This series contains papers created and gathered by Kathleen Curry and other family members after John Steuart Curry's death 1946. Types of materials include writings, published articles, correspondence, inventories of artwork and papers, and various business records kept by Kathleen Curry. Also found are alphabetical files dating roughly 1983 to 1999, which contain correspondence, clippings, catalogs, receipts, photographs, and other records related to museums, galleries, and other parties who dealt with the estate.
Articles about Curry include writings by family, friends, and scholars, both published and unpublished. Among the family writings are several articles written by Curry siblings, and notes written by R. Eugene Curry which refer to the papers themselves, especially to letters in Family Correspondence. Other articles include journal publications and writings related to exhibitions. Journal articles are accompanied by critical responses written to their authors from Kathleen Curry.
Chronological files of correspondence contain letters primarily from 1946 through 1980, although some later correspondence is found here. Alphabetical files contain most of the correspondence and other documents of the estate from about 1983 to 1999. Both the chronological correspondence and alphabetical files document publications, exhibitions, appearances, sales, disposition of papers, Curry-related events, and financial matters, with scattered personal correspondence. The estate's relationships with galleries representing Curry's artwork are heavily documented in this series. These include Associated American Artists, Robert Graham Galleries, and Kennedy Galleries in the chronological correspondence, and Mongerson Wunderlich, and Vivian Kiechel Fine Art in the alphabetical files. Correspondence between Kathleen Curry and many of her husband's colleagues is found, primarily in the chronological correspondence, including Thomas Hart Benton (1946), Thomas Craven, George Macy, Laurence Schmeckebier, Bob Hodgell, Don Anderson, Lloyd Garrison, Burton Cumming, William McCloy, and Maynard Walker. Letters between Laurence Schmeckebier and various family members (1981-1984), written for research on a revised edition of his biography of Curry (not published) includes letters with reminiscences of Curry's early life. A placard created to commemorate Curry's mural in the Law Library of the University of Wisconsin is found with a letter from Lloyd Garrison of 1948.
Inventories include lists of artwork, slides, papers, and reproductions. Most of the signed inventories were created by either Kathleen Curry or galleries representing Curry's artwork. Many are unsigned and unidentified.
Additional papers dated after Curry's death can be found in Print Materials, Personal Business Records, and Photographs. Additional information about Curry's family can be found in Biographical Materials and Family Correspondence.
Collection Restrictions:
The bulk of the collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Access to undigitized portions requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
John Steuart Curry and Curry family papers, 1900-1999. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
