Davidson Family Fellowship

Established in 1996 by a generous gift from the Davidson Family Charitable Foundation, the Amon Carter’s Davidson Family Fellowship provides support for scholars pursuing the PhD or at the postdoctoral level to either begin or continue work on research projects in the history of American art that directly relate to objects in the museum’s permanent collection of paintings, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, and rare books. The painting and sculpture collection offers examples relating to significant movements in American art ranging from early nineteenth-century landscape painting through mid-twentieth-century modernism. The works on paper collection encompasses over eight-hundred drawings and watercolors along with over 6,500 prints from the nineteenth century through the mid-to-late twentieth century. The photography collection—one of the country’s most significant—includes over 40,000 historical and fine art prints spanning the inception of the medium through the latest digital techniques. The rare book collection features many of the finest accomplishments in illustration ranging from early colorplate landscape and natural history books through contemporary photobooks.

In addition to facilitated access to the art collection, fellows also make use of the museum’s significant research collections, including its 150,000 item library, the unrestricted film of the Archives of American Art, several artists’ archives and other special archival collections, along with copious object files. Fellows work in a private office near the research library. An important benefit of the fellowship is the opportunity for sustained interaction with the museum’s staff. During their stay, fellows act as museum colleagues and are expected to actively participate in the life of the museum. Depending on the nature of the project, the fellow will be asked to present research progress in the form of a public lecture, roundtable discussion, or other similar forum.

Successful candidates should have an in-depth knowledge of the history of American art and culture in areas represented by the museum’s collections demonstrated in coursework and/or publications. Proposals from qualified individuals in disciplines other than art history are also encouraged. Preference will be given to projects that most fully leverage the complement of collections and research resources available at the museum. Awards are based on merit and are open to all qualified individuals.

The stipend is $12,500 for a four-month period of full-time research at the museum. The application deadline is April 15, 2012, for a fellowship period to start in the fall and end by December 31, 2012. Housing and travel expenses are to be managed by the fellow, although the museum is available for assistance. The <a href="http://www.cartermuseum.org/sites/all/files/attachments/davidsonform-2012.pdf>application must be completed in English and include a cover letter, a description of the project with a work plan that should not exceed four pages, a resume, synopsis of master’s and/or doctoral thesis, an official transcript if the candidate is currently enrolled in a graduate program, and three letters of recommendation. All application documents may be submitted electronically. Hard copy application materials will not be returned.

For additional information, please email samuel.duncan@cartermuseum.org or write to:

Davidson Family Fellowship
Attn: Samuel Duncan, Library Director
Amon Carter Museum of American Art
3501 Camp Bowie Boulevard
Fort Worth, Texas 76107-2695

Previous Fellowship Recipients

2011

Maggie Cao, Ph.D. Candidate, Harvard University
Martin Johnson Heade and the Un-grounding of Landscape

2010

Timothy G. Andrus, Ph.D. Candidate, Virginia Commonwealth University
Stuart Davis’ New Mexican Landscape and the American Scene

2009

Aaron Carico, Ph.D. Candidate, American Studies, Yale University
Portrait as Still Life: Slavery, the Politics of Realism, and William Harnett’s Attention, Company!

2008

Nancy Palm, Ph.D. Candidate, Indiana University
Thomas Cole’s National Landscapes and the Context of Indian Identity Construction in Nineteenth-Century America: Preliminary Findings at the Amon Carter Museum

2007