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Harvey & Ruth Hoshour + Walter & Louise Arensberg

A Memorable Friendship 1945–1954

In his 2017 narrative text, author William Peterson writes:

 

“Ruth Hoshour kept a box that she referred to as her Arensberg archives. In it she had placed all of the letters and documents and other memorabilia associated with the friendship she and her husband Harvey S. Hoshour , Sr. developed with the noted art collectors , Walter and Louise Arensberg. The two couples had met in Los Angeles sometime in 1945. At that time, the Arensbergs would have been fairly confident about the future of their art collection. During the war years, they had entered into lengthy negotiations with the University of California at Los Angeles , and had agreed to donate their collection to the University - provided that a museum to house it would be built on campus within a reasonable period after wartime hostilities had ceased. It was soon to become one of the most sought-after collections in the United States, however, after UCLA failed to fulfill the terms of the contract. The Hoshours recognized that the situation presented a unique opportunity, not only to help their new friends with the dilemma of where to place their collection, but a chance to improve the cultural prospects of the entire region surrounding the Twin Cities where they made their home. Ruth’s archives chronicle the Hoshours’ efforts to place the Arensbergs’ collection at the University of Minnesota.”

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