Richard C. Bull collection

The Richard C. Bull collection is a largely a gathering of documents relating to the civil action lawsuit brought by Bertrand Russell against Albert C. Barnes (of the Barnes Foundation), 1941-43. The collection, which ranges from 1901-1943, also contains a letter from Albert C. Barnes to Edward Stauffer King, a lecturer at Bryn Mawr; and miscellaneous letters written to Richard C. Bull.

The letters are divided into three parts: part A concerns the civil action lawsuit between Russell and Barnes; part B is composed of the letter from Albert C. Barnes; part C is comprised of miscellaneous other material.

Part A deals with the civil action lawsuit in which Richard Bull represented the plaintiff, Mr. Russell, who accused Mr. Barnes of breach of contract. Barnes, who had given Russell a five-year contract for a series of lectures at the Foundation, dismissed Russell at the end of 1942 for allegedly ignoring the provisions of the contract. The collection is primarily composed of letters and copies of letters exchanged between the principals, and concern the specific points at issue. Additionally, there are letters to and from N.E. Mullen, the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Barnes Foundation, and Mrs. Russell. Part B consists of one 1930 TLS (typed letter, signed) from Albert C. Barnes to Edward Stauffer King, a lecturer in the History of Art department at Bryn Mawr. Barnes enlightens his correspondent on the meaning of the intellectual and psychological attributes he deems necessary for anyone to enter his gallery. Additionally, he encloses a carbon copy of his letter to Hornell Hart, Acting Director of the Dept. of Social Economy at Bryn Mawr, dated November 20th, 1929, in which his animus against the College and its President is similarly revealed. Part C consists of miscellaneous other material, including a signed photograph of Russian opera singer Feodor Chaliapin, dated 1928; and letters to Robert C. Bull (typo? supposed to be Richard?) from Leon Knoll and Robert Latham, dated April 25th 1926 and June 10th 1929, respectively. Additionally, there is one June 13 1901 letter from John B. Tabb to “Dear Mr. Scott.”

This collection is primarily useful for the view it provides into the conflict between Bertrand Russell, one of the most well-known and brilliant mathematicians and philosophers of his day, and Albert Barnes, art collector and founder of the Barnes Foundation in Pennsylvania.