Yale Bulletin and Calendar

December 6, 2002|Volume 31, Number 13

Helen Cooper

Curator helping to shape future
of nation's most famous museum

As the Holcombe T. Green Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture at the Yale University Art Gallery, Helen Cooper knows that a public museum cannot be static: While conserving and exhibiting the art and culture of the past, a museum must also reflect life in the present and take heed of the future, making it a timeless work-in-progress.

This is no less true, she says, for America's most famous and culturally symbolic museum -- the White House.

Last summer, Cooper was selected by President George W. Bush to serve as one of 11 members of the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, an appointment which gives the Yale curator a voice in the protection of the American landmark's historical legacy as well as the shaping of its future.

Created by Executive Order in 1964, the committee establishes policies relating to the museum function of the White House, including its state rooms and collections, and offers recommendations on acquisitions for its permanent collections. The group also provides advice on changes to rooms on the state and ground floors of the Executive Residence. The director of the National Park Service (currently Fran P. Mainella) chairs the committee, and the First Lady is the honorary chair.

Built between 1792 and 1800, the White House underwent a major restoration in 1902 when Theodore Roosevelt was president. The 100thanniversary of that restoration is being celebrated at the White House this year. It has since undergone numerous smaller renovations and restoration projects. More than a million guests visit the White House every year, making it the most toured home in the country. During official tours, visitors can observe historic portraits of presidents and First Ladies, other works by noted American artists, antique furniture in period settings, and decorative arts, memorabilia and other treasures from the nation's past.

Cooper was welcomed into her new role on the commitee during a luncheon and tour of the White House in September led by Laura Bush, who pointed out the changes made to the presidential home during previous administrations. Also on hand for the event were former First Lady Barbara Bush and the other committee members, who include museum directors, curators, a historic home restoration specialist, a historical society director, an art historian and an artist, among others. Yale alumnus S. Roger Horchow '50, a former home furnishings retail executive who is now a theater producer, also serves on the committee.

Working closely with White House curator William Allman, the committee is presently focusing on the renovation or refurbishment of three public rooms -- the library, the East Room and the Green Room -- as well as the Lincoln Bedroom, one of the private rooms in the Executive Residence.

"For the most part, any changes that are made in the White House are decided on by the committee," says Cooper. "For example, for the renovation of the Green Room, we discussed whether to keep the beautiful green watered-silk fabric walls introduced by Mrs. Kennedy or whether to return to a pre-Kennedy time. After some discussion, we decided to keep the silk walls." The last time the room was completely refurbished was in 1971.

Likewise, in the East Room -- the largest and most formal of the state reception rooms -- Cooper and other committee members discussed the replacement of draperies that, with repeated cleanings, have shrunk and faded somewhat over the years. Attention is paid to both the historical elements of the choice -- choosing a drapery style that is in keeping with the rest of the room's classical-style décor -- and with the practical -- selecting a style that will allow for easy opening and closing of the drapes, an important consideration in a room that often serves as the venue for important press conferences and numerous historic White House events.

"Public rooms need to have coherence in terms of fabrics, colors, paintings, furniture, silver and so on -- and all of these things create a special environment," explains Cooper. "The committee's job is to be concerned with how any changes fit in with the whole feel of the room." She and the other committee members are given an illustrated history of each room they are working on so they can be knowledgeable about the historical importance of the room's art and decoration.

According to Cooper, the goal of the committee in deciding on any restorations or additions is "to honor the past in every way possible but still reflect the taste of the current first family" for whom the White House is a home.

"On the one hand, it is the nation's house, but on the other hand, the White House is the home of a particular family at a particular point in history," she continues. "We don't want it to be caught in a glass bubble."

The Yale curator says that Laura Bush has demonstrated a great interest in and knowledge about the White House's art and furnishings, and notes that the Bush family is instrumental in any decision-making about renovations.

"Every First Family leaves its mark on the White House in some way or another," comments Cooper.

Cooper was selected to serve on the committee for her expertise in American painting and sculpture from the nation's beginnings to the post-World War II period. A curator at the Yale Art Gallery for more than 20 years, she earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in art history from Yale in 1975 and 1986, respectively, and has written and organized exhibitions on 19th- and 20th-century art.

Cooper will meet again with the full Committee for the Preservation of the White House in March. In the meantime, as a member of its Subcommittee on Fine Arts, she has already been involved in discussions about several paintings that are being considered for the White House collection. Artworks for the landmark building are acquired through purchase or gift, Cooper notes.

The Yale curator says she is enjoying the opportunity to be involved in the decisions about the American cultural icon and presidential home -- whether helping to select very valuable works of art or considering less-artistic concerns.

"When we think about the White House, we tend not to realize that it is a home, and it has all the domestic problems that any home does," says Cooper. "The draperies fade, and you decide it's time to replace them, and once you've done that, you decide that suddenly the wall color is not quite right, or a portrait should be moved to a different room or a landscape would be more effective on a different wall. The difference is, each of these decisions is treated with enormous respect for the place and its historical significance.

"It's a nice responsibility and I'm very honored to serve on the committee," she adds. "It's fun and interesting to be a part of this 'living history.'"

-- By Susan Gonzalez

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