The papers of muralist Buell Mullen measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1982. Found are scattered biographical material, professional correspondence, information on mixing epoxy resins, printed material, and photographs.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of muralist Buell Mullen measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1982. Found are scattered biographical material, professional correspondence, information on mixing epoxy resins, printed material, and photographs.
Arrangement:
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
Biographical / Historical:
Buell Mullen (1901-1986) was a muralist and portrait painter active in New York City and Chicago, Illinois. She developed a process for painting on stainless steel.
Buell Mullen was born Frances Vedder Buell in Chicago, Illinois. Drawn to its ability to reflect light, Mullen developed a technique combining etching and acid treatments to ensure oil paintings adhere to stainless steel. Her first work on stainless steel was a portrait of General John J. Pershing. Later, she produced a portrait of President Dwight Eisenhower. She completed many murals for steel companies, colleges, and institutions around the Great Lakes region. Also, she served as a United States representative to UNESCO.
Buell married J. Bernard Mullen and together they had two sons. Mullen died in Chicago, Illinois in 1986.
Provenance:
Buell Mullen donated her papers to the Archives of American Art in 1982.
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.
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:
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Portrait painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Buell Mullen papers, 1942-1982. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Processing of this collection received Federal support from the Collections Care Initiative Fund, administered by the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative and the National Collections Program
