The papers of Virginia painter Eliot Candee Clark measure 6.14 linear feet and date from 1839 to 1984. The papers include biographical materials, correspondence, 21 diaries and notebooks, writings and notes, personal business records, photographs, 9 sketchbooks, and artwork and artifacts. Many of the materials relate to Clark's travels in Europe, India, and throughout the United States.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Virginia painter Eliot Candee Clark measure 6.14 linear feet and date from 1839 to 1984. The papers include biographical materials, correspondence, 21 diaries and notebooks, writings and notes, personal business records, photographs, 9 sketchbooks, and artwork and artifacts. Many of the materials relate to Clark's travels in Europe, India, and throughout the United States.
Scattered biographical materials include awards, an address book, printed material relating to various memberships, and resumes. Records of the Fowler family are also found. Clark's correspondence is with family including Walter Clark, friends, colleagues, and galleries and institutions. Notable correspondents include Leon Sparks and Andrew Wyeth.
Twenty-one volumes of diaries and notebooks are written by Clark and his wife, Margaret Fowler Clark. The diaries contain traditional dated diary entries; others document travels. The notebooks include drafts of writings, lists of artists, financial notes, sketches, and school assignments.
Writings include drafts of articles, book manuscripts, plays, and essays by Clark. A small amount of personal business records consist of legal records, price lists, receipts for personal purchases, and sales and consignment records for Clark's works of art.
Printed materials include books containing works of art by Clark, clippings, a dismantled clippings scrapbook, exhibition announcements and catalogs, magazines, and blank postcards. Photographs are of Clark, the Clark family, friends, colleagues, events, homes, and of works of art. Travel photographs are from Clark's trips to Europe, India, Morocco, and the United States.
Nine sketchbooks depict Nova Scotia, Canada, Albemarle County, Virginia, and India. Artwork and artifacts consist of scattered sketches by Clark, and prints by others.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 9 series
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1839-1980 (5 folders; Box 1, OV7)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1874-1984 (1 linear foot; Box 1-2)
Series 3: Diaries and Notebooks, circa 1900-1977 (0.8 linear feet; Box 2)
Series 4: Writings and Notes, circa 1940-1978 (1.6 linear feet; Box 2-4)
Series 5: Personal Business Records, 1917-1983 (0.2 linear feet: Box 4)
Series 6: Printed Material, 1878-1975 (1.0 linear feet; Box 4-5)
Series 7: Photographs, 1880s-1980 (0.5 linear feet; Box 5-6, OV7, MGP2)
Series 8: Sketchbooks, 1916-1940s (0.5 linear feet; Box 6)
Series 9: Artwork and Artifacts, circa 1900-circa 1940s (0.5 linear feet; Box 6, OV7)
Biographical / Historical:
Eliot Candee Clark (1883-1980) was a landscape painter, writer, and art historian who worked primarily in Virginia.
Eliot Clark was born in 1883 in New York City to artist Walter Clark and Jennie Woodruff Clark. As a child with his father's encouragement and guidance, Eliot Clark began exhibiting as early as the age of nine. submitted works to be exhibited at various New York City clubs as a child. By 1896, at the age of thirteen, he began exhibiting regularly at the National Academy of Design. In 1900, at the age of seventeen, Clark exhibited at the Society of American Artists' Annaul. At one point he even shared a studio with his father. From 1904 to 1906, he traveled throughout Europe and painted en plein air. Clark returned to the New York City area and summered in Kent, Connecticut where he continued to paint and exhibit his work. His first one-man show was at Doll & Richards Gallery in New York City.
Eliot Clark was also an art historian, critic, and educator. In 1916 Clark published his first monograph on Alexander H. Wyant. His other works included a book on John Henry Twachtman, published in 1924 and History of the National Academy of Design (1954). Clark also served as president of the American Watercolor Society between 1920 and 1923. He taught at the Art Students League in New York City but ultimately settled in Charlottesville, Virginia where he taught summer painting classes.
Throughout his life, Clark travelled throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, India, and to Africa. A lengthy trip to India from 1937 to 1938 inspired his study of the religion, mysticism, and art of the country.
Eliot Clark served as president of the National Academy of Design in the 1950s and exhibited until his death in 1980 at the age of ninety-seven. He was survived by his second wife, Margaret Fowler Clark.
Separated Materials:
The Special Collections Research Center at Syracuse University Libraries also holds Eliot Candee Clark papers.
Provenance:
The Eliot Candee Clark papers were donated by his widow Margaret Fowler Clark between 1980 and 1984.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
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.
Eliot Candee Clark papers, 1839-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Smithsonian Institution Collections Care and Preservation Fund. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
