The collection has been arranged into eight series primarily according to type of material. Materials within each series have been arranged chronologically, except for the Receipts for "Private Deals" and the Business Card File which are arranged alphabetically. Oversized material from various series has been housed in Box 13 and OV 14 and is noted in the Series Description/Container Listings Section at the appropriate folder title. Series 1: Biographical Material, 1940s-1990s (Box 1; 4 folders) Series 2: Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1950s-1990s (Box 1-4, 13, OV 14; 3.8 linear feet) Series 3: Diaries and Annotated Calendars, 1955-1987 (Box 4-5; 19 folders) Series 4: Personal Business Records, circa 1961-1992 (Box 5-7, 13; 2.2 linear feet) Series 5: Business Records for Bocour Artist Colors, Inc., circa 1942-1992 (Box 7-9, 13; 2.3 linear feet) Series 6: Notes and Writings, 1960-1993, undated (Box 9-10; 0.8 linear feet) Series 7: Interview Transcripts, 1970s-1980s (Box 10; 5 folders) Series 8: Printed Material, 1933-1993, undated (Box 10-13; 1.8 linear feet)
Access Note / Rights:
The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment.
Summary:
The papers of American art collector, paint manufacturer, lecturer, and painter, Leonard Bocour measure 11.8 linear feet and date from 1933 to 1993. Found within the papers are biographical material; miscellaneous correspondence with artists and colleagues, including Helen Frankenthaler, Chaim Gross, Philip Guston, Alex Katz, Jack Levine, Morris Louis, David Oxtoby, and Philip Pearlstein; diaries, daily calendars, notes and writings; personal business records and the business records of Bocour Artist Colors, Inc.; transcripts of interviews with Bocour; and printed material.
Citation:
Leonard Bocour papers and business records, 1933-1993. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Use Note:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Related Materials:
Additional Leonard Bocour papers may be found at the Syracuse University Library, Special Collections Research Center.
Biography Note:
American art collector, paint manufacturer, lecturer, and painter, Leonard Bocour (nèe Leonard Bogdanoff) was born in 1910 in New York City. He studied at the National Academy of Design and at the Art Students League. In 1928, he met German artist Emil Ganso who taught him how to make artists' colors.
Language Note:
English .
Provenance:
The Leonard Bocour papers and business records were donated by his widow, Ruth Bocour, in 1994.
Location Note:
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
Topic:
Collectors and collecting -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Paint industry and trade -- New York (State) -- New York Search this