Belle da Costa Greene

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Belle da Costa Greene
Woman in feather adorned hat and fur collared coat seen in profile
Belle da Costa Greene (1914)
Born
Belle Marion Greener

(1879-11-26)November 26, 1879 November 26, 1879
Washington, D.C.
DiedMay 10, 1950(1950-05-10) (aged 70)
New York City
NationalityAmerican
OccupationLibrarian
EmployerJ. P. Morgan, Princeton University
Parent(s)
  • Richard Theodore Greener (father)
Belle da Costa Greene, pastel portrait by Paul César Helleu, ca. 1913.

Belle da Costa Greene (November 26, 1879 – May 10, 1950) was an American librarian best known for managing and developing the personal library of J. P. Morgan. After Morgan's death in 1913, Greene continued as librarian for his son, Jack Morgan, and in 1924 was named the first director of the Pierpont Morgan Library. Despite being born to Black parents, Greene spent her professional career passing for white.

Early life[]

Belle da Costa Greene was born in Washington, D.C. as Belle Marion Greener. Although her birth date is sometimes noted as December 13, 1883, her biographer Heidi Ardizzone lists Greene's birth date as November 26, 1879.[1] Her mother was Genevieve Ida Fleet, a music teacher and member of a well-known African-American family in Washington, D.C.[2]:174​ Her father, Richard Theodore Greener, was the first black student and first black graduate of Harvard (class of 1870).[3] He went on to work as an attorney, professor and racial justice activist who served as dean of the Howard University School of Law.[4] Once Greene took the job with Morgan, she likely never spoke to her father again. She may have met him once in Chicago around 1913, but no written records of this meeting are known. Historians long believed that Richard Greener had lost most of his papers in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.[1]

After her parents' separation, the light-skinned Belle, her mother, and her siblings passed as white and changed their surname to Greene to distance themselves from their father.[5][6][7] Her mother changed her maiden name to Van Vliet in an effort to assume Dutch ancestry.[8] Belle also made a change to her name, swapping out Marion for 'da Costa,' and began claiming a Portuguese background to explain her darker complexion.[8] The changes to her and her family's stated ancestry resulted in further fabrications, including one that led people to believe Greene had been raised in Virginia.[6][nb 1]

Career[]

Greene began working at the Princeton University Library in 1902.[2][6] It was during this time that she was trained in cataloguing and reference work, and developed a growing knowledge of rare books.[9][6] She met Junius Spencer Morgan II while working at the Princeton library, who later introduced her to his financier uncle J.P. Morgan.[2]:174–175​[10] Greene began working as J.P. Morgan's personal librarian in 1905.[5][11]

Greene's first task as librarian was to organize, catalogue and shelve Morgan's collection.[9][6] Ada Thurston, an experienced bibliographer, contributed to the effort as Greene's personal assistant.[9] By 1908 Greene began representing Morgan abroad.[9][7] Trusted for her expertise (Greene was an expert in illuminated manuscripts) as well as her bargaining prowess with dealers, Greene spent millions of dollars buying and selling rare manuscripts, books and art for Morgan. She told Morgan – who was willing to pay any price for important works – that her goal was to make his library "pre-eminent, especially for incunabula, manuscripts, bindings, and the classics."[citation needed] In a 1912 profile about Greene, the New York Times referred to her "force of persuasion and intelligence," and recounted her pre-auction purchase of seventeen highly sought after William Caxton books on behalf of the Morgan library.[12] She was elected a Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America in 1939, only the second woman – and first known person of color – to be so honored.

Following Morgan's death in 1913, Greene continued on in her role working for his son J.P. Morgan Jr..[5][13] In 1924 she was named director of the Pierpont Morgan Library, following the transition of Morgan's formally personal collection to a public institution.[5][7] She retired from the position in 1948.[5][13]

Reputation[]

In a history of American art auctions, Green was described as having a "a wild, gay humour" notably distinguishing her from Morgan's more serious demeanor.[14]:274​ When she died in 1950 the New York Times referred to her as the "one of the best known librarians in the country."[11] Greene has been described as smart and outspoken as well as beautiful and sensual. While she enjoyed a Bohemian freedom, she was also able to move with ease in elite society, known for her exotic looks and designer wardrobe. "Just because I am a librarian," Greene reportedly announced, "doesn't mean I have to dress like one." Not only did her bearing, style, and seemingly unlimited means attract notice, but "her role at the Morgan Library placed her at the center of the art trade and her friendship was coveted by every dealer."

Personal life[]

Greene never married. Her mother, Genevieve, lived with her for decades and Greene played an active role in raising her nephew Robert Mackenzie Leveridge, who had been born in her home.[9] In 1913 J. P. Morgan left Greene $50,000 (equivalent to $1,300,000 in 2020) in his will. Asked if she was Morgan's mistress, Greene is said to have replied, "We tried!"[13] She had a lasting romantic relationship with the Renaissance Italian art expert Bernard Berenson, whom she met in 1909.[2]:172​

Greene died on May 10, 1950 at St. Luke's Hospital in New York City.[11][9] She was buried at Kensico Cemetery.[15] Greene destroyed her personal papers before her death but records held by others persist, including letters written to Berenson.[16] Her professional correspondence is also archived in the collections of The Morgan Library & Museum.[17]

Popular culture[]

The 2021 book The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and features a historical fiction account of Greene's personal and professional life as J.P. Morgan's librarian.[18]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Ardizzone, Heidi (2007). An illuminated life : Belle da Costa Greene's journey from prejudice to privilege (1st ed.). New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0393051048.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Cohen, Rachel (2013). Bernard Berenson : a life in the picture trade. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300149425. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  3. ^ Gibson, Katie (29 April 2016). "Painting unveiled of College's first African-American graduate". Harvard Gazette. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Richard Theodore Greener". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Belle da Costa Greene, the Morgan's First Librarian and Director". The Morgan Library & Museum. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Kuiper, Kathleen. "Belle da Costa Greene". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b c Del Vecchio, Olivia. "The Woman Behind the Morgan Library: Belle da Costa Greene". medievalartus.ace.fordham.edu. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Wellesley, Mary (30 June 2015). "Forged Lives". Lapham’s Quarterly. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Dorothy Miner; Anne Lyon Haight. "Greene, Belle da Costa". In James, Edward T.; James, Janet Wilson; Boyer, Paul Samuel (eds.). Notable American Women, 1607-1950, Volume II: G-O. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. pp. 86–87.
  10. ^ Samuels, Ernest (1987). Bernard Berenson: the making of a legend. Cambridge (Mass.); London: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-674-06779-0. OCLC 470190656.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b c "BELLE D. GREENE, MORGAN LIBRARIAN; Noted Figure in Field, Holder of Post 1905-48, Is Dead-- Paid Thousands for Rarities". New York Times. 12 May 1950. p. 27.
  12. ^ "Spending J.P. Morgan's Money for Rare Books". New York Times. 7 April 1912. p. 8.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c Scutts, Joanna (17 May 2016). "The Mysterious Woman Behind J.P. Morgan's Library". Time. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  14. ^ Towner, Wesley; Varble, Stephen (1970). The elegant auctioneers. New York, Hill & Wang. ISBN 978-0-8090-4171-8. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Belle da Costa Greene (1883-1950)". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  16. ^ "The Belle Greene–Bernard Berenson Letters Project". The Morgan Library & Museum. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  17. ^ Greene, Belle da Costa; Morgan, J. P. (1887–1948). "Morgan collections correspondence". Retrieved 8 August 2021.CS1 maint: date format (link)
  18. ^ "Fiction Book Review: The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray". PublishersWeekly.com. June 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.

Bibliography[]

  • Ardizzone, Heidi. An Illuminated Life: Belle da Costa Greene's Journey from Prejudice to Privilege (W.W. Norton, 2007).

Notes[]

  1. ^ See Notable American Women, 1607-1950 for an example of erroneous biographical details in print. The entry about Greene states that she was born in December 13, 1883 and raised in Alexandria Virginia by parents "Richard and Genevieve (Van Vliet) Greene".[9]

Further reading[]

  • Towner, Wesley; Varble, Stephen (1970). "Bibliomania". The Elegant Auctioneers. New York: Hill & Wang. ISBN 978-0-8090-4171-8.

External links[]

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