Irene Emery

Irene Emery
Irene Emery (c. 1937) carving wall of sun bath at Carrie Tingley Hospital for Crippled Children at Hot Springs, New Mexico[1]
Born(1900-02-01)February 1, 1900
Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
DiedMay 21, 1981(1981-05-21) (aged 81)[2]
EducationCentral School of Hygiene and Physical Education,
University of Arizona
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison,
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Occupations
  • Art historian
  • scholar
  • curator
  • textile anthropologist
  • sculptor
  • modern dancer

Irene Emery (1900–1981)[3] was an American art historian, scholar, curator, textile anthropologist, sculptor, and modern dancer.[2][4] She was known for her pioneering research in systematically describing global textiles, and was a leading authority on ancient fabrics and textiles, and for her published book The Primary Structures of Fabrics: An Illustrated Classification (1966).[2][5]

Emery had worked at the Textile Museum from 1954 until 1970.[2] Additionally she had worked as a sculptor for the Federal Art Project, and was a modern dancer in Martha Graham Dance Company.[6]

  1. ^ "Irene Emery, ca. 1937, from the Federal Art Project, Photographic Division collection, circa 1920-1965, bulk 1935-1942". Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  2. ^ a b c d "Irene Emery, 81, Retired Official Of Textile Museum". The Washington Post. May 27, 1981.
  3. ^ King, Mary Elizabeth (January 1983). "Irene Emery, 1900–1981". American Antiquity. 48 (1): 80–82. doi:10.1017/S0002731600064118. ISSN 0002-7316. S2CID 164627695.
  4. ^ Anthropology Newsletter. Vol. 22. American Anthropological Association. 1981. p. 3.
  5. ^ Scott, Dolores, ed. (December 8, 1944). "Irene Emery's Broken Ankle Transformed Her into a Weaver". Santa Fe New Mexican. p. 2.
  6. ^ Textile Museum Journal. Vol. 19–26. Textile Museum. 1982. p. 11.