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Rudi Blesh papers, circa 1900-1983

Creator:
Blesh, Rudi, 1899-1985  Search this
Subject:
Janis, Harriet Grossman  Search this
Motherwell, Robert  Search this
Davis, Stuart  Search this
Duchamp, Marcel  Search this
Schwitters, Kurt  Search this
Citation:
Rudi Blesh papers, circa 1900-1983. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Collage  Search this
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Theme:
Research and writing about art  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)8594
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210773
AAA_collcode_blesrudi
Theme:
Research and writing about art
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210773
Online Media:

William and Ethel Baziotes papers, circa 1900-1992, bulk 1935-1980

Creator:
Baziotes, William, 1912-1963  Search this
Subject:
Alloway, Lawrence  Search this
Bodin, Paul  Search this
Halper, Nathan  Search this
Motherwell, Robert  Search this
Picasso, Pablo  Search this
Sievan, Maurice  Search this
Still, Clyfford  Search this
Barr, Alfred H., Jr.  Search this
Canaday, John  Search this
Castano, Giovanni  Search this
Greenberg, Clement  Search this
Guggenheim, Peggy  Search this
Hare, David  Search this
Hélion, Jean  Search this
Kootz, Samuel Melvin  Search this
Namuth, Hans  Search this
Pollock, Jackson  Search this
Schwabacher, Ethel  Search this
Bernsh?in, Me?ir  Search this
Blesh, Rudi  Search this
Janis, Harriet Grossman  Search this
Kamrowski, Gerome  Search this
Licht, Michel  Search this
Paneth, Donald  Search this
Ruiz-Picasso, Maya  Search this
Lee, Francis P.  Search this
Matta  Search this
Onslow-Ford, Gordon  Search this
Baziotes, Ethel  Search this
Baziotes, Harry  Search this
Motherwell, Maria  Search this
Zulieta, Orlando  Search this
Baziotes, Christos  Search this
Peterson, Charles  Search this
Ricci, F.  Search this
Schumm, Gertrud  Search this
Vazakas, Byron  Search this
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum  Search this
Peter A. Juley & Son  Search this
Kootz Gallery (N.Y.)  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Photographs
Sketchbooks
Citation:
William and Ethel Baziotes papers, circa 1900-1992, bulk 1935-1980. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Art, Abstract  Search this
Theme:
Sketches & Sketchbooks  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)8872
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211057
AAA_collcode_baziwill
Theme:
Sketches & Sketchbooks
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211057
Online Media:

William and Ethel Baziotes papers

Creator:
Baziotes, William, 1912-1963  Search this
Names:
Kootz Gallery (N.Y.)  Search this
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Peter A. Juley & Son  Search this
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum  Search this
Alloway, Lawrence, 1926-1990  Search this
Barr, Alfred H., Jr., 1902-1981  Search this
Baziotes, Christos  Search this
Baziotes, Ethel  Search this
Baziotes, Harry  Search this
Bernshṭin, Meʼir, -1978  Search this
Blesh, Rudi, 1899-1985  Search this
Bodin, Paul, 1910-1994  Search this
Canaday, John, 1907-1985  Search this
Castano, Giovanni, 1896-1978  Search this
Greenberg, Clement, 1909-1994  Search this
Guggenheim, Peggy, 1898-1979  Search this
Halper, Nathan  Search this
Hare, David, 1917-1992  Search this
Hélion, Jean, 1904-1987  Search this
Janis, Harriet Grossman  Search this
Kamrowski, Gerome  Search this
Kootz, Samuel Melvin, 1898-1982  Search this
Lee, Francis P.  Search this
Licht, Michel, 1893-1953  Search this
Matta, 1912-2002  Search this
Motherwell, Maria  Search this
Motherwell, Robert  Search this
Namuth, Hans  Search this
Onslow-Ford, Gordon  Search this
Paneth, Donald  Search this
Peterson, Charles  Search this
Picasso, Pablo, 1881-1973  Search this
Pollock, Jackson, 1912-1956  Search this
Ricci, F.  Search this
Ruiz-Picasso, Maya  Search this
Schumm, Gertrud  Search this
Schwabacher, Ethel, 1903-1984  Search this
Sievan, Maurice  Search this
Still, Clyfford, 1904-1980  Search this
Vazakas, Byron  Search this
Zulieta, Orlando  Search this
Extent:
6.3 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Interviews
Photographs
Sketchbooks
Date:
circa 1900-1992
bulk 1935-1980
Summary:
The papers of New York City abstract expressionist painter William Baziotes and his wife Ethel measure 6.3 linear feet and date from circa 1900-1992, bulk 1935-1980. The collection includes William Baziotes biographical material, correspondence, writings, printed material, and photographs. The papers of Ethel Baziotes consists of correspondence mostly dated after her husband's death regarding exhibitions of his work, along with limited biographical material and writings.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of New York City abstract expressionist painter William Baziotes and his wife Ethel measure 6.3 linear feet and date from circa 1900-1992, bulk 1935-1980. The collection includes William Baziotes biographical material, correspondence, writings, printed material, and photographs. The papers of Ethel Baziotes consists of correspondence mostly dated after her husband's death regarding exhibitions of his work, along with limited biographical material and writings.

Biographical material on William Baziotes consists of a bibliography, teaching files, a sound recording of an interview, membership cards, sales records, a sketchbook, and other miscellaneous material. There is one folder regarding Ethel Baziotes containing a few certificates and her college diploma.

Correspondence consists of letters to William and Ethel Baziotes. Notable correspondents include Lawrence Alloway, Alfred Barr, Andre Breton, Clement Greenberg, Peggy Guggenheim, David Hare, Jean Helion, Maria and Robert Motherwell, Jackson Pollock, and others. There are also letters from the Samuel M. Kootz Gallery regarding the sales of William Baziotes's artwork and letters written by William Baziotes to his brother Christos. Letters to Ethel Baziotes include condolence letters as well as letters from museum and galleries regarding exhibitions of her husband's work.

Writings include William Baziotes's notes on various subjects, a list of book titles, and a transcript for a speech. Writings by others include essays about William Baziotes and other subjects.

Printed materials consist of clippings, announcements, magazines, and many exhibition catalogs, mostly on group exhibitions which included artwork by William Baziotes.

Photographs are of William Baziotes, Ethel Baziotes, family and friends, their residence, and his artwork. There are a also photographs of Meir Bernstein, Samuel Kootz, Paul Bodin, Maria Motherwell, Pablo and Maya Picasso, Rudi Blesh, Nathan Halper, Ethel Schwabacher, Clyfford Still, and others.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 5 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1933-1982 (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1936-1988 (Boxes 1-2; 1 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1950-1992 (Box 2; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1944-1992 (Boxes 2-7, 9; 4.1 linear feet)

Series 5: Photographs, circa 1900-1979, bulk 1940-circa 1963 (Boxes 7-9; 0.7 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
William Baziotes (1912-1963) was an abstract expressionist painter in New York City. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Baziotes moved to New York City in 1933, where he studied painting at the National Academy of Design, 1933-1936. He participated on the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project as a teacher, 1936-1938, and painted for the Easel Painting Project, 1938-1940.

In 1941 he married Ethel Copstein. He had his first one-man show at Peggy Guggenheim's Art of This Century Gallery in 1944. The Samuel M. Kootz Gallery, Inc. held a solo show for Baziotes in 1946 and continued to exhibit his works until 1958.

Baziotes taught at Subjects of the Artist, 1948; the Brooklyn Museum Art School and New York University, 1949-1952; the People's Art Center at the Museum of Modern Art, 1950-1952; and Hunter College, 1952-1962. Baziotes died in 1963.
Provenance:
The William and Ethel Baziotes papers were donated by Ethel Baziotes, widow of William Baziotes, in several installments from 1969 to 1993.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
Topic:
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Art, Abstract  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Photographs
Sketchbooks
Citation:
William and Ethel Baziotes papers, circa 1900-1992, bulk 1935-1980. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.baziwill
See more items in:
William and Ethel Baziotes papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9d6f7f943-90c5-4dd7-b527-e69d86772014
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-baziwill

Rudi Blesh papers

Creator:
Blesh, Rudi, 1899-1985  Search this
Names:
Davis, Stuart, 1892-1964  Search this
Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968  Search this
Janis, Harriet Grossman  Search this
Motherwell, Robert  Search this
Schwitters, Kurt, 1887-1948  Search this
Extent:
2.1 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1900-1983
Summary:
The papers of writer, critic, and architectural designer Rudi Blesh measure 2.1 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 1983. The collection includes correspondence, documentation on writing projects and notes, printed materials, and photograpic materials. Much of the material concerns his collaboration with Harriet Janis on the book Collage: Personalities, Concepts, Techniques.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of writer, critic, and architectural designer Rudi Blesh measure 2.1 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 1983. The collection includes correspondence, documentation on writing projects and notes, printed materials, and photograpic materials. Much of the material concerns his collaboration with Harriet Janis on the book Collage: Personalities, Concepts, Techniques. Of note is correspondence with Jean Dubuffet, Marcel Duchamp, Sonia Delaunay, and Aaron Siskind; notes on Robert Motherwell, Stuart Davis, Man Ray, Hans Richter, and others; and photographs of Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, and Jackson Pollock.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as four series.

Series 1: Correspondence, 1909-1979 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Writing Projects and Notes, circa 1945-1967 (0.8 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 3: Printed Materials, 1939-1983 (0.3 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 4: Photographic Materials, circa 1900-circa 1969 (0.8 linear feet; Box 2, OV 3)
Biographical / Historical:
Rudi Blesh (1899-1985) was a writer, critic, and architectural designer in New York, N.Y.

Blesh was born in Guthrie, Oklahoma. He was known as a jazz critic but had a career as an interior designer before he began writing about jazz and art. Blesh attended Dartmouth College where he first encountered jazz music. He became a jazz critic for The San Francisco Chronicle and The New York Herald Tribune after relocating to New York in 1944.

Blesh partnered with Harriet "Hansi" Janis to co-author They All Played Ragtime and Collage: Personalities, Concepts, Techniques, a book about the development of collage and its use by artists such as Kurt Schwitters, Marcel Duchamp, Alberto Burri, Willem de Kooning, Robert Rauschenberg, and other notable artists.

Later in life, Blesh taught at New York University and Queens College while continuing to write about jazz. He died in 1985 in New Hampshire.
Provenance:
The papers were donated by Rudi Blesh in 1981 and in 1993 by longtime friend Ethel Baziotes, who received the papers from Blesh before his death.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Rights:
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.
Occupation:
Art critics -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Authors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Collage  Search this
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Citation:
Rudi Blesh papers, circa 1900-1983. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.blesrudi
See more items in:
Rudi Blesh papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9266db70e-a5b4-49ce-84f1-45f10174448b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-blesrudi

Picasso, the recent years, 1939-1946 [by] Harriet and Sidney Janis

Author:
Janis, Harriet Grossman  Search this
Janis, Sidney 1896-1989  Search this
Subject:
Picasso, Pablo 1881-1973  Search this
Physical description:
xii, 211 p. illus. (part col.) 28 cm
Type:
Books
Date:
1946
Call number:
N40.1.P58 J33 1946
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_474223

De Kooning, by Harriet Janis and Rudi Blesh

Author:
Janis, Harriet Grossman  Search this
Blesh, Rudi 1899-1985  Search this
Subject:
De Kooning, Willem 1904-1997  Search this
Physical description:
71 p. illus. 21 cm
Type:
Books
Date:
1960
[1960]
Call number:
N40.1.D32 J3
N40.1.D32J3
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_48908

Collage: personalities, concepts, techniques [by] Harriet Janis and Rudi Blesh

Author:
Janis, Harriet Grossman  Search this
Blesh, Rudi 1899-1985  Search this
Physical description:
302 p. illus. 27 cm
Type:
Books
Date:
1962
[1962]
20th century
Topic:
Collage  Search this
Art, Modern  Search this
Call number:
N6494.C6 J33
N6494.C6J33
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_35254

Collage: personalities, concepts [and] techniques [by] Harriet Janis and Rudi Blesh

Author:
Janis, Harriet Grossman  Search this
Blesh, Rudi 1899-1985  Search this
Physical description:
342 p. 497 illus. 28 cm
Type:
Books
Date:
1967
[1967]
20th century
Topic:
Collage  Search this
Art, Modern  Search this
Call number:
N6494.C6 J33 1967
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_86449

They all played ragtime : the true story of an American music / Rudi Blesh & Harriet Janis

Author:
Blesh, Rudi 1899-1985  Search this
Janis, Harriet Grossman  Search this
Physical description:
xviii, 345, xviii p., [8] leaves of plates : ill., ports., facsims., music ; 21 cm
Type:
Books
Date:
1959
C1959
Topic:
Ragtime music  Search this
Ragtime music--Bibliography  Search this
Ragtime music--Discography  Search this
Call number:
ML3561.J3 B64 1959
ML3561.J3B64 1959
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_353796

They all played ragtime, the true story of an American music [by] Rudi Blesh & Harriet Janis

Author:
Blesh, Rudi 1899-1985  Search this
Janis, Harriet Grossman  Search this
De Vincent Collection of American Sheet Music  Search this
Physical description:
xviii, 338, xviii p. illus. ports., facsims.,music. 22 cm
Type:
Discography
Bibliography
Date:
1950
Topic:
Ragtime music--History and criticism  Search this
Ragtime music  Search this
Call number:
ML3561.J3B49 1950X
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_364529

They all played ragtime, by Rudi Blesh and Harriet Janis

Author:
Blesh, Rudi 1899-1985  Search this
Janis, Harriet Grossman  Search this
Physical description:
xxiv, 347, ix p. illus., music. 22 cm
Type:
Discography
Date:
1971
Topic:
Jazz--History and criticism  Search this
Jazz--Bibliography  Search this
Jazz  Search this
Ragtime music--History and criticism  Search this
Call number:
ML3561.J3 B64 1971
ML3561.J3B64 1971
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_155205

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