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Oral history interview with Morris Davidson, 1971 July 21

Interviewee:
Davidson, Morris, 1898-1979  Search this
Interviewer:
Brown, Robert F  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Morris Davidson, 1971 July 21. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- Interviews  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)13196
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)212026
AAA_collcode_davids71
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_212026

George Constant papers

Creator:
Constant, George  Search this
Names:
Art Institute of Chicago  Search this
Audubon Artists (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Brooklyn Museum  Search this
Carnegie Institute  Search this
Dayton Art Institute  Search this
Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors  Search this
Ferargil Galleries  Search this
Heckscher Museum  Search this
Lyman Allyn Art Museum  Search this
Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Parrish Art Museum  Search this
Spanish Refugee Aid (Organization)  Search this
United States. Works Progress Administration  Search this
Whitney Museum of American Art  Search this
Avery, Milton, 1885-1965  Search this
Avery, Sally  Search this
Burliuk, David, 1882-1967  Search this
Caparn, Rhys, 1909-1997  Search this
Carnell, Julia Shaw Patterson, 1863-1944  Search this
Davidson, Morris, 1898-1979  Search this
Eaton, Charles Warren, 1857-1937  Search this
Gecan, Vilko, 1894-1973  Search this
Kanaga, Consuelo, 1894-  Search this
Landgren, Marchal E.  Search this
Neuberger, Roy R.  Search this
Pach, Walter, 1883-1958  Search this
Perret, Nell, 1916-  Search this
Preston, Georgette  Search this
Putnam, Wallace, 1899-1989  Search this
Extent:
4.6 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Christmas cards
Photographs
Video recordings
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1912-2007
bulk 1932-1978
Summary:
The papers of modernist painter and printmaker George Constant measure 4.6 linear feet and date from 1912-2007, with the bulk of the material dating from 1932-1978. They consist of biographical material, inventories of artwork, audio interviews and recorded statements on art, personal and business related correspondence, holiday cards, printed material, an exhibition related video recording, and photographs of Constant, his family and friends, and his work.
Scope and Contents note:
The papers of modernist painter and printmaker George Constant measure 4.6 linear feet and date from 1912-2007, with the bulk of the material dating from 1932-1978. They consist of biographical material, inventories of artwork, audio interviews and recorded statements on art, personal and business related correspondence, holiday cards, printed material, an exhibition related video recording, and photographs of Constant, his family and friends, and his work. A small portion of the correspondence and printed materials are written in Greek.

Biographical material includes artist statements written and recorded by Constant, two audio interview recordings discussing his philosophies on art and his work, inventories of artwork, personal property deeds and legal correspondence, and other miscellaneous material.

Correspondence is predominantly in the form of business and personal letters, postcards, and holiday cards received from family and friends. These include correspondence from Constant's daughter, Georgette Preston, and extended family members. Other frequent personal correspondents include Milton and Sally Avery, Lewis Balamuth, Margaret Brunning, David Burliuk, Nathaniel Burwash, Rhys Caparn, Julia Shaw Patterson Carnell, Phillip Cavanaugh, Morris Davidson, Charles Eaton, Vilko Gecan, Marchal Landgren, Roy Neuberger, Walter Pach, Nell Perret, Constantine Pougialis, Wallace Putnam and Consuelo Kanaga, Hi Simons, and Helen Slosberg. Business related correspondents include Audubon Artists, Art Institute of Chicago, Brooklyn Museum, Carnegie Institute, Dayton Art Institute, Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors, Ferargil Galleries, Guild Hall, Heckscher Museum, Lyman Allyn Museum, Metropolitan Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Spanish Refugee Appeal, and the Whitney Museum. Other business correspondence related to Constant's work with the WPA are also included in the series.

Printed material includes books and booklets on American and Greek art, including a limited print edition of George Constant by George Constant, clippings and articles reviewing Constant's work, exhibition announcements and catalogs of Constant's shows, periodicals profiling his artwork, and dance and theater related programs that Constant consulted on.

Photographs include black and white prints of Constant and his family and friends in St. Louis, Missouri, Dayton, Ohio, and in and around his studio in Shinnecock Hills, New York. The collection also includes photo stills from his 1965 exhibition at the Parrish Art Museum and a comprehensive set of black and white prints, a handful of color prints, and several color slide sheets of Constant's artwork from the 1920s to 1978.
Arrangement note:
The collection is arranged into 4 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1923-2007 (Box 1; 17 folders)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1930-1979 (Box 1-2; 1.4 linear feet)

Series 3: Printed Material, 1927-2005 (Box 2-3; 2 linear feet)

Series 4: Photographic Material, 1912-1978 (Box 4-6; 1 linear foot)
Biographical/Historical note:
Greek American George Zachary Constant (1892-1978) worked from his studios in Shinnecock Hills, and New York City, New York as a painter and printmaker. A founder and lifelong member of the Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors, Constant worked for the Work Projects Administration (WPA) during the Depression and early years of World War II, and exhibited regularly at major galleries and museums from the 1920s to 1970s.

Born in Arahova, Greece, Constant was raised by his two uncles after the death of his parents in 1896. In school and at the monestary one of his uncles led, Constant showed an early interest in classical Greek aesthetics. At the age of eighteen, he immigrated to the United States and continued his art studies at Washington University before transferring to the Art Institute of Chicago. From 1918 to 1922, Constant taught at the Dayton Art Institute and continued to produce and exhibit his work locally. In 1922, he moved to New York, joined the Society of Independent Painters, and became close friends with Society founder and art critic Walter Pach. During the 1920s, his etchings were shown at the Valentine and Downtown Galleries, and at the New Art Circle of J.B. Neumann, where he presented his first one man gallery show in 1929.

From the 1930s to 1940s, Constant produced prints, watercolors, and oil paintings for the WPA, many of which were purchased by museums and public institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum. During this same period, Constant exhibited his work at the Boyer Gallery in the late 1930s, and at the Ferargil Gallery from the 1940s to early 1950s. In the decade between 1955 and 1965, Constant also worked on color and set design for seventeen dance productions created by the choreographer Alwin Nikolais. In the last two decades of his career, Constant produced works from his studio in Shinnecock Hills, New York and continued to exhibit at numerous galleries, including Grace Borgenicht Gallery, Guild Hall, Mari Galleries, Tirca Karlis Gallery, and Artium Gallery.
Provenance:
The papers of George Constant were donated by the artist in 1969 and 1978. Additional materials were donated in 2001 and 2007 by his daughter Georgette Preston.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
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.
Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Art -- Philosophy  Search this
Printmakers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Genre/Form:
Christmas cards
Photographs
Video recordings
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
George Constant papers, 1912-2007, bulk 1932-1978. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.consgeor
See more items in:
George Constant papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9cec7527c-1946-423b-aab7-e7728da8a072
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-consgeor
Online Media:

Lecture given by Karl Knaths

Speaker:
Knaths, Karl, 1891-1971  Search this
Names:
Provincetown Art Association  Search this
Davidson, Morris, 1898-1979  Search this
Extent:
14 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Lectures
Date:
1968 Aug. 11
Scope and Contents:
A lecture given by Karl Knaths 1968 Aug. 11 in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Knaths was introduced by Morris Davidson. Lecture was delivered to the Provincetown Art Association.
Biographical / Historical:
Karl Knaths (1891-1971) was an abstract painter based in Provincetown, Massachusets.
Provenance:
Provenance unknown.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
Occupation:
Painters -- Massachusetts -- Provincetown  Search this
Topic:
Art, Abstract  Search this
Cubism  Search this
Genre/Form:
Lectures
Identifier:
AAA.knatkarl
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9f310f76b-e91d-4ea6-ab63-c7f0d3316be4
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-knatkarl

Morris Davidson papers, 1925-1978

Creator:
Davidson, Morris, 1898-1979  Search this
Citation:
Morris Davidson papers, 1925-1978. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)7360
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209515
AAA_collcode_davimorr
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209515

Morris Davidson papers

Creator:
Davidson, Morris, 1898-1979  Search this
Extent:
2.2 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 1 reel))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1925-1978
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence; photographs; manuscripts; clippings; and exhibition catalogs and announcements.
REEL 667: 24 photographs of Davidson's paintings; 22 catalogs and announcements of one man shows and others; photo of members of the Provincetown Art Association; manuscripts of two of his published works, AN APPROACH TO MODERN PAINTING and PAINTING WITH PURPOSE.
UNMICROFILMED: Resumes; an unpublished, incomplete autobiography; correspondence about exhibitions; exhibition catalogs and announcements; clippings; 200 photographs of Davidson and his paintings; typed and handwritten manuscripts, notes, royalty statements, reviews, and correspondence concerning Davidson's published and unpublished writings on art.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter; New York, N.Y. Died 1979.
Provenance:
Donated 1973 and 1979 by Anne and Morris Davidson.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Identifier:
AAA.davimorr
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw91d019287-2887-408e-9353-720ac700fc2a
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-davimorr

Remo Farruggio papers

Creator:
Farruggio, Remo, 1906-1981  Search this
Names:
Butler, Joseph Green, III, 1901-1981  Search this
Davidson, Morris, 1898-1979  Search this
Hale, Robert Beverly, 1901-1985  Search this
Kainen, Jacob  Search this
Roszak, Theodore, 1907-1981  Search this
Soyer, Raphael, 1899-1987  Search this
Taylor, Francis Henry, 1903-1957  Search this
Extent:
0.5 Linear feet ((on partial microfilm reel))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks
Date:
1937-1983
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence, mostly from art galleries, but also including letters (some are photocopies) from Francis Henry Taylor, Robert Beverly Hale, Joseph Green Butler, Morris Davidson, Raphael Soyer, Jacob Kainen, and Theodore Roszak; photographs of Farruggio and photographs and slides of his paintings; writings and notes, including Farruggio's "credo"; business records, mostly receipts for works of art; two scrapbooks, containing clippings and other printed items; exhibition catalogs and announcements;
clippings and articles; and miscellaneous printed materials. Also included are two published books illustrated by Farruggio: THE ART OF LOVE by Ovid and WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter; New York, N.Y.
Painter; New York, N.Y.
Provenance:
Donated 1976-1985 by Remo and Ella Farruggio.
Donated 1976-1984 by Remo and Ella Farruggio.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Topic:
Painting, Modern -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Genre/Form:
Scrapbooks
Identifier:
AAA.farrremo
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96227649b-a2ee-4df3-9b1d-6ffbcc3d8fa1
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-farrremo

Oral history interview with Morris Davidson

Interviewee:
Davidson, Morris, 1898-1979  Search this
Interviewer:
Brown, Robert F.  Search this
Extent:
29 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1971 July 21
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Morris Davidson conducted 1971 July 21, by Robert Brown, for the Archives of American Art. Davidson speaks of his training at several art schools; going to Paris in the early 1920s; the development of art trends in the America since the 1930s; the influence of museums; amateur vs. professional artists, craft vs. painting;Provincetown; teaching assignments and teaching methods; his own school; the publication of "Understanding Modern Art"; art galleries; and the importance of artists' groups.
Biographical / Historical:
Morris Davidson (1898-1979) was a painter from New York, New York.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav file. Duration is 1 hr., 27 min.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Occupation:
Art teachers -- New York (State) -- Interviews  Search this
Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- Interviews  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.davids71
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw91202d65f-4695-48b3-b09e-fc78e4e1b363
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-davids71
Online Media:

Anne and Morris Davidson Christmas card to Leanord Bocour

Creator:
Davidson, Morris, 1898-1979  Search this
Bocour, Leonard, 1910-1993  Search this
Type:
Correspondence
Date:
1971 Dec.
Citation:
Morris Davidson. Anne and Morris Davidson Christmas card to Leanord Bocour, 1971 Dec.. Leonard Bocour papers and business records, 1933-1993. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Holidays  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)11213
See more items in:
Leonard Bocour papers and business records, 1933-1993
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_11213
Online Media:

Orange Structure, (painting)

Painter:
Davidson, Morris 1898-1979  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Type:
Paintings
Owner/Location:
Provincetown Art Association and Museum 460 Commercial Street Provincetown Massachusetts 02657 Accession Number: 112
Topic:
Abstract  Search this
Control number:
IAP 22490045
Data Source:
Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian American Art Museums
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_ari_474416

Mexican Hat, (painting)

Painter:
Davidson, Morris 1898-1979  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Type:
Paintings
Date:
1954
Topic:
Abstract  Search this
Allegory--Place--Mexico  Search this
Control number:
IAP 8F970088
Data Source:
Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian American Art Museums
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_ari_474762

Provincetown Theme, (painting)

Painter:
Davidson, Morris 1898-1979  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Type:
Paintings
Owner/Location:
Provincetown Art Association and Museum 460 Commercial Street Provincetown Massachusetts 02657 Accession Number: 115
Date:
1977
Topic:
Allegory--Place--Provincetown  Search this
Control number:
IAP 22490044
Data Source:
Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian American Art Museums
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_ari_474415

Untitled, (painting)

Painter:
Davidson, Morris 1898-1979  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Type:
Paintings
Owner/Location:
Provincetown Art Association and Museum 460 Commercial Street Provincetown Massachusetts 02657 Accession Number: 1017
Date:
1961
Topic:
Undetermined  Search this
Control number:
IAP 22490404
Data Source:
Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian American Art Museums
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_ari_475601

Three Figures, (painting)

Painter:
Davidson, Morris 1898-1979  Search this
Medium:
Watercolor on paper
Type:
Paintings
Owner/Location:
Provincetown Art Association and Museum 460 Commercial Street Provincetown Massachusetts 02657 Accession Number: 116
Date:
1957
Topic:
Figure group  Search this
Control number:
IAP 22490403
Data Source:
Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian American Art Museums
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_ari_475600

Riverfront, (painting)

Painter:
Davidson, Morris 1898-1979  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Type:
Paintings
Owner/Location:
Smithsonian American Art Museum 8th & G Streets, N.W Washington District of Columbia 20560 Accession Number: 1964.1.146
Date:
Ca. 1934
Topic:
Cityscape--New York--New York City  Search this
Architecture--Industry--Factory  Search this
Architecture exterior--Commercial--Dock  Search this
Cityscape--River  Search this
Control number:
IAP 08582861
Data Source:
Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian American Art Museums
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_ari_391971

Abstract Harbor Scene, (painting)

Painter:
Davidson, Morris 1898-1979  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Type:
Paintings
Owner/Location:
Provincetown Art Association and Museum 460 Commercial Street Provincetown Massachusetts 02657 Accession Number: 2346.002
Topic:
Abstract  Search this
Waterscape--Harbor  Search this
Control number:
IAP 22490405
Data Source:
Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian American Art Museums
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_ari_475602

American modernism at mid-century : the work of Morris Davidson / edited by Kevin D. Murphy ; with contributions from Lucinda Rosenfeld, Margaret R. Laster and Melissa Renn

Title:
Work of Morris Davidson
Author:
Davidson, Morris 1898-1979 Paintings Selections  Search this
Editor:
Murphy, Kevin D.  Search this
Contributor:
Rosenfeld, Lucinda  Search this
Laster, Margaret R.  Search this
Renn, Melissa  Search this
Host institution:
Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery  Search this
Subject:
Davidson, Morris 1898-1979  Search this
Physical description:
152 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 29 cm
Type:
Exhibitions
Exhibition catalogs
Place:
United States
Date:
2017
20th century
Topic:
Modernism (Art)  Search this
Call number:
N40.1.D2473 M87 2017
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_1088725

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