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Summary:
The papers of artists Jerome and Ethel Myers measure 4.5 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 2020, with the bulk dating from 1900 to 1960. The collection documents the Myers' careers through biographical material, personal and professional correspondence, writings, interviews, personal business records, gallery and exhibition files, printed material, and extensive photographic material. The later materials include research conducted by the Myers' daughter Virginia Downes, and subsequently by her son Barry Downes, on the artists, as well as correspondence between the estate and various museums and galleries.
Biographical material includes resumes and various biographical writings, as well as memorials and obituaries. Correspondence is mostly with institutions and galleries. Writings include artist statements and texts by Jerome Myers, as well as writings on the Myers' work by others. The collection includes audio recordings of interviews with Ethel Myers and Virginia Myers. Personal business records include inventories of works, both from the artists' studios and from commercial galleries, as well as information regarding sales, donations, and locations of artworks. Printed matter includes exhibition catalogs, press clippings and publications relating to various solo and group exhibitions. The collection includes extensive photographic documentation of both artists' work, much of which is included in scrapbook-style binders, as well as numerous photographs of both artists and their family.
Citation:
Jerome and Ethel Myers papers, 1900-2010. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Additional Forms:
35mm microfilm reels N68-6, N68-7 & 75 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
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.
Related Materials:
Additional papers may be found in the Delaware Art Museum. Also in the Archives is material lent for microfilming on reel N68-6 and N68-7 that includes correspondence, biographical data, clippings, a diary, articles, sketches, exhibition catalogs, and a thesis on the sculpture of Ethel Myers by Paula Ann, notes on various artistic subjects, illustrations of paintings and etchings, a manuscript of Myers's, "Artist in Manhattan"; photographs of his work, and a scrapbook. Originals returned to Mrs. Virginia Downes after microfilming.
Biography Note:
Jerome Myers (1867-1940) was an American artist and writer associated with the Ashcan School, particularly known for his sympathetic depictions of the urban landscape and its people. He was one of the main organizers of the 1913 Armory Show. Ethel May Klink Myers (1881-1960) was a New York Realist artist and sculptor.
Language Note:
English .
Provenance:
Donated in 2023 by Helene Taub, the widow of Myers' grandson, Barry Downes. Material on reel N68-6 and N68-7 lent for microfilming 1968 by Mrs. Virginia Downes, daughter of Jerome Myers. Material on reel 75 donor is unknown.
Location Note:
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
