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Wilson, James Perry, 1889-1976

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: August 13, 1889 - 1976

Summary

After graduating from Columbia University in 1914 with a degree in architecture, James Perry Wilson worked as a draftsman for nearly twenty years until he lost his job during the Depression. He had no formal training and was largely a self-taught landscape painter with some early help from his family, who were artistically inclined. Wilson began his career at the American Museum of Natural History in 1934 as an apprentice under William R. Leigh, who was working on the background paintings for the Akeley Hall of African Mammals. Wilson developed many innovative methods and techniques in background painting, including a grid system for the transfer of an undistorted landscape onto the curved diorama background. By the time of his retirement in 1957, Wilson had painted thirty-eight diorama backgrounds at the American Museum of Natural History. His background paintings can also be found at the Peabody Museum of Natural History in New Haven, Connecticut, and the Boston Museum of Science. (source: Steve Quinn, Windows on Nature, 2006)

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

American Museum of Natural History, Department of Preparation and Installation: Diorama and Hall construction

 Collection
Identifier: DR 104
Scope and Content Note This collection spans the planning and development of the Department of Preparations for the dioramas of the various halls. These folders detail the requests and expenditures for the efforts made in travel, models, and sketches. The majority of the correspondence is directed from or to James L. Clark, the Director of the Department of Preparations between the 1930’s-1940’s. Much of the correspondence from James Lippit Clark, is directed to trackers, guides, taxidermists, donors, and...
Dates: 1919-1962

Filtered By

  • Subject: Construction X