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Catalog Data

Creator:
Opper, John  Search this
Names:
Grace Borgenicht Gallery  Search this
Extent:
1.6 Linear feet
0.057 Gigabytes
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Gigabytes
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Drawings
Date:
1908-2013
bulk 1930-1994
Summary:
The papers of New York-based abstract painter and teacher John Opper measure 1.6 linear feet and 0.057 GB and are dated 1908-2013, bulk 1930-1994. The papers contain both professional and personal correspondence. Biographical materials include passports, sketches, certificates, and curriculum vitae, as well as some genealogical documents in digital format. Personal business records relate to the artist's Bowery Street and Amagansett studios, art sales through the Grace Borgenicht Gallery, and a few art inventories. A scrapbook contains newspaper clippings. Additional clippings, exhibition catalogs and announcements, and galley sheets of a children's book illustrated by Opper are included among the printed material. Photographs are of Opper, his family, friends, and paintings. Digital photographs depict the artist and relatives.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of New York-based abstract painter and teacher John Opper measure 1.6 linear feet and 0.057 GB and are dated 1908-2013, bulk 1930-1994. The papers contain both professional and personal correspondence. Biographical materials include passports, sketches, certificates, and curriculum vitae, as well as genealogical documents in digital format. Personal business records relate to the artist's Bowery Street and Amagansett studios, art sales through the Grace Borgenicht Gallery, and a few art inventories. A scrapbook contains newspaper clippings. Additional clippings, exhibition catalogs and announcements, and galley sheets of a children's book illustrated by Opper are included among the printed material. Photographs are of Opper, his family, friends, and paintings. Digital photographs depict the artist and relatives. Biographical material contains a faculty identification card, family tree, passports, curriculum vitae, sketches, certificates, notes, and other material. Some Opper family genealogical documents are in digital format. Correspondence includes letters from immediate family, galleries, universities, foundations, and friends and colleagues, such as Lee Hall and George McNeil. Personal business records consist of financial and legal material as well as art inventories. Opper's Bowery and Amagansett studio files contain maintenance fees as well as records related to a legal settlement. Also included are sales records from Grace Borgenicht Gallery, a painting inventory and a list of slides. Printed materials include a disbound scrapbook, newspaper and magazine clippings, exhibition catalogs, announcements, and the galley sheets for a children's book illustrated by Opper. Photographs depict John Opper, Opper with friends and family, and Opper's artwork. Most of the photographic material consists of prints but there are a few slides, transparencies, and digital formats.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 5 series: Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1908-2012 (Box 1; 6 folders, ER01) Series 2: Correspondence, 1946-1995 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet) Series 3: Personal Business Records, 1969-1994 (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet) Series 4: Printed Materials, 1930-2011 (Box 1-2; 0.9 linear feet) Series 5: Photographs, 1926-circa 2013 (Box 3; 0.2 linear feet, ER02)
Biographical / Historical:
Chicago born abstract painter and teacher John Opper (1908-1994) moved to New York in the 1930s where he lived and worked for most of his career. John Opper was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1908. He studied at Cleveland School of Art, Case Western Reserve University, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Opper moved to New York City in 1933 and became a founding member of the American Abstract Artist group in 1936. He married Estelle Rita Hausman in 1934 and they had two children, Jane and Joseph. He studied with Hans Hofmann from 1935-1936 at the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts. Opper received a Master of Arts degree (1942) and a doctorate (1952) from Columbia University. Opper taught at many different places such as Columbia University and Pratt Institute, but his longest tenure was at New York Univerity where he he was a member of the art department faculty from 1957 until he retired in 1974. He received a Guggenheim fellowship in 1969. He was represented by Grace Borgenicht Gallery. He became known for his abstract style that was influenced by both abstract expressionism and color field painting. He passed away in Amagansett, New York in 1994.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with John Opper, conducted by Irving Sandler, 1968 September 9-1969 January 3.
Provenance:
The John Opper papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by the artist's children, Jane and Joseph Opper, in 2013.
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:
Art teachers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Painters -- New York (State)  Search this
Topic:
Painting, Abstract  Search this
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Artists' studios  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Drawings
Citation:
John Opper papers, 1908-2013, bulk 1930-1994. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.oppejohn
See more items in:
John Opper papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw951720c8f-482c-499a-8f43-2c5abc4d694e
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-oppejohn