This series documents John Kraushaar's management of the galleries and the increasing involvement of Antoinette Kraushaar from the 1930s on. Kraushaar Galleries wrote regularly to Gifford Beal, Charles Demuth, William Glackens, Gaston Lachaise, Henry Schnakenberg, and John Sloan during these years, and the records document the galleries' faith in, and growing popularity of, these artists. Correspondence with Charles Prendergast documents the galleries' representation of work by Charles and his brother, Maurice, and letters to Edith Glackens record the galleries' continued representation of William Glackens following his death in 1938. John Kraushaar's letters to Guy Pène Du Bois record his commitment to the artist's work but also his exasperation with Du Bois's handling of his financial affairs. The increase in letters to a growing group of artists including Russell Cowles, William Dean Fausett, Vaughn Flannery, John Hartell, John Heliker, Boardman Robinson, and Esther Williams in the later portion of the series reflects the development of the galleries' commitment to American art.
John Kraushaar's letters to Preston Harrison provide insight into his artistic tastes, his sense of humor, and his pragmatic attitude toward art dealership. Kraushaar's letters to Duncan Phillips document the many transactions that took place between the two men as Phillips was developing his collection of American art in Washington, D.C.
Letters regarding loans and sales to prominent institutions and museums such as the Art Institute of Chicago, Carnegie Institute, Cleveland Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, and Whitney Museum of American Art indicate the caliber and importance of the galleries' inventory during a crucial period in the history of American art.
John Kraushaar's dealings in European art are documented most extensively in his correspondence with British art dealers Alex. Reid & Lefèvre, Ltd. and Ernest Brown and Co., French dealers Etienne Bignou, Paul Guillaume, and J. Allard, and the Dutch company Franz Buffa & Zonen. The Kraushaars also dealt extensively in European art with Ottawa dealer J. E. Northwood of James Wilson & Co. and in European and American art with Albert Roullier Art Galleries and Chester H. Johnson Galleries in Chicago, and Dalzell Hatfield Galleries in California.
Additional scattered outgoing correspondence dating from 1920-1945 may be found in Series 6.1.
Arrangement note:
Records in this series are arranged chronologically and alphabetically by correspondent.
Collection 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. A fragile original scrapbook is restricted. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote or reproduce requires written permission from Katherine Kaplan Degn, Kraushaar Galleries. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Kraushaar Galleries records, 1877-2006. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Getty Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution Collections Care Fund.
