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Catalog Data

Creator:
Gikow, Ruth Levine, 1915-1982  Search this
Type:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Place of publication, production, or execution:
Other
Physical Description:
2 Linear feet
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as six series. Series 1: Biographical Material, 1933-1972 (5 Folders: Box 1) Series 2: Correspondence, 1949-1981 (0.5 Linear feet: Box 1) Series 3: Writings, circa 1950-1980 (0.2 Linear feet: Box 1) Series 4: Personal Business, circa 1954-1980 (5 Folders: Box 1) Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1933-1982 (0.6 Linear feet: Box 1-2) Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1939-1975 (0.4 Linear feet: Box 2)
Access Note / Rights:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Summary:
The Ruth Gikow papers measure 2 linear feet and date from 1933-1982. The papers document Gikow's life and career as a figurative painter and illustrator through biographical material; personal and professional correspondence with family, galleries, universities, and colleagues; autobiographical essays and writings on art broadly, lists of artwork and other writings; personal business files such as sale records and price lists; exhibition catalogs, news clippings, and other printed material; and photographs of Gikow and her artwork.
Citation:
Ruth Gikow papers, 1933-1982. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Additional Forms:
Portions of the collection and material lent for microfilming are available on 35mm microfilm reels D230 (frames 692-1388), and reels 4874-4875 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Funding:
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
Use Note:
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.
Biography Note:
Ruth Gikow (1915-1932) was a New York based painter, illustrator, and serigrapher. Gikow was born in Ukraine, emigrating to New York City with her parents in 1920. She studied under John Steuart Curry at the Cooper Union Art School from 1932-1935. She also studied with Louis Ross, Louis Schanker and Raphael Soyer. In 1935 Gikow became a Works Progress Administration artist, and in 1939 Gikow was awarded a commission to paint a mural titled Children's Indoor and Outdoor Activities for the children's wing of Bronx Hospital. Her other mural work included a live demonstration at the 1943 New York City World's Fair, and commercial murals for department stores across the city. Her career also involved illustrating books such as an edition of Crime and Punishment and History of the Jews in America by Deborah Pessin; and co-founding the American Serigraph Society in which she developed her technique with silk screen printing. In 1946 Gikow married painter Jack Levine.
Language Note:
English .
Provenance:
Material on D230 was lent by Gikow in 1965. Gikow and her husband Jack Levine donated the remainder in 1978 and 1983, which was microfilmed in 1994 with grants from the Henry and Lucy Moses Fund, the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, the Samuel Bronfman Foundation, and the Louis and Anne Abrons Foundation. After microfilming, an addition to the collection was donated by Levine in May 1999. Papers of Jack Levine donated at the same time have been cataloged separately.
Location Note:
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
Topic:
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Social realism  Search this
Jewish artists  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Women printmakers  Search this
Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this
Theme:
Women  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)7065
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209198
AAA_collcode_gikoruth
Theme:
Women
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209198