Search Results

Creator:

Davis, Ruth A.  Search this

Donor:

Strange, Susan B.  Search this

Collection Creator:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History  Search this

Ravnitzky, Michael  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (5.25" x 8".)

Type:

Archival materials

Address books

Photographs

Date:

1913

Scope and Contents:

Addresses, mostly in ink, with tiny portrait prints pasted in.

Biographical / Historical:

Miss Davis probably lived in New England, as most addresses are from that area; photographers unidentified.

Local Numbers:

AC0404-0000038.tif (AC Scan: double-page spread, open to B's)

General:

In Photography, Folder 3.

Restrictions:

Unrestricted research use on site by appointment. Photographs must be handled with cotton gloves unless protected by sleeves.

Collection Rights:

Possible copyright and/or trademark restrictions on material in collection. Consult repository.

Topic:

Portraits -- 1910-1920  Search this

Genre/Form:

Address books -- 1910-1920

Photographs -- 1910-1920 -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin

Collection Citation:

Archives Center Business Americana Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

See more items in:

Archives Center Business Americana Collection

Archives Center Business Americana Collection / Photography

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8558157df-bcea-4edc-91eb-7e394146a938

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0404-ref1562

Creator:

Kiesler, Lillian, 1910?-2001  Search this

Names:

Anthology Film Archives  Search this

Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts  Search this

John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation  Search this

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

University of Iowa, Museum of Art  Search this

Whitney Museum of American Art  Search this

Adnan, Etel  Search this

Andres, Jo  Search this

Arnaud, Leopold, 1895-1984  Search this

Bartos, Armand P., 1910-  Search this

Bultman, Fritz, 1919-1985  Search this

Buscemi, Steve, 1958-  Search this

Castelli, Leo  Search this

Copley, Alfred L.  Search this

Diller, Burgoyne, 1906-1965  Search this

Dlugoszewski, Lucia, 1931-2000  Search this

Dorazio, Piero, 1927-  Search this

Dorazio, Virginia Dortch  Search this

Dreier, Katherine Sophie, 1877-1952  Search this

Dubuffet, Jean, 1901-  Search this

Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968  Search this

Hawkins, Erick  Search this

Hodges, Alice  Search this

Hofmann, Hans, 1880-1966  Search this

Holtzman, Harry  Search this

Howe, George, 1886-1955  Search this

Kamler, Richard  Search this

Kiesler, Frederick  Search this

MacIver, Loren, 1909-  Search this

Meredith, Burgess, 1907-1997  Search this

Milius, Tom  Search this

Miller, Henry, 1891-  Search this

Mondrian, Piet, 1872-1944  Search this

Montgomery, Chandler  Search this

Owen, Jane Blaffer, 1915-2010  Search this

Purdy, James  Search this

Takaezu, Toshiko  Search this

Tawney, Lenore  Search this

Zogbaum, Wilfrid, 1915-1965  Search this

Extent:

49.1 Linear feet

0.001 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Scrapbooks

Sound recordings

Diaries

Interviews

Scripts (documents)

Motion pictures (visual works)

Date:

circa 1910s-2003

bulk 1958-2000

Summary:

The papers of New York artist Lillian Kiesler and architect and sculptor Frederick Kiesler measure 49.1 linear feet and 0.001 GB and date from circa 1910s-2003, with the bulk of the material from 1958-2000. The collection documents their personal and professional lives and the legacy of Frederick Kiesler's work through biographical material, correspondence, legal, financial and business records, teaching files, exhibition and performance files, artwork, subject files, printed and digital material, writings and interviews, monographs, photographic material, and sound and video recordings. Also found are papers related to Abstract Expressionist painter Hans Hofmann and the papers of artist Alice Hodges.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of artist, performer, and arts educator Lillian Kiesler and sculptor, architect, set designer, educator, and writer Frederick Kiesler measure 49.1 linear feet and 0.001 GB and date from circa 1910s-2003, with the bulk of the material from 1958-2000. The collection documents their personal and professional lives and the legacy of Frederick Kiesler's work through biographical material, correspondence, legal, financial and business records, teaching files, exhibition and performance files, artwork, subject files, printed and digital material, writings and interviews, monographs, photographic material, and sound and video recordings. Also found are papers related to Abstract Expressionist painter Hans Hofmann and the papers of artist Alice Hodges.

The collection is arranged into two series: the Lillian Kiesler Papers (Series 1) and the Frederick Kiesler Papers (Series 2). Measuring 41.1 linear feet, the Lillian Kiesler Papers (Series 1) make up the bulk of the collection and document her personal life and professional career as an artist, actor, teacher, arts benefactor and promoter of Frederick Kiesler's legacy. The series spans her lifetime, although most of the material is dated after 1965. Among her papers are biographical materials, correspondence, legal and financial records, teaching files, exhibition and performance files, artwork, subject files, printed material, monographs, papers related to Frederick Kiesler and his legacy, papers of and related to Hans Hofmann, papers of Alice Hodges, photographic material, and sound and video recordings.

Found among Lillian Kiesler's personal papers are address books, numerous calendars and appointment books, and diaries and journals. Her correspondence is extensive and contains business correspondence with John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Whitney Museum of American Art, The University of Iowa Museum of Art, and Erick Hawkins Dance Foundation, and personal letters and greeting cards from friends, family, artists, scholars, and researchers, including Etel Adnan, Alcopley, Fritz Bultman, Steve Buscemi, Mike Diamond, Burgoyne Diller, Lucia Dlugoszewski, Piero Dorazio, Jean Dubuffet, Jay Gottlieb, Erick Hawkins, Burgess Meredith, Henry Miller, James Purdy, and Herrel Thomas. Of interest is a letter from Harry Holtzman postmarked March 13, 1935 describing his initial meeting with Mondrian, and a letter from E.B. Gordon describing Henry Miller in Paris.

Materials related to Lillian Kiesler's estate and last wishes can also be found, as well as teaching plans, student work, and writings by Lillian Kiesler's mentor and friend, New York University professor Chandler Montgomery. Various printed material, correspondence, scripts, and rehearsal schedules from Lillian Kiesler's exhibitions and performances are also found, and among the directors, artists and writers represented are Jo Andres, Steve Buscemi, Cindy Lugar, Tim Miller and James Purdy. Artwork contains photographs by Bob Del Fredici, drawings by Piero Dorazio, and notes to Frederick Kiesler from Lillian Kiesler.

Subject files about artists, friends, colleagues, performances, and organizations in which she supported, such as the Anthology Film Archives, include printed materials and research materials. Signed exhibition catalogs of Loren MacIver, Dina Ghen, Lenore Tawney, and Toshiko Takaezu, and a reprint article inscribed by Alcopley can be found, as well as numerous inscribed monographs, including books inscribed by Max Weiler and Piero Dorazio, an inscribed first edition of Henry Miller's Black Spring (1936), and a 1937 monograph by Harry Holtzman titled American Abstract Artists.

Series 1 also includes materials related to her husband Frederick Kiesler, papers of and related to Abstract Expressionist painter Hans Hofmann, and the personal papers of artist Alice Hodges. The Papers Related to Frederick Kiesler were primarily created or compiled by Lillian Kiesler and document her work on behalf of Frederick Kiesler's legacy. Of interest are letters from Frederick Kiesler to Lillian Kiesler and Alice Hodges; a bound volume of correspondence to Piero Dorazio; an inventory of objects in the Frederick Kiesler estate; photographs of artwork; an interview (sound recordings and transcript) with Lillian Kiesler about Frederick Kiesler for "Music of the Age," included on the tape is a portion of a Frederick Kiesler interview (1965); a recording of Lillian Kiesler interviewing Richard Kamler about Frederick Kiesler; and Frederick Kiesler's dialogue with Leo Castelli (undated).

Lillian Kiesler was a student of Hans Hofmann (1880-1966) in New York City and Provincetown, Massachusetts, as well as an enthusiastic volunteer promoter and assistant to The Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts. The bulk of the papers of and related to Hans Hofmann were created or compiled by Lillian Kielser and are about Hofmann's career and legacy. However, also found are some papers of Hans Hofmann, including letters from Hofmann to Lillian Kiesler and Alice Hodges describing his artwork, life in Provincetown, and issues with The Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts, typed and handwritten lectures given by Hofmann, Hofmann's 1941 address to the American Abstract Artists (AAA), three boxes of card files on students of the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts in New York City and Provincetown, and photographs of Hofmann and his house in Provincetown taken by Wilfrid Zogbaum and Tom Milius.

The artist Alice Hodges (b. unknown-1965) was a close friend of Lillian Kiesler, a former secretary to Frederick Kiesler, and a student of Hans Hofmann. Included among her personal papers is some correspondence from Hans Hofmann and Katherine Drier and numerous postcards from Hodges and Lillian Kiesler's trip to Europe in 1950, posters and printed material from her exhibitions, an oversized scrapbook chronicling Lillian Kiesler's teaching career, records from the United States Treasury War Bond Art Auction in 1945, original artwork and greeting cards made by Hodges and Lillian Kiesler, and 31 rolled negative strips in metal canisters of Frederick Kiesler sculptures, Provincetown and Hans Hofmann, Wellfleet, Empire State Music Festival (1955), and travels to Colorado and Europe, some of which may be printed and found in this subseries.

Photographs found in the Lillian Kiesler Papers are mostly black and white and color snapshots of Lillian Kiesler's friends and family at events and at home, including candid photos of Hans Hofmann, Alice Hodges, Frederick Kiesler, and Alcopley. Slides prepared by Lillian Kiesler for a lecture on Frederick Kiesler and her lecture notes on index cards are found. Sound and video recordings include recordings of productions in which Lillian Kiesler performed, and music, film, or live stage performances written, directed, or performed by friends.

Measuring 7.1 linear feet, Frederick Kiesler's personal papers (Series 2) document his professional career and date from 1923-1992. Biographical materials include his curriculum vitae, four passports, and numerous appointment books and notes from late in his life. Correspondence with architects, publishers, editors, universities, museums, galleries, manufacturers, artists and friends includes letters from L. Alcopley, Leopold Arnaud, Armand P. Bartos, Piero and Virginia Dorazio, George Howe, Kay Johnson, Jane Owen, and others. There are also photocopied letters from Katherine Dreier, Marcel Duchamp, and Piet Mondrian. Business and financial records from the 1940s to mid-1960s comprise a significant bulk of this series and are primarily tax returns and receipts and statements used to file tax returns. Materials on the publication of "Inside the Endless House" (1966), the International Theatre Exposition (in German) in 1924 and other exhibits from shortly after his death are found, as well as student artwork and papers from Kiesler's classes in the mid-1950s. A bound copy of the "Bibliography of Writings of and About Frederick Kiesler" compiled by Lillian Kiesler is found, as well as printed material about Frederick Kiesler and a handful of photographs of artwork.

Users should note that Lillian Kiesler's and Frederick Kiesler's papers contain similar types of material that often overlap in subject matter, especially among the Papers Related to Frederick Kiesler (Subseries 1.10) in Series 1 and the Frederick Kiesler Papers (Series 2). This collection contains limited material related to Lillian Kiesler prior to the 1940s and Frederick Kiesler prior to his arrival in the United States in 1926.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into two series. Each series is divided into several subseries, with the arrangement described in detail in the series descriptions.

Missing Title

Series 1: Lillian Kiesler papers, circa 1910s-2003 (Box 1-39, 47-52, OV 53-57; 41.1 linear feet, ER01; 0.001 GB)

Series 2: Frederick Kiesler papers, 1923-1992 (Box 40-46, OV 53; 7.1 linear feet)

Biographical Note:

Frederick Kiesler (1890-1965) was a sculptor, architect, set designer, educator, and writer active in New York and Connecticutt. Lillian Kiesler (1911-2001) was a performer, arts educator, and painter married to Frederick Kiesler. She was also active in the administration of the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts.

Frederick Kiesler was born in Romania in 1890, although he gave various other dates for his birth and regularly cited Vienna as his birthplace. He arrived in the United States with his wife Steffi in 1926 for the International Theatre Exposition at Steinway Hall in New York City. They stayed in the United States and were granted citizenship in 1936.

Kiesler secured a teaching position at Columbia University's School of Architecture in 1930, and from 1934 through 1957 he was the scenic design director at The Juilliard School of Music. He also lectured at Yale University from 1950-1952. Often labeled a Surrealist, Kiesler's work was experimental and frequently described as ahead of its time. He published, lectured, and participated in numerous exhibitions throughout his career. He is known for his theory of "coreallism;" "The Space House" (1933), a full-scale model of a single family home; an installation designed for Peggy Guggenheim's Art of This Century gallery in 1942; "The Endless House" drawings and model (1950); "The Universal Theatre" (1961) model; and the Shrine of the Book (1965), a building to exhibit the Dead Sea Scrolls in Jerusalem. He died in New York City in December 1965.

Lillian Olinsey met architect and sculptor Frederick Kiesler in 1934. After years of friendship, they were married in 1964, a year and a half before Frederick's death in 1965.

Lillian Kiesler studied art at the Art Students League, Cooper Union, and the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts, where she also assisted Hofmann and the school administration. She taught art to children and young adults for twenty years in New York City. From 1945 to 1955, she taught at the Greenwich House Art workshops and the Woodward School, followed by the Brooklyn Museum (1948-1958), Barnard School (1953-1963), New York University School of Education (1955-1966), and Juilliard School of Visual Arts (1963-1965). Lillian was involved in the performing arts and between the late 1970s through the 1990s she performed in New York City with numerous directors, notably Jo Andres, Steve Buscemi, Richard Foreman, John Jesurun, Cindy Lubar, and Tim Miller. She frequently performed with her close friend, painter Maryette Charlton, who was the executor of the Lillian Kiesler estate.

Lillian Kiesler tirelessly promoted Frederick Kiesler's work and legacy after his death in 1965. From the late 1980s through the 1990s, she delivered lectures about his work at universities and museums, gave interviews, corresponded with researchers, and organized his papers to donate to the Harvard Theatre Collection, Yale School of Art and Architecture, and the Archives of American Art. In 1997, she helped found the Frederick and Lillian Kiesler Foundation in Vienna, Austria. She endowed the Austrian Frederick Kiesler Prize, an award given to a notable contributor to the field of architecture. The first recipient was Frank Gehry in 1998. Lillian Kiesler passed away in 2001 in New York City.

Related Material:

The holdings of the Archives of American Art include the Hans Hofmann Papers, 1904-1978 and the Maryette Charlton Papers, 1929-1998. Additional Frederick Kiesler papers are available at the Museum of Modern Art, the Harvard Theater Collection, and the Yale School of Art and Architecture.

Separated Material:

Some of the materials related to Frederick Kiesler were initially loaned for microfilming on reels 57 and 127-128. This material is not described in the container listing of this finding aid. Most, but not all, of the loaned material was later donated and has been merged with the other accretions.

Provenance:

The collection was donated by Lillian Kiesler and Maryette Charlton, executrix of her estate, in several accessions between 1980-2002. Some of the papers related to Frederick Kiesler were originally loaned for microfilming in 1971, most of which was later donated in 1980. Additional papers related to Frederick Kiesler were donated in 1993. Papers related to Hans Hofmann were given in 1981. Lillian Kiesler's papers were donated in 2000 by Lillian Kiesler, and in 2002, by Maryette Charlton.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.

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:

Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Set designers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Educators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Authors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Performance artists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Art patrons -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Topic:

Architects -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Exhibition designers  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Women educators  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Women performance artists  Search this

Function:

Art schools -- Massachusetts

Art Schools -- New York (State)

Genre/Form:

Scrapbooks

Sound recordings

Diaries

Interviews

Scripts (documents)

Motion pictures (visual works)

Citation:

Lillian and Frederick Kiesler papers, circa 1910s-2003, bulk 1958-2000. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.kieslill

See more items in:

Lillian and Frederick Kiesler papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw92be035c5-5063-4d6e-8ac2-5f08c17ef915

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-kieslill

Creator:

Zeigler, Lee Woodward, 1868-1952  Search this

Names:

Enoch Pratt Free Library  Search this

Federal Art Project (U.S.)  Search this

Public Works of Art Project  Search this

United States. Works Progress Administration  Search this

Bruce, Edward, 1879-1943  Search this

Cram, Ralph Adams, 1863-1942  Search this

Force, Juliana, 1876-1948  Search this

Grainger, Percy, 1882-1961  Search this

Leiber, Fritz, 1882-1949  Search this

Murray, Oscar H., 1882-1957  Search this

Osgood, Charles Grosvenor, 1871-1964  Search this

Wheeler, Joseph Lewis, 1884-  Search this

Extent:

1 Linear foot

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1911-1968

Scope and Contents:

Biographical material, correspondence files, writings, photographs, and printed material.

Biographical material includes Zeigler's Works Progress Administration identification card, 1936, obituaries, 1952, a biographical sketch, pages from an engagement book, 1914-1917, and an address book.

Correspondence, 1920-1941, relates to Zeigler's freelance painting, mural designs for Tiffany Studios, mural commissions for churches and other public and private commissions, including the Chapel of the Transfiguration Glendale, Oh. (1927-1928), St. Michael's Church, N.Y.C. (1929); Calvary Church, Cincinnati, Oh. (1936-1937), the "Faerie Queene" murals in the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Md. (1933-1941); WPA-FAP projects in New York State (1933-1937), including murals for Washington Hall, West Point Military Academy, the Stony Point Battlefield Museum, Stony Point-on-the Hudson, and the Newburgh Free Academy, Newburgh. Among the correspondents are architects responsible for the designs of the buildings, such as Ralph Adams Cram and O.H. Murray, individuals associated with the execution of the projects, including Charles Osgood and Joseph L. Wheeler; and WPA adminstrators Edward Bruce and Juliana Force.

Printed material includes clippings, ca. 1910-1948, regarding Zeigler's works of art and his involvement in the war effort and local politics; exhibition catalogs and programs, ca. 1925, 1940-1968; and reproductions of Zeigler's illustrations for bookplates, Christmas cards, magazines, including Gunter's Magazine, Harper's Weekly, and Life, ca.1890-1900, and for limited edition books by such authors as Jane Austen, Honore' de Balzac, Amelia E. Barr, Theophile Gautier, Charles Kingsley, and William Stearns Davis, ca.1890-1915.

Photographs consist of three portraits of Zeigler, ca. 1930-1940, and photographs of works by him, ca.1900, 1915, 1993, and by others ca. 1900-1913. Also included are portrait of actor Fritz Leiber, ca. 1900, a snapshot of Percy and Ella Grainger, 1929.

Also included are copyrights for Zeigler's art work, 1911, 1944, 1945, 1979; an unpublished typescript of a short story by Zeigler, "Story of the Son of Roland"; a sketch of a suit of armor created by Zeigler, ca. 1945; a project file regarding a statue of "Ushabti," created by Zeigler, 1923-1924; and a guestbook from an exhibition at the Vanderbilt Galleries, 1941.

Biographical / Historical:

Illustrator, muralist; Baltimore, Md. Studied at the Maryland Institute of Art and was founding member of the Charcoal Club of Baltimore. He began his career as an illustrator and later specialized in mural painting.

Provenance:

Donated 1979 and 1994 by Audrey Z. Archer-Shee; Zeigler's daughter.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Architects  Search this

Illustrators  Search this

Muralists -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this

Topic:

Mural painting and decoration -- 20th century -- United States  Search this

Mural painting and decoration -- 20th century -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this

Mural painting and decoration, American  Search this

Church decoration and ornament -- United States  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.zeiglee

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9169e7e38-30b4-46ff-bdda-2fbc155123ec

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-zeiglee

Creator:

Margules, De Hirsh, 1899-1965  Search this

Names:

Babcock Galleries  Search this

Brooklyn Museum  Search this

Buffalo Fine Arts Academy  Search this

Feigl Gallery  Search this

Ferargil Galleries  Search this

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston  Search this

Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Niveau Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum  Search this

Walker Art Center  Search this

Whitney Museum of American Art  Search this

Worcester Art Museum  Search this

Beaudoin, Kenneth Lawrence, 1913-  Search this

Connick, Charles J., 1875-1945  Search this

Eilshemius, Louis M. (Louis Michel), 1864-1941  Search this

Frankel, Aaron  Search this

Fuller, R. Buckminster (Richard Buckminster), 1895-  Search this

Gillespie, Al Lincoln, Jr.  Search this

Gilman, Esther  Search this

Grady, James  Search this

Higgins, Dick, 1938-  Search this

Horblit, Harrison D.  Search this

Horblit, Jean  Search this

Jensen, Alfred, 1903-1981  Search this

King, Alex  Search this

Kolin, Sacha, 1911-1981  Search this

Lechay, Myron, 1898-1972  Search this

Lehman, Herbert H. (Herbert Henry), 1878-1963  Search this

Lindsay, John V.  Search this

Mandel, Marieli Kailin  Search this

Margules, Blanche London  Search this

Marin, John, 1870-1953  Search this

Miller, Henry, 1891-  Search this

O'Brien, Lawrence F.  Search this

Schnitzler, Max, 1903-  Search this

Stieglitz, Alfred, 1864-1946  Search this

Weber, David A.  Search this

Extent:

5.5 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Writings

Photographs

Notebooks

Sketchbooks

Sound recordings

Poems

Scrapbooks

Oil paintings

Collages

Date:

1888-2001

bulk 1923-1965

Summary:

The papers of painter De Hirsh Margules measure 5.5 linear feet and date from 1888-2001, with the bulk dating from 1923-1965. The papers contain biographical material, and business and personal correspondence, including letters from Alfred Stiegliz, John Marin, Henry Miller, Max Schnitzler, Charles J. Connick, Louis M. Eilshemius, Alex King, and Myron Lechay. Also found are writings, printed material, scrapbooks, photographs, works of art and audio recordings documenting Margules' personal life and professional career.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of painter De Hirsh Margules measure 5.5 linear feet and date from 1888-2001, with the bulk dating from 1923-1965. The papers contain biographical material, and business and personal correspondence, including letters from Alfred Stiegliz, John Marin, Henry Miller, Max Schnitzler, Charles J. Connick, Louis M. Eilshemius, Alex King, and Myron Lechay. Also found are writings, printed material, scrapbooks, photographs, works of art and audio recordings documenting Margules' personal life and professional career.

Biographical material consists of Margules' curriculum vitae, address books, war ration books, press credentials, passports, naturalization documents, membership and social security cards, and memorial material on De Hirsh and Blanche Margules.

Correspondence of De Hirsh Margules covers both personal and business matters. Family correspondents include his wife Blanche London, her parents, De Hirsh's mother Rosa and his sister Sam. There is correspondence with Jean and Harrison Horblit, friends and business associates of the Margules, as well as correspondence with his girlfriend, Marieli Kailin Mandel. Other correspondents include Alfred Stieglitz, John Marin, Henry Miller, Max Schnitzler, Charles J. Connick, Louis M. Eilshemius, Alex King, Myron Lechay, and two letters from New York Governor Herbert H. Lehman. There are single letters from Sasha Kolin; New York City Mayor John V. Lindsay; Lawrence F. O'Brien, special assistant to President John F. Kennedy; Buckminster Fuller. This last letter was not addressed exclusively to Margules. Other personal correspondence includes letters, postcards and greeting cards from family members and friends. Other business correspondents include galleries and museums such as Babcock Galleries, Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, Niveau Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Brooklyn Museum, Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Ferargil Gallery, Feigl Gallery, Guggenheim Museum, Worcester Art Museum and Walker Art Center.

Writings consist mostly of poems by De Hirsh Margules, sometimes appearing in multiple draft forms, as well as a longer work titled "Mulberry Bend." Also included within the series are notebooks filled with poems and works of prose, the latter expounding upon his theories and ideas. Writings by other authors range from poetry to works of prose, criticism and biography, including A. Lincoln Gillespie, Jr., Kenneth Lawrence Beaudoin, David Weber, Aaron Frankel, James Grady, Dick Higgins, and Esther Gilman, among others. There are three illustrated writings by Alfred Jensen. Audio recordings contain a sound tape reel of De Hirsh Margules reciting his poems Rainbow and Mulberry Bend.

Printed material includes newspaper and magazine clippings, press releases, exhibition announcements, catalogues and books. Scrapbooks include printed material, newspaper and magazine clippings, and exhibition announcements on the career of De Hirsh Margules. Also included are two scrapbooks by Blanche London Margules, representing newspaper clippings of her writing, among others.

Works of Art include an oil painting on wood and sketchbooks by Margules. Also included are six collages in a series by Kenneth Lawrence Beaudoin titled "Eye Poems"; and text-based drawings/writings by A. Lincoln Gillespie, Jr.

Photographs, transparencies and slides include works of art by De Hirsh and Blanche London Margules. Also included are personal photographs of the Margules', their friends, family and students, and two folders of photographs of Marieli Kailin Mandel.

Arrangement:

The De Hirsh Margules papers are organized into 8 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1888-1978, undated (Box 1, 6; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1923-2000, undated (Box 1-3; 2.8 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, 1936-1965, undated (Box 4; 1.0 linear feet)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1933-2001, undated (Box 5; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 5: Scrapbooks, 1922-1957, undated (Box 5, 7; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 6: Photographs, 1926-1992, undated (Box 5, 7; 0.8 linear feet)

Series 7: Works of Art, 1948, undated (Box 6, 7; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 8: Audio Recordings, undated (Box 6; 1 folder)

Biographical Note:

De Hirsh Margules (1899-1965) was a painter in New York, NY. Margules was born in Jasse, Romania and arrived in New York City at only ten months of age. His parents were in the Yiddish Theater; his father, Edouard was a playwright/director, and his mother, Rosa, was an actress. Margules received much of his art education outside of the conventional art institutional framework. Early on, he studied with Edwin Randby in Pennsylvania from 1917-1918, but it was really his neighbor, the painter Benno Greenstein, who encouraged Margules to pursue a career in the arts. From 1919-1921 he studied period architecture, design and decoration at the New York Evening School of Art and Design.

By 1922, Margules began working nights as a police reporter for the City News Association of New York, a job he would hold until 1942. However, he continued to study and paint during the day, this time working with Myron Lechay.

In 1927 Margules took a leave of absence from the City News Association to travel to Paris. He studied at the Musée du Louvre, and painted landscapes in Montmartre, Paris; Fontenay-près-Vézelay, Burgundy; and Tunis, Africa. In 1929 Margules returned to New York and met artist/dealer Alfred Stieglitz, who quickly became his most trusted friend and advisor. It was through Stieglitz that Margules was introduced to John Marin, Georgia O'Keeffe, Paul Rosenfeld, Stuart Davis and Jan Matulka. While Margules would benefit from his relations with all of these artists, it was John Marin who would become his most important mentor. He felt that Marin was the only one who could help him with the formal problems he was having with painting.

Margules lived most of his life in Greenwich Village and was a well-known member of the colorful and vivacious arts community. He was commonly recognized by his affable demeanor, but mostly it was his attire, particularly the dark blue beret that he was rarely seen without. To his friends he was known simply as "the Baron."

De Hirsh Margules has been called an abstract realist. He used saturated colors and bold textures in the construction of his abstract landscapes, but more specifically it was his interest in the concept of "time painting" or "time perspective" that propelled his work. It was through the physical rendering and representation of his subject matter that he explored the psychological concepts of time. From 1936-1937 Margules established "Another Place," an exhibition space set up in his New York City apartment at 43 West 8th Street. Over a two year period there were fourteen solo-exhibitions by Margules and other artists.

He taught painting in 1951 at Ball State College in Muncie, Indiana, and at the New York Equity Workshop in 1952. In 1951 Elaine de Kooning wrote a piece about his working methods in the December edition of Art News.

De Hirsh Margules died from a heart attack in 1965. He was 65 years old.

Provenance:

The papers were donated to the Archives in 2005 by Elita Agee.

Restrictions:

The De Hirsh Margules papers are open for research. Use 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

Poets -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Works of art  Search this

Genre/Form:

Writings

Photographs

Notebooks

Sketchbooks

Sound recordings

Poems

Scrapbooks

Oil paintings

Collages

Citation:

De Hirsh Margules papers, 1888-2001, bulk 1923-1965. Archives of America Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.margde

See more items in:

De Hirsh Margules papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96b288528-ce86-4c0a-8b52-8f5eb10f986f

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-margde

Medium:

brass; paper

Dimensions:

Height x Width x Depth: 2 1/2 x 1 13/16 x 11 13/16 in. (6.35 x 4.6 x 30.06 cm)

Type:

Commercial Products

Date:

mid 20th Century

Object number:

2012.2007.30

See more items in:

National Postal Museum Collection

Data Source:

National Postal Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm88d4062a3-e720-4537-9f74-80656e296985

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npm_2012.2007.30

Creator:

André Emmerich Gallery  Search this

Names:

Galerie André Emmerich  Search this

Sotheby Parke Bernet & Co.  Search this

Sotheby's (Firm)  Search this

Caro, Anthony, 1924-  Search this

Emmerich, André  Search this

Francis, Sam, 1923-1994  Search this

Frankenthaler, Helen, 1928-2011  Search this

Greenberg, Clement, 1909-1994  Search this

Hockney, David  Search this

Hofmann, Hans, 1880-1966  Search this

Louis, Morris, 1912-1962  Search this

Noland, Kenneth, 1924-2010  Search this

Olitski, Jules, 1922-2007  Search this

Pepper, Beverly  Search this

Extent:

311.4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Visitors' books

Sound recordings

Video recordings

Scrapbooks

Etchings

Date:

circa 1929-2009

Summary:

The André Emmerich Gallery records and André Emmerich papers measure 311.4 linear feet and date from 1929 to 2009. The collection documents the business of the André Emmerich Gallery as well as André Emmerich's life and activities related to the business of selling art. Gallery records include correspondence; appointment books; administrative and subject files; exhibition files; artist files and accounts; inventory, sales, purchase, and consignment records; chronological files; financial and legal records; printed materials; original artwork; photographic and audiovisual materials. Also found are personal papers and records relating to André Emmerich. A small addition received in 2014 includes general correspondence, administrative files, exhibition files, artists' files, inventory records, consignment records, printed material, photographic materials, and André Emmerich personal papers and records.

Scope and Content Note:

The André Emmerich Gallery records and André Emmerich papers measure 311.4 linear feet and date from 1929 to 2009. The collection documents the business of the André Emmerich Gallery as well as André Emmerich's life and activities related to the business of selling art. Gallery records include correspondence; appointment books; administrative and subject files; exhibition files; artist files and accounts; inventory, sales, purchase, and consignment records; chronological files; financial and legal records; printed materials; original artwork; photographic and audiovisual materials. Also found are personal papers and records relating to André Emmerich.

The records document the gallery's daily business operations, exhibitions, and relationships with artists, dealers, clients, galleries, and museums. Artists particularly well-represented throughout the collection include Anthony Caro, Sam Francis, Helen Frankenthaler, David Hockney, Hans Hofmann, Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland, Jules Olitski, and Beverly Pepper.

Records pre-dating the gallery's establishment in 1954 are primarily newspaper and magazine clippings related to artists, personal photographs and photographs of artists, an original etching, and some of André Emmerich's personal records including biographical materials, correspondence, writings, and legal and financial records. Records post-dating the gallery's closure in 1998 are primarily residual business records related to the final disposition of artwork, clippings, photographs of André Emmerich and gallery staff, biographical materials, personal correspondence, writings, legal and financial records, and condolences received by Emmerich's wife upon his death in 2007.

Correspondence is primarily with galleries, museums and clients about business matters. Correspondence files also cover topics such as appraisals, authentications, offers of sale, artists seeking representation, image requests, job applications and recommendations. Also included are the New York gallery's copies of correspondence between the New York staff and the Zurich staff.

André Emmerich's appointment books document appointments, notes, and reminders about Emmerich's business and personal activities. Four appointment books relating to the birth of Emmerich's three sons and second marriage were kept by the family. The appointment books are access restricted and require written permission to use.

Administrative files include corporate records establishing the Andre Emmerich gallery's structure, records documenting the gallery's daily operations, advertising and publicity material, and records about the Sotheby's acquisition. There are also materials related to Top Gallant Farm, from its establishment to its closure. Travel records relate to André Emmerich's business trips and vacations along with some files on the travels of a several staff members at the gallery. Files about the operations of the Galerie André Emmerich in Zurich, Switzerland are included in the series as well.

Subject files relate to Emmerich's gallery business as well as personal and political interests, such as antiquities, art fairs and exhibitions, lecture research, art associations, and sculpture parks. There are several files on the art critic Clement Greenberg and former president of Gay Men's Health Crisis, Nathan Kolodner, who was also an art dealer and director of the Andre Emmerich Gallery.

Exhibition files contain numerous exhibition catalogs and printed materials related to exhibitions held or organized by the André Emmerich Gallery in Manhattan and Galerie André Emmerich in Zurich. The files contain materials ranging such as exhibition invitations, posters, printed materials, press releases, and guest books. Photographs of exhibitions can be found in the Photographic Materials series.

Artist files include biographical materials, clippings, correspondence, mailing lists, price lists, printed materials, and occasionally lectures, writings, and audiovisual materials for many of the artists represented or shown by André Emmerich Gallery. The General Correspondence files might contain duplicates or expanded versions of some of the correspondence. Photographs of artists can be found in the Photographic Materials series.

Artist accounts comprise account statements prepared periodically by the gallery documenting each artist's expenses and sales. Ledgers and general accounting files can be found in the Other Financial and Legal Records series.

Inventory records include inventory cards describing artwork entering and leaving the gallery and files containing various gallery inventories. Artist inventory cards, representing artists from both the New York and Zurich galleries, list the artist, title, date, media and measurements of an artwork. The cards also indicate whether the work was ultimately sold, returned to the artist, consigned, etc., and divided into categories accordingly. Inventory files show various gallery inventories.

Sales records document gallery sales and include paid invoices, records relating to Zurich sales, general sales records such as price lists and canceled sales, and Sotheby's Parke-Bernet auction reports. There are gaps in sales invoices in 1961-1964 and 1969-1971.

Purchase records include correspondence and invoices related to purchases and offers; annotated invoices for works of art bought by the gallery; André Emmerich, Inc. related purchase records; "Non-Modern" art related purchase records.

Consignment records include correspondence and consignment agreements documenting consignments to and from the André Emmerich Gallery; consignments from other galleries to André Emmerich, Inc.; and general consignment records.

Chronological files include copies of invoices or cover letters documenting the movement of artwork into and out of the gallery through sales, consignments, loans, and approvals. Records dating January through August 1968, January through March 1969, and September 1969 through July 1971 are missing.

Financial and legal records include client and partner account statements, resale and exempt organization certificates, accounting ledgers, and legal files related to disputes involving or of interest to the gallery.

Printed materials include auction catalogs and reports, books, and clippings describing André Emmerich, the galleries in New York and Zurich, Top Gallant Farm, and the art world. Also included is a large scrapbook created by the gallery containing clippings and gallery announcements dated 1955-1958. Clippings relating to particular artists can be found in the Artists Files series.

There are two pieces of original artwork in the collection. One is a 1974 print of a 1933 composite etching by Esther Dick Gottlieb, Adolphe Gottlieb, Edgar Levy, Lucille Corcos Levy, David Smith, and Dorothy Dehner Smith. The second is a 1998 lithograph by Louise Bourgeoise, called The Face of the Critic. The artist gave the lithograph as a gift in honor of Robert Hughes and the Archives of American Art and is numbered 61 out of a series of 300.

Photographic materials include prints, slides, negatives, and transparencies. Subjects include artists, André Emmerich, gallery installations, Top Gallant Farm, events, artists' studios, gallery staff, gallery space, and artwork. Photographs which show André Emmerich are indicated as such in the finding aid.

Audiovisual materials includes videocassettes and one audiocassette related to the art world. Videocassettes related to specific artists can be found in the Artists Files series. Videocassettes related to André Emmerich can be found in the André Emmerich Personal Papers and Records series. Videocassettes related to Top Gallant Farm and Sotheby's can be found in the Administrative Files series.

Personal papers and records relating to André Emmerich include biographical materials, personal correspondence, writings and lectures, and legal and financial records. The biographical materials include an address book, interviews and identifying documents. Writings include articles, edits, dissertations, lectures, etc. There are also some miscellaneous correspondence which is organized chronologically.

The small addition received in 2014 includes general correspondence, administrative files, exhibition files, artists' files, inventory records, consignment records, printed material, photographic materials, and André Emmerich personal papers and records.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 19 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: General Correspondence Files, 1958-2006 (boxes 1-18, OV 314-315; 18.2 linear feet)

Series 2: André Emmerich Appointment Books, 1954-2007 (boxes 19, 325, 326; 1.7 linear feet)

Series 3: Administrative Files, 1954-2003 (boxes 20-31, 306, OV 314, OV 316-319; 11 linear feet)

Series 4: Subject Files, 1958-1967, 1971-2000 (boxes 31-32, 306, OV 318, OV 320; 2 linear feet)

Series 5: Exhibition Files, circa 1954-1998 (boxes 32-40, 306, 307, OV 318-322; 8.5 linear feet)

Series 6: Artists Files, 1929-1932, 1938-2007 (boxes 40-68, 307, 308, OV 320-323; 28 linear feet)

Series 7: Artist Accounts, 1958-1998 (boxes 68-81; 13.5 linear feet)

Series 8: Inventory Records, circa 1954-2000(boxes 82-128; 46.5 linear feet)

Series 9: Sales Records, 1959-1998 (boxes 128-168; 40 linear feet)

Series 10: Purchase Records, 1961-1966, 1972-1994 (boxes 168-170; 2 linear feet)

Series 11: Consignment Records, 1961-2002 (boxes 170-177; 7.7 linear feet)

Series 12: Chronological File of Incoming and Outgoing Artwork, 1968-1998 (boxes 178-185; 8 linear feet)

Series 13: Other Financial and Legal Records, 1956-1999 (boxes 186-202; 16.5 linear feet)

Series 14: Printed Materials, 1955-1960, 1965-2008 (boxes 202-204, 308, 309; 3 linear feet)

Series 15: Original Artwork, 1933, 1974, 1998 (box 205, 310; 0.7 linear feet (2 folders))

Series 16: Photographic Materials, circa 1930-1935, 1941-1998, circa 2005 (Boxes 205-296, 311-313, OV 324; 92.8 linear feet)

Series 17: General Audio and Video Recordings, 1985, 1990-1995 (Boxes 297-298; 1.3 linear feet)

Series 18: André Emmerich Personal Papers and Records, 1937-1940, 1946-2008 (Boxes 298-305, OV 321, OV 323; 7.7 linear feet)

Series 19: Addition to the The André Emmerich Gallery records and André Emmerich papers, 1956-2009 (Boxes 328-329, OV 330; 2.1 linear feet)

Historical Note:

André Emmerich (1924-2007) was one of America's most noted contemporary art dealers and opened the André Emmerich Gallery in New York in 1954. The gallery showcased contemporary art, particularly Color Field painting and monumental sculpture.

André Emmerich was born on October 11, 1924 in Frankfurt, Germany. From age 7 he was raised in Amsterdam before emigrating with his family to New York City in 1940. He studied at Oberlin College and developed an interest in pre-Columbian art and antiquities. After graduation, he spent ten years in Paris working as a writer and editor before returning to New York. He married Constance Emmerich and the couple had three sons, Adam, Noah, and Toby.

In 1954 Emmerich opened the André Emmerich Gallery at 18 East 77th Street and initially specialized in contemporary American and European art and pre-Columbian antiquities. In 1956, the gallery moved to 17 East 64th Street, and in 1959 to the Fuller Building at 41 East 57th Street. Emmerich wrote two books about pre-Columbian art, Art Before Columbus in 1963 and Sweat of the Sun, Tears of the Moon: Gold and Silver in Pre-Columbian Art in 1965.

In 1961, Emmerich learned that French and Company, a gallery advised by art critic Clement Greenberg, was closing its department of contemporary art. French and Company had represented Color Field painters Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland, and Jules Olitski. Emmerich immediately invited Louis and Noland to be represented by his gallery. In 1966 he extended the invitation to Olitski as well, and Helen Frankenthaler joined soon after. The gallery's reputation as one of the earliest and most important promoters of Color Field painters was launched.

In addition to Color Field painters, the gallery represented, among others, Pierre Alechinsky, Karel Appel, Milton Avery, Herbert Ferber, Sam Francis, John Graham, Al Held, David Hockney, Hans Hofmann, John Hoyland, Judy Pfaff, Miriam Schapiro, and Anne Truitt.

Until January 1983, sales of pre-Columbian art primarily went through an entity called André Emmerich Inc. (AE Inc.), while sales of contemporary went through the André Emmerich Gallery Inc. (AEG). In 1983, the two entities were merged and operated under the name André Emmerich Gallery Inc.

In 1971, Emmerich began operating a downtown gallery at 420 West Broadway, in SoHo, in space shared with Leo Castelli, Virginia Dwan, and Ileana Sonnabend. In 1972, Emmerich opened a branch of his gallery in Zurich. He incorporated the Galerie André Emmerich Gmbh primarily for the purpose of leasing gallery space in Zurich. Until February 1974, sales of Pre-Columbian art in Zurich were made by an entity called André Emmerich Gallery Inc., New York Filiale Zurich. The Galerie André Emmerich Gmbh was officially liquidated in May 1982. The Filiale was formally closed in October 1996. Galerie André Emmerich also enjoyed a short-lived joint venture with Gimpel & Hanover.

André Emmerich served as president of the Art Dealers Association of America from 1972-1974 and again from 1991-1994.

Emmerich opened a private 150 acre sculpture park, Top Gallant Farm, on his estate in Pawling, New York, in 1982, where he stored and exhibited monumental sculptures by artists his gallery represented including Anthony Caro, Beverly Pepper, Alexander Liberman, Alexander Calder, Mark di Suvero, George Rickey, and Keith Haring. David Hockney painted waves onto floor of the property's swimming pool in 1986. Emmerich operated the sculpture park until 1996.

Emmerich sold his gallery to Sotheby's in 1996. He continued to be affiliated with the gallery until Sotheby's closed the gallery in 1998. Emmerich then began work on his memoir, My Life With Art, excerpts of which have been published in Art News, the Wall Street Journal, and The New Criterion.

Andre Emmerich died in New York 2007 and is survived by his second wife, Susanne Emmerich.

Related Material:

Among the holdings of the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with André Emmerich conducted by Mona Hadler on January 18, 1993.

Provenance:

The André Emmerich Gallery records and André Emmerich papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by André Emmerich in eight accretions between 1999 and 2002. Two additional accretions were donated by Emmerich's wife Susanne in 2008 and 2009; and by James Yohe, executive director (1990-1999), in 2009 and 2014.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Access of diaries and appointment books required written permission.

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:

Sculpture, Abstract  Search this

Color-field painting  Search this

Art -- Economic aspects  Search this

Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this

Function:

Art galleries, Commercial -- New York (State)

Art galleries, Commercial -- Switzerland

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Visitors' books

Sound recordings

Video recordings

Scrapbooks

Etchings

Citation:

André Emmerich Gallery records and André Emmerich papers, circa 1929-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Leon Levy Foundation.

Identifier:

AAA.andremmg

See more items in:

André Emmerich Gallery records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw995f3b4aa-1b0f-46f4-8b5d-e0bf1191a740

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-andremmg

Creator:

Huber, James, 1950-1988  Search this

Hossner, Michael, 1954-1990  Search this

Dino Vinti, 1958-1989  Search this

Extent:

3.1 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Sound recordings

Date:

1950-1993

bulk 1983-1989

Summary:

The papers of Bay Area figurative artists James Huber and Michael Hossner measure 3.1 linear feet and date from 1950 to 1993. This collection documents both James Huber and Michael Hossner's art careers in the San Francisco art scene in the 1970s and 1980s. Also included is material regarding Dino Vinti, an independent curator and curator at Footworks Studio, an alternative center for visual and performing arts. A bulk of this collection is comprised of personal correspondence, personal photographs, and photographs used as studies for works of art, and exhibition announcements and catalogs. The papers document the Bay Area art scene in the 1970s and 1980s of which Huber and Hossner were a part of, alternative spaces, and the devastation of the AIDS epidemic.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of Bay Area Figurative artists James Huber and Michael Hossner measure 3.1 linear feet and date from 1950-1993. Included are personal correspondence; legal documents including a will; personal photographs and photographs used as studies for works of art; DVDs of annotated photographs, master paintings and drawings; printed material consisting of exhibition invitations and programs; and biographical information including artists' statements and address books. Also included is material regarding Dino Vinti, an independent curator and curator at Footworks Studio, an alternative center for visual and performing arts. The papers document the Bay Area art scene in the 1970s and 1980s of which Huber and Hossner were a part of, alternative spaces, and the devastation of the AIDS epidemic.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 3 series.

Series 1: James Huber papers (1.0 linear foot; Box 1, OV 5)

Series 2: Michael Hossner papers (0.7 linear feet; Box 1-2)

Series 3: Dino Vinti papers (1.4 linear feet; Box 2-3, OV 6-7)

Biographical / Historical:

James Huber (1950-1988) and Michael Hossner (1954-1990) were Bay Area Figurative artists in San Francisco, California. Dino Vinti (1958-1989) was a independent curator and curator at Footworks Studio.

James Huber (1950-1988) was a Bay Area Figurative artist in San Francisco, California. His art is representative of the Bay Area Figurative Style and gay community. Huber's works can be categorized into three themes: Figurative, Abstract, and Landscape. Huber co-founded (along with Phil Linhares and David McClay) Open Studios in San Francisco. Open Studios is a national movement of artist-driven presentation of their work. James Huber created more than 900 paintings and sculptures before passing from complications from AIDS.

Michael Hossner (1954-1990) was also was a Bay Area Figurative artist in San Francisco, California. Hossner was greatly influenced by his mentor and lover, James Huber, and the Bay Area Figurative Style. Hossner drew inspiration from autobiographical sources for most of his art. Many of his paintings chronicle his experiences with the AIDS pandemic. He exhibited his paintings in more than a dozen galleries and non profit spaces throughout the Bay Area between 1985 and 1989. Michale Hossner passed of complications from AIDS in 1990.

Dino Vinti (1958-1989) was a close friend and former lover of James Huber. He was an independent curator and curator at Footworks Studio, an alternative center for visual and performing arts. Vinti collaborated on the initiation of the Edge Festival. He designed and installed many exhibitions, including "Urban Expressions" show in 1987. Dino Vinti passed from complications from AIDS in 1989.

Provenance:

Donated in 2021 by Lee Draper, a museum professional and consultant to philanthropy groups and non-profits, who was friends with Huber and Hossner.

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 -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Topic:

AIDS (Disease) and the arts  Search this

Artists (LGBTQ)  Search this

Curators -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Citation:

James Huber, Michael Hossner, and Dino Vinti papers, 1950-1993. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.hubejame

See more items in:

James Huber, Michael Hossner, and Dino Vinti papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9eaeb9976-7e3b-4841-a898-852a875bf46b

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-hubejame

Creator:

Pincus-Witten, Robert, 1935-2018  Search this

Names:

Gagosian Gallery  Search this

Bochner, Mel, 1940-  Search this

Hecht, Leon  Search this

Hesse, Eva, 1936-1970  Search this

Twombly, Cy, 1928-  Search this

Extent:

12.4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Diaries

Drawings

Interviews

Sound recordings

Date:

1942-2017

bulk 1962-2005

Summary:

The papers of art historian, critic, and curator Robert Pincus-Witten measure 12.4 linear feet and date from 1942-2017. The collection consists of biographical material; color and black and white photographs and negatives; writings by Pincus-Witten; teaching files and printed material; journals; sketches by Pincus-Witten; professional files related to curatorial work; correspondence; artist files maintained by Pincus-Witten; and audiovisual and born digital materials.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of art historian, critic, and curator Robert Pincus-Witten measure 12.0 linear feet and date from 1942-2017. The collection consists of biographical material; color and black and white photographs and negatives; writings by Pincus-Witten; teaching files and printed material; journals; sketches by Pincus-Witten; professional files related to curatorial work; correspondence; artist files maintained by Pincus-Witten; and audiovisual and born digital materials.

The collection includes biographical material such as passports, address books, calendars, report cards, diplomas, and other academic ephemera; journals that document Pincus-Witten's daily personal and professional activities; drafts of articles, essays and other writings by Pincus-Witten; correspondence with friends and colleagues; teaching files from City University of New York that include lecture notes, slide lists, and student correspondence; research files on artists from the circa 1970s-1996; professional files that document Pincus-Witten's work at Gagosian Gallery and other curatorial activities; and photographs and negatives of family, friends, events and works of art. Also included are audio visual material consisting of two reel-to-reel tape recordings and seventeen sound cassettes documenting panels that featured Pincus-Witten, artist interviews, and Pincus-Witten dictating essays; born digital material including a CD-R from Rose Cabot's "The Marks Project" and 5.25 floppy disk(s) that include Pincus-Witten's writings; pencil, ink, and watercolor sketches and sketchbooks; and printed material consisting of exhibition announcements and invitations, pamphlets, press releases, event programs, newsletters, flyers, and clippings.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 9 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1942-circa 2010s (1.00 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1952-2015 (1.60 linear feet, Box 1, 2, 4)

Series 3: Journals, 1958-2015 (3.30 linear feet, Box 3, 12-18)

Series 4: Writing, 1953-2016 (1.50 linear feet, Box 4-5)

Series 5: Artist Files, 1950-2016 (1.60 linear feet, Box 5-7)

Series 6: Professional Files, 1959-2009 (1.50 linear feet, Box 7-8)

Series 7: Teaching Files, circa 1970s-1996 (0.50 linear feet, Box 8-9)

Series 8: Printed Material, 1962-2017 (0.95 linear feet, Box 9-10)

Series 9: Artwork, 1959-1996 (0.25 linear feet, Box 10)

Series 10: Unidentified Born Digital Materials, 1980s-2000s (0.2 linear feet, Box 10)

Biographical / Historical:

Robert Pincus-Witten (1935-2018) was an art historian, educator, critic, and curator in New York, New York.

Born in the Bronx, Pincus-Witten attended PS4, the New York High School of Music and Art, and The Cooper Union. During this time Pincus-Witten met his husband, Leon Hecht, who lived on the same block and was in the same kindergarten class at PS4. He also formed a lifelong friendship with high school classmate and artist, Ray Johnson. Pincus-Witten received a Master of Fine Arts and PhD from the University of Chicago and lived abroad in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Pincus-Witten became interested in art at a very early age and received recognition in the Regional and National Scholastic Art Awards in 1950 and 1952.

While living abroad and finishing his doctorate, Pincus-Witten accepted a teaching position at Queens College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY) network, where he taught art history courses until his retirement in 1991. Coining the term, "postminimalism," Pincus-Witten played a central role in explicating postmodern art as it emerged between 1960 and his death in 2018. He exhaustively documented his daily life on the front lines of the art world as a contributing editor for Artforum for nearly fifty years, including a stint as senior editor from 1973-1974. In addition to his long teaching career at the CUNY, Pincus-Witten worked for Larry Gagosian and Robert Mnuchin, curating exhibitions and writing catalog essays for their galleries. He was the author of several books, including Postminimalism (1977).

Related Materials:

Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Robert Pincus-Witten conducted by Francis M. Naumann, March 23-24, 2016.

Provenance:

The papers were donated in 2019 by Leon Hecht, Robert Pincus-Witten's husband.

Restrictions:

Robert Picus-Witten's journals are access restricted; written permission is required. Contact Reference Services for more information. 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.

The donor has retained all intellectual property rights, including copyright, that they may own in the following material: Robert Pincus-Witten's journals.

Occupation:

Art critics -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Art historians -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Educators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Topic:

LGBTQ+  Search this

Postmodernism  Search this

Genre/Form:

Diaries

Drawings

Interviews

Sound recordings

Citation:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers, 1942-2017. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

Identifier:

AAA.pincrobe

See more items in:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw901f20149-a4b4-48e1-99b6-38e9f74f4d40

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-pincrobe

Collection Creator:

Pincus-Witten, Robert, 1935-2018  Search this

Extent:

1 Linear foot (Box 1)

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1942-circa 2010s

Scope and Contents:

Materials include report cards, class schedules, diplomas, and other ephemera that document Pincus-Witten's interest in art during his formative years, and his academic career from elementary school through his doctorate. Also included are color and black and white photographs of family, friends, and classmates; headshot proofs taken by Fred Thumhart in 1978; identification documentation including international student IDs and vaccination cards from the late 1950s, United States passports, New York State driver's licenses, and press passes; a 2003 portrait of Pincus-Witten by Martin Summers; notes and letters regarding High School of Music and Art graduation in 1953; a 1991 Queens College retirement certificate; 1950 and 1952 Regional and National Scholastic Art Awards and photographs of works submitted by Pincus-Witten; sketches and portraits drawn by Robert-Pincus Witten in circa 1952; address books filled with business cards, hand written contact information, notes, telephone messages, postcards, letters, photographs, and handwritten addresses on scraps of paper; and a 1942 World War II Ration Book Two.

Collection Restrictions:

Robert Picus-Witten's journals are access restricted; written permission is required. Contact Reference Services for more information. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Collection 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.

The donor has retained all intellectual property rights, including copyright, that they may own in the following material: Robert Pincus-Witten's journals.

Collection Citation:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers, 1942-2017. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

Identifier:

AAA.pincrobe, Series 1

See more items in:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw989a7e8a2-ad12-4f8e-abe0-391c568fc8b8

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-pincrobe-ref15

Collection Creator:

Pincus-Witten, Robert, 1935-2018  Search this

Container:

Box 11, Item 1

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

undated

Collection Restrictions:

Robert Picus-Witten's journals are access restricted; written permission is required. Contact Reference Services for more information. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Collection 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.

The donor has retained all intellectual property rights, including copyright, that they may own in the following material: Robert Pincus-Witten's journals.

Collection Citation:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers, 1942-2017. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers

Robert Pincus-Witten papers / Series 1: Biographical Material

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9f37f468f-6cba-4dd3-b959-708719f2ce55

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-pincrobe-ref349

Collection Creator:

Pincus-Witten, Robert, 1935-2018  Search this

Container:

Box 11, Item 2

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

undated

Collection Restrictions:

Robert Picus-Witten's journals are access restricted; written permission is required. Contact Reference Services for more information. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Collection 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.

The donor has retained all intellectual property rights, including copyright, that they may own in the following material: Robert Pincus-Witten's journals.

Collection Citation:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers, 1942-2017. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers

Robert Pincus-Witten papers / Series 1: Biographical Material

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw94f95faec-c008-4613-9bd8-c2073c5ee5cc

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-pincrobe-ref350

Collection Creator:

Pincus-Witten, Robert, 1935-2018  Search this

Container:

Box 11, Item 3

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

undated

Collection Restrictions:

Robert Picus-Witten's journals are access restricted; written permission is required. Contact Reference Services for more information. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Collection 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.

The donor has retained all intellectual property rights, including copyright, that they may own in the following material: Robert Pincus-Witten's journals.

Collection Citation:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers, 1942-2017. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers

Robert Pincus-Witten papers / Series 1: Biographical Material

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9d6435f8d-2b15-487a-8673-5de5f29433e7

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-pincrobe-ref351

Collection Creator:

Pincus-Witten, Robert, 1935-2018  Search this

Container:

Box 11, Item 4

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1980s-circa 1990s

Collection Restrictions:

Robert Picus-Witten's journals are access restricted; written permission is required. Contact Reference Services for more information. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Collection 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.

The donor has retained all intellectual property rights, including copyright, that they may own in the following material: Robert Pincus-Witten's journals.

Collection Citation:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers, 1942-2017. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers

Robert Pincus-Witten papers / Series 1: Biographical Material

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw933c2da85-c56b-4eba-81a9-dad81125ae16

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-pincrobe-ref352

Collection Creator:

Pincus-Witten, Robert, 1935-2018  Search this

Container:

Box 11, Item 5

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 2000s-circa 2010s

Collection Restrictions:

Robert Picus-Witten's journals are access restricted; written permission is required. Contact Reference Services for more information. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Collection 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.

The donor has retained all intellectual property rights, including copyright, that they may own in the following material: Robert Pincus-Witten's journals.

Collection Citation:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers, 1942-2017. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Robert Pincus-Witten papers

Robert Pincus-Witten papers / Series 1: Biographical Material

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw93dcd8f69-b683-45ad-beb4-2aaee7cb62f6

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-pincrobe-ref353

Creator:

Nordhausen, A. Henry, 1901-  Search this

Names:

Peter A. Juley & Son  Search this

Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Munich, Germany)  Search this

Salmagundi Club  Search this

Extent:

8 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1919-1991

Scope and Contents:

Biographical material; correspondence with Harrison Cady, John Cosigan, the Columbus Museum, Georgia Institute of Technology, Grand Central Galleries, Musemont Fine Art Camp, the Salmagundi Club, the Art Students League, Laurence Schmeckebier (Nordhausen's biographer), Syracuse University, the United States Navy, and others, mostly concerning portraits by Nordhausen; bills and receipts; a diary, 1923-1924, concerning his studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and his travels in Europe; day books and engagement calendars, ca. 1940-1985; address books; guest books; 9 scrapbooks, 1919-1991, containing photographs, clippings and letters; exhibition catalogs and announcements; photographs of works of art by Peter A. Juley; certificates of merit from the Salmagundi Club, 1950-1974; and photographs of Salmagundi Club dinners, 1938, 1940, 1942, 1947, 1949, 1961, and 1962.

Biographical / Historical:

Painter, portrait painter; Columbus, Ga. Died 1993.

Provenance:

Bequest of A. Henry Nordhausen, 1994.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Portrait painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Painters -- Georgia -- Columbus  Search this

Topic:

Portrait painting -- United States  Search this

Art -- Study and teaching -- United States  Search this

Art -- Study and teaching -- Germany -- Munich  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.norda

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw93d1c67e6-821a-4d63-b5ac-e58cc78b411a

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-norda

Interviewee:

Landon, Edward, 1911-1984  Search this

Interviewer:

Brown, Robert F.  Search this

Names:

American Artists' Congress  Search this

Artists' Union (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Federal art project (Mass.)  Search this

National Serigraph Society  Search this

Abbott, Berenice, 1898-1991  Search this

Bridgman, George Brant, 1864-1943  Search this

Dove, Arthur Garfield, 1880-1946  Search this

Gottlieb, Harry, 1895-  Search this

Hartley, Dennis  Search this

Hughes, Marian  Search this

Lozowick, Louis, 1892-1973  Search this

Marin, John, 1870-1953  Search this

Mark, Henry  Search this

Mauer, Alfred  Search this

McCausland, Elizabeth, 1899-1965  Search this

O'Keeffe, Georgia, 1887-1986  Search this

Olds, Elizabeth, 1896-1991  Search this

Perry, Marvo  Search this

Rebay, Hilla, 1890-1967  Search this

Rogers, William T.  Search this

Sabbath, Bernie  Search this

Stein, Gertrude, 1874-1946  Search this

Stieglitz, Alfred, 1864-1946  Search this

Strand, Paul, 1890-1976  Search this

Weber, Max, 1881-1961  Search this

Extent:

39 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1975 Apr. 17-May 28

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Edward Landon conducted 1975 Apr. 17-May 28, by Robert Brown, for the Archives of American Art.

Landon speaks of working with the local theater in high school; leaving Hartford at age 17 or 18 for Greenwich Village in New York and the Art Students League; studying figure drawing with George Bridgman; getting married and moving to Springfield, Mass.; exhibiting with the Springfield Art League; the Artist Union and the Artist Congress in the 1930s; spending a summer with Georgia O'Keeffe and Paul Strand in Taos, N.M.; the cooperation amongst artists that lasted into the 1950s to establish serigraphs as an American fine art print medium; when he received the Solomon Guggenheim Scholarship for Non-objective Art in 1939; when he made furniture and picture frames and the publishing of his book on making picture frames in 1946; when he began working as an easel painter in the Massachusetts Federal Art Project of the WPA in 1933; becoming president of the Western Chapter of the Artists Union in 1934; when he corresponded and visited Arthur Dove; his friendship with Elizabeth McCausland; his introduction to Harry Gottlieb and silk screen printing; the love of color and currently trying for emotional effects in his work; initiating silk screen exhibitions in the Springfield Museum; the beginning of the National Serigraph Society and his work as the exhibition secretary; his teaching approach; the first class held in his garage with fellow artists; more on his relationship with Elizabeth McCausland; Arthur Dove's influence on a recent painting Landon finished; his trip to Taos in 1930 and the importance of artist colonies for him early on; the feeling of not having roots, but being comfortable with the idea; the purpose of the National Serigraph Society; his feelings about printmakers moving away from traditional printing; organized exhibitions for the United States Information Service; his enjoyment in organizing things; the commercialization of creating "prints;" how photo-realism does not translate well in the print medium; the importance of trying to convey an idea in his work; his success in covering small boxes, address books and other items, as well as book binding; his preference for printing small editions of 25 to 35 prints; of a description of his method of printing; his Fulbright Fellowship in 1950 to travel to Norway and lecture; an interest in early Scandinavian art; publishing a silkscreen portfolio of pre-Viking art for the American Scandinavian Foundation; traveling through Europe; his influence as an innovator in France and Scandinavia; meeting with silk screen artists in Oslo; art forms in his work at this time; his inclusion in "Who's Who in American Art;" the avoidance of art movements; how by the 1950s the reason for the National Serigraph Society no longer existed because the medium was popular by that time; his move to Vermont in 1957 or 1958; work as a color mixer, book binder, and returning to framing because of health reasons; his second illness changing what he found important in his life; and how the content of his work became more emotional. Landon also recalls Louie Lozowick, Gertrude Stein, Marian Hughes, Elizabeth Olds, John Marin, Alfred Stieglitz, Berenice Abbott, Marvo Perry, Hilla Rebay, Sir William T. Rogers, Max Weber, Dennis Hartley, Alfred Maurer, Bernie Sabbath, and Henry Mark.

Biographical / Historical:

Edward Landon (1911-1984) was a printmaker from Weston, Vt.

General:

Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 39 min.

Provenance:

These interviews are part of the Archives of American Art 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.

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

Printmakers -- Vermont -- Weston -- Interviews  Search this

Printing -- Technique  Search this

Function:

Artist colonies

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Sponsor:

Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.

Identifier:

AAA.landon75

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9fc2f6099-4ac6-4cf6-b0a9-962e4fb7ba9b

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-landon75

Creator:

Langsner, Jules, 1911-1967  Search this

Names:

Art Institute of Chicago  Search this

Art in America  Search this

California Watercolor Society  Search this

Ford Foundation  Search this

Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts  Search this

International Association of Art Critics  Search this

Los Angeles County Museum of Art  Search this

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

New York Times  Search this

Pasadena Art Museum  Search this

Santa Barbara Museum of Art  Search this

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum  Search this

University of Southern California -- Faculty  Search this

Adams, Clinton, 1918-2002  Search this

Brice, William, 1921-  Search this

Feitelson, Lorser, 1898-1978  Search this

Feldman, Eddy  Search this

Fogg, Adelaide  Search this

Guston, Musa  Search this

Guston, Philip, 1913-1980  Search this

Harwood, June  Search this

Kadish, Reuben, 1913-1992  Search this

Lebrun, Rico, 1900-1964  Search this

Lundeberg, Helen, 1918-  Search this

Macdonald-Wright, Stanton, 1890-1973  Search this

Perls, Frank, 1910-1975  Search this

Ray, Julie  Search this

Ray, Man, 1890-1976  Search this

Turnbull, William, 2002  Search this

Extent:

4.4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Articles

Sound recordings

Essays

Lectures

Drafts (documents)

Manuscripts

Poems

Date:

circa 1910s-1998

bulk 1950-1967

Summary:

The papers of southern California contemporary art curator, critic, and historian Jules Langsner measure 4.4 linear feet and date from circa 1910s-1998, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1950-1967. Found within the papers are biographical material; correspondence with family, friends, and colleagues; writings normal="1941"> travel, and works of art; and audio recordings of Langsner's lectures and eulogies given at his funeral.

Scope and Contents note:

The papers of southern California contemporary art curator, critic, and historian Jules Langsner measure 4.4 linear feet and date from circa 1910s-1998, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1950-1967. Found within the papers are biographical material; correspondence with family, friends, and colleagues; writings by Langsner; exhibition files; printed materials; photographs of Langsner, others, travel, and works of art; and audio recordings of Langsner's lectures and eulogies given at his funeral.

Biographical materials consist of an address book and file, committee files, scattered financial statements, and documents related to the Ford Foundation and other foundations, teaching, and traveling.

The 0.9 linear feet of correspondence is of both a personal and professional nature. A significant portion of the correspondence is between Langsner and publications for which he wrote such as Art News, the New York Times, Meridian Books, Craft Horizons, Art International, and Art in America; galleries and museums where he lectured or curated exhibitions including the Art Institute of Chicago, California Water Color Society, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Pasadena Art Museum, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum, and the Fine Arts Patrons of Newport Harbor; colleges and organizations where he taught or was involved with such as the Graham Foundation, University of Southern California, International Association of Art Critics, and Ford Foundation; and artists that he worked with or knew personally including Rico Lebrun, William Turnbull, Man & Julie Ray, Lorser Feitelson, Helen Lundeberg, Adelaide Fogg, and Clinton Adams.

Letters to June Harwood were written while Langsner was traveling in 1964 and 1965 and discuss his travels and their relationship which culminated in marriage in Italy in 1965.

Among the 2.8 linear feet of the writings of Jules Langsner are articles for Art News, Art in America, Art International, Arts & Architecture, Aware, Beverly Hills Times, Craft Horizons, Creative Crafts, Goya Revista De Arte, Yomiuri, and Zodiac. There are also essays, lectures, poems, drafts, notes, jottings of ideas, proposals and published and unpublished manuscripts. There are drafts and unpublished versions of "Painting in the Modern World", and numerous other essays on contemporary art. There are also extensive handwritten notes on his travels, Asian art, European art, and other subjects.

Exhibition files concern "Black and White" (1958), "California Hard-Edge Painting" (1964), the Man Ray Exhibition (1966), and the William Turnbull Exhibition (1966).

Printed materials include miscellaneous flyers, brochures, and news bulletins, and press releases.

Photographs are of people, places, works of art, and exhibitions. There are photographs of Jules Langsner, June Harwood, Philip Guston, Musa Guston, William Brice, Eddy Feldman, Rube Kadish, Stanton MacDonald-Wright, Frank Perls, and unidentified individual people and groups. Photographs of Langsner's travels are of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and other locations. Photographs of exhibitions include California Art Club, "Black and White," "California Painters & Sculptors, 35 & Under," and unidentified exhibitions. Photographs of works of art are by William Turnbull, Jack Zajac, Walter Mix, Marion Aldrich, Roger Majorowicz, and Jasper Johns.

Audio recordings include four untranscribed 7" reel-to-reel audio recordings and one cassette tape. The reel-to-reel tapes are of two lectures by Langsner, You & Art/Berlin Party, and of eulogies given at Langsner's funeral by Clement Greenberg, Henry Seldis, Peter Selz, Richard Brown, Donald Brewer, Tom Leavitt, Lorser Feitelson, Sam Francis, June Wayne, Gifford Phillips, and others. The cassette tape is a copy of eulogies.

Arrangement note:

The collection is arranged as 7 series. Photographs are arranged by subject, otherwise each series is generally arranged chronologically.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1957-circa 1960s (Box 1; 9 folders)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1948-1998 (Boxes 1-2; 0.9 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, 1934-circa 1960s (Boxes 2-4; 2.8 linear feet)

Series 4: Exhibition Files, 1919, circa 1958-1966 (Box 4; 4 folders)

Series 5: Printed Materials, circa 1960s (Box 5; 2 folders)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1910s-1960s (Box 5; 0.25 linear feet)

Series 7: Audio Recordings, 1954-1967 (Box 5; 0.25 linear feet)

Biographical/Historical note:

Jules Langsner (1911-1967) worked primarily in the Los Angeles area as a contemporary art critic, historian, and curator. He curated several seminal exhibitions of contemporary art, including the 1959-1960 show "Four Abstract Classicists" featuring the work of Southern California artists Lorser Feitelson, Karl Benjamin, Frederick Hammersley, and John McLaughlin.

Born Julius Harold Langsner in New York City on May 5, 1911, his family moved to Ontario, California in 1922. The family lived on a farm and opened the Paradise Health Resort which was run by Langsner's father, chiropractor Isadore Langsner, and was popular in Jewish and intellectual circles. In Ontario, Langsner became friends with three of the Pollack family sons, Jackson, Frank, and Sanford, as well as Philip Guston, Reuben Kadish, Leonard Stark, and Don Brown as a teenager. Guston, Kadish, and Jackson Pollock were later mentored by Lorser Feitelston which helped to foster in Langsner an interest in avant-garde painting.

Langsner went on to study philosophy at the University of California, Los Angeles. In the early 1940s, Langsner married and had a son, Drew Langsner. He divorced in 1946. In 1944, he enlisted in the United States Army and served as a psychiatric social worker and psychologist during World War II in the United States.

Art & Architecture magazine was the first to publish Langsner's art criticism in 1948. Throughout the 1950s and 60s his work was published widely in Art & Architecture as well as Art News, Art in America, Craft Horizons, Beverly Hills Times, Zodiac, and others. Langsner wrote extensively about art history in both published and unpublished manuscripts, including Painting in the Modern World which he worked on until his death. Additionally, he taught art history classes at the Chouinard Art Institute and University of Southern California and lectured for a variety of organizations and occasions.

Langsner curated several influential exhibitions in southern California, including the "Four Abstract Classicists" exhibition for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1959 and in whose catalog he and Peter Selz coined the term "Hard-Edge painting." He curated the first full-scale retrospective of Man Ray in the United States at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1966.

Langsner received a grant from the Ford Foundation in 1964 that allowed him to travel throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe for a year studying regional art and architecture. He wrote notes on his travels and corresponded frequently with June Harwood, a Hard-Edge painter, whom he married in Italy in 1965.

Jules Langsner died unexpectedly of a heart attack on September 29, 1967, in Los Angeles.

Related Archival Materials note:

The papers of Lorser Feitelson and Helen Lundeberg at the Archives of American Art contain a significant amount of writings by Jules Langsner, including exhibition catalog essays.

Papers of Jules Langsner, 1941-1967, are also located at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Provenance:

The Jules Langsner papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in several installments from 1973-1996, and in 2004 by June Harwood Langsner, widow of Jules Langsner. Notes for a lecture given at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1966 and 39 pieces of correspondence were donated in 1982 by the University of California Art Library, Los Angeles, via Librarian Virginia Steele.

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.

Occupation:

Art critics -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Art historians -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Topic:

Works of art  Search this

Painting, Abstract -- California  Search this

Art -- Study and teaching  Search this

Art criticism  Search this

Curators -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Articles

Sound recordings

Essays

Lectures

Drafts (documents)

Manuscripts

Poems

Citation:

Jules Langsner papers, circa 1910s-1998, bulk 1950-1967. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.langjule

See more items in:

Jules Langsner papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96ca20c0c-5a91-42e5-9ff4-d5217f7fd266

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-langjule

Creator:

Arquin, Florence  Search this

Names:

Art Institute of Chicago -- Faculty  Search this

Federal Art Project (Ill.)  Search this

United States. Department of State  Search this

Kahlo, Frida  Search this

Rebay, Hilla, 1890-1967  Search this

Rivera, Diego, 1886-1957  Search this

Williams, Samuel  Search this

Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1867-1959  Search this

Extent:

8.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Prints

Sketches

Date:

1923-1985

Summary:

The papers of Florence Arquin measure 8.2 linear feet and date from 1923 to 1985. The papers highlight her expertise in the field of Latin American studies and document Arquin's career as a painter, photographer, educator, writer, and critic through biographical material, correspondence, writings, teaching and project files, printed material, photographs, artwork, and scrapbooks. Additionally, the papers relate to her personal relationships with her husband Samuel Williams and friends, Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Teaching and project files include material from Arquin's work with the Federal Art Project at the Art Institute of Chicago and as director of the U.S. State Department's Kodachrome Slide Project, which was part of an effort to provide educational agencies with visual aids to support Latin American Studies.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of Florence Arquin measure 8.2 linear feet and date from 1923 to 1985. The papers highlight her expertise in the field of Latin American studies and document Arquin's career as a painter, photographer, educator, writer, and critic through biographical material, correspondence, writings, teaching and project files, printed material, photographs, artwork, and scrapbooks. Additionally, the papers relate to her personal relationships with her husband Samuel Williams and friends, Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Teaching and project files include material from Arquin's work with the Federal Art Project at the Art Institute of Chicago and as director of the U.S. State Department's Kodachrome Slide Project, which was part of an effort to provide educational agencies with visual aids to support Latin American Studies.

Biographical materials include awards, biographical sketches and resumes, travel papers, identification cards, and ten address books.

The bulk of correspondence is comprised of letters written by Florence Arquin to her husband, Samuel Williams. These letters discuss her trips to Mexico in the 1940s, her role in the Kodachrome Slide Project, and her friendships with fellow artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, and others. Also found are copies of letters from Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera to Florence Arquin.

Writings and notes include extensive research notes, notebooks, and notecards by Florence Arquin, primarly on Latin American art and culture. Also found is a draft of Arquin's work on Diego Rivera, Diego Rivera (1886-1957): The Shaping of an Artist (Early Period--1889-1921). Writings by others include a draft of a foreword by Diego Rivera, and writings by Jose de Souza Pedreira, and Hilla Rebay.

Teaching and project files include materials from Arquin's time teaching at the Art Institute of Chicago, her work with the the Federal Art Project at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Kodachrome Slide Project. Teaching files are scattered and include student papers, class outlines, and a lecture. The Federal Art Project at the Art Institute of Chicago files include a proposal and project reports. The Kodachrome Slide Project files include correspondence, receipts, reports, educational guides and materials, slide sequences, and printed material.

Printed material includes exhibition catalogs and announcements, clippings, booklets, travel guides, magazines, education journals, subject files on Diego Rivera and Frank Lloyd Wright, and blank postcards from Arquin's travels. There are extensive booklets and pamphlets published by the Pan American Union, and travel guides and educational guides for Latin America. Some printed material is in Spanish.

Photographs include portraits and snapshots of Florence Arquin, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and others. Photos of Florence Arquin show her in her office, giving lectures, and at events with others. Photographs of works of art are by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

Artwork is scattered and includes a sketchbook by Florence Arquin with watercolor and pencil sketches and a print signed by de Diego.

There are four scrapbooks created by Florence Arquin. Scrapbooks may include photographs, writings, maps, and printed materials. Materials relate to the Federal Art Project at the Art Institute of Chicago, travel, and the Kodachrome Slide Project.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 8 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1939-1962 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1, 11)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1940-1985 (0.8 linear feet; Box 1-2)

Series 3: Writings and Notes, 1929-circa 1964 (2.0 linear feet; Box 2-4)

Series 4: Teaching and Project Files, 1930-1963 (1.4 linear feet; Box 4-5)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1923-1964 (1.8 linear feet; Box 5-7, 11)

Series 6: Photographs, 1929-circa 1960 (0.7 linear feet; Box 7, 11)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1940-circa 1950 (2 folders; Box 7, 11)

Series 8: Scrapbooks, 1935-1956 (0.9 linear feet; Box 8-10)

Biographical / Historical:

Painter, photographer, educator, writer, and critic, Florence Arquin (1900-1974) was active in Chicago, Illinois. She was widely known for her expertise in the field of Latin American studies and had a close relationship with Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. From 1935 to 1939 she worked as administrator for the Federal Art Project in Illinois and joined the Art Institute of Chicago in 1939 to develop education programs aimed at secondary school students.

Florence Arquin was born in 1900 in New York City. She graduated from the Art Institute of Chicago where she studied art education. After, she undertook post graduate studies at the National University of Mexico. In the early 1940s Arquin traveled to Mexico to paint, where she developed friendships with Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. In 1943 a solo exhibition of her paintings at the Benjamin Franklin Library in Mexico City was highly praised by Rivera in the catalog introduction. Arquin's book Diego Rivera: The Shaping of an Artist, 1889-1921 about the artist's formative years, was published by the University of Oklahoma Press in 1971.

Arquin traveled extensively in South America, the United States, and Europe throughout her life. From 1945 to 1951 she traveled to Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador as Director of the Kodachrome Slide Project under the sponsorship of the Department of State. Arquin photographed aspects of life and culture and gave lectures at bi-national cultural institutions throughout those countries and in the United States. The project was part of an effort to provide educational agencies with visual aids in the field of Latin American studies.

Under another State Department grant, duplicates of Arquin's photographs were then made available for sale to institutions and individuals interested in the field of Latin American studies. The Metropolitan Museum of Art assumed responsibility for publicity, sale, and distribution of the slides from 1950 to 1955. Although few sales originated through the sales office of the Museum, Arquin managed to generate sales through her own efforts. In 1961 she applied for another grant to take control of the original slides and to add slides that she had taken on other visits to Latin America, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, and other European countries since then.

Florence Arquin died in 1974.

Provenance:

The collection was donated to the Archives of American Art by Samuel Williams, Arquin's husband, in 1991.

Restrictions:

The Florence Arquin papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

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 -- Illinois -- Chicago  Search this

Photographers -- Illinois -- Chicago  Search this

Educators -- Illinois -- Chicago  Search this

Authors -- Illinois -- Chicago  Search this

Art critics -- Illinois -- Chicago  Search this

Topic:

Latino and Latin American artists  Search this

Art, Latin American  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Women photographers  Search this

Women educators  Search this

Women art critics  Search this

Women authors  Search this

Art -- Study and teaching  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Prints

Sketches

Citation:

Florence Arquin papers, 1923-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art

Identifier:

AAA.arquflor

See more items in:

Florence Arquin papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw909303b02-1de7-44ba-8947-07b0fc7969fa

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-arquflor

Collection Creator:

Arquin, Florence  Search this

Container:

Box 1, Folder 7

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1940

Collection Restrictions:

The Florence Arquin papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Florence Arquin papers, 1923-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art

See more items in:

Florence Arquin papers

Florence Arquin papers / Series 1: Biographical Material

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9daa173a2-37cd-404c-8f83-cf15ad063451

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-arquflor-ref12

Collection Creator:

Arquin, Florence  Search this

Container:

Box 1, Folder 8

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1951-1957

Collection Restrictions:

The Florence Arquin papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Florence Arquin papers, 1923-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art

See more items in:

Florence Arquin papers

Florence Arquin papers / Series 1: Biographical Material

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e3425680-f468-45ad-87d6-a0db587a9698

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-arquflor-ref13