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Catalog Data

Creator:
Henri Gallery (Washington, D.C.)  Search this
Names:
Abraham, Darryl  Search this
Anderson, Harry  Search this
Antin, Eleanor  Search this
Bickley-Green, Cynthia  Search this
Clements, Robert  Search this
Edelson, Mary Beth  Search this
Exton, Leslie  Search this
Greenly, Colin, 1928-  Search this
Herbert, Mimi  Search this
Ishida, Traute  Search this
Kogelnik, Kiki  Search this
Kohlmeyer, Ida, 1912-1997  Search this
McGowin, Ed, 1938-  Search this
Nakashima, Tom, 1941-  Search this
Outerbridge, Graeme, 1950-  Search this
Puryear, Martin, 1941-  Search this
Scanga, Italo, 1932-2001  Search this
Stackhouse, Robert  Search this
Van Brunt, Philip  Search this
Wilson, May, 1905-1986  Search this
Extent:
55.4 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Illustrated letters
Greeting cards
Sketches
Drawings
Photographs
Date:
circa early 1900s
1940-1996
bulk 1957-1995
Summary:
The records of Henri Gallery, a Washington, D.C. gallery that showed painters from the Washington Color School and emerging artists, measure 55.4 linear feet and date from circa early 1900s, 1940 to 1996, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1957 to 1995. The gallery's relationship with artists and clients, exhibitions, sales, and other business is documented in alphabetical files containing a wide variety of materials, including correspondence, sales records, printed materials, photographs, slides, and motion picture film. Additional correspondence, newspaper clippings, 114 exhibition posters, scattered drawings, illustrated cards, and photographic materials are also found in the collection.
Scope and Contents:
The records of Henri Gallery, a Washington, D.C. gallery which showed painters from the Washington Color School and emerging artists, measure 55.4 linear feet and date from circa early 1900s, 1940 to 1996, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1957 to 1995. The gallery's relationship with artists and clients, exhibitions, sales, and other business is documented in alphabetical files containing a wide variety of materials, including correspondence, sales records, printed materials, photographs, slides, and motion picture film. Additional correspondence, newspaper clippings, 114 exhibition posters, scattered drawings, illustrated cards, and photographic materials are also found in the collection. General Correspondence includes incoming business correspondence with artists, clients, galleries, and museums, regarding artwork, exhibitions, and other business issues. Also found here are holiday cards, handmade cards, and illustrated correspondence. The bulk of the records consist of Alphabetical Files contains materials regarding artists, clients, exhibitions, galleries, museums, and various subjects of interest, originally arranged alphabetically by folder title. Folders range in quantity and variety of materials, including correspondence, printed materials, photographs, sales and consignment records, resumes, price lists, and exhibition records. There are especially rich or extensive files for Darryl Abraham, Harry Anderson, Cynthia Bickley-Green, Robert Clements, Mary Beth Edelson, Leslie Exton, Colin Greenly, Mimi Herbert, Traute Ishida, Kiki Kogelnik, Ida Kohlmeyer, Ed McGowin, Tom Nakashima, Graeme Outerbridge, Martin Puryear, Italo Scanga, Robert Stackhouse, Philip Van Brunt, and May Wilson. Of interest is the complete series of Eleanor Antin's 100 Boots postcards. The bulk of Printed Materials are newspaper clippings regarding artists, exhibitions, and Henri Gallery. There are also 114 posters dating from 1959-1979 from Henri Gallery exhibitions and other galleries' exhibitions of artists in which the Henri Gallery represented. Artwork is comprised of loose drawings and sketches, many of Henri. Photographic Materials contains black and white photographs, scattered color photographs, snapshots, and slides of artwork, exhibitions, Henri, the galleries spaces, and the Not New shop. Most photographs are undated.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 5 series. Missing Title Series 1: General Correspondence, 1949-1996 (2.5 linear feet; Boxes 1-3, 55-56) Series 2: Alphabetical Files, 1947-1996 (50.3 linear feet; Boxes 3-52, 55-57, OV58, FC 62-63) Series 3: Printed Materials, circa early 1900s, 1940-1995 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 52-53, 57, OVs 59-61) Series 4: Artwork, 1952-circa 1996 (5 folders; Boxes 53, 57) Series 5: Photographic Materials, 1940s-1981 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 53-54, 57)
Biographical / Historical:
In 1957, Henrietta Ehrsam, known as "Henri," opened her eponymous gallery on South Royal Street in Alexandria, Virginia. Earlier, Henri and her partner Florie King had sold clothing, antiques, accessories and decorative arts alongside works of art at their consignment shop "Not New" in the same location. In the 1960s, Henri showed painters Gene Davis, Thomas Downing, and Howard Mehring of the Washington Color School. In the summer of 1967, Henri Gallery moved to 1500 21st Street NW, closer to the Dupont Circle art galleries in Washington, D.C. Henri showed many young and emerging artists, including Cynthia Bickley-Green, William Christenberry, Mary Beth Edelson, Ed McGowin, and Robert Stackhouse. In 1970, Henri opened a second location, Henri 2, at 1875 Connecticut Ave. NW to exhibit large scale works. In 1972, Henri 2 held Martin Puryear's first solo exhibition in the United States. Henri passed away in 1996 and both gallery locations closed shortly thereafter.
Provenance:
Henri donated the Henri Gallery records in three accessions between 1980 - 1981. Henri's daughter, Helen Schnoebelen donated additional records in 1996.
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.
Topic:
Color-field painting  Search this
Function:
Art galleries, Commercial -- Washington (D.C.)
Genre/Form:
Illustrated letters
Greeting cards
Sketches
Drawings
Photographs
Citation:
Henri Gallery records, circa early 1900s, 1940-1996, bulk 1957-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.henrgall
See more items in:
Henri Gallery records
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e6d9c638-50b1-44f1-bed4-cb0f248b615f
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-henrgall