In Memoriam: Lynn Matteson, 75
Lynn Matteson, professor emeritus of art history at USC Dornsife, has died. He was 75.
Matteson died peacefully on April 21 in Santa Barbara, California, 17 years after receiving a successful liver transplant.
An expert in the history of British and French Romantic painting, Matteson spent most of his career teaching 18th- and 19th-century European art. He was especially interested in the works of J.M.W. Turner, Théodore Géricault and John Martin.
Matteson taught at USC from 1980 to 2003. From 1988-93 he also served as dean of the USC School of Fine Arts — now the USC Roski School of Art and Design — which at that time encompassed both art history and studio art.
“When Lynn was dean, we always felt very comfortable working with him,” said Jay Willis, professor emeritus of fine arts. “There was always mutual respect between the historians and studio artists because Lynn set the tone that way; he made sure all of our voices were heard.”
Described as having an almost-photographic memory for images, Matteson once discovered a piece by Paul Gauguin hanging in the Haggin Museum in Stockton, California. Until then, the still life had been listed as “lost — whereabouts unknown.”
“Lynn contributed several important and still-cited articles on Romantic and early 19th-century painting, making us see the importance of apocalyptic visions to artists at the time,” said Kate Flint, Provost Professor of English and Art History and chair of the department of art history.
Matteson earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. His master’s thesis focused on the stained glass windows in the west façade of France’s Chartres Cathedral, and later he completed a doctoral dissertation titled “Apocalyptic Themes in British Landscape Painting, 1770-1850.” He was named a Chester Dale fellow by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1969.
In addition to recounting his brilliant scholarship and graceful leadership, Matteson’s colleagues lauded his congeniality and charisma.
“Lynn was one of my first teachers in the art history graduate program at USC, but I learned just as much from him outside the classroom,” said Nick Cipolla, who earned a master’s in art history in 2012. “We discussed such varied topics as Renaissance polyphonic music, Spanish colonial architecture, art history and even who designed the seats in my Volkswagen Jetta.”
John Pollini, professor of art history and history, noted, “Lynn was a wonderful colleague and Renaissance man — always cheerful and caring of our students, a great lecturer and humorous raconteur with an enormous zest for life.”
After retiring from USC, Matteson continued to review new art books for Choice, a professional publication for university librarians for which he published more than 100 reviews during the course of his career. He also recorded extensive interviews of significant figures in the art world for the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Art, the world’s largest resource of the visual arts in America. He was a lover of music and literature, as well as a foodie — with a particular predilection for cooking Chinese cuisine.
Matteson is survived by his wife of 31 years, Lynn P. Kirst, known to many as “Lynnski” because she and her husband, “Mr. Lynn,” shared the same first name.
“Many might be surprised to know that in spite of his esoteric nature, Lynn was fun-loving and enjoyed sports, especially Trojan football,” Kirst said. “As dean, he always entertained donors and alumni at the luncheons before every home game. He found it ironic to bring art aficionados to football games, but he secretly relished having 40-yard-line seats in the Coliseum.”
Cipolla added, “What I will miss the most was his kindness and generosity of time and spirit. They don’t make many men like you anymore, Lynn, and you will be missed.”
A funeral is planned for 11 a.m. on Friday, May 8, in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Montecito, California. Graveside services will be held at Noon on May 9 at Santa Barbara Cemetery in Montecito.