The papers of painter and designer Louise Medbery von Brockdorff measure 0.9 linear feet and date from 1905 to 1975. The collection comments on von Brockdorff's colorful life of different interests and travel. Found are address books, biographical materials, letters from Maryette Charlton, eighteen journals, sketches, and handwritten writings and notes.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of painter and designer Louise Medbery von Brockdorff measure 0.9 linear feet and date from 1905 to 1975. The collection comments on von Brockdorff's colorful life of different interests and travel. Found are address books, biographical materials, letters from Maryette Charlton, eighteen journals, sketches, and handwritten writings and notes.
Arrangement:
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
Biographical / Historical:
Louise Medbery von Brockdorff (1887-1975) was a painter and designer based in New York, New York who worked briefly for the Works Progress Administration. She was also an astrologist and a socialite with many friends in the arts including choreographers, dancers, artists, and poets.
Known to friends as Fifi, Louise Medbery was born in Columbus, Ohio and studied at Vassar College. Shortly after graduation, she moved to Europe and studied painting in Munich, Germany. She married Count Hugo von Brockdorff in 1910 and remained in Germany while he fought in World War I. The couple lived in Denmark after the war but Louise ultimately returned to Columbus and the two divorced, after which she completed a secretarial course and worked at an office in Columbus and took other jobs around Ohio.
Von Brockdorff moved often seeking out new interests and professions. In 1924 she moved to New York City to study fashion design and pursued an interest in astrology which ultimately became a career. During the Depression, she supported herself through mail-order star charts and would find clients through word-of-mouth. Briefly, she worked for the Works Progress Administration and continued to move in and out of New York City. Later in life, von Brockdorff took an interest in theater and dance and became close with choreographers, poets, and artists.
She died in 1975 in New York City.
Related Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds the Maryette Charlton papers, circa 1890-2013. Charlton, who served as executor of von Brockdorff's estate, was a close friend. The Charlton papers include letters from von Brockdorff to Charlton, information on the acquisition of the estate, legal documents, and records regarding von Brockdorff's memorial which was organized by Charlton.
Provenance:
Donated 1980 by Lillian Kiesler and Maryette Charlton, friends of von Brockdorff. Additional materials were donated by Maryette Charlton between 1998 and 2013.
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.
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.
Occupation:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Designers -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
