The Elisabeth Zogbaum papers regarding Franz Kline measure 11.5 linear feet and date from 1892 to circa 2005, bulk 1930-1990. Zogbaum was a close companion to the New York-based painter Franz Kline and she managed his estate after his death. These papers include biographical material on Franz Kline, documents related to the Franz Kline estate and Franz Kline Foundation, and other material about the artist compiled by Elisabeth Zogbaum. In addition to the aforementioned material, the collection also includes correspondence, exhibition files, printed material, Zogbaum's research and notes, photographic material, artifacts, sound recordings of interviews, and books from Franz Kline's personal library.
Scope and Contents:
The Elisabeth Zogbaum papers regarding Franz Kline measure 11.5 linear feet and date from 1892 to circa 2005, bulk 1930-1990. Zogbaum was a close companion to the New York-based painter Franz Kline and she managed his estate after his death. These papers include biographical material on Franz Kline, documents related to the Franz Kline estate and Franz Kline Foundation, and other material about the artist compiled by Elisabeth Zogbaum. In addition to the aforementioned material, the collection also includes correspondence, exhibition files, printed material, Zogbaum's research and notes, photographic material, artifacts, sound recordings, and books from Franz Kline's personal library.
Franz Kline biographical material includes Kline's passport, will, address books, biographical outlines, obituaries, health and financial records, high school yearbooks, military training camp material, bills and receipts, loose pages of a high school scrapbook, and other material. There are also drawings and sketches by Franz Kline and a few drawings by others.
Correspondence is divided into two sections: correspondence with Franz Kline and correspondence with Elisabeth Zogbaum. Franz Kline correspondence mostly consists of letters to Franz Kline from friends, colleagues, artists, museums, and galleries. Notable correspondents include Sabro Hasegawa, Hedy Lamarr, John Ferren, Jack Micheline, William Morris, and Shinichi Segui. Elisabeth Ross Zogbaum correspondence consists of condolence letters upon the death of Franz Kline and professional correspondence with museums, galleries, foundations and collectors regarding his art.
The estate of Franz Kline includes financial and legal records on the Franz Kline estate, which Elisabeth Zogbaum managed as the sole executrix. There are art inventories, price lists, condition reports, sales reports, correspondence, contracts, tax records, and documents related to Marlborough Gallery and other galleries.
The Franz Kline Foundation series includes a range of material, such as a survey of public and private collections with Franz Kline artwork, related to the catalogue raisonne which the foundation began work on but did not complete. The series also contains correspondence, administrative records, lists, inventories, and sound recordings.
Elisabeth Zogbaum research and notes includes lists, notes, printed material, correspondence, and sound recordings compiled by Zogbaum regarding Franz Kline. Zogbaum produced an audiovisual presentation consisting of slides of Kline's artwork and an accompanying soundtrack. She recorded dozens of conversations with artists, friends, dealers, and contemporaries of Kline, including James Brooks, Louise Bourgeois, Willem de Kooning, George McNeil, Joan Mitchell, Giuseppe Panza, Ludwig Sander, Aaron Siskind, Ray Spillenger, and Joe Stefanelli, among others.
Exhibition files consist of correspondence, loan forms and agreements, checklists, and itineraries on various posthumous Franz Kline exhibitions.
Printed material includes exhibition catalogs, announcements, clippings, press releases, newsletters, magazines, postcards, and other miscellaneous material. Most of the material is about Franz Kline, but there is also material about other artists.
Photographic material includes photographs of Franz Kline, Elisabeth Zogbaum, family, friends, other artists, houses, studios, artwork, exhibition installations, Japanese calligraphy, and other subjects. There are mostly photographic prints, but there are also a few negatives, slides, and transparencies. There is an album of Franz Kline's artwork.
Franz Kline Library consists of various books which were probably in his office. Some books contain articles about Franz Kline or images of his artwork. The rest are miscellanous titles that have been inscribed to Kline. There are also books with artwork by the artist Phil May.
There is a random assortment of artifacts that belonged to Franz Kline including a metal lantern, model car, tea pot, dominoes, a ring, and other objects.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as 10 series.
Series 1: Franz Kline Biographical Material, 1925-1962, circa 1998 (Box 1, OV 13; 0.6 linear feet)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1929-1998 (Boxes 1-2, OV 13; 0.7 linear feet)
Series 3: Estate of Franz Kline, 1955-1991 (Box 2; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 4: Franz Kline Foundation, circa 1961-1997, bulk 1980-1990 (Boxes 2-4, 19; 1.6 linear feet)
Series 5: Elisabeth Zogbaum Research and Notes, 1951-1995 (Box 4, 19, OV 14; 1.3 linear feet)
Series 6: Exhibition Files, 1954-1995, bulk 1963-1995 (Box 4; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 7: Printed Material, 1936-circa 2005 (Boxes 4-6, OV 14-15; 2.7 linear feet)
Series 8: Photographic Material, circa 1915-1962, bulk 1936-1962 (Boxes 6-7, OV 14; 0.7 linear feet)
Series 9: Franz Kline Library, 1892-1962 (Boxes 7-10, BV 16-18; 3.2 linear feet)
Series 10: Artifacts, circa 1930-circa 1962 (Boxes 11-12; 0.4 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Elisabeth Zogbaum was a close friend and companion of Franz Kline. She was married to sculptor Wilfrid Meynell Zogbaum. Upon Kline's death in 1962, Elisabeth Zogbaum became the sole executrix of his estate and later the president of the Franz Kline Foundation.
Franz Kline was an Abstract Expressionist painter based in New York City. Kline was born in a coal-mining town in Pennsylvania in 1910. He studied art at Boston University and at the Heatherley Fine Art School in England. He moved to New York City in the late 1930s and became a widely recognized and acclaimed artist. He died in 1962.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Elisabeth Zogbaum conducted by Garnett McCoy on December 3, 1981.
Provenance:
The Elisabeth Zogbaum papers regarding Franz Kline were donated to the archives in multiple installments from 1991 to 2010. The first 1991 donation was made by Elisabeth Ross Zogbaum. Subsequent donations in 2004 and 2010 were made by her son, Rufus Zogbaum.
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. Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Rights:
Images of works of art by Franz Kline copyright held by Franz Kline Estate / Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Requests for permission to reproduce images of works of art by Franz Kline should be submitted to ARS.
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:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
