which matched the dimensions of individual prints as closely as possible.
19
Keeping this subseries arrangement by size in mind, researchers seeking a particular image
of Saint-Denis should note the following: Consult the container list for each subseries (IXa -
IXd). It is possible that a particular view of Saint-Denis may appear in four different sizes. Each
subseries follows the same alphabetical order, so identical images in various sizes can be located in
every subseries under the same subject headings. The negative collection of the Crosby Papers
(Series X) also follows the same alphabetical arrangement, and researchers will find that if a
negative exists for a photographic print within Series IX, it will be filed under the identical subject
heading in Series X. See the following series description for the negative films, Series X, for
further information.
The photographs of Series IX primarily stem from Crosby's many trips to Saint-Denis, from
the 1930s through the 1970s. Some of the earliest views of the church date from ca. 1900, and are
mounted on large boards and filed throughout Subseries IXc, 11 x 14. These older scenes of Saint-
Denis must have been acquired over the years by Crosby in France. While it seems that Crosby was
responsible for taking some of the photographs for his research collection, it is very likely that many
were taken by assistants, colleagues, and hired professional photographers.
The photographs of the Crosby Papers are an extremely valuable visual record of the church
of Saint-Denis. This series fully documents the various aspects of the twelfth-century church, built
under the patronage of Abbot Suger. As Crosby's research relating to Saint-Denis focused on the
building campaigns of Suger, photographs of sections of the present-day church associated with the
twelfth-century constructions abound (examples: west works, crypt and choir). Researchers
seeking photographs of areas of the church constructed after the twelfth-century church (example:
north transept portal, exterior views with flying buttresses) will find significantly fewer images
throughout Series IX. Another noteworthy aspect of the photograph series is the extensive
collection of excavation views. As mentioned above, these images are arranged by site, and
document the major discoveries made by Crosby throughout his career. Often, these photographs
contain blocks and masonry from several different centuries within the same view.
Besides the many views of the church and individual excavation sites, this series contains
other noteworthy groupings of photographs. The collection of photographs which were published
in Crosby's final 1987 volume, The Royal Abbey of Saint-Denis, has been filed under the title of
the monograph within Subseries IXb, 8 x 10 (cross-referencing for oversize photographs exists on
the container list and directs researchers to oversize storage at the end of the collection).
Photographs remain in figure number order, as they appeared in published form and as they were
returned to the archival collection by Yale University Press. Finally, a very fine collection of
photogrammetric images of Saint-Denis, commissioned by the Institut Géographique National in
Paris in 1969, has been stored in Subseries IXb and is filed under "Saint-Denis, Miscellaneous.
Photogrammetrics, Institut Géographiqe National Collection." This extensive collection of clear,
detailed views provides a comprehensive tour of the building and contains nearly two hundred
photographic prints. Researchers interested in accurate views of the bays and vaults of the west
works, chevet, and crypt should consult the container list for Boxes 40-41.
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Series X - Negative Films: 1930s - 1987 (12 boxes; 8 linear feet) contains the negatives for
many of photographs in Series IX. While a significant portion of the negatives appear to have
corresponding photographic prints in Series IX, it seems that Crosby did not print all of the frames
taken at Saint-Denis. It is also possible that Crosby discarded some prints based on the quality of
the image. Therefore, researchers will find that the negative collection sometimes contains images
not available within the photographic print collection of Series IX.
Negative films of Series X have also been organized into four subseries, based on size or
format:
Xa. 35mm strips (each strip containing up to six frames)
Box 1 - 6
Xb. 4 x 5 (negative films 4" x 5" and smaller)
Box 7 - 10
Xc. 5 x 7 (negative films between 5" x 7" and 4" x 5")
Box 11
Xd. 8 x 10 (negative films between 8" x 10" and 5" x 7")
Box 12
The 35mm negative strips of Subseries Xa, Box 1-2 follow the same arrangement as the
photographs of Series IX and are filed alphabetically by subject, with the bulk of the strips filed
under Saint-Denis. This duplicate arrangement ensures that researchers will be able to locate the
negative for a particular photograph by checking the container list under the identical subject
heading.
The 35mm negative strips in Subseries Xa, Box 3-4 comprise a valuable collection of
images of various Medieval churches and towns, including Saint-Denis, and were probably used as
comparative material in Crosby's study of the abbey church. This collection appears to have been
created by Crosby and colleague/professional photographer Pierre Devinoy during trips throughout
Europe, primarily France, during the 1930s and 1940s. The collection remains in its original order,
as arranged and identified by Crosby. The first two groupings of strips, numbered 1-303 and 1-298,
show interior and exterior views of many Medieval churches and villages visited by Crosby during
his travels. The third grouping of strips, numbered 1-142, remains largely unidentified, with the
exception of several strips depicting war damaged churches and towns, ca. 1944. Photographic
prints were not developed from this negative collection, but Box 5-6 of Subseries Xa contain a card
index to Box 3-4. The index consists of contact prints, developed from the negative strips and
mounted on 4 x 6 cards. Each card contains a contact print with the corresponding negative strip
and frame number written above. Cards are arranged by general area within Saint-Denis, followed
by the Pierre Devinoy negatives of Saint-Denis by individual frame number. Finally, a non-Saint-
Denis section at the end of the card index is arranged alphabetically by name of Medieval church or
town.
21
The 4 x 5 negatives of Subseries Xb, Box 7-9 follow the same arrangement as the
photographs of Series IX and are filed alphabetically by subject, with the bulk of the negatives filed
under Saint-Denis. The last box of Subseries Xb, Box 10, contains another negative film
collection, referred to as the "Devinoy Collection on Medieval Churches and Towns." This
collection was also created by photographer Pierre Devinoy, and remains in his original order. The
container list for Box 10 reflects Devinoy's numbering system (963-1182) with identifications of
the churches as they are written on the edge of each negative. This valuable collection of images on
Medieval churches was also used by Crosby as comparative material in his study of Saint-Denis.
Unfortunately, no photographic prints presently exist for this group of negative films.
Finally, the 5 x 7 negatives of Subseries Xc, Box 11 and the 8 x 10 negatives of Subseries
Xd, Box 12 are also filed in the same arrangement as the photographs in Series IX. Researchers
will note that with the exception of the negative film collections on Medieval churches and villages
which are described above, the majority of the negatives throughout Series X duplicate the
organization of the photographic prints, alphabetically by subject heading.
Series XI - Glass Plate Negatives: ca. 1953 (2 boxes; 1.75 linear feet) contains the most
comprehensive collection of images of Saint-Denis found throughout the Crosby Papers. The large
number of glass plate negatives (over 200 individual plates) as well as their exceptional quality
makes this series an invaluable visual resource for researchers seeking detailed, high-quality images
of the church of Saint-Denis.
The glass plate negatives, measuring 4 x 6 inches, were created by French photographer
Pierre Devinoy in preparation for his collaboration with Crosby on their joint volume, L'Abbaye
Royale de Saint-Denis (Paris, 1953). Text for the book was written by Crosby, while Devinoy was
responsible for the photography. The original key to the glass plate collection, stored in Box 1,
provides a full inventory and individual descriptions of each negative. This key, in Pierre Devinoy's
longhand, also indicates the corresponding plate and figure numbers for the 1953 volume. While a
significant portion of the glass plate negatives were reproduced within the 1953 volume, researchers
should note that some have never been published.
For the most part the negatives appear in a common 4 x 6 glass plate format, but several of
the images appear in 120mm negative film. They remain stored with the glass plates of Series XI,
to avoid breaking up the collection by housing them with the other negative films of Series X.
Once again, there is no complete collection of photographic prints for this negative collection;
researchers are advised to consult L'Abbaye Royale de Saint-Denis (Paris, 1953) for the published
versions of many of these negatives.
Series XII - Films and Videotapes: 1940s - 1979 (1 box; .25 linear feet) contains video
material generated by Crosby throughout his career. The most extensive format present in this
series is the 16mm film; thirteen films have been transferred to videotape cassette to facilitate
viewing by researchers. Original master films for the videotape cassettes stored in Series XII have
been permanently housed within the film vault of the Film, Library & Media Services of the
22
Metropolitan Museum of Art's Education Department. This has been done to ensure that the 16mm
films are stored in appropriate climate control for film formats, which require a much lower
temperature and relative humidity than the Cloisters Archives storage can offer. Videotape copies
remain with the Crosby Papers of the Cloisters Archives for viewing purposes.
The films which have been transferred to videotape format are primarily of Saint-Denis and
document Crosby's on-site research. Much of the filming must have been done by Crosby, with the
help of his research assistants. All films are silent; Crosby doubtless provided the narrative for the
films during showings. It appears that Crosby must have used these films when teaching within the
Yale University History of Art Department. Identification of individual scenes within each film
have been prepared by Pamela Z. Blum, consultant.
Films on Saint-Denis generally provide tours of the interior and exterior of the building as
well as many of Crosby's excavation sites. Perhaps the most valuable film footage of the series is
found on Videotape No. 2, Film No. 11. This film depicts scenes of Crosby's 1947 excavations,
including the discovery of the Apostle bas-relief in the south transept. Other film footage of interest
is found on Videotape No. 3, Film No. 10. This film depicts Crosby using his white illustration
board model of Saint-Denis (presently stored as Model No. 1 within Series XVI, Box 1-2 of the
Crosby Papers) as a teaching tool to illustrate the various building campaigns of the basilica. Full
descriptions of each film are available on the container list for Series XII, which is arranged by
videotape cassette and individual film numbers.
Series XIII - Architectural Drawings, Prints, and Sketchbooks: 1939 - 1987 (7 oversize
map case drawers, 2 boxes; 2.25 linear feet) contains approximately five-hundred large-scale
architectural drawings and prints and seven sketchbooks with numerous, smaller architectural
drawings. As with many other series within the Crosby Papers, Series XIII is almost entirely
comprised of images relating to the church of Saint-Denis. These architectural drawings and prints
date from 1938 through the 1970s, reflecting the years of Crosby's excavation work and research at
Saint-Denis. Throughout Crosby's lifelong study of the basilica, he collected hundreds of plans and
excavation drawings which were generated by himself, his research assistants, and professional
architects. Each excavation within the church was thoroughly documented by many on-site
measurements and diagrams which were ultimately transferred onto Crosby's master ground plan of
excavations; this master plan was published in final form as Plate 2 of the 1987 volume. While
much of the information recorded within the drawings and prints of Series XIII was made available
to the scholarly community with the publication of The Royal Abbey of Saint-Denis in 1987, many
of the architectural images within the Crosby Papers remain unpublished. For this reason, the
drawings and prints of Series XIII are a valuable resource for researchers interested in renderings of
Crosby's excavation sites, above and beyond what appears in the 1987 volume.
Subseries XIIIa contains large-scale prints and drawings which are housed in seven 50" x
38" map case drawers (Drawers 1-7). Images appear on paper, linen, or mylar supports of varying
sizes. Drawings are done in pencil, ink, charcoal, and crayon. All prints and drawings are interfiled
and stored flat in oversized folders.
Architectural prints and drawings of individual areas of the church have been filed first
23
within Drawers 1-4 and reflect an arrangement similar to the other visual materials of the Crosby
Papers, such as the photographs and negatives. These prints and drawings are organized into
folders by area of the church, and then further arranged by format, such as measurements, plans,
elevations, photogrammetrics, isometrics, and excavations.
Overall ground plans of the building (showing all areas) are filed in Drawers 4-6. Ground
plans of Saint-Denis have been filed first by century, such as 7th (Merovingian), 8th (Carolingian),
12th (under the patronage of Abbot Suger), or present-day. Researchers should keep in mind that
many of these architectural drawings and prints are hypothetical renderings, reflecting Crosby's trial
and error process of reconstructing various structures at Saint-Denis, based upon his excavation
findings. After all prints and drawings of ground plans by period were filed, the overall, master
plans of the church showing all excavation sites and all periods were arranged. These master plans
containing areas of excavations document various stages of Crosby's research; they were created
over many years, and some are obviously more complete than others. Consequently, the earliest
plans were filed first, and later plans containing fuller information were filed last.
Draftsmen responsible for the creation of many of these drawings and prints include
Jacques Devinoy (also a predominate photographer within the Crosby Papers), Richard Gould, and
Fred Bland. The combined efforts of Gould and Bland produced the master ground plan showing
all excavation sites. One version of this plan within Subseries XIIIa, the large-scale drawing on
mylar measuring approximately 8' x 3.5' and housed within the Extra-Oversize Folder at the end of
the collection, contains details of excavation sites not included in the published version of the 1987
volume. Other renderings of individual excavation sites, while not included in Crosby's final
volume on Saint-Denis, are also preserved within Subseries XIIIa.
The final folders of Subseries XIIIa (Drawer No. 7) contain printed ground plans,
elevations, and photogrammetrics of 12th-century churches other than Saint-Denis. Crosby
obviously collected these prints as comparative material for use in analyzing the 12th-century
structure at Saint-Denis. The prints are filed alphabetically by name of church within three folders
labeled "Miscellaneous [Non - Saint-Denis]."
Subseries XIIIb is comprised of seven sketchbooks, intact or disassembled, which contain
extensive on-site measurements and excavation diagrams from Saint-Denis. These drawings date
from Crosby's excavations at Saint-Denis in 1938 through 1961. Sketches appear to have been
made by Crosby as well as various other assistants. These sketchbooks contain many of the initial
measurements and diagrams which were made on-site at Saint-Denis in preparation for the final,
large-scale prints of Subseries XIIIa. Within each sketchbook, drawings are arranged primarily by
area or site. They have been transferred to archival folders and boxes and are arranged in
chronological order by year of excavation. These sketchbooks are also a valuable source of
unpublished material, as they appear to contain drawings beyond what was ultimately published in
the 1987 volume.
Series XIV - Eighteenth and Nineteenth-Century Engravings: 1706 - 1874 (1 box; .25
linear feet) consists of eighteen individual engravings in varying sizes which primarily depict the
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abbey church of Saint-Denis. These engravings were discovered as a group within Crosby's
research papers, and were probably collected by him during his many trips to France. Engravings
have been arranged into two categories: Saint-Denis Engravings and Miscellaneous Engravings.
Within each category, engravings are arranged chronologically, although quite a few of the images
remain undated. The engravings appear either to have been removed as single pages from a
publication or printed individually. Whenever possible, engravings which originally appeared
within a larger publication have been entered on the container list for Series XIV with a full citation
of the book or periodical.
Series XV - Paper Casts and Rubbings: 1947 (2 boxes; .5 linear feet) contains eight paper
casts and two rubbings taken by Crosby at Saint-Denis during his 1947 excavations. These paper
materials were displayed during the 1947 Yale University Art Gallery exhibition on Saint-Denis
(see Series Xc: Yale University Art Gallery, Saint-Denis exhibition - for negatives of this exhibit).
Unmatted, the paper casts measure approximately 6" x 18" and consist of several irregular
layers of paper, which were moistened and pressed against objects at Saint-Denis, to create an
impression in relief on the paper. Rubbings accompany two of the paper casts; they appear on
single sheet of paper and are in smaller dimensions than the paper casts. All paper materials of this
series have undergone conservation matting; consequently, they presently measure 22" x 28" or 22"
x 24", depending on the overall size of individual mats.
Paper materials of Series XV have been stored in groups as originally found within the
Crosby Papers. Researchers should consult the container list for full descriptions of each paper cast
and rubbing.
Series XVI - Architectural Models: 1976 and Undated (3 boxes; 7.5 linear feet) consists
of two small-scale models of Saint-Denis, designed and constructed by various assistants and
architects employed by Crosby. These assistants were also responsible for many of the on-site
excavation drawings and architectural prints found within Series XIII. The models were used by
Crosby as tools when teaching the architecture of the church of Saint-Denis in his art history
courses at Yale University. The white illustration board model (Model No. 1) appears throughout
one of Crosby's teaching films stored in Series XII (Videotape Cassette No. 3, Film No. 10).
Model No. 1 (Boxes 1-2) consists of twenty individual parts and is primarily constructed
from illustration board which is glued together and painted white. Parts No. 1-16 are constructed
from this illustration board and represent various parts of the church structure at Saint-Denis. Parts
No. 17-20 are constructed of masonite and plexiglass and form the foundation and floor plan of the
church. By combining parts 1-16 in nine different arrangements on top of parts 17-20, the history
of Saint-Denis' building campaigns from the year 775 to the 20th-century is shown:
Fulrad's Church (775):
Part No. 1. Facade with two towers
2. Two-story nave
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3. Transept with central tower
4. Apse
Carolingian Church with Hilduin's Chapel (832):
Part No. 1. Facade with two towers
2. Two-story nave
3. Transept with central tower
4. Apse
5. Semi-subterranean chapel of Hilduin
Carolingian Church with Tower of William the Conqueror (end of XIth c.):
Part No. 1. Facade with two towers
2. Two-story nave
3. Transept with central tower
4. Apse
5. Semi-subterranean chapel of Hilduin
6. Tower of William the Conqueror
Suger's Church (11 June 1140):
Part No. 2. Two-story nave
3. Transept with central tower
4. Apse
5. Semi-subterranean chapel of Hilduin
7. XIIth c. westward extension of Carolingian nave
8. West works
Suger's Church (11 June 1144):
Part No. 2. Two-story nave
3. Transept with central tower
7. XIIth c. westward extension of Carolingian nave
8. West works
9. Crypt and choir of chevet (lower story)
10. Crypt and choir of chevet (XIIth c. upper story)
Suger's Church (1148):
Part No. 2. Two-story nave
3. Transept with central tower
7. XIIth c. westward extension of Carolingian nave
8. West works
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9. Crypt and choir of chevet (lower story)
10. Crypt and choir of chevet (XIIth c. upper story)
11. South tower
Suger's Proposed Church, Never Completed:
Part No. 8. West works
9. Crypt and choir of chevet (lower story)
10. Crypt and choir of chevet (XIIth c. upper story)
11. South tower
12. North tower
13. XIIth c. nave and transept (based on excavations of foundations)
XIIIth C. Church:
Part No. 8. West works
9. Crypt and choir of chevet (lower story)
11. South tower
14. XIIIth c. nave and transept
15. XIIIth c. north tower and spire
XXth C. Church:
Part No. 8. West works
9. Crypt and choir of chevet (lower story)
11. South tower
14. XIIIth c. nave and transept with flying buttresses
16. XIVth c. lateral chapels on north side
Foundation and Floor Plan Parts Used in All Nine Versions:
Part No. 17. Foundation with excavation sites
18. Floor plan (west works and nave with transept)
19. Floor plan (crypt)
20. Floor plan (choir)
From documents which were found within Crosby's research papers, it appears that Model
No. 1 was designed and constructed by Richard Gould and his assistant. Unfortunately, the date of
the project remains unknown. All documents pertaining to Model No. 1 have been foldered and
stored within Box 1 of this series. A series of photographs depicting the various arrangements of
Model No. 1 have been published in Crosby's volume, L'Abbaye Royale de Saint-Denis (Paris,
1953), pp. 52-53. Other photographs and negatives of the model are located within Series IX and X
respectively, and are filed under "Saint-Denis, Miscellaneous. Models."
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Model No. 2 (Box 3) consists of fifty-six individual parts, including a wooden base, a
plexiglass support system, and many wire arches. These wire arches, when assembled by inserting
them into the wooden base and plexiglass support, illustrate the Gothic armature of the west works
of Saint-Denis. Overall measurement of Model No. 2, when completely assembled, is
approximately 11 1/2" high x 15 1/2" long x 10" wide. The wire armature of the model represents
the stone vaulting ribs and transverse arches of the west works as constructed under the patronage
of Abbot Suger during the XIIth century. Transverse arches are represented by the vertical and
horizontal wire pieces (when looking directly down at the model from above). Ogives, or the
diagonal arches which stretch from pier to pier, are represented by the diagonal wires.
Crosby originally labeled each wire arch with an i.d. tag. When Model No. 2 was
discovered within the Crosby Papers, these tags had become acidic, faded, and in many cases, had
fallen off and were lost. Upon closer inspection, the remaining tags appeared to have varied
labeling systems, which must have been employed by Crosby at different periods in his studies of
Saint-Denis. In order to make the labeling system more uniform, a new plan for these wire arches
has been created with the assistance of Pamela Z. Blum. A listing of the parts of Model No. 2
exists on the container list for Series XVI, and a diagram which illustrates this new labeling system
has been enclosed within Box 3. While Model No. 1 has been stored unassembled in order to allow
researchers to recreate various stages of Saint-Denis' building campaigns, Model No. 2 has been
stored completely assembled, as it was originally intended to be viewed.
Model No. 2 was designed and constructed by architect Carleton Granberry in 1976. Seven
blueprints, in various stages of conception, were discovered among the Crosby Papers and are
presently housed within an oversize folder for Series XVI in the Crosby Map Case, Drawer No. 8.
Series XVII - Published Material in Copy: 1791 - 1981 (3 boxes; 1.5 linear feet) contains
photocopies of printed periodical articles and excerpts from books by authors other than Sumner
Crosby. While a significant portion of these copies pertain to Saint-Denis, some focus on a wide
range of topics relating to the study of Medieval art and architecture. Crosby apparently retained
these copies of published works within his research papers as reference material.
The series has been arranged alphabetically by author. All information available upon the
photocopy has been transferred to the folder titles and container list. The creation of complete
citations was not always possible, as some copies of published material were discovered among the
Crosby Papers without full bibliographic information. While several photocopies of published
works dating from the 18th and 19th-centuries exist within the series, the bulk of the material dates
from the mid-20th-century.