Esther McCoy
Encyclopedia
Esther McCoy was an author and architectural historian who was instrumental in bringing to the attention of the world the modern architecture of California.
, Esther McCoy was raised in Kansas
. She attended the Central College for Women, a preparatory school in Lexington, Missouri
, prior to a college career which took her from Baker University
, to the University of Arkansas
, then to Washington University, and finally the University of Michigan
. She left the University of Michigan in 1925, and by 1926 was living in New York City
and embarking on a writing career.
, and for more than a decade she conducted research for him. She wrote novels, short stories and screenplays during her years in New York and after moving to Los Angeles
in 1932. She continued to write fiction into the 1960s, though her first significant article on architecture had been published in 1945.
, to Architectural Forum, Architectural Record
, and Progressive Architecture, as well as to European magazines such as L'Architectura and Lotus. She also wrote pieces on architecture for The Los Angeles Times and The Los Angeles Herald-Examiner.
Her first major book, published in 1960, was Five California Architects, was the first work to bring to the attention of a wide audience the works of pioneer California modernists Charles and Henry Greene
, Irving Gill
, Bernard Maybeck
, and the Los Angeles-based Austrian emigre Rudolf Schindler
. This book was followed by others devoted to the Case Study Houses
sponsored by Arts & Architecture, Schindler's fellow emigre Richard Neutra
, and architect Craig Ellwood
, among others.
During this era she also wrote catalogues for a number of gallery and museum exhibitions devoted to modern California architecture, and contributed essays to numerous other exhibition catalogues. She lectured at the University of Southern California
and at UCLA, and transcribed and catalogues Richard Neutra's papers in the UCLA archives.
In addition to her work in California, McCoy wrote extensively on Italian architecture, making several extended trips there during the 1950s and 1960s, and she was curator of an exhibition entitled Ten Italian Architects which was mounted by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
. In recognition of her research and writing on Italian architecture, the Italian government in 1960 awarded her the Star of the Order of Solidarity.
McCoy's last work was an essay for the catalog of an exhibition on the Case Study Houses which was mounted by the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. She died in Santa Monica
in December, 1989, one month before the exhibition opened.
Her extensive collection of papers, and her numerous slides and photographs, are held by the Archives of American Art of the Smithsonian Institution
.
Early life and education
Born in Horatio, ArkansasHoratio, Arkansas
Horatio is a city in Sevier County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 997 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Horatio is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, Esther McCoy was raised in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. She attended the Central College for Women, a preparatory school in Lexington, Missouri
Lexington, Missouri
Lexington is a city in Lafayette County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,453 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lafayette County. Located in western Missouri, Lexington lies about 40 miles east of Kansas City and is part of the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
, prior to a college career which took her from Baker University
Baker University
Baker University is a private, residential university located in Baldwin City, Kansas, United States. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest university in Kansas and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker University is made up of four schools...
, to the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, then to Washington University, and finally the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. She left the University of Michigan in 1925, and by 1926 was living in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and embarking on a writing career.
Fiction
In 1929, McCoy began to publish fiction, her work appearing in noted magazines such as The New Yorker and Harper's Bazaar, as well as in University quarterlies. In 1924, McCoy had met author Theodore DreiserTheodore Dreiser
Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser was an American novelist and journalist of the naturalist school. His novels often featured main characters who succeeded at their objectives despite a lack of a firm moral code, and literary situations that more closely resemble studies of nature than tales of...
, and for more than a decade she conducted research for him. She wrote novels, short stories and screenplays during her years in New York and after moving to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 1932. She continued to write fiction into the 1960s, though her first significant article on architecture had been published in 1945.
Architectural writing
From 1950 until her death in 1989, McCoy was a frequent contributor to John Entenza's Los Angeles-based magazine Arts & ArchitectureArts & Architecture
Arts & Architecture was an American design, architecture, landscape, and arts magazine. It was published and edited by John Entenza from 1940–1962 and David Travers 1962–1967. Arts & Architecture played a significant role both in Los Angeles's cultural history and in the development of American...
, to Architectural Forum, Architectural Record
Architectural Record
Architectural Record is an American monthly magazine dedicated to architecture and interior design, published by McGraw-Hill Construction in New York City. It is over 110 years old...
, and Progressive Architecture, as well as to European magazines such as L'Architectura and Lotus. She also wrote pieces on architecture for The Los Angeles Times and The Los Angeles Herald-Examiner.
Her first major book, published in 1960, was Five California Architects, was the first work to bring to the attention of a wide audience the works of pioneer California modernists Charles and Henry Greene
Greene and Greene
Greene and Greene was an architectural firm established by brothers Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene , influential early 20th Century American architects...
, Irving Gill
Irving Gill
Irving John Gill , American architect, is considered a pioneer of the modern movement in architecture. He designed several buildings considered examples of San Diego's best architecture.-Biography:...
, Bernard Maybeck
Bernard Maybeck
Bernard Ralph Maybeck was a architect in the Arts and Crafts Movement of the early 20th century. He was a professor at University of California, Berkeley...
, and the Los Angeles-based Austrian emigre Rudolf Schindler
Rudolf Schindler
Rudolph Michael Schindler Rudolph Michael Schindler Rudolph Michael Schindler (born Rudolf Michael Schindler (1887 Vienna - 1953 Los Angeles) was an American, born in Austria, architect whose most important works were built in or near Los Angeles during the early to mid-twentieth century....
. This book was followed by others devoted to the Case Study Houses
Case Study Houses
The Case Study Houses were experiments in American residential architecture sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine, which commissioned major architects of the day, including Richard Neutra, Raphael Soriano, Craig Ellwood, Charles and Ray Eames, Pierre Koenig and Eero Saarinen, to design and...
sponsored by Arts & Architecture, Schindler's fellow emigre Richard Neutra
Richard Neutra
Richard Joseph Neutra is considered one of modernism's most important architects.- Biography :Neutra was born in Leopoldstadt, the 2nd district of Vienna, Austria Hungary, on April 8, 1892. He was born into both-Jewish wealthy family...
, and architect Craig Ellwood
Craig Ellwood
Craig Ellwood was an influential Los Angeles-based modernist architect whose career spanned the early 1950s through the mid-1970s. Although untrained as an architect, Ellwood fashioned a persona and career through equal parts of a talent for good design, self-promotion and ambition...
, among others.
During this era she also wrote catalogues for a number of gallery and museum exhibitions devoted to modern California architecture, and contributed essays to numerous other exhibition catalogues. She lectured at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and at UCLA, and transcribed and catalogues Richard Neutra's papers in the UCLA archives.
In addition to her work in California, McCoy wrote extensively on Italian architecture, making several extended trips there during the 1950s and 1960s, and she was curator of an exhibition entitled Ten Italian Architects which was mounted by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is an art museum in Los Angeles, California. It is located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles, adjacent to the George C. Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits....
. In recognition of her research and writing on Italian architecture, the Italian government in 1960 awarded her the Star of the Order of Solidarity.
McCoy's last work was an essay for the catalog of an exhibition on the Case Study Houses which was mounted by the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. She died in Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
in December, 1989, one month before the exhibition opened.
Her extensive collection of papers, and her numerous slides and photographs, are held by the Archives of American Art of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
.
Architecture books by Esther McCoy
- 1960: Five California Architects, (New York: Reinhold).
- 1960: Richard Neutra, (New York: G. Braziller).
- 1962: Modern California Houses: Case Study Houses (New York: Reinhold)
- reprinted as Case Study Houses, (Los Angeles: Hennessey and Ingalls), 1978.
- 1968: Craig Ellwood (New York: Walker & Company).
- reprinted (Los Angeles: Hennessey and Ingalls), 1998.
- 1979: Vienna to Los Angeles: Two Journeys (Santa Monica, Calif.: Arts & Architecture Press).
- 1984: The Second Generation (Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith Books).