Letters found here are from Asher's colleagues, including Fritz Bultman, Helen Frankenthaler, Philip Guston, Hans Hofmann, Norman Mailer, Robert Motherwell, Louise Nevelson, Mark Rothko, Theodoros Stamos, Jack Tworkov, and Kurt Vonnegut. The letters primarily concern their art-related activities.
See Appendix for list of notable correspondents from Series 2
Appendix: Notable Correspondents from Series 2:
Adams, Pat: May 31, 1979
Albert, Calvin: undated Christmas cards (3), one is illustrated
Ashton, Dore: undated postcard?; Jun 12, 1985
Beck, Rosemarie: Jun 1972
Boghosian, Varujan and Marilyn: undated Christmas card
Bourgeois, Louise: Jun 15, 1977
Brooks, Charlotte and Jim: undated letters (2); Apr 3, 1966; Jul 27, 1970; Feb 15, 1971
Brustlein, Daniel: Sep 8, 1955
Bultman, Fritz: undated letters (3); Dec 12, 1964; Jan 2, 1965; Dec 1976
Burlin, Paul and Peggy: Dec 4, 1960
Busa, Peter: Dec 23, 1964
Castellon, Hilda, Paul, and Fred: undated Christmas card
Cavallon, Giorgio: Nov 15, 1955; Sep 8, 1963; Oct 22, 1963; Jan 6, 1965; Oct 3, 1966; Mar 12, 1974
De Kooning, Lisa: 1979 (incomplete letter)
Dorfman, Elsa: undated letter
Ferber, Ilse and Herbert: undated Christmas card; Oct 24, 1960? (with 5 photographs of works)
Ferren, John: undated Christmas card (illustrated); Feb 11, 1964; Jun 30, 1964
Frankenthaler, Helen: undated letters (2); Aug 2, 1956; Jan 19, 1960; Oct 2_, 1960; Apr 1, 1961; Mar 1, 1969; Aug 18, 1969; also see Robert Motherwell
Friedman, Sanford: undated postcard; Jul 7, 1969; Dec 26, 1981; Apr 19, 1988; Dec 27, 1988
Greene, Stephen and Sigrid: undated Christmas cards (2)
Gross, Chaim and Renee: 1967 Christmas card; 1968 Christmas card; 1983 Christmas card
Gruen, John: undated Christmas card
Guston, Philip and Musa: undated Christmas card with illustration; undated letters (3); Jul 29, 1958; Aug 17, 1960; Sep 19, 1963 (illustrated); Jan 10, 1964 (illustrated); Aug 17, 1964 (illustrated); Nov 6, 1964; Sep 22, 1969; Oct 13, 1970; Feb 15, 1971; [1971]; Apr 9, 1971; Aug 2, 1971; Sep 19, 1972; Dec 22, 1972; Jun 12, 1973; Jul 16, 1973 (illustrated); Aug 27, 1974; Dec 1, 1974; Jan 9, 1975; Aug 16, 1979
Hare, David: Mar 7, 1957; Jun 15, 1979; Aug 4, 1980; Jul 14, 1981; Apr 1, 1983
Harmon, Lily: undated Christmas card
Hess, Thomas: undated letters (2); Nov 12, 1974 (envelope only)
Hofmann, Hans and Miz: undated letter; Dec 23, 1952; Dec 1957; Jun 25, 1958; Dec 1, 1958; Jun 3, 1960; Jun 13, 1962; Apr 18, 1963
Kahn, Wolf: Oct 16, 1955
Kootz, Sam and Jane: undated Christmas card
Kuh, Katharine: undated letter; Dec 28, 1974
Mailer, Norman: Apr 11, 1968
Manso?, Leo: Dec 1979 illustrated envelope
Miller, Dorothy: Aug 26, 1953
Morris, Hilda: undated letters (3)
Motherwell, Robert and Renata Ponsold: Mar 3, 1975; Oct 1, 1977; Oct 16, 1978; Feb 25, 1985; Nov 29, 1988; also see Helen Frankenthaler
Nevelson, Louise: Dec 20, 1960 (illustrated card)
O'Doherty, Brian: undated letter; Jul 31, 1967; Aug 5, 1968 Sep 20, 1982
Pavia, Philip: Aug 17, 1982
Reis, Bernard and Becky: undated Christmas cards (2)
Resnick, Milton: Feb 23, 1956
Rosati, James and Carmel: undated Christmas cards (2); also see Art Work
Rothko, Mark: undated letters (2); Jul 20, 1959; Aug 9, 1961; also see Photographs
Stamos, Theodorus: undated letter; Jan 3, 1962; Aug 6, 1964; Jul 14, 1965; Aug 19, 1965; Jul 15, 1966; Jul 19, 1967; Jun 29, 1968; Aug 5, 1968; Jul 23, 1973; Dec 11, 1981
Stevens, May: Jul 14, 1975
Stout, Myron: Mar 25, 1980
Terris, Albert and Virginia: Dec 1953 (illustrated Christmas card)
Tworkov, Jack and family: undated letters (2); Dec 22, 1955 (illustrated Christmas card); Aug 27, 1956; Jul 5, 1960; Dec 11, 1960; Oct 21, 1968; Jan 4, 1983
Varian, Elayne: Oct 6, 1969; Dec 19, 1969
Vonnegut, Kurt: undated letters (2); Jan 29, 1975
Watson, Hildegarde: Feb 24, 1946; Jun 12, 1948; Mar 31, 1951; Jan 27, 1956; Aug 9, 1958
Webb, Nancy: Jan 6, 1986; Dec 15, 1986 (illustrated Christmas card)
Wesley, John: Mar 21, 1987
White, Emil: see Art Work
Williams, William Carlos: Jul 2, 1949 (photocopy); also see Photographs
Wilson, Jane: see John Gruen
Yunkers, Adja: undated cards (2), one illustrated; Feb 3, 1951; Dec 16, 1964
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Microfilmed portion must be consulted on microfilm. Use of unmicrofilmed material requires an appointment and is limited to the Washington D.C. research facility.
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Collection Citation:
The Elise Asher papers, 1923-1994. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.