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Thomas E. Thorne was a member of the faculty in Fine Arts at William & Mary from 1940 through 1975. During his time at the College, he also served as Chair of the Fine Arts Department. His appointments: Instructor in Fine Arts, 1940-1943; Assistant Professor of Fine Arts, 1943-1945; Associate Professor of Fine Arts, 1945-1965; Professor of Fine Arts, 1965-1975; Professor of Fine Arts, Emeritus, 1975. Thorne was awarded the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award in 1976.

Thorne was married to Leila Bancroft Thorne. She was born September 6, 1907 in Maine, married Thomas E. Thorne on February 12, 1934 and died on March 12, 1972 in Williamsburg where she is buried.

Material in the Special Collections Research Center

  • Guide for conducting research related to the College of William & Mary
  • Mentions in the Flat Hat, William & Mary News, and Alumni Gazette:
    • World War I Memorial Plaque designer, Alumni Gazette, May 1949, 3.
    • Chairman of the College Dance Committee, Alumni Gazette, Oct. 1950, 3.
    • Virginia director of American Art Week, Alumni Gazette, May 1953, 4.
    • Cleans Lord Botetourt Statue, Alumni Gazette, March 1954, cov., 3 (picture.
    • Mural at Blair High School, Alumni Gazette, March 1956, cov., 6.
    • Fine Arts professor, Alumni Gazette, March 1958, 9 (picture).
    • Colleague, William & Mary News, 2/22/1968, 4.
    • Profile, Alumni Gazette, Feb. 1974, 4, 7 (pictures).
    • Appointed art instructor, Flat Hat, 9/24/1940, 6.
    • Fine Arts Instructor, Alumni Gazette, March 1943, 26 (picture).
    • Faculty to enact gay melodrama, Flat Hat, 3/8/1944, 1.
    • Speaks to psychology Club on Art Communication, Flat Hat, 11/15/1944, 7.
    • Art teacher persuades Thorne to paint, Flat Hat, 2/7/1945, 3.
    • Sketch book goes on sale, Flat Hat, 4/25/1945, 6.
    • Sketchbook on sale in Wigwam, Flat Hat, 5/16/1945, 1.
    • Paintings at Va. Museum, Alumni Gazette, December 1945, 26.
    • Shows works in Richmond museum, Flat Hat, 11/21/1945, 2.
    • Presents 12 sketches to College, Flat Hat, 1/9/1946, 7.
    • Art Alliance elects Thorne, Flat Hat, 5/8/1946, 8.
    • Baltimore exhibit accepts two Thorne Water colors, Flat Hat, 12/14/1948, 4 (picture).
    • Will head art alliance, Flat Hat, 5/3/1949, 9.
    • National Exhibition includes Thorne painting, Flat Hat, 10/17/1950, 4.
    • Named Art Week chairman, Flat Hat, 9/16/1952, 7.
    • Elected member of Society of Arts and Letters, Flat Hat, 5/19/1953, 4 (picture).
    • Moderates Pre-Columbian meeting, Flat Hat, 12/7/1954, 2.
    • Composes, stars in play about Albert Ryder, Flat Hat, 2/28/1956, 3.
    • Appears on Television Show, Flat Hat, 1/8/1957, 12.
    • Work on exhibit in Georgia, Flat Hat, 3/1131958, 6.
    • Works exhibited in Richmond, Flat Hat, 12/16/1960, 2.
    • Retires as Professor of Law, Emeritus, William & Mary News, 5/6/1975, 3.
    • Permanent loan of art works made, William & Mary News, 10/14/1975, 2.
    • Paintings given to College, Alumni Gazette, Feb. 1976, 2 (picture).
    • Wrote section of catalog on 18th Century Virginia paintings for the Thomas Jefferson exhibit at the National Gallery of Art, William & Mary News, 6/14/1976, 2.
    • Receives Sullivan Award, Alumni Gazette, July 1976, 7.
    • Death, William & Mary News, 11/9/1976, 3.
    • Obituary, Alumni Gazette, Dec. 1976, 2.
    • Former students comment on Thorne's death, Alumni Gazette, April 1977, 19.
    • Art studio dedicated to Thorne, William & Mary News, 10/30/1996, 3.
    • Art studio dedicated to Thorne, Alumni Gazette, Dec. 1996, 19.

References

  • SCRC File.

 

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A note about the contents of this site

This website contains the best available information from known sources at the time it was written. Unfortunately, many of the early original records of William & Mary were destroyed by fires, military occupation, and the normal effects of time. The information in this website is not complete, and it changes as we continue to research and uncover new sources.