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Catalog Data

Creator:
Midtown Galleries (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Subject:
Moller, Hans  Search this
Meyer, Fred  Search this
Martin, Fletcher  Search this
Mangravite, Peppino  Search this
Maldarelli, Oronzio  Search this
Magafan, Ethel  Search this
Lahm, Ren'ee  Search this
Kingman, Dong  Search this
Healey, Francis C.  Search this
Hale, Nathan Cabot  Search this
Soyer, Isaac  Search this
Gruskin, Mary J.  Search this
Gruskin, Alan D. (Alan Daniel)  Search this
Fiene, Ernest  Search this
Taubes, Frederic  Search this
Thon, William  Search this
Sokole, Miron  Search this
Shulkin, Anatol  Search this
Simkhovitch, Simka  Search this
Schoener, Jason  Search this
Sepeshy, Zoltan  Search this
Rosenthal, Doris Patty  Search this
Saarinen, Lilian Swann  Search this
Peirce, Waldo  Search this
Reinhardt, Siegfried  Search this
Palmer, William C.  Search this
Parsons, Betty  Search this
Nagler, Edith Kroger  Search this
Nagler, Fred  Search this
Guston, Philip  Search this
Vickrey, Robert  Search this
Varga, Margit  Search this
Wingate, Arline  Search this
Bishop, Isabel  Search this
Betts, Edward H.  Search this
Cadmus, Paul  Search this
Coiner, Charles T.  Search this
Davis, Gladys Rockmore  Search this
Etnier, Stephen  Search this
Etting, Emlen  Search this
Midtown-Payson Galleries  Search this
Type:
Photographs
Video recordings
Place of publication, production, or execution:
United States
Physical Description:
86.82 Linear feet
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into 10 series. A detailed explanation of the arrangement of each series is provided with the series descriptions. Each series is subdivided, often by record type, with categories usually arranged chronologically; exceptions are noted. Administrative correspondence (Series 1) is arranged alphabetically, as are many inventories sales records (Series 3). Photographs of people, exhibitions, and works of art (Series 6) are arranged alphabetically, as are the artists files and exhibition clippings portions of the printed matter (Series 7). The addition is described separately in Appendix A; and, wherever possible, reel and frame numbers of related materials received and filmed with the addition have been included in the main text's series descriptions. Series 1: Administrative Correspondence, 1927-1989, undated (51 linear ft.) Series 2: Exhibitions, 1932-1982, undated (4 linear feet) Series 3: Inventories and Sales Records, 1932-1980, undated (5.3 linear ft.) Series 4: Financial Records, 1933-1957 (3.5 linear feet) Series 5: Miscellaneous, 1934-1985, undated (2 linear feet) Series 6: Photographs, circa 1925-circa 1980 (6.5 linear feet) Series 7: Printed Matter, 1932-1990, undated (7.25 linear ft.) Series 8: Personal Papers of Alan D. and Mary J. Gruskin, 1904-1990, undated (4.5 linear feet) Series 9: Papers of Francis C. Healey, 1932-1935, undated (0.5 linear ft.) Series 10: Addition, 1932-1997, undated (2.5 linear feet)
Access Note / Rights:
The collection is open for research. Patrons must use microfilm copy.
Summary:
The records of Midtown Galleries measure 86.82 linear feet and date from 1904 to 1997. The collection documents the operation and general administration of the business and includes artist records, exhibition material, inventories, financial records, photographs, and printed material.
Citation:
Midtown Galleries records, 1904-1997. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Additional Forms:
The majority of the collection is available on 35 mm microfilm reels 5322-5438 and 5475 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of the material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
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:
Alan D. Gruskin (1904-1970) hoped to become an artist, but while still a student realized that his talents were better suited to art administration than painting. Following graduation from Harvard University, he worked at a New York gallery that specialized in old masters, returning home to Pennsylvania after a year to pursue a writing career that ultimately proved unsuccessful. Gruskin returned to New York and opened Midtown Galleries at 559 Fifth Avenue in 1932. Specializing in work by living American artists, Midtown was one of a rather small number of commercial galleries in New York City that showed contemporary American art. Midtown Galleries represented academic and realist painters, and purposely avoided abstract art.
Founded during the Depression, Midtown Galleries was a shoe-string operation in its early years. Originally operated as a cooperative, Midtown Galleries' participating artists contributed to the costs and work of presenting exhibitions. Between 1932 and 1935, Gruskin served as "Art Director" of the gallery and his business partner, Francis C. Healey was "Publicity Director." Healey appears to have been responsible for weekly broadcasts on NBC radio designed to interest people in visiting the gallery. The 15-minute programs consisted of discussions with museum directors, curators, artists, writers, and musicians about a broad range of cultural topics. Copies of the scripts were offered for a dime, and the payments mailed by radio listeners bought Gruskin's meals. During this period, Gruskin lived in the gallery. After Healey's departure in 1935, Midtown Galleries ceased to be run as a cooperative.
Midtown Galleries usually represented approximately two dozen artists, and many remained with the gallery for decades. They included: Julien Binford, Isabel Bishop, Paul Cadmus, Gladys Rockmore Davis, Emlen Etting, Maurice Freedman, Dong Kingman, Oronzio Maldarelli, William C. Palmer, Waldo Peirce, Doris Rosenthal, Zoltan L. Sepeshy, Frederic Taubes, William Thon, Margit Varga, and Robert Vickrey.
Gruskin worked to educate and interest the public in American art and to promote the artists he represented. In addition to countless reviews, articles, and catalog essays, he wrote three books: Painting in the U.S.A. (1946), The Watercolors of Dong Kingman and How the Artist Works (1958), William Thon: The Artist and His Technique (1964). Gruskin advocated the use of fine art in advertising and industry, obtaining commissions for his artists and at the same time assisting clients in building corporate collections. A prime example is the Upjohn Company which, at Gruskin's urging, included reproductions of paintings in "Your Doctor Speaks," a series of public service announcements. Many of the paintings were purchased subsequently, forming the basis of the Upjohn Collection. A traveling exhibition, The Upjohn Company Collection of Contemporary American Paintings , was circulated by Midtown Galleries and featured in a Life magazine article about fine art and advertising. Another example is the fabric patterns, based on paintings by several of Midtown Galleries' artists, commissioned by the Onandoga Silk Company; the fabrics were used for dresses by popular designers, with fashion shows and window displays of paintings by the participating artists at selected department stores throughout the country. Working closely with architects and interior designers, Gruskin and Midtown Galleries were innovators in the use of domestic and business settings to showcase art with Art In Interiors , a series of exhibitions held annually between 1952 and 1961.
Midtown Galleries was a pioneer in circulating traveling exhibitions to colleges and art associations in communities distant from major art museums and commercial galleries. Beginning in 1936 and or more than 35 years, Midtown Galleries circulated 8-10 shows throughout the country each year; most were group shows organized around a theme, though occasional solo exhibitions were offered. Other important exhibitions off the premises were the Central Illinois Art Exposition, 1939, and the contemporary American art exhibition at the New York World's Fair, 1964-1965. The 1939 show organized by Gruskin for the Bloomington, Illinois, Art Association was a large exhibition of American art borrowed from a variety of institutions; the very well-publicized show was heavily attended, drawing visitors from a large area of the rural Midwest, many of whom had never visited a museum or seen original art.
1932 established as a cooperative gallery at 559 Fifth Ave. by Alan D. Gruskin (Art Director) and Francis C. Healey (Public Relations Director); Midtown Galleries presented programs on contemporary American art broadcast by NBC radio 1934-1935 Tudor City Art Galleries at 8 Prospect Place, New York City, featuring works by Midtown Galleries' artists and others, administered by Gruskin and Healey 1935 departure of Francis C. Healey; gallery moved to 605 Madison Ave.; gallery ceased to be run as a cooperative 1936 began traveling exhibitions to universities, museums, and regional art associations 1939 Central Illinois Art Exposition (Bloomington, Ill.) 1946 San Francisco branch opened and closed; publication of Painting in the U.S.A. by Alan D. Gruskin 1951 gallery moved to 17 East 57th Street 1958 publication of The Watercolors of Dong Kingman and How the Artist Works by Alan D. Gruskin 1962 gallery moved to 11 East 57th Street 1964 exhibition of contemporary American art at the New York World's Fair, organized by Midtown Galleries; shown in American Interiors Pavilion, this was the only exhibit of its kind at the Fair; publication of William Thon: The Artist and His Technique by Alan D. Gruskin 1966 loan of Midtown Galleries' records for microfilming by the Archives of American Art; this small selection, along with many other gallery records, was donated by Mary Gruskin to the Archives between 1972 and 1991, with an additional gift in 1997 1970 death of Alan D. Gruskin (1904-1970); Mary J. Gruskin assumes position of Director 1972 first portion of Midtown Galleries' records donated to the Archives of American Art by Mrs. Gruskin 1985 sale of Midtown Galleries to John Whitney Payson; Bridget Moore, Director, and Mary J. Gruskin, Director Emerita 1986 majority of Midtown Galleries' records acquired by the Archives of American Art 1990 name changed to Midtown-Payson Galleries; gallery moved to 745 Fifth Ave. 1991 additional gift of records by Mrs. Gruskin 1992 records arranged, described, and prepared for microfilming 1993 microfilming began; continued sporadically, in small segments 1995 Midtown-Payson Galleries closed 1997 additional gift of records by Mrs. Gruskin 1999 microfilming completed
Language Note:
English .
Provenance:
Midtown Galleries loaned a small number of records consisting of news releases, 1939-1966, and exhibition schedules to the Archives of American Art for microfilming in 1966. Subsequently, Mary J. Gruskin donated this material, along with many other gallery records, to the Archives in several installments between 1972 and 1991; an additional gift was received in 1997. The portion loaned in 1966 is now integrated with the main records and has been refilmed in sequence. Unfortunately, the addition of 1997 was received in Washington, D.C. after microfilming was well underway. The addition has been microfilmed and described separately as Series 10. Wherever possible, the main text has been annotated with reel and frame numbers for related items contained in the addition.
Location Note:
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
Topic:
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Theme:
Art Gallery Records  Search this
Art Market  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)7098
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209231
AAA_collcode_midtgall
Theme:
Art Gallery Records
Art Market
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209231