Personal and professional records including correspondence, writings, notes, printed material, subject files, photograph album, and diaries relating to Zigrosser's work as an authority on prints and printmaking and his personal relationships with artists.
Included are: correspondence with family and with over 900 printmakers, painters, sculptors, acquaintances, friends, associates, organizations, museums, publishers, and magazines; general correspondence, notes, clippings, and manuscripts pertaining to The Modern School Magazine; files of correspondence from Zigrosser's work at: the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1932-1971; John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation; Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Museum, 1946-1971, including correspondence with Frank Lloyd Wright concerning the Guggenheim Memorial Museum; Print Council of America, 1954-1971, regarding exhibitions, council meetings and other matters; and the Tamarind Workshop, 1960-1971.
Of particular interest is material relating to the 1913 Armory Show, including Zigrosser's annotated catalog, notes and sketches. Also included are speeches and notes, 1930-1968; manuscripts for lectures and unpublished materials; memorabilia; a photo album of sculpture by John B. Flannagan; art work, including prints and drawings by Karig Nalbandian, prints by Rockwell Kent, and oversized works of art on paper by Mabel Dwight, Wanda Gag and Kent; family photograph album; journals and pamphlets (covers only); and diaries, 1916-1971, discussing personal and professional events such as art openings, conversations and activities with Rockwell Kent, Alfred Stieglitz, and Georgia O'Keeffe, among others.
Among the correspondents are: the American Artists Group, John Taylor Arms, Art in America magazine, Art Institute of Chicago, Alfred Barr, E. Boyd, Charles Burchfield, Alexander Calder, Fitz Roy Carrington, Federico Castellon, Ed Colker, Howard N. Cook, Crown Publishers, Adolf Dehn, Caroline Durieux, John Bernard Flannagan, Andre Girard, Stanley William Hayter, Edward Hopper, Victoria Hutson Huntley, Independent Citizens Committee for the Arts, Sciences and Professions, R. Sturgis Ingersoll, Frederick Keppel, Rockwell Kent, Fiske Kimball, Misch Kohn, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Julius Lankes, Mauricico Lasansky, Merritt Mauzey, Kneeland McNulty, James A. Michener, Marian Mitchell,
Museum of Non-Objective Painting (Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum), Karnig Nalbandian, Dorothy Norman, Georgia O'Keeffe, Walter Pach, Harold Paris, Print Club (Philadelphia), Diego Rivera, Ruth Starr Rose, Arnold Ronnebeck, Lessing J. Rosenwald, Andre Ruellan, Carl Oscar Schniewind, Roderick Seidenberg, William Spratling, Benton Spruance, Alfred Stieglitz, Harry Sternberg, Tamarind Lithography Workshop, Kuei Teng, U.S. Office of War Information, Curt Valentin, Heinz Warneke, Edward Weston, Weyhe Gallery, Whitney Museum of American Art, Harry Wickey, and Adja Yunkers.
Biographical / Historical:
Print curator; Philadelphia, Pa.; d. 1975. Graduated Columbia University in literature. Worked with prints in New York City at Keppel and Co. and Weyhe Gallery; print curator at Philadelphia Museum of Art 1940-1963; author of books on prints and art works.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming, 1991, by the University of Pennsylvania Special Collections Department, Van Pelt Library. Zigrosser donated the papers to the University in 1972. Portions of the papers not microfilmed include research files, manuscript materials for published work, family records, and journals.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote or reproduce requires written permission from the Curator of Manuscripts, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Pennsylvania. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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 papers of studio assistant Andre Thibault/Teabo regarding African American painter Romare Bearden measure 0.9 linear feet and date from circa 1930s to 2003 with the bulk of the material dating from 1980 to 1998. The papers consist of administrative records such as financial and gallery records. Correspondence includes letters from Romare Bearden, his wife Nanette and Andre Thibault. Of note is correspondence between Thibault and Nanette concerning the signature on a Bearden painting. Printed material includes exhibition catalogs, posters, magazines, art books and source material used by Bearden. Artwork consists of a self-portrait, a sketchbook, collage pieces, and oversize drawings by Bearden. Photographic material is comprised of photographs of Bearden, his art, studio, Andre Thibault/Teabo, Russell Goings and others.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of studio assistant Andre Thibault/Teabo regarding African American painter Romare Bearden measure 0.9 linear feet and date from circa 1930s to 2003 with the bulk of the material dating from 1980 to 1998. The papers consist of administrative records such as financial and gallery records. Correspondence includes letters from Romare Bearden, his wife Nanette and Andre Thibault. Of note is correspondence between Thibault and Nanette concerning the signature on a Bearden painting. Printed material includes exhibition catalogs, posters, magazines, art books and source material used by Bearden. Artwork consists of a self-portrait, a sketchbook, collage pieces, and oversize drawings by Bearden. Photographic material is comprised of photographs of Bearden, his art, studio, Andre Thibault/Teabo, Russell Goings and others.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged in five series.
Series 1: Administrative Records, 1985-1988 (Box 1; 2 folders)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1987-1996 (Box 1; 3 folders)
Series 3: Printed Material, 1949-1958, 1971-2003 (Box 1-2, OV 3; 0.5 linear feet)
Series 4: Artwork, circa 1930s-1940s, circa 1980-1988 (Box 2, OV 3; 0.2 linear feet)
Series 5: Photographic Material, 1983-1991 (Box 2, OV 3; 0.2 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Andre Thibault/Teabo (1948?- ) is an artist in New York, N.Y. and was Romare Bearden's studio assistant from 1980-1988.
Romare Bearden (1911-1988) was an African American painter who worked in New York, N.Y. Bearden worked in various mediums and is known for his colorful abstract paintings depicting the lives of African American people and for his work in collage. In 1963 he co-founded the African American artistic group named Spiral that endeavored to answer the question "What is Black Art?" and in 1968 was involved in founding the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York. The following year Bearden co-founded the Cinque Gallery which promoted and exhibited the works of African American artists. In 1976 he received a Gold Medal from the Governor of North Carolina for the advancement of the arts and posthumously received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Studio Museum in Harlem in 1988.
Provenance:
The papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by André Thibault/Teabo in 2017.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to originals 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:
Artists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Collagists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
The Historical Records of the Barnett-Aden Gallery showcases one of the first galleries owned and operated by African Americans. The work of the Gallery was invaluable as they opened the exhibition space to established and unknown artists regardless of race or gender.
Scope and Contents:
The Historical Records of Barnett-Aden Gallery collection includes historical background materials on the gallery, its founders James V. Herring and Alonzo Aden as well as Adolphus Ealey, its steward after its closure in 1969. The materials include correspondence, business records, photographs, exhibition catalogues, and clippings.
Arrangement:
The materials in this collection have been kept at the folder level and separated into four series. The materials have been ordered and organized based on the content. Within each series and subseries, the folders are organized as close to the collection's original order as when it was acquired.
Historical Sketch:
The Barnett-Aden Gallery, suggested to be the first African American privately-owned gallery in the U.S, open its doors on October 16, 1943. The gallery was founded by artist and scholar James V. Herring alongside his protegee, curator Alonzo Aden. The gallery was housed in a private home that they shared, located on 127 Randolph Street NW in Washington, DC. These men aimed to create an art gallery that provided a venue for underrepresented artists of all races and genres. It was this partnership that laid the foundation for the shift in African American representation in modern art. Aden stated that the gallery's aims were to help foster new talent while also bringing "art of superior quality" to the community. Throughout its history, the gallery held almost 200 exhibitions and showcased the work of over 400 artists.
James Vernon Herring was born on January 7, 1887 in Clio, South Carolina to an African American mother, Alice Herring (1860-1942), and white father, William Culbreth. As a young man, he moved to Washington, DC for better educational opportunities. Herring was educated at the Howard Academy, a preparatory high school located at nearby Howard University campus. Herring received his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University and completed graduate studies at Columbia and Harvard Universities. Trained in art and classical studies with a focus on French impressionism, Herring was initially brought on Howard University's faculty as architecture instructor in 1920. This experience inspired Herring to create the Department of Art at the university where he convinced former home economics student and future prominent visual artist, Alma Thomas to be the art school's first graduate in 1924. Herring continued to mentor and discover young artists as was the case with Alonzo Aden.
Alonzo Aden was born on May 6, 1906 in Spartanburg, South Carolina to Naomi Barnett (1883-1956) and Ephraim Aden (1859-1917). His working-class parents wanting more for their eldest son, decided to send him to live with relatives in Washington, DC for greater educational opportunities. Aden did well academically and completed some studies at Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) before finally entering Howard University in 1927. The following year, Herring opened the Howard University Gallery of Art and installed Aden as its first curator. Aden initially pursued a career as an educator but became more interested in art history and after his graduation from Howard in 1933, he pursued studies in museum and curatorial work.
Recent scholarship has suggested that Herring and Aden were in a romantic as well as working relationship. Working together in the Howard Gallery of Art, they sought to provide a space for art students, local artists and other relatively unknown artists from around the world. Living together since 1929, Herring supported Aden's post-graduate pursuits including his studies of African arts and crafts in galleries across Europe as well as his curatorial work at the American Negro Exposition in Chicago in 1940. Aden returned to Washington to great acclaim and continued his work with Herring at the Howard Gallery of Art.
The Gallery was housed in a Victorian townhouse located in the then middle-class African American neighborhoods of LeDroit Park and Logan Circle (present-day Bloomingdale). Research notes that the house was purchased during the late 1920s by Herring with some assistance of artist Alma Thomas (or vice versa). Both were listed as owners of the property until 1933 when Aden was listed as the co-owner. In 1943, Aden resigned as head of the Howard Gallery for unknown reasons which led Herring and Aden to open a gallery in their home. The gallery was named after Aden's mother Naomi, who also served as an early benefactor of the gallery giving $1,000 in support. It was the support of various benefactors alongside Herring's salary as a Howard professor and Aden's several "government jobs" that kept the gallery afloat during its time in the home. The first floor of the gallery consisted entirely of exhibition space with the second-floor space interchanged between exhibition, study, and living spaces over the years. Herring's library, also located on the upper floors, was used for research by students and local scholars. Herring and Aden never saw the gallery as a truly profitable venture but instead wanted to offer avenues for the artists to showcase their work. As policy, each artist retained all money earned from sales but were required to donate at least one work of art to the Barnett-Aden collection.
The gallery, the first of its kind in Washington at the time, exhibited works of artists regardless of race; African American artists displayed alongside their more notable white peers. Notable artists featured in the gallery include Henri Matisse, Paul Cezanne, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and M.C. Escher were exhibited alongside notable African American artists Richmond Barthé, Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Charles White, Selma Burke as well as many others. Several Howard professors who went on to have notable art careers also exhibited their work at the gallery including James Porter, Lois Mailou Jones, and James Lesesne Wells. Many of the artists featured in the gallery were also greatly involved in the operations. Alma Thomas served gallery's vice president before she began exhibiting her work there in 1950s. Artist and scholar, David Driskell served as the associate director of the gallery after Aden's death.
The gallery held five to eight exhibitions every year including a special annual anniversary exhibition. In 1944, the gallery opened a show featuring Brazilian modern artist, Candido Portinari, who had previously completed a mural at the Library of Congress, that sparked great interest at the gallery. The exhibition opening brought in visitors from all over Washington including members of the president's cabinet, foreign ambassadors and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. This renewed interest created a somewhat hectic pace in keeping up with the work of the gallery. This pace coupled with the full-time jobs and other ventures including a gift shop enabled the gallery to act as a luminary of the African American and local arts community in Washington.
In 1961, while preparing for the annual anniversary exhibition, Alonzo Aden died suddenly. Herring with aid of his friends and students took on the management of the gallery after his partner's death but was unable to keep the pace of Aden's work and the attendance declined. In 1969, Herring died in the home leaving behind a formidable legacy. The home and its contents including the gallery's art collection was sold in order to settle the debts of Herring's estate. The collection was divided amongst three individuals. Artist and former Herring student, Adolphus Ealey inherited the bulk of the collection that featured 250 significant works. Herring's books, graphic drawings, and prints were given to Herring associate and friend, Dr. Felton J. Earls, while the sculptures went to art collectors and friends Dr. and Mrs. Cecil Marquez.
The portion of the collection owned by Ealey was described as the preeminent selection from the gallery's collection. The size and ongoing upkeep of the collection was significant which caused the collection to be moved several times over the years. The collection which out of necessity was originally stored in Ealey's Southwest Washington apartment then moved a to a house in LeDroit Park and then to another space in the Washington neighborhood of Fort Lincoln. Ealey collaborated with colleagues and institutions to have it exhibited in various locations but also bid to find the collection a permanent home. During the 1970s, the collection was featured at the Museum of Afro-American Culture and History in Philadelphia, the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum) and the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Unable to find an institutional home for the collection, Ealey was forced to sell the collection in 1989 to the Florida Endowment Fund for Higher Education. Ealey stipulated that collection must remain intact but also that the new owners had to develop educational and outreach programs focused on African Americans in the arts. Failing to find consistent opportunities to exhibit the collection, the owners were forced to sell the collection. In 1998, Robert L. Johnson, then chairman and founder of the television channel, Black Entertainment Television (BET), purchased the collection. The collection went on a national tour then was displayed for some time at the BET headquarters in Washington. In 2015, Johnson donated selections from the gallery collection to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in an effort to preserve the legacy of the Barnett-Aden Gallery and the tireless work of James V. Herring and Alonzo Aden for generations to come.
Historical Timeline
1897 -- James Vernon Herring was born January 7 in Clio, South Carolina.
1906 -- Alonzo James Aden was born May 6 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
1914-1916 -- While attending Syracuse University, Herring taught summer classes at Wilberforce University in Ohio for two summers.
1917 -- Herring graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelors of Pedagogy in Art degree.
1917-1920 -- Herring served as YMCA secretary for the YMCA in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and then Camp Lee, Virginia. Herring also held teaching positions at Straight College in New Orleans and Bennett College in North Carolina
1920 -- Alonzo was sent to Washington, D.C. to live with his uncle, James Aden, and his wife Laura.
1921 -- Herring was initially hired as architectural drawing instructor at Howard University and after negotiations established Department of Art later that same year.
1927 -- Herring organized an exhibition of Howard U. students' artwork that toured the Deep South U.S. Aden enrolled in Howard University in pursuit of an education degree.
1930 -- The Howard University Gallery of Art formally opened on April 7. Aden was hired as gallery assistant.
1933 -- Aden received his Bachelor of Arts in Education; Herring added Aden's name as co-owner of the 127 Randolph Place home.
1934-1939 -- Aden engaged in post-graduate study and museum curatorial work around the U.S. and Europe.
1940 -- Aden served as art curator for the American Negro Exposition (the "Negro's World Fair") in Chicago
1943 -- Aden resigned his position at the Howard University Gallery of Art for undisclosed reasons. The Barnett-Aden Gallery was founded by James V. Herring and Alonzo Aden. The first exhibition, "American Paintings for the Home" featured Elizabeth Catlett, Lois Mailou Jones, Malvin Gray Johnson, James Lesesne Wells, Jacob Lawrence, and many others.
1944 -- First anniversary exhibition featuring artist Candido Portinari, Brazilian artist who was already known in Washington from his mural for the Library of Congress. It was attended by the First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. Exhibition, "The Negro in Art" and "American Paintings for the Home" featuring Catlett, James A. Porter, Wells, Jones, Richmond Barthé, Hale Woodruff, Betsy Graves Reyneau and others.
1946 -- Exhibition, "Paintings by Lois Mailou Jones" and featured paintings of Jacob Lawrence for Third Anniversary exhibition.
1947 -- Fourth Anniversary Exhibition, "Recent Paintings by Charles White". Exhibition of Elizabeth Catlett, "Paintings, Sculpture, and Prints of The Negro Woman".
1948 -- Exhibition, "Paintings and Drawings by James A. Porter".
1949 -- Exhibition, "Sylvia Carewe".
1950 -- "Exhibition of Six Washington Artists" featuring Romare Bearden, Samuel Bookatz, Bernice Cross, Robert Gates, Norma Mazo, and James A. Porter. "Exhibition "Paintings and Prints by James Lesesne Wells."
1951 -- Exhibition, "Three Washington Artists" featuring Richard Dempsey, Sam Herman, and Jack Perlmutter Exhibition, "Herman Maril: Paintings in Retrospect, 1931-1951"
1953 -- Tenth Anniversary Exhibition, "Eighteen Washington Artists" featuring Sarah Baker, Samuel Bookatz, William Calfee, Bernice Cross, Robert Franklin Gates, Jacob Kainen, Marjorie Phillips, James Porter, and James Lesesne Wells.
1954 -- Exhibition "Six Washington Painters" featuring Theresa Abbott, Gabriel Cherin, Gloria Besser Green, Alma W. Thomas, and Anita Wertheim.
1955 -- Twelfth anniversary exhibition focused on "Jack Perlmutter".
1957 -- Exhibition, "David C. Driskell: Exhibition of Paintings"
1958 -- Exhibition "Norman Lewis: Paintings"
1959 -- Sixteenth Anniversary Exhibition of "Paintings by Pietro Lazzari, Helen Rennie, Alma Thomas, Andrea De Zerega". Exhibition of "Religious Paintings and Prints by James L. Wells and Sculpture by Selma Burke"
1962 -- Alonzo Aden died suddenly at the age of 56 on October 13 in Washington D.C. Herring solely inherits the Gallery collection.
1969 -- Herring dies at age 84 in Washington, DC. on May 29. Artist Adolphus Ealey inherits the bulk of the gallery collection along with Dr. Felton J. Earls and Dr. and Mrs. Cecil Marquez.
1974 -- Two exhibitions of the collection at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum and the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
1989 -- Collection sold to Florida Endowment Fund for Higher Education.
1998 -- Robert Johnson, founder and former CEO of Black Entertainment Television (BET) purchased the entire collection and serves as administrators over the collection.
Provenance:
Acquired through a purchase by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Access to collection materials requires an appointment.
Rights:
The NMAAHC Archives can provide reproductions of some materials for research and educational use. Copyright and right to publicity restrictions apply and limit reproduction for other purposes.
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Viewing the film portion of the collection without reference copies requires special appointment, please inquire. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270. Viewing the film portion of the collection without reference copies requires special appointment, please inquire.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Norcross Greeting Card Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
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:
Charles W. White papers, 1933-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
Prendergast, Maurice Brazil, 1858-1924 Search this
Extent:
10.4 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Date:
1775-1997
bulk 1940-1986
Summary:
The Carlen Galleries, Inc., records measure 10.4 linear feet (gift portions) and date from 1775 to 1997 (bulk 1940-1986). Correspondence, business records, subject files, a scrapbook, printed matter, and photographs document the operation and activities of Carlen Galleries, Inc., and its founder Robert Carlen.
Scope and Content Note:
The Carlen Galleries, Inc., records measure 10.4 linear feet (gift portions, Parts 1 and 3) and date from 1775-1998 (bulk 1940-1986). Correspondence, business records, subject files, a scrapbook, printed matter, and photographs document the operation and activities of Carlen Galleries, Inc., and its founder Robert Carlen.
Part 1: Received in 1986 as a gift from Robert Carlen, these records document the activities of Carlen Galleries and its founder, 1937-1986. Correspondence mainly concerns the sale and purchase of works of art. Also included are artist files containing correspondence, receipts, and printed matter regarding Albert Davies, Edward Hicks, Käthe Kollwitz, Horace Pippin, and Maurice Prendergast. Subject files concern African American artists, Raphael Peale, Raymond Feuillate, and the French Moderns. Business records consist of loan forms, documentation of exhibitions at Carlen Galleries, inventories, a scrapbook and clippings concerning the gallery, conservation reports, appraisals (not microfilmed), and financial records.
Part 2: Additional records documenting the activities of Carlen Galleries and its founder, 1937-1986, were loaned by Robert Carlen for microfilming in 1988. Included are letters about Horace Pippin and rare letters from the artist. Other correspondence concerns Carlen's search for paintings by Edward Hicks, and there is also a small selection of letters regarding more routine gallery business. Among the business records are and account book and receipts. Printed matter consists of exhibition catalogs, announcements, and clippings; a scrapbook contains printed matter about Horace Pippin. Photographs are of Allan Freelon and works of art.
Part 3: Received in 2002 as a gift from Robert Carlen's daughter Nancy Carlen, this portion of the Carlen Galleries, Inc., Records consists of two letters, business records, photographs, and selections from the galleries' library. Letters are from Joan Baez, circa 1960 and Charles M. Mount, 1968. Previously sealed letters from Charles M. Mount, undated, and 1962-1975, relating to John Singer Sargent have been integrated into this portion.
Part 4: Additional records borrowed for microfilming from Nancy Carlen in 2002 include documents dated 1775-1997 (bulk 1940s-1990). Correspondence concerns gallery business, but a small amount of personal correspondence is also included. Business records consist of appraisal reports, receipts for sales and purchases, and the contract and program for the 1964 University [of Pennsylvania] Hospital Antiques Show in which Carlen Galleries exhibited. Subject files document Edward Hicks, Anatol Jal, the Captain James Lawrence Goblet, Horace Pippin, and Antoine Roux. Five notebooks, containing material similar to that in the subject files, are about Horace Pippin (vols. 1-3), Edward Hicks (vol. 4), and chronicle the career of Robert Carlen (vol. 5).
Printed matter consists of clippings and other items concerning art and antiques, Robert Carlen and Carlen Galleries, Inc., and the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the State Department where two Hicks paintings owned by Carlen were on extended loan. Among the miscellaneous records are biographical documents, personal financial records, business and research notes (including original documents and photocopies of archival materials), and four prints. Photographs are mostly of antiques and art work; also included are a few pictures of people, places, and miscellaneous subjects.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into four parts, representing gift and loan accessions received and microfilmed at various times. The two loans for microfilming (Parts 2 and 4) overlap and partially duplicate one another-particularly records relating to Horace Pippin and Edward Hicks-but are far from identical. Some of the Pippin and Hicks material was significantly rearranged in the interim between the first loan (1988) and the second (2002).
Missing Title
Part 1: Gift (1986), 1906-1986 (Boxes 1-7; 7.0 linear feet; Reels 4166-4175)
Part 2: Loan (1988), 1937-1986 (Reel 4175)
Part 3: Gift (2002), 1835-1992 (Boxes 8-12; 3.4 linear feet; Reel 5745)
Part 4: Loan (2002), 1775-1997 (Reels 5746-5748)
Historical Note:
Robert Carlen (1906-1990) worked as a secretary and attended evening classes at the Graphic Sketch Club in Philadelphia right after graduating from high school. He studied painting full-time at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts during the academic year 1928/29, and from 1929-1936 he continued to study painting in the evenings while employed at a brokerage firm.
Since he wanted to be associated with the art world and needed to earn a living, Carlen decided to establish an art gallery that would show the works of young artists. In 1937, he opened in Carlen Galleries in his home at 323 South 16th Street, Philadelphia; the galleries operated in the same location for the remainder of Carlen's life. In its earliest years, Carlen Galleries housed exhibitions of the Associated American Artists' Group and featured prints by Wanda Gag, Käthe Kollwitz, Louis Lozowick, Lynd Ward, and other print makers.
In 1941, paintings by Horace Pippin were exhibited at Carlen Galleries. Carlen soon befriended the artist and began providing him with art supplies. He remained Pippin's agent for many years following the artist's death in 1946, and was a sought-after authority on the artist's work and life.
By the mid-1940s, Carlen had discovered a painting by Edward Hicks in Bucks County, Pa. He began researching the then-obscure Quaker artist. Through contacting descendants of Hicks's patrons, Carlen was able to acquire many of Hicks's paintings and Carlen Galleries became known for handling important early American folk paintings and antiques. Among his clients were Edward W. and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, Del., Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, Williamsburg, Va., and the Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, Vt.
During the course of his long career, Robert Carlen served as an advisor to many Philadelphia collectors and developed an extensive knowledge of the genealogies and heirlooms of the city's prominent families. Because of his extensive experience and expertise, Carlen's opinion was widely valued and his services as an appraiser of art and antiques were in great demand.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reels 4175 and 5746-5748) including material relating to Horace Pippin. Loaned material was returned to the lender and is described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
The collection was acquired in various accessions of gifts and loans. Part 1: gift of Robert Carlen, 1986; Part 2: loaned by Robert Carlen for microfilming, 1988; Part 3: gift of Nancy Carlen, 2002 (previously sealed letters and appraisals received with Part 1 are housed with Part 3 and integrated for microfilming); Part 4: loaned by Nancy Carlen for microfilming, 2002.
Restrictions:
Patrons must use microfilm copy.
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.
0.2 Linear feet (ca. 237 items (on 2 partial microfilm reels))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1918-1973
Scope and Contents:
Letters, printed material, photographs, writings, and two etchings.
REEL 3683: Letters, annotated by Wickey, from John Taylor Arms, John Steuart Curry, Adolph Dehn, Rockwell Kent, Reginald Marsh, Kenneth Hayes Miller, Walter Pach, the Society of American Etchers, and other art organizations discussing art theory, exhibitions, and personal matters; 3 exhibition catalogs, ca. 1931-1973; a notice of a Guggenheim Fellowship award; and two landscape etchings by Wickey.
REEL 1079: A typescript of Wickey's autobiography, THUS FAR, (published by the American Artists Group, 1941); letters from Wickey to Ethel and Virginia Myers about Jerome Myers, and to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Street sent from France during World War I; letters from Syracuse University about the Wickey Collection, and from George Grosz; a list of letters given to Syracuse University; and photographs of Wickey and Grosz.
Biographical / Historical:
Etcher, lithographer, teacher; Cornwall Landing, New York.
Related Materials:
Harry Wickey papers also at Syracuse University.
Provenance:
Material on reel 1079 donated by Mrs. May Wickey, wife of Harry Wickey, 1976. Material on reel 3683 lent for microfilming by Ralph Sandler, the son of Wickey's friend and patron Marc Sandler, 1986.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
(accounting and payment of royalties; commission to design AAG logo; plans for publication of limited editions; plans for Quarterly and proposals for articles; civil rights; printing of political pamphlets; Kent's autobiography; discontinuation of Kent card line due to his political affiliations)
Collection Restrictions:
The microfilm of this collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Use of material not microfilmed or digitized requires an appointment.
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:
Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The microfilm of this collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Use of material not microfilmed or digitized requires an appointment.
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:
Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
(correspondence about New York art scene, mutual friends, Kent's painting and writing, politics, Zigrosser's activities at E. Weyhe and the Philadelphia Museum of Art; correspondence with Sally after Rockwell's death about Kent museum and care of farm; see also: American Artists Group; E. Weyhe)
Collection Restrictions:
The microfilm of this collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Use of material not microfilmed or digitized requires an appointment.
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:
Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Writings, art work, miscellaneous items, and photographs were received from the Estate of Sally Kent Gorton in 2001. Although not physically integrated with the main portion of the collection, this addition to the Rockwell Kent papers is described with the appropriate series in the online edition of the finding aid.
Writings consist of Kent's continuation of his autobiography It's Me, O Lord! (1995). The unpublished 185 page manuscript written between 1955 and 1971 recounts the artist's travels, exhibitions, and political activities during the 1950s and 1960s. Among the art work there are many drawings and sketches in pencil and ink, of miscellaneous subjects and various projects circa 1920-1939 including figure studies, landscapes and illustrations for various books by Kent. Also included are a color lithograph study for a war poster, circa 1941, and Kent's 1968 costume and set designs for Benjamin Britten's opera Peter Grimes, along with a recording of Peter Grimes and its libretto. Photographs of people include formal and informal portraits of Rockwell Kent, Kent with others, and each of his wives; other individuals portrayed are Ted R. Lambert and Eugene Vuchatich. Other subjects include views of Asgaard Farm, the rebuilt Kent house at AuSable Forks, NY, and Kent's grave.
Kent presented the manuscripts for most of his books to the USSR, along with the Kent Collection. Included in this series are drafts, notes, and completed manuscripts for monographs, articles, speeches, book reviews, catalog texts and introductory essays, and miscellaneous writings (often unidentified) by Kent. Manuscripts are arranged chronologically, with undated items arranged alphabetically by title. Also included at the end of the series are a small number of manuscripts by other authors.
The unpublished continuation of Kent's autobiography It's Me, O Lord! was received from the estate of his widow, Sally Kent Gorton, 2001.
See Appendix for an itemized list of writings from Series 2.
Arrangement note:
The bulk of this series has been scanned. Poems and political statements written by other authors have not been scanned.
Appendix: Writings from Series 2:
Writings by Rockwell Kent"Men as Animals," 1906-1912
"The False Life," 1906-1912
"True Life," 1906-1912
"A Tragedy of Newfoundland," 1914 (with 1961 revision)
"Alaska Drawings by Rockwell Kent, With a letter from Rockwell Kent to Christian Brinton, M. Knoedler & Co.," 1919
"Greenland for the Painters," 1919
"Art," 1919
"The Tierra del Fuego Journal of Rockwell Kent," 1922
"Voyaging," 1924
"Tristan and Iseult," 1927
"George W. Bellows: His Lithography," 1927
"A Social Evolutionist's View of the War," 1928
Introduction to book about Patagonia, 1931
"Alias Kent by Hogarth, Jr.." 1933
"Rockwellkentiana," 1933
Greenland journal in the form of letters to Frances, 1934-1935
"What Is an American?," 1936
"In the Name of the Great Jehovah," 1936
Van Loon Review, 1937
"What Is an American?" (revised version), 1938
"People's Platform," 1938
"Good Old Loyalty," 1938
"Original Etchings, Lithographs and Woodcuts by American Artists published by the American Artists Group, Inc." (review), 1938
"Introduction by Rockwell Kent to 'Story of the White Collar Worker' by Giacomo Patri," 1940
Introduction to "Portinari and His Art," 1940
"Rockwell Kent: A Short Autobiography," 1940
"Rockwell Kent at Bookshop," 1940
"Statement by Rockwell Kent," 1940
"Introduction to Book on the Work of Candido Portinari," 1940
"Louis Untermeyer," 1940
Love poem to Sally (untitled, illustrated), 1940
"Outline of Address Delivered by Rockwell Kent," 1940
"To Louis and Esther" (poem), 1940
"Christmas 1940" (poem), 1940
"Review of -- Kabloona -- by Gontran de Poncins," 1941
"Portion of Address for Delivery June 5th at National Conference of Social Work, by Rockwell Kent," 1941
"Radio Address, by Rockwell Kent, to Be Delivered at Progressive Librarians Council Broadcast, Sunday, June 22nd," 1941
"Statement on Nazi-Soviet War, by Rockwell Kent," 1941
" 'The Intent of the Artist,' reviewed by Rockwell Kent," 1941
"A Northern Christmas," 1941
"Outline of Address for Fourth American Writers Congress," 1941
"Editorial for -- Junior Guide -- of International Workers Order," 1941
"Introduction to Book-Plate Catalog," 1941
"Article for Adirondack Mountain Club, Inc. Year Book," 1941
"Introduction for Catalog of American Library of Color Slides," 1941
"Statement for American Council on Soviet Relations," 1941
"To Sally" (illustrated poem), 1941
"Article for UOPWA News," 1942
"Introduction to Catalog of Rockwell Kent Exhibition at the Wildenstein Galleries," 1942
"Tierra del Fuego," 1942
Article for -- Script -- , 1942
"Introduction to Democracy," 1942
"Statement for Use of Artists League of America," 1942
"Introduction by Rockwell Kent to 'Silk Screen Stenciling as a Fine Art,'" 1942
"On Earth Peace," 1942
"Foreword by Rockwell Kent to -- American Pioneer Arts & Artists -- by Carl Drepperd," 1942
"Article for Use of American Russian Cultural Association Inc. in -- Novosselye -- ," 1942
"WQXR Broadcast 'Other Peoples's Business Program,'" 1943
"Article for Use of the Alumni of the Columbia School of Architecture," 1943
"Art and the People," 1943
"Article for AAA News," 1943
"Statement to AP, UP, -- Herald Tribune, Times, Daily Worker -- on Death of Art Young," 1943
"To Sally" (poem), 1943
"Statement by Rockwell Kent, Famous Landscape and Figure Painter and Wood Engraver, on the Presentation of His Mural-- -- Airplane View of America at Peace-- -- to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce"
"Article on Art Young, For Use of -- New Masses -- Memorial Number," 1944
"Article for Use of the American Artists Group," 1944
"Memorandum on the Proposed Organization for the Publication of Reproductions of American Art," 1944
" -- Arctic Fish Story -- by Otto Wm. Geist" (book review), 1944
"Article for Use of -- Tomorrow -- ," 1944
"Review of -- Horizon Is Calling -- by Taro Yashima," 1944
"Opening Address, Seventh General Convention, IWO," 1944
Obituary of mother, Sarah Holgate Kent, 1944
"Statement for Use of Philadelphia Council of American-Soviet Friendship," 1944
"To Voters of the Thirty-Third New York Congressional District," 1944
"Introduction ALA Fourth Annual Exhibition Catalog," 1944
"Introduction by Rockwell Kent, -- Drawings by American Artists -- ," 1944
" -- Mathematical Basis of the Arts -- , by Joseph Schillinger, Reviewed by Rockwell Kent," 1944
"We Hold These Truths," 1944
"Review for the -- New Masses -- of Steffanson's -- Greenland -- ," 1944
"Synopsis: -- This Is My Own -- by Rockwell Kent," 1944
"Story for -- Readers Digest -- 'Life in America' Series," 1944
"Greetings to the Red Army & Navy," 1944
"Introduction for -- This Is Our War -- Catalog," 1944
"Art with a Little a," 1944
"Small Town War," 1944
"How Not to Get a Seeder," 1944
"Statement for use of International Workers Order," 1945
"Introduction for Exhibition Catalog," 1945
"Shadows of Evening," 1945
"Stories for -- Readers Digest -- 'Life in America' Series," 1945
"Article for Use of Vet," 1946
"Statement for Use of Artists for Action," 1946
"The Artist in America Today," 1946
"Rockwell Kent Biographical Sketch for Use of General Electric Company," 1946
"Statement for Use of International Workers Order," 1947
"John Trumbull" and "Frederick Remington," supplementary text for -- World Famous Paintings -- , 1947
"To Thee" (history of the Rahr Malting Co.), 1947
"We Hold These Truths" (articles for use of -- Fraternal Outlook -- ), 1948
" -- The Mathematical Basis of the Arts -- , by Joseph Schillinger, Reviewed by R.K. for -- Music News -- ," 1948
"Radio Script--O. John Rogge Program, Tuesday, July 12, 1948, Introduction by Rockwell Kent," 1948
"An Artist in Politics," 1948
"Text of Address to Be Given by Rockwell Kent at Meeting of Business and Professional Women's Club, Plattsburgh, N.Y.," 1948
"Radio Script, Rockwell Kent Address at Skidmore College Forum," 1948
"Radio Address to Be Given by Rockwell Kent, American Labor Party Candidate for Congress, 33d District, New York," 1948
"Radio Script, Christmas Greetings from Rockwell Kent for Arthur Gaeth Program," 1948
"Wallace Speech," 1948
"To Voters of the Thirty-Third New York Congressional District," 1948
"Rsum of Still-Born Address to World Congress for Peace, Paris, 1949," 1949
"Statement on Conviction of the Twelve by Rockwell Kent (for Use of the International Workers Order)," 1949
"We Hold These Truths" (articles for use by -- Fraternal Outlook -- ), 1949
"Introduction by Rockwell Kent to -- Southern Cross -- , by Lawrence O. Hyde," 1950
"We Hold These Truths" (article for use of the -- Fraternal Outlook -- ), 1950
"Article for Use of VOKS," 1950
"Copy for Sabattis Ranch Booklet (Rough Draft)," 1950
"Radio Address Delivered by Rockwell Kent Sunday, April 15, 1950, Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.," 1950
"Greetings from Rockwell Kent to the Congress of the Peoples for Peace," 1952
Article for Use of International Workers Order, 1952
"Stenographic Record of a Meeting of the VOKS Section of Fine Arts," 1953
"Statement by Rockwell Kent" (re: McCarthy hearings), 1953
"Christmas Record 1953," 1953
"Place Card Poems--New Year's Eve, 1953," 1953
"Silas Timberman -- , by Howard Fast, Reviewed by Rockwell Kent for Use of -- New World Review -- ," 1954
"Realism in Art by Sidney Finkelstein, Reviewed by Rockwell Kent for Use of -- Masses & Mainstream -- ," 1954
Unpublished continuation of autobiography, -- It's Me, O Lord! -- (1955), recounting the artist's travels, exhibitions and political activities during the 1950s and 1960s, circa 1955-1971
"Article for Publication in the USSR," 1957
"Article for Use of -- New World Review -- ," 1957
"Article for Use of -- New World Review -- ," 1958
Trip Book (diary detailing trip to USSR), 1958
"Article for Use of -- Standard Times -- (New Bedford, Mass.)," 1959
"Of Men and Mountains," 1959
"Remarks for Tolstoi Jubilee," 1960
"Gift of Peace--An Account of Rockwell Kent's Presentation of a Collection of His Works to the People of the Soviet Union," 1961
"Article for Use of -- New World Review -- ," 1962
"Statement for November 26th Meeting, NCASF, by Rockwell Kent," 1962
"To Major Gherman Titov, Greeting!" 1962
"World Conference on Disarmament and Peace--Statement by Rockwell Kent," 1962
"Message for November 28th Carnegie Hall Meeting of National Council of American-Soviet Friendship from Rockwell Kent," undated
"The Missing Lynx, New Light on Human Nature, Told by the Lynx. (`Might Is Right und Lynx Ist Rechts'.)," undated
"The Most Unforgettable Character I Have Ever Met," undated
"Notes by Rockwell Kent for Use of Miss Marie B. Ryan, Editor of the -- Sketch Book of Kappa pi -- in an Article Titled: `The Things I Wish They'd Taught Me'," undated
"Nuremberg--And After," undated
"On Being Famous," undated
"On the Writings of Rockwell Kent," undated
"Original Page of -- Salamina -- Manuscript," undated
"Preface," undated
"Preface to the Monhegan Edition," undated
"Proposal for the Solution of the Liquor Problem," undated
"Review, by Rockwell Kent, of -- The Game of Death -- ," undated
"Review of -- Eskimo -- , by Peter Freuchen," undated
"Rockwell Kent," undated
"Rockwell Kent Biographical Data," undated
" -- Salome -- , by Oscar Wilde. -- Inventions -- , by John Vassos. -- The Marriage of Heaven and Hell -- , by William Blake" (book review), undated
"A Second Preface--Eleven Years Later," undated
"Speech for Opening of Exhibition," undated
"Statement for November 26th Meeting, NCASF," undated
"Statement for Use of National Council for American-Soviet Friendship," undated
"Statement for Use of the Teachers Union," undated
"Statement on 'American Art Today,'" undated
"Statement on the Arrest of the Communist Leaders," undated
"Story for -- Reader's Digest -- 'Life in America' Series," undated
"Text for -- The Lovers -- , Wood Engraving by Rockwell Kent" undated
"Unpublished Manuscript," undated
"Vegetarianism," undated
"We Hold these Truths" (Article for Use of -- Fraternal Outlook -- , by Rockwell Kent), (2 separate articles), undated
"What Home Means to Me," undated
"When I Was a Teener," undated
"Winslow Homer at Prout's Neck" (draft of book review by Kent), undated
" -- Winslow Homer at Prout's Neck -- , by P. Beam," undated
Greenland Journal -- , undated
"A Voyager's Log, Part II," undated
Wilderness -- , undated
World Famous Paintings -- , undated
Untitled, undated
Poems, undated
Fragments and Miscellaneous Notes, undated
Writings by Sarah Holgate Kent [mother]"The Little I Know of My Ancestors. As Far Back As I Can Remember," 1941
Writings by Sally Kent (Gorton)"Monhegan Notebook," 1950
"Article for R.K. Memorial Booklet--First Rough Draft," 1971
"Article for Rockwell Kent Memorial Portfolio," 1971
" -- Bulgaria Today: The Land and the People -- , by William Cary" (review), 1971
"Greeting for World Peace Council Meeting, Budapest--First Rough," 1971
"Greeting in Memory of Rockwell Kent for World Peace Council, Meeting in Budapest--3d Best," 1971
"Greeting in Memory of Rockwell Kent for World Peace Council, Meeting in Budapest--2d Best," 1971
"The Happiest Day," 1971
Drafts of Memoir ("Introduction," "Living on and off--The Land!," "Memoirs," "Chapter I--Save, Use," "First Chapter--Passages to Add Perhaps," "Chapter 2," "1971 Later--31 Years Later," "Use," "July 3, 1972"), 1971
Memoir Notes ("Monhegan Notes," "Notes and Quotes for Use in Book--'Rockwell Kent--Some Fireside Reminiscences,' " "Possibly for Use," "Random Notes," "R.K. on Homes"), 1971
"Suggested Copy: -- New York Times -- Ad to Be Sponsored by Committee of Concerned Citizens" ("Rockwell Kent's Engagement with Life"--Draft), 1971
"Rockwell Kent's Engagement with Life for Use of -- American Dialogue -- ," 1971
"Rockwell Kent--Glimpses" (notes), 1971
"The Making of -- It's Me, O Lord -- , Draft," 1974
"The Making of -- It's Me, O Lord -- For Use in -- The Kent Collector -- ," 1974
"And Now Monhegan Again!," 1977
"The Jay Taxpayers Association in 1933: A Good Fight," 1977
"Muddling Through" (shorthand), 1978
"Dedication Words" (notes, some in shorthand), 1978
"Rockwell Kent Gallery Dedication Words," 1978
"Story" (shorthand), 1978
"Story 'In the Drawer' for Time Being," 1978
"The Happiest Day," undated
Poem, undated
Writings by Others About KentReviews of Books by Rockwell Kent, 1931-1941
Poems, undated
"The Beautiful American," undated
"Biographical Notes--Rockwell Kent," undated
" -- It's Me, O Lord -- , Introduction, On Rockwell Kent and His Autobiography," undated
"Kent--The Writer," undated
"Message by Y. A. Malik on the Occasion of the Opening of the Exhibition of Soviet and American Prints," undated
"Part One, Books Written and Illustrated by Rockwell Kent, by Dan Burne Jones," undated
Collection Restrictions:
The microfilm of this collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Use of material not microfilmed or digitized requires an appointment.
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:
Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
