The papers of painter Paul Burlin measure 5.1 linear feet and date from 1884-1974, with the bulk of the records dating from the 1910s-1968. The records document Burlin's career through biographical material including sound recordings of interviews, general correspondence, writing files, personal business records, printed material, photographs, and some artwork.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of painter Paul Burlin measure 5.1 linear feet and date from 1884-1974, with the bulk of the records dating from the 1910s-1968. The records document Burlin's career through biographical material including sound recordings of interviews, general correspondence, writing files, personal business records, printed material, photographs, and some artwork.
Biographical materials consist of address books, transcripts and recorded interviews, biographical summaries, and identification cards. General correspondence is with family and friends, other artists, art critics, and museums and galleries. Correspondence discusses the sale and delivery of Burlin's artwork, modern and abstract art, exhibitions, and a variety of other topics.
Writing files include drafts and notes for Burlin's speeches, lectures, and talks, as well as drafts of Burlin's published writings and an autobiographical essay. Burlin's personal business records include price lists, inventories, mailing lists, shipping information, expenses, and other materials.
Printed material found in the collection includes news clippings, exhibition ephemera, Burlin's published writings and reproductions, and ephemera from lectures and panel discussions. Photographs are of Burlin, his family and friends, studios, travel, exhibitions, and his artwork. The collection also includes seven sketchbooks (one disbound) and some loose sketches.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 7 series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1884, bulk 1910s-1968 (Box 1; .6 linear feet)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1920s-1974 (Box 1-2; 1.4 linear feet)
Series 3: Writing Files, circa 1918-1969 (Box 3; .4 linear feet)
Series 4: Personal Business Records,1940s-1968 (Box 3; 8 folders)
Series 5: Printed Material, 1916-1973 (Box 3-4, OV 6; 1.5 linear feet)
Series 6: Photographs, 1886, bulk 1910s-1960s (Box 4-5; 1 linear feet)
Series 7: Artwork, circa 1940s-1960s (Box 5; 5 folders)
Biographical / Historical:
Painter Paul Burlin (1884-1969) was active in New York City, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Paris, France and was regarded as one of the first modern artists to represent the American southwest.
Burlin was born in New York and spent his childhood traveling between New York City and London. He moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1912 to work on his art full time and began exhibiting his work at the Daniel Gallery in New York around the same time. His work was selected for the New York Armory Show in 1913.
Burlin met his future wife, ethnomusicologist Natalie Curtis, in 1916. They were married from 1917 until Curtis's death in France in 1921. After Natalie's death Burlin remained in Paris until the early 1930s, exhibiting his work in France, New York, and Munich. He returned to New York in 1932 where he lived for the rest of his life.
Burlin's one man exhibitions included shows at the Downtown Gallery, University of Minnesota, Washington University, St. Louis, Union College, Art Institute of Chicago, the American Federation of Arts, which circulated a Burlin retrospective, and many others. His work can be found in the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, Encyclopedia Britannica, and elsewhere. Burlin also served as a visiting artist and lecturer at various universities including University of Wyoming, Union College, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and University of Colorado.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in several installments by Margaret T. Burlin, Burlin's widow, in 1974-1975, Irving Sandler in 1974, and Syracuse University in 1984.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment, and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. 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.
Occupation:
Landscape painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Sketchbooks
Scrapbooks
Drawings
Citation:
Paul Burlin papers, 1884-1974. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
