Exist Dates
1883 November 18 - 1969 March 16
Biographical or Historical Note
- abstract
- James Lippitt Clark (1883 – 1969) was an accomplished animal sculptor,
taxidermist, explorer and big-game hunter. Clark was employed by the American
Museum of Natural History from 1902 to 1908, and again from 1923 to 1949, and
served as the museum’s Director of Arts, Preparation and Installation from 1935
until his retirement. Clark is known for his innovations in specimen preparation
and display, his creative direction of the museum’s mammal halls, and for his
role in several expeditions on behalf of the museum, both within North America
and to remote regions of Africa, Central Asia and Southeast Asia.
James Lippitt Clark was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on November 18, 1883,
of New England parentage. He attended public schools in Providence and Jersey
City, before finding employment in the design room of the Gorham Silver Company
(1). At the age of 18, while studying at the Rhode Island School of Design, the
lifelike accuracy of Clark’s animal sculptures attracted the attention of Herman
C. Bumpus, director of the American Museum of Natural History (2). Clark was
invited to join the museum as an animal sculptor in 1902, and was sent to the
Field Museum in Chicago to study under taxidermist Carl Ethan Akeley in his
revolutionary method of sculpting and mounting animal specimens (3). Working
closely with Akeley, Clark would go on to help develop the innovative methods of
specimen preparation and display the museum became renowned for (4).
In 1908, Clark temporarily resigned from his position at the museum to undertake
an expedition to Africa with photographer A. Radclyffe Dugmore (1). After
parting with Dugmore, Clark met with Akeley on his British East Africa
Expedition hunting elephants with Theodore Roosevelt for the group now on
display in the Hall of African Mammals (5). Upon his return to New York, Clark
opened a private taxidermy business, the James L. Clark Studios Inc., where he
mounted the personal trophies of Roosevelt and other big-game hunters (1).
Clark’s private business ventures also included joining with Carl Akeley in 1917
in the development of Akeley’s new motion picture camera. During World War One,
Clark was engaged in the development of this camera for the US government, and
acted in various positions as manager, vice-president and president of the
Akeley Camera Company before retiring from the role in 1928 (4).
Clark conducted a number of other expeditions during this period whilst not
employed by the museum, including two fieldwork trips to New Brunswick in 1912
and 1913, a visit to Alberta in 1917 to hunt and study grizzly bear, and a
private expedition to Africa in 1922-23 to hunt rhinoceros (3). His wife, Sally
Clark (1883-1981), who he had married in 1918, accompanied him on the latter
expedition (as well as several subsequent ones), and was herself a successful
big-game hunter and sculptor (1).
Clark returned to the American Museum of Natural History in 1923 and was
appointed Assistant to the Director of Preparation, before being promoted to
Assistant Director (In Full Charge of Preparation) in 1924, and again to
Vice-Director (In Charge of Preparation and Exhibition) in 1931 (1) (3). In 1935
Clark was made the Director of Arts, Preparation and Installation, a position he
held until his retirement. During this period, Clark made numerous overseas
expeditions to remote locations on behalf of the museum, including the 1926-27
Morden-Clark Asiatic Expedition, 1928-29 Carlisle-Clark African Expedition, 1931
O’Donnell-Clark African Expedition, and the 1936 Fleishmann-Clark Indo-China
Expedition (1). Clark also led and participated in expeditions conducted within
North America, including the 1925 Clark Expedition to British Columbia, 1937
Clark Expedition to Wyoming, and 1939 Robinson Expedition to Grand Canyon, as
well as several additional fieldwork trips (1) (3). Clark’s expeditions gained
him public recognition as an explorer and big-game hunter, with tales of his
often dangerous adventures in Africa, Southeast Asia, Mongolia, and remote parts
of North America earning frequent coverage in Sunday supplement magazines and
radio programs (6) (7). Clark’s final expedition with the museum was the 1947-48
Central African Expedition, collecting a wide range of specimens and capturing
motion-picture footage of native peoples (1).
Many of Clark’s expeditions throughout the 1920s and 30s were undertaken in order
to study and collect specimens for display in the museum’s mammal halls. Clark
conducted expeditions to collect caribou in 1925, bison and elk in 1937, and
mountain lion in 1939, for the Hall of North American Mammals (1), while
expeditions in 1928 and 1931 returned with lions and giant eland, respectively,
for the Hall of African Mammals (1) (8) (9). In the positions he held at the
museum from 1924 onward, Clark was responsible for overseeing the design and
development of museum halls and exhibts, most significantly the Hall of South
Asiatic Mammals, the Hall of African Mammals, and the Hall of North American
Mammals (1). During his tenure, he reorganized the department to meet with an
expanded exhibition program, assembling a team of skilled taxidermists and
artists to execute the museum's diorama exhibits (3) (10, p. 43). Clark's role
in planning and directing the creation of the mammal halls’ habitat dioramas set
a new standard in modern exhibition technique, depicting wildlife in detailed
and realistic recreations of their natural environments (11).
Clark’s extensive expeditionary career also served to enrich his skill as a
taxidermist, allowing him to study and gain a thorough understanding of his
subjects’ anatomy, characteristics and behavior in their natural habitats (1).
The lifelike quality of Clark’s preparations earned him high praise throughout
his career, and he was among the first of the museum’s taxidermists to capture
the naturalistic accuracy of its specimens for which the museum is famed (6).
Clark personally mounted the specimens in the African Lion Group and the White
Rhinoceros Group on display in the Hall of African Mammals (12). A distinguished
animal sculptor, Clark was also known for his bronze sculptures of wildlife,
several of which were exhibited in the National Academy and the National
Sculpture Society, among others (3).
Clark was a member of numerous clubs, including the Boone & Crockett Club,
the Boys Scouts of America’s National Court of Honor, and president of the Camp
Fire Club of America (1). In 1933, he was awarded an honorary degree of D.Sc.
from West Virginia Wesleyan (1).
James Clark retired from his position at the American Museum of Natural History
in February of 1949 (3), retaining the title of Director Emeritus (Preparation
and Installation). He died at St Luke’s Hospital, New York, on March 16, 1969
(6).
Sources
(1) Biographical Sketches, James L. Clark. Folder 1 of 4 Clark, James
L. (1883-1969) Explorer and Taxidermist. Vertical Files, American Museum of
Natural History Research Library.
(2) Bumpus, Hermon C. Hermon Carey Bumpus: Yankee Naturalist.
Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1947.
(3) Biographical Data, James L. Clark. Folder 1 of 4 Clark, James L.
(1883-1969) Explorer and Taxidermist. Vertical Files, American Museum of Natural
History Research Library.
(4) Barton, D. R. “Adventures of an Artist-Explorer.” Natural History
49, no. 1 (1942): 50-63.
(5) Clark, James L. “The Caves of Mt. Elgon.” Natural History 28, no. 2
(1928): 175-187.
(6) “Dr. James Clark, Naturalist, Dies.” The New York Times, March 17,
1969.
(7) Sheridan, Martin. “Providence Naturalist Tortured by Mongolians in
Quest for Rare Animals.” Worcester Sunday Telegram, May 2, 1948.
(8) Carlisle, G. L. “Eleven Weeks in a Lion Pasture.” Natural History
29, no. 2 (1929): 169-180.
(9) Clark, James L. “The Giant Eland of Southern Sudan.” Natural
History 31, no. 6 (1931): 581-599.
(10) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report, 1931. New York:
American Museum of Natural History, May 1, 1932.
(11) American Museum of Natural History. “Natural History Board of
Trustees Announces Retirement of Veteran Explorer.” Press release, October 26,
1948.
(12) Quinn, Stephen C. Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of
the American Museum of Natural History. New York: Harry N. Abrams,
2006.
(13) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report, 1925. New York:
American Museum of Natural History, May 1, 1926.
(14) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report, 1930. New York:
American Museum of Natural History, May 1, 1931.
(15) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report, 1924. New York:
American Museum of Natural History, May 1, 1925.
(16) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report, 1942. New York:
American Museum of Natural History, May 1, 1943.
(17) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report, 1937. New York:
American Museum of Natural History, May 1, 1938.
(18) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report, 1928. New York:
American Museum of Natural History, May 1, 1929.
(19) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report, 1936. New York:
American Museum of Natural History, May 1, 1937.
(20) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report, 1947. New York:
American Museum of Natural History, 1948.
Library of Congress Name Authority File n85064856.
Chronology
- 1883: Rhode Island
(Birthplace) Born in Providence November 18, 1883 (1)
- November 18, 1883: Born Providence, Rhode Island (1)
- 1902 - 1969: New
York (N.Y.) Worked at American Museum of Natural History 1902-1908 and 1923-1949,
died New York 1969 (1) (6)
- 1902: Employed by American Museum of Natural History as animal sculptor
(3)
- 1906: Wyoming (Expedition Site) Clark led the Clark Expedition to Wyoming (1937), plus two additional
fieldwork trips (1)
- 1906: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, studying and collecting elk,
sheep, antelope, deer for the museum (1)
- 1908 - 1909: Africa (Expedition Site) Participant in five expeditions to Africa, including three on behalf of
the American Museum of Natural History (1) (3)
- 1908: Toured Europe studying museums and zoological parks (1)
- 1908 - 1909: Resigned from museum to take 14-month trip to British East Africa
(1)
- 1912: Fieldwork in New Brunswick to hunt and study moose, deer, caribou
(1)
- 1913: Fieldwork in New Brunswick (1)
- 1914: Yellowstone National Park, under special permit, to collect elk to be
mounted for the San Francisco Fair, later installed in the National
Museum, Washington (1)
- 1917: Canada (Expedition Site) Clark was leader of the Clark Expedition to British Columbia (1925), plus
two additional fieldwork/hunting trips (1)
- 1917: Visited Alberta, hunting and studying grizzly bear (1)
- 1918: Married Sally Harfield in New York City (1)
- 1922 - 1923: Africa (Expedition Site) Participant in five expeditions to Africa, including three on behalf of
the American Museum of Natural History (1) (3)
- 1922 - 1923: Clark African Expedition – private expedition to Tanganyika Territory
to hunt rhinos with wife, Sally Clark (1) (3)
- May 07, 1923: Returned to American Museum of Natural History and appointed
assistant to the Director of Preparation (3)
- 1924 - 1930: Promoted to Assistant Director (In Full Charge of Preparation) at the
American Museum of Natural History, January 10 1924 (3)
- 1924 - 1942: approximately 1924-1942. Worked with Akeley on and then directed
creation of the Hall of African Mammals (3) (15, p. 13) (16, p. 12)
*dates based on earliest Annual Report to mention Clark working on the
hall, to the completed hall's opening
- 1924: Toured Western museums to study preparation methods (3)
- 1925: Canada (Expedition Site) Clark was leader of the Clark Expedition to British Columbia (1925), plus
two additional fieldwork/hunting trips (1)
- 1925 - 1930: approximately 1925-1930. Directed creation of the Hall of South
Asiatic Mammals (3) (13, p. 29) (14, p. 39) *dates based on earliest
Annual Report to mention Clark working on the hall, to the hall's
opening
- 1925: Clark Expedition to British Columbia – expedition to Cassiar
Mountains, British Columbia, to collect caribou later installed in the
Hall of North American Mammals (1)
- 1926 - 1927: Asia, Central (Expedition Site) Clark was co-leader of the Morden-Clark Asiatic Expedition to Central
Asia (1)
- February 1926 - January 1927: Morden-Clark Expedition – expedition to Himalayas and Central Asia to
collect Ovis poli sheep and other mammals (1)
- 1928 - 1929: Africa (Expedition Site) Participant in five expeditions to Africa, including three on behalf of
the American Museum of Natural History (1) (3)
- 1928 - 1929: Carlisle-Clark African Expedition – expedition to collect for the
African Lion Group in the Hall of African Mammals (1) (8)
- 1931: Africa (Expedition Site) Participant in five expeditions to Africa, including three on behalf of
the American Museum of Natural History (1) (3)
- 1931: Canada (Expedition Site) Clark was leader of the Clark Expedition to British Columbia (1925), plus
two additional fieldwork/hunting trips (1)
- 1931 - 1934: Vice-Director in Charge of Preparation and Exhibition at the American
Museum of Natural History (3)
- 1931: O’Donnell-Clark African Expedition – expedition to southern Sudan to
study and collect for Giant Eland Group in the Hall of African Mammals
(1) (9)
- 1931: Canadian Rockies to hunt, collect and photograph wildlife (1)
- 1931 - 1942: approximately 1931-1942. Planned and directed creation of the Hall of
North American Mammals (3) (10, p. 6) (16, p. 5) *dates based on
earliest Annual Report to mention Clark working on the hall, to the
completed hall's opening
- 1933: Wyoming (Expedition Site) Clark led the Clark Expedition to Wyoming (1937), plus two additional
fieldwork trips (1)
- 1933: Fieldwork in Wyoming to collect specimens for Hall of North American
Mammals (3)
- 1933: Awarded honorary degree of D.Sc. from West Virginia Wesleyan
(1)
- 1934: Visited Yellowstone National Park to study buffalo; toured coast,
national parks & museums (1)
- 1935: Visited Alaska to study big game (1)
- 1935 - 1949: Director of Arts, Preparation and Installation at the American Museum
of Natural History (3)
- 1936: Indochina (Expedition Site) Clark was co-leader of the Fleischmann-Clark Indo-China Expedition
(1)
- February 1936 - June 1936: Fleischmann-Clark Indo-China Expedition – expedition to Indochina to
collect a range of zoological specimens and investigate enforcement of
game protection laws (3)
- 1937: Wyoming (Expedition Site) Clark led the Clark Expedition to Wyoming (1937), plus two additional
fieldwork trips (1)
- 1937: Clark Nehasane Trip – field trip to Nehasane, New York, to collect
specimens and materials for the Conservation Group in the Roosevelt
Memorial (17, p. 56)
- 1937: Oyster Bay Field Trip – field trip to Long Island, New York, to make
studies for the Bird Sanctuary Group in the Roosevelt Memorial (17, p.
56-57)
- August 1937 - October 1937: Clark Expedition to Wyoming – expedition to North Dakota and Wyoming
to collect for the Roosevelt Ranch Group, Bison Group, and the Elk Group
in the Hall of North American Mammals (3)
- 1939: Utah (Expedition Site) Clark was a member of the Robinson Expedition to Grand Canyon in Utah
(3)
- April 05, 1939 - April 30, 1939: Robinson Expedition to Grand Canyon – expedition to northern rim of
the Grand Canyon, Utah, to collect specimens for Mountain Lion Group in
Hall of North American Mammals (3)
- 1947 - 1948: Africa (Expedition Site) Participant in five expeditions to Africa, including three on behalf of
the American Museum of Natural History (1) (3)
- November 1947 - August 1948: Central African Expedition – expedition to Central Africa, collecting
and researching insects, small mammals, birds and reptiles, and
capturing motion-picture footage of native peoples (3) (11)
- February 01, 1949: Retired from the American Museum of Natural History (3)
- March 16, 1969: Died, New York (6)
Terms
- localDescription
- enhanced
- localDescription
- affiliated person
- place
- Rhode Island
(Birthplace)
dates: 1883
Born in Providence November 18, 1883 (1)
- place
- New
York (N.Y.)
dates: 1902-1969
Worked at American Museum of Natural History 1902-1908 and 1923-1949,
died New York 1969 (1) (6)
- place
- Africa
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1931
Participant in five expeditions to Africa, including three on behalf of
the American Museum of Natural History (1) (3)
- place
- Asia, Central
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1926-1927
Clark was co-leader of the Morden-Clark Asiatic Expedition to Central
Asia (1)
- place
- Indochina
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1936
Clark was co-leader of the Fleischmann-Clark Indo-China Expedition
(1)
- place
- Wyoming
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1906, 1933, 1937
Clark led the Clark Expedition to Wyoming (1937), plus two additional
fieldwork trips (1)
- place
- Utah
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1939
Clark was a member of the Robinson Expedition to Grand Canyon in Utah
(3)
- place
- Canada
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1917, 1925, 1931
Clark was leader of the Clark Expedition to British Columbia (1925), plus
two additional fieldwork/hunting trips (1)
