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Catalog Data

Creator:
Varian, Dorothy, 1895-1985  Search this
Names:
Bacon, Peggy, 1895-1987  Search this
Brook, Alexander, 1898-1980  Search this
Karfiol, Bernard, 1886-1952  Search this
Klienert, Herminie  Search this
Kuniyoshi, Yasuo, 1889-1953  Search this
Marshall, Lenore, 1897-1971  Search this
Peirce, Waldo, 1884-1970  Search this
Schmidt, Katherine, 1898-1978  Search this
Schulte, Antoinette E., 1897-1981  Search this
Extent:
2.3 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Sketches
Date:
circa 1902-1984
Summary:
The papers of painter Dorothy Varian date from circa 1902 to 1984 and measure 2.3 linear feet. This collection documents Varian's life primarily through scattered biographical material; correspondence with family, friends, artists and art galleries; personal business records; a few writings; exhibition catalogs, news clippings, and other printed material; photographs of Varian, her friends, and artwork; and original sketches by Varian and fellow artist Peggy Bacon.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of painter Dorothy Varian date from circa 1902 to 1984 and measure 2.3 linear feet. This collection documents Varian's life primarily through scattered biographical material; correspondence with family, friends, artists and art galleries; personal business records; a few writings; exhibition catalogs, news clippings, and other printed material; photographs of Varian, her friends, including Peggy Bacon, Alex Brook, Bernard Karfiol, and Yasuo Kuniyoshi, and artwork; and original sketches by Varian and fellow artist Peggy Bacon. Varian's earliest correspondence is with her mother and her cousin Jessie, detailing her life as an artist in Paris. Also found is extensive correspondence with with Peggy Bacon, Hermine Kleinert, Lenore G. Marshall, Waldo Pierce, Katherine Schmidt, Antoinette Schulte, and the Renoir family.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 7 series. Missing Title Series 1: Biographical Material, 1920-1980 (5 folders; Box 1) Series 2: Correspondence, 1917-1981 (0.8 linear feet; Box 1) Series 3: Writings, 1940s-1960s (3 folders; Box 1) Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1931-1984 (9 folders; Box 1) Series 5: Printed Material, 1916-1981 (0.5 linear feet; Box 2) Series 6: Photographs, circa 1902-1961 (13 folders; Boxes 2-3) Series 7: Artwork, circa 1912-1924 (11 folders; Boxes 2-3)
Biographical / Historical:
Dorothy Varian (1895-1985) was a painter in New York City, and Woodstock, NY. Varian was born in New York City on April 26, 1895; daughter of Eugene W. and Helen Estelle Varian. She dropped out of high school at 15 and entered Cooper Union where she graduated with honors. After Cooper Union she attended the Art Students League. While a student she inadvertently won first and second prize in a local art contest sponsored by movie producer, William Fox. She used the prize money to rent her first studio in Woodstock. In 1920, her cousins Jessie and C. Vanderbilt Barton provided her the means to study in Paris. Varian's first one-man show was held in 1922 at the Durand-Ruel Galleries in Paris. A close friend of Varian's during this time was Jean Renior, son of Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Within the first year after she returned permanently to the United States, Varian had exhibitions at the Whitney Club, Whitney Galleries, and the Downtown Galleries. Edith Halpert, director of the Downtown Galleries became Varian's art dealer. Varian used the money from her work to buy a home in Woodstock which became her primary painting studio. The majority of her circle was formed during her time at the Art Students League and during her years in Paris. Varian also met many artists who were living and working alongside her in Woodstock. Throughout her life, she stayed in contact with many of these friends including Peggy Bacon, Alex Brook, Georgina Klitgaard, Frederick Dana Marsh, Lenore G. Marshall, and Waldo Pierce. Varian worked primarily with watercolor and oil painting. Varian's work has been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Corcoran Galleries, Carnegie International, Whitney Museum of American Art, Association of American Artists Gallery, Brooklyn Museum, and several universities across the country. Over the course of her career, Varian held fifteen solo exhibitions and received many awards including the Kuniyoshi Award in 1975. Varian died in 1985 at the age of 90.
Related Materials:
Also found in this repository is an interview of Dorothy Varian conducted 1980 Dec. 6-7, by Avis Berman, for the Archives of American Art.
Provenance:
The collection was donated to the Archives of American Art in installments by Dorothy Varian in 1972, 1978, and 1981. An additonal installment was donated in 1986 by the Dorothy Varian estate, via Robert Plate.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival 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.
Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Sketches
Citation:
Dorothy Varian papers, circa 1902-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.varidoro
See more items in:
Dorothy Varian papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw973ab1ef8-e370-4886-9860-76f592d50236
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-varidoro