Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in America

Dietrich, H. Richard (Henry Richard), 1938-2007 print view role Collector dates 1938-2007 city Chester Springs state PA other cities Philadelphia, PA; Villanova, PA; New York, NY; Middletown, CT; sex M historical notes Henry Richard Dietrich was a collector of early American Colonial Decorative and Fine Arts, a businessman (President of Dietrich Corporation), and a philanthropist. With an emphasis in works of art from southeastern Pennsylvania, Dietrich's collection included furniture, silver, ceramics, porcelain, historical documents, manuscripts, prints and paintings. Dietrich collected both privately and for the Dietrcih American Foundation, an entity he established in 1963 to collect and research early American Decorative and fine arts. Another mission of the Dietrich Foundation was to lend works from its collection to museums and at the time of Dietrich’s death had lent to more than 50 institutions including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the White House and the Cincinnati Art Museum. Dietrich was active with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A founding member of the museum’s American art advisory committee in 1969, he was elected to the board of trustees the following year. In 1972, he became the board chairman where he served for 35 years before becoming chairman and trustee emeritus in 2006. The museum’s curatorship of American decorative arts is named in his honor. Dietrich is known for his 1987 purchase of the 18th-century Cadwalader Easy Chair which had once been owned by the Revolutionary War hero John Cadwalader. In celebration of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s 125th anniversary (2002) he gifted the easy chair to the museum. Dietrich married Cordelia Frances Biddle in 1965, and the marriage ended in divorce. Dietrich had 3 children: two sons, Richard and Christian B. Dietrich; and a daughter, Cordelia Dietrich Zanger. decades of activity 1960-1970 1970-1980 1980-1990 1990-2000 2000-2010 website https://dietrichamericanfoundation.org/ updated 03/22/2024 12:09:31 bibliographic search Search Frick Art Reference Library Catalog Search Photoarchive Search Worldcat Search Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF) Search Virtual International Authority File (VIAF) Search Wikidata Entry Archives/Repository Collection Title Collection Details No known archives at the time of publication n/a see details... «  back