The Detroit Institute of Arts has expanded its archives with a significant acquisition: 62 containers of personal research papers, manuscripts, and journals from William Valentiner, the first professionally trained art historian to lead the museum from 1924 to 1945. Received from the North Carolina State Archives in March, the files span his entire lifetime and nearly double the DIA’s existing Valentiner records. Valentiner was one of the most talented museum professionals working in the US in the 20th century. 

For local scholars, these expanded documentary materials offer a treasure trove of information. Imagine you’re an art lover or a student or professor from the College for Creative Studies or Wayne State, immersed in a research project on the German Expressionism art movement, for instance. You need access to historical materials over 100 years old! The DIA’s Research Library and Archives offers you that amazing material, and it is in itself a haven for art scholars with 190,000 volumes and over 4,000 cubic feet of archive space.

Our collection includes many documentary gems such as a 1938 letter from German artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner to Director Valentiner. In it, Kirchner writes:

“Many thanks for your kind letter. If you would like to have The Hockey Player, please take it for the price you are able to pay and tell me how much it is. Every sale is of greatest value to me, and you are such a good friend...

“The defamation comes across the frontier most threateningly. The Swiss painters generally do not follow the modern conceptions, and they have a great influence here. I find little support here. From Germany, of course, none whatsoever; although my paintings are still appreciated by my old friends. We will get through all right, but every sale helps toward my existence...”

This correspondence offers a glimpse into Kirchner’s life in Switzerland and his professional relation with Valentiner. The latter formed friendships with many artists and served as a lifeline for creatives like Kirchner, who struggled under Germany’s Third Reich. During this time, Hitler’s regime labeled German Expressionist paintings —characterized by bright colors and distorted forms — as “degenerate” and unpatriotic. Yet, Valentiner recognized their value. He purchased German art for the DIA collection, making our museum the first one in America to seriously collect in this area. Valentiner also championed artists in need of support and, for example, organized Kirchner's first American exhibition at the DIA in 1937.

In a 1937 letter kept in the DIA’s archives, Kirchner declares:

“America has a direct relation to art and therefore a clearer vision of the modern development. It is our land of hope.”

Valentiner’s influence on American museums was significant. After leading the DIA, he served in different directorship roles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Getty Museum in California, and the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh.

Valentiner’s influence was pivotal in shaping the DIA into a world-class museum. Thanks to him, the DIA’s art collections grew to be extraordinary, and its cutting-edge installation in the galleries was transformative for the museum field. Furthermore, he built relationships with benefactors, such as the Ford Family and Robert Tannahill, which continue to bear fruit. Under his leadership, the DIA made major acquisitions, including van Gogh’s Self-Portrait. He also secured funding from Edsel Ford for Rivera’s Detroit Industry Murals.

The DIA continues to build upon Valentiner’s legacy — not just through its art collection but also through the invaluable resources housed in the Research Library and Archives. Schedule an appointment and explore it yourself. You will discover a rich collection that drives the DIA’s ultimate mission: an enduring connection with art across history and time.