Paintings in watercolor (18), oil (54), and drawings in graphite (5), pen and ink (3), and pastel (1), capture the exoticism of Weeks' travel in the Near East and North Africa, his interest in medieval armour and love of the New England seashore. Also included are a family crest; animal studies; a 3 p. typescript titled "Cairo Notes"; a 3 p. account of travel to the Cedars of Lebanon via Beirut and Akora; photographs of Weeks in costume and at home in Paris, his work, and the family grocery store in Boston; travel photographs; an exhibition catalog; and clippings.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, illustrator, author, photographer, explorer; Paris, France. Born in Boston, Mass. and raised in Newtonville, Mass., Weeks studied in the American public school system and at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, with Gerome and Bonnat. He married his cousin Frances Rollins Hale and was a close friend of illustrator Frank T. Merrill. Weeks travelled extensively in Egypt, Jerusalem, Damascus and Morocco, maintaining a studio in Paris and frequenting South Berwick, Maine where his sister Mrs. W.A.H. (Minnie) Goodwin and her family lived. His specialty was North African orientalist genre painting.
Provenance:
Donated by Mervin Bronson 1991 "in memory of Burton W.F. Trafton, Jr." Bronson received the material from his friend Trafton, a distant descendant of Weeks. Many of the artworks and photographs are labelled "Elizabeth Goodwin," who was presumably Weeks' niece.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
