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Louis Bouché papers

Creator:
Bouché, Louis, 1896-1969  Search this
Names:
Penguin Club (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Wanamaker Gallery  Search this
Bacon, Peggy, 1895-1987  Search this
Bouché, Ernest  Search this
Bouché, Henri L.  Search this
Bouché, Jane  Search this
Bouché, Marian Wright, 1895-1975  Search this
Brook, Alexander, 1898-1980  Search this
Davidson, Jo, 1883-1952  Search this
Marsh, Reginald, 1898-1954  Search this
Pène du Bois, William, 1916-1993  Search this
Schmidt, Katherine, 1898-1978  Search this
Extent:
5.9 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Sketches
Scrapbooks
Travel diaries
Drawings
Date:
1880-2007
Summary:
The papers of painter and muralist Louis Bouché measure 5.9 linear feet and date from 1880 to 2007. Found within the papers are biographical material; personal correspondence, including correspondence from the extended Bouché family; writings; financial records; printed material; four scrapbooks; artwork; and photographs of Bouché, his family and friends, and his work.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of painter and muralist Louis Bouché measure 5.9 linear feet and date from 1880 to 2007. Found within the papers are biographical material; personal correspondence, including correspondence from the extended Bouché family; writings; financial records; printed material; four scrapbooks; artwork; and photographs of Bouché, his family and friends, and his work.

Biographical material consists of family certificates and Bouché's curriculum vitae.

The bulk of the correspondence consists of letters from Bouché 's father to his mother, and of letters addressed to his daughter, Jane. These include letters Louis and Marian wrote to Jane, along with letters from her first husband, William Pène du Bois, during the early days of their courtship and marriage. The handful of letters directly addressed to Louis and Marian include correspondence from Peggy Bacon and Katherine Schmidt.

Writings include drafts of Bouché's autobiography, eight journals kept by Marian Bouché detailing their travels in the United States and abroad, four reminiscences of Bouché written by others, and a poem written by Peggy Bacon.

Personal business records consist of two ledger books, lists, and receipts documenting inventory and records of sales.

Printed material consists of clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and periodicals related to Bouché's work. There are also three books from Bouché's personal library and exhibition announcements and catalogs from Walt Kuhn's Penguin Club and Wanamaker's Gallery.

Two scrapbooks include clippings, photographs, and printed material related to Bouché 's career. One scrapbook includes material related to the extended Bouché family, and one scrapbook consists of reproductions of works of art by modern French artists.

Photographic materials include ten photograph albums. Three are of Louis, Marian, and Jane, three are of Jane and her family, and four are of Louis' parents and sister's family. There are also loose prints and negatives of Bouché, his family and friends, and works of art.

Artwork consists of sketches and drawings by Louis, Jane, Henri, and Ernest Bouché. Additional sketches by Peggy Bacon, Alexander Brook, Jo Davidson, and Reginald Marsh are also included.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as 8 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1880-1964 (2 folders, Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1880-2003 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Writings, 1933-1995 (.9 linear feet, Boxes 2-3)

Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1930-1974 (4 folders, Box 3)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1900-1997 (.5 linear feet; Boxes 3, 6)

Series 6: Scrapbooks, 1880-1969 (.8 linear feet; Boxes 3, 7-8)

Series 7: Photographic Materials, 1890-1994 (2.3 linear feet; Boxes 3-5, 9-10)

Series 8: Artwork, 1870-1965 (10 folders; Boxes 5, 10)
Biographical / Historical:
Louis Bouché (1896-1969) was a painter, muralist, and educator who lived and worked in New York City.

Bouché was born in New York City to Henri and Marie Bouché. His father was an interior designer who worked with Stanford White and for Tiffany, and his grandfather, Ernest Louis Bouché, was a Barbizon school painter. After his father's death in 1909, his mother moved the family to Paris where Bouché attended art school at La Grand Chaumère. When the family moved back to America in 1915, Bouché enrolled at the Art Students League where he met fellow student and lifelong friend Alexander Brook. In 1916, Bouché was invited to become a member of Walt Kuhn's Penguin Club, and in 1918, he joined the stable of Charlie Daniel's Daniel Gallery. At this time, Bouché began exhibiting in shows organized by Julianna Force for the Whitney Studio Club, which later evolved into the Whitney Museum. In 1920, he was introduced to the Woodstock artist community and was a frequent summer resident at the colony.

Bouché met Marian Wright while they were both members of the Penguin Club, and they were married in 1921. Upon returning from their honeymoon, Bouché accepted a position managing exhibitions for Wanamaker's Belmaison Galleries, the first modern art gallery in a department store in New York. Their daughter Jane would later marry William Pène du Bois, son of Guy Pène du Bois, whom the Bouchés had known from their days in the Penguin Club. In 1926, Bouché separated from Wanamaker's and began taking commissions for mural and design work, eventually completing murals for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Radio City Music Hall, and the Pennsylvania Railroad. In addition to murals, Bouché did illustrative advertising work for various publications, including Condé Nast and Town and Country.

In 1936, Bouché joined the stable at Kraushaar Gallery, where he eventually exhibited a series of ten one-man shows. Bouché also held solo exhibitons at the Valentine Gallery, Staten Island Institute, Century Association, and Albany Institute. Beginning in 1943, Bouché taught for many years at the Art Students League and began teaching at the National Academy of Design in 1951. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1936 and was the American Academy in Rome's artist in residence in 1960.

Louis Bouché died in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on August 7, 1969.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art are two oral history interviews with Louis Bouché, one conducted by John Morse, August 7, 1959, and another by William Woolfenden on March 13, 1963.
Provenance:
A portion of the Louis Bouché papers were loaned for microfilming and subsequently donated by the artist and his wife in 1963 and from 1972 to 1973. Additions were donated by Bouché's daughter, Jane Bouché Strong, in several accretions dating from 1978 to 1988. In 2011, Anne Strong, Jane B. Strong's executor, donated additional materials to the Archives of American Art.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Topic:
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Sketches
Scrapbooks
Travel diaries
Drawings
Citation:
Louis Bouché papers, 1880-2007. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.boucloui
See more items in:
Louis Bouché papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96b0e025d-f378-40d7-8da6-c3f9f948b077
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-boucloui
Online Media:

Guy Pène Du Bois papers

Creator:
Pène Du Bois, Guy, 1884-1958  Search this
Names:
C.W. Kraushaar Art Galleries  Search this
Cortissoz, Royal, 1869-1948  Search this
Hopper, Edward, 1882-1967  Search this
McCoy, Samuel Duff, 1882-  Search this
Pène du Bois, William, 1916-1993  Search this
Soyer, Raphael, 1899-1987  Search this
Tarkington, Booth, 1869-1946  Search this
Extent:
2 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Prints
Sketches
Date:
circa 1900-1963
bulk 1920-1963
Summary:
The papers of painter and art critic Guy Pène Du Bois measure 2.0 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 1963 with the bulk of the materials dating from 1920 to 1963. Found within the papers are biographical material; personal and professional correspondence, including letters from Royal Cortissoz and Edward Hopper; writings, including essays, journals, short stories, and drafts of the autobiography Artists Say the Silliest Things; personal business records; printed material; and artwork.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of painter and art critic Guy Pène Du Bois measure 2.0 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 1963 with the bulk of the materials dating from 1920 to 1963. Found within the papers are biographical material; personal and professional correspondence, including letters from Royal Cortissoz and Edward Hopper; writings, including essays, journals, short stories, and drafts of the autobiography Artists Say the Silliest Things; personal business records; printed material; and artwork.

Biographical materials consist of certificates, a curriculum vitae, passport, and a photograph of two unidentified women.

Correspondence is primarily with Pène Du Bois' family, friends, and business associates. The series includes significant correspondence from fellow art critic Royal Cortissoz; artists Raphael Soyer and Edward Hopper; and writers Samuel Duff McCoy, Lincoln Isham, and Newton Booth Tarkington. Other correspondents of note include C.W. Kraushaar Art Galleries and Pène Du Bois' son, the children's book illustrator William Pène Du Bois.

Writings include book drafts of Pène Du Bois' autobiography, Artists Say the Silliest Things, journal entries, 35 essays, 8 short stories, and various writing fragments and notes.

Personal business records consist of account and sales records from C.W. Kraushaar Art Galleries, book and publishing contracts, and receipts for art supply purchases.

Printed material includes a brochure for the Guy Pène Du Bois School of Art, clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and miscellaneous printed material.

Artwork consists of pen and ink sketches by Pène Du Bois and a print by an unknown artist.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 6 series.

Missing Title

Biographical material, 1929-1954 (4 folders; Box 1)

Correspondence, 1908-1958 (0.5 linear feet; Box 1)

Writings, circa 1900-1954 (1.1 linear feet; Box 1-4)

Personal business records, circa 1920-1949 (3 folders; Box 3)

Printed material, circa 1920-1963 (0.3 linear feet; Box 3)

Artwork, circa 1920-1954 (2 folders; Box 3)
Biographical / Historical:
Painter and art critic Guy Pène Du Bois (1884-1958) lived and worked in New York City, New York and was known for his realist paintings, essays, and art reviews.

Pène Du Bois was born in Brooklyn, New York to the art critic Henri Pène Du Bois and his wife Laura. After he showed an early interest in art, his' family supported his decision to enroll in William Merritt Chase's New York School of Art at the age of 15. There, Pène Du Bois trained with the realist painters Robert Henri and Kenneth Hayes Miller along with fellow students George Bellows, Edward Hopper, and Rockwell Kent. In 1905, he traveled to Paris and studied briefly with the artist Thèophile Steinlen, but returned to New York the following year after the death of his father. To help support his family, he found work as an illustrator and cartoonist for the New York American, and was promoted to the position of art critic for the newspaper in 1909.

In 1911, Pène Du Bois married his wife, Florence Duncan, and became an assistant writer for the New York Tribune under Royal Cortissoz (1913). Pène Du Bois also wrote art reviews for the New York Post (1916-1918), and was a writer and later editor of Arts and Decoration (1913-1915, 1917-1921). During these years, Pène Du Bois also began to establish a career as a realist painter of note. His work was included in the 1913 Armory Show, after which he signed on as a member of the Kraushaar Gallery stable. Throughout the 1910s, Pène Du Bois exhibited in numerous galleries and museums, and held his first one-man show in 1918 at the Whitney Studio Club.

From 1920 to 1924, Pène Du Bois taught at the Art Students League, and spent the latter part of the 1920s in France with his family. After seven years, he moved his family back to Connecticut and opened the Guy Pène Du Bois School of Art in Stonington, Connecticut. Throughout the 1930s, Pène Du Bois continued painting and received commissions to design federal murals in upstate New York (1937) and Boston (1942). In 1940, Pène Du Bois published his autobiography, Artists Say the Silliest Things. After the death of his wife in 1950, Pène Du Bois lived and traveled with his daughter's family and died in her home in Boston in 1958.
Related Materials:
The Archives also holds the Guy Pène Du Bois and Mary Lightfoot Tarleton correspondence.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds material lent for microfilming (reel 28) including sketches and etching proofs. Lent material was returned to the lender and is not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
Sketches and etching proofs were lent to the Archives of American Art in 1970 for microfilming by Pène du Bois' children, Yvonne McKenney and William Pène du Bois. Yvonne McKenney donated papers in 1971. In 1980, two journals dating from 1913 to 1955, were loaned for microfilming by Pène du Bois' daughter-in-law, Willa Kim. These journals were subsequently donated by Martha Fleishman in 2017.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
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
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Painting, American -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Prints
Sketches
Citation:
Guy Pène Du Bois papers, circa 1900-1963, bulk 1920-1963. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.duboguyp
See more items in:
Guy Pène Du Bois papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97572fde2-20b1-4c2d-888b-9056094d425e
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-duboguyp
Online Media:

William Pène du Bois letter to Jane Bouché, New York City, New York

Creator:
Pène du Bois, William, 1916-1993  Search this
Strong, Jane Bouché, 1922 or 23-  Search this
Type:
Correspondence
Date:
1942 Oct. 11
Citation:
William Pène du Bois. William Pène du Bois letter to Jane Bouché, New York City, New York, 1942 Oct. 11. Louis Bouché papers, 1880-2007. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Love letters  Search this
Soldiers  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)14948
See more items in:
Louis Bouché papers, 1880-2007
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_14948
Online Media:

William Pène du Bois letter to Jane Bouché

Creator:
Pène du Bois, William, 1916-1993  Search this
Strong, Jane Bouché, 1922 or 23-  Search this
Type:
Correspondence
Date:
1942 October 30
Citation:
William Pène du Bois. William Pène du Bois letter to Jane Bouché, 1942 October 30. Louis Bouché papers, 1880-2007. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Love letters  Search this
World War, 1939-1945--Art and the war  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)14949
See more items in:
Louis Bouché papers, 1880-2007
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_14949
Online Media:

William Pène du Bois letter to Jane Bouché, New York City, New York

Creator:
Pène du Bois, William, 1916-1993  Search this
Strong, Jane Bouché, 1922 or 23-  Search this
Type:
Correspondence
Date:
1942 Nov. 16 to 1943 Jan. 11
Citation:
William Pène du Bois. William Pène du Bois letter to Jane Bouché, New York City, New York, 1942 Nov. 16 to 1943 Jan. 11. Louis Bouché papers, 1880-2007. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Illustrated letters  Search this
Soldiers  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)14950
See more items in:
Louis Bouché papers, 1880-2007
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_14950
Online Media:

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