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Creator:

Thompson, Bob, 1937-1966  Search this

Names:

Billiard Place  Search this

David Anerson Gallery  Search this

Donald Morris Gallery  Search this

Sluggs Jazz Club  Search this

The Billard Palace  Search this

Whitney Museum of American Art  Search this

Baraka, Amiri, 1934-2014  Search this

Beskind, Dorothy Levitt  Search this

Bridwell, Margaret  Search this

Covi, Dario A.  Search this

Crodel, Charles, 1894-1973  Search this

Cruz, Emilio, 1938-  Search this

Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-  Search this

Martin, Mary, 1913-  Search this

May, Mary Spencer  Search this

Ratcliff, Carter  Search this

Schapiro, Meyer, 1904-  Search this

Spellman, A. B., 1935-  Search this

Thompson, Bessie  Search this

Thompson, Carol  Search this

Wilke, Ulfert, 1907-1987  Search this

Wilson, Judith, 1952-  Search this

Young, Kenneth, 1933-  Search this

Extent:

2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Video recordings

Photographs

Date:

1949-2005

Summary:

The papers of New York African American figurative painter Bob Thompson measure 2 linear feet and date from 1949 to 2005. The collection includes biographical material, videocassettes, correspondence, writings by Bob Thompson and others, exhibition files, scattered personal business records, printed material, photographs, and photograph albums. The correspondence is mostly between Carol Thompson, the artist's wife, and others concerning Bob Thompson's artwork.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of New York African American figurative painter Bob Thompson measure 2 linear feet and date from 1949 to 2005. The collection includes biographical material, videocassettes, correspondence, writings by Bob Thompson and others, exhibition files, scattered personal business records, printed material, photographs, and photograph albums. The correspondence is mostly between Carol Thompson, the artist's wife, and others concerning Bob Thompson's artwork.

Biographical material includes certificates, school memorabilia, biographical chronologies, a memorial program and obituaries, and a transcript of "Bob Thompson: His Life and Friendships" panel discussion with several notable artists commenting on Thompson. There is also a video recording copy of a 1965 film by Dorothy Levitt Beskind titled Bob Thompson Happening which was made to accompany a 1999 exhibition at the Whitney Museum of Art.

Carol Thompson's correspondence is with various galleries, dealers, and friends primarily concerning Bob Thompson's artwork and posthumous exhibitions. There is correspondence with art historian Judith Wilson, the artist's mother Bessie Thompson, David Anderson Gallery, and Donald Morris Gallery.

Writings by Bob Thompson include church speeches, a letter to the editor of Louisville Courier Journal, a poem, and an artist statement. There are also writings about Thompson by others, including his mother Bessie Thompson, wife Carol Thompson, and artists and friends, including Margaret Bridwell, Dario Covi, Carl Crodel, Emilio Cruz, Allen Ginsberg, LeRoi Jones, Mary H. Martin, Mary Spencer May, Carter Ratcliff, Meyer Schapiro, A. B. Spellman, Ulfert Wilke, and Ken Young. The writings by friends are mostly in the form of recollections by friends that were gathered as a memorial tribute to Thompson.

Exhibition files consist of material related to posthumous group and solo exhibitions of Bob Thompson's work.

The majority of the personal business records are posthumous and include inventories, loan and consignment forms, sales and appraisal records, and scattered correspondence.

Printed material includes exhibition catalogs, magazine and newspaper clippings about Bob Thompson, blank postcards of artwork, posters, and press releases.

There are photographs of Bob Thompson, family, and friends, including many artists, shot in various locations in New York City and Provincetown, as well as in Spain, France, and Italy. There are images of Thompson's Rivington Street studio, the Billiard Palace and the Slugs Jazz Club in New York City, exhibitions, events, street scenes, and artwork. There are four photographs albums, one of the Thompson's wedding, two of exhibitions (one is disbound), and one personal album with many photographs of friends and family, including the artist's mother Bessie Thompson and wife Carol Thompson.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 7 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1953-2003 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Carol Thompson's Correspondence, 1971-2000 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 3: Writings, 1949-1998 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 4: Exhibition Files, 1978-2001 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 5: Personal Business Records, 1965-2001 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 6: Printed Material, 1960-2005 (0.7 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, 4, OV 5)

Series 7: Photographs, 1951-2000 (0.7 linear feet; Boxes 2-4)

Biographical / Historical:

Bob Thompson (1937-1966) was an African American figurative painter who worked primarily in New York City.

Thompson was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1937. He attended Boston University as a pre-med student, but quit the program and returned to Kentucky to attend the University of Louisville and study painting under German expressionist artist Ulfert Wilke. As a student, he spent a summer in Provincetown, Massachusetts and immersed himself in the art communities there. In 1958, Thompson moved to New York City and reunited with several artists he had met in Provincetown and participated in some of the earliest "happenings," somewhat informal art events or gatherings usually involving performance art and music, in 1960. He became a regular at the jazz clubs The Five Spot and Slugs and became friends with several jazz musicians. Many of Thompson's paintings reflect his interest in jazz. He also formed friendships with writers Allen Ginsberg and LeRoi Jones. In 1960, he had his first solo exhibition at the Delancy Street Museum.

The same year as his first solo exhibition, Thompson married Carol Plenda and the couple lived in Paris from 1961-1962 after he received a Whitney Foundation fellowship. They lived in Ibiza, Spain the following year. Thompson painted prolifically while abroad, and when he returned to New York City in 1963, he brought many paintings with him. He quickly found representation by Martha Jackson Gallery and the gallery featured Thompson's work in solo exhibitions in 1963-1965. His reputation grew and more exhibitions across the country followed.

In late 1965, Thompson and his wife traveled to Rome, Italy, where he continued to study art and paint. Thompson died in Rome in 1966 at the age of 28 from a drug overdose not long after receiving gall bladder surgery.

Provenance:

The collection was donated by Elaine Plenda, the artist's sister-in-law, in 2006, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Restrictions:

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

Rights:

"Bob Thompson Happening" (1965) video: Permission to publish, quote or reproduce requires written permission from Joanne Elkin. 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.

Occupation:

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

Topic:

African American artists  Search this

Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this

Genre/Form:

Video recordings

Photographs

Citation:

Bob Thompson papers, 1949-2005. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by The Walton Family Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Identifier:

AAA.thombob

See more items in:

Bob Thompson papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw95cbba908-2706-4ba6-8bb0-58c271c29d62

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-thombob

Creator:

Benn, Ben, 1884-  Search this

Names:

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

Harry Salpeter Gallery  Search this

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

Walker Art Center  Search this

Whitney Museum of American Art  Search this

Benn, Velida  Search this

Bluemner, Oscar, 1867-1938  Search this

Force, Juliana, 1876-1948  Search this

Geist, Sidney  Search this

Van Dine, S. S.  Search this

Extent:

6.3 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Illustrated letters

Sketches

Scrapbooks

Sketchbooks

Date:

1905-1993

Summary:

The papers of modernist painter Ben Benn measure 6.3 linear feet and date from 1906 through 1977, with the bulk of the papers dating from circa 1920 - circa 1970. The collection includes correspondence between Benn and his wife Velida Benn and letters from Oscar Bluemner, Max Weber, Joseph Stella, and other artists. Also found are sketches, sketchbooks, diaries, scrapbooks, personal business records, clippings, photographs, exhibition catalogs, art journals, and auction catalogs. Some of the printed material is quite rare.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of modernist painter Ben Benn measure 6.3 linear feet and date from 1906 through 1977, with the bulk of the papers dating from circa 1920 - circa 1970. The collection includes correspondence between Benn and his wife Velida de Benn and letters from Oscar Bluemner, Max Weber, Joseph Stella, and other artists. Also found are biographical materials, sketches, sketchbooks, diaries, scrapbooks, personal business records, clippings, photographs, exhibition catalogs, art journals, and auction catalogs. Some of the printed material is quite rare.

The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence files dating from 1906 through 1993, and includes personal, professional, and family correspondence of Ben Benn and wife Velida Benn, as well as personal correspondence between the Benn's. Much of the professional correspondence relates to exhibitions and other projects and is with museums, galleries, and art associations, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Artists' Gallery, and the College Art Association. Additional correspondence contains letters from friends and colleagues including Alfred Barr, Oscar Bluemner, Rita Benton, Holger Cahill, Juliana Force, Sidney Geist, Kaj Klitgaard, Audrey McMahon, Julio Osma, Harry Salpeter, Hugh Stix, Hudson D. Walker, and Marguerite Zorach, among others. Letters exchanged between Ben Benn and Velida Benn primarily relate to Benn's activities in Woodstock, N.Y., Gloucester, Ma., and St. Augustine, Fla., places he visited during the early part of his career. Many of Benn's letters are illustrated. Velida Benn's correspondence includes letters from her brother Bernard Lopez, William M. Fisher (Metropolitan Museum of Art), Bessie Beatty, Rita Benton, Sidney Geist, and Julio Osma. Also found are brief notes from Joseph Stella, Max Weber, and Marsden Hartley.

Diaries (1943-1977) contain entries by Velida Benn and reflect her activities and personal observations; also found are numerous references to Benn's exhibitions and projects. Three scrapbooks (1915-1972) document Benn's exhibitions and include copies of correspondence, announcements, checklists, price lists, and clippings; many of the items are annotated. Artwork (1937-1974) consists of sketchbooks and various loose sketches of portraits, figures, and still lifes; also included are fashion sketches by Velida Benn.

Printed material (1905-1991, bulk 1930s-1970s) includes exhibition announcements and catalogs, newspaper and magazine clippings, printed programs, reproductions, and monographs. Of particular interest are Artists' and Writers' Chap Books (1933-1935) that include the work of Ben and Velida Benn. Photographs (1920-1969) contain images of works of art, of Ben Benn, individually and with Velida, and exhibition installation shots.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into seven series based primarily on type of material. Material within each series is arranged chronologically.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1983, undated (Box 1; 2 folders)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1906-1993, undated (Boxes 1-4; 4.0 linear ft.)

Series 3: Diaries, Notebooks, and Scrapbooks, 1915-1977, undated (Boxes 4-5; 11 folders)

Series 4: Personal Business Records, circa 1910-1979, undated (Box 5; 9 folders)

Series 5: Artwork, 1924-1974, undated (Box 5,7; 6 folders, 6 oversized items)

Series 6: Printed Material, 1911-1991, undated (Boxes 5-6; 2.0 linear ft.)

Series 7: Photographs and Negatives, 1920-1969, undated (Box 6; 6 folders)

Biographical Note:

New York painter Ben Benn was born in Russia in 1884 as Benjamin Rosenberg and died in 1983. Benn studied drawing and painting at the National Academy of Design from 1904-1908 and had his first exhibition, "Oils by Eight American Artists," at the Artists' Gallery in 1907. In 1916, Benn participated in the "Forum Exhibition of Modern American Painters" at the Anderson Galleries, along with artists Thomas Hart Benton, Oscar Bluemner, Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, John Marin, Man Ray, Abraham Walkowitz, and others. The exhibition was important in advancing the cause of modern art in American, particularly the American avant-garde and was recreated by the Whitney in 1983.

Best known as a modern painter who assimilated in his early style the influences of Matisse, Picasso, and Kandinsky, Benn's first one-man show was held at the J. B. Neumann Gallery in 1925. Portraits, still-lifes, and landscapes formed the core of Benn's subject themes and he often shifted between abstract and figurative images. He is known for his strong joyful colors, thick brush strokes and energetic paintings.

Benn was featured in over twenty one-man exhibitions and countless group shows. Major exhibitions included Abstract Painting in America (Whitney Museum, 1935), American Painting Today (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1950), and Ben Benn, Painter (The Jewish Museum, 1965). The Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C. honored Benn with a one-man show on his ninetieth birthday (1974). His work is in permanent museum collections in both the U.S. and abroad including the Albany Institute of Art, the Smithsonian Institution's Hirshhorn Museum, the Knoxville Art Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Newark Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, as well as the Museum of Arts, Ein-Harod in Israel and the Kröller-Müller Museum in Holland.

Ben Benn was a recipient of several awards for his achievement in painting. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts honored Benn with the Henry Schiedt award (1952) and the Carol Beck Gold Medal (1965); Benn was also the recipient of the Knoxville Art Center Purchase Prize in 1961. In 1970 Benn was a beneficiary of the Childe Hassam Fund awarded through the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Benn's work is in permanent museum collections in both the U.S. and abroad including the Albany Institute of Art, the Smithsonian Institution's Hirshhorn Museum, the Knoxville Art Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Newark Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, as well as the Museum of Arts, Ein-Harod in Israel and the Kröller-Müller Museum in Holland.

Provenance:

The Ben Benn papers were donated by Benn's nephew Peter Rosenberg to the Archives of American Art in 1988.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment and is limited to the Washington, D.C. research facility.

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

Painting, American -- Economic aspects  Search this

Painting, American -- 20th century  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Illustrated letters

Sketches

Scrapbooks

Sketchbooks

Citation:

Ben Benn papers, 1905-1993. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.bennben

See more items in:

Ben Benn papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw928843ebf-2403-418a-a333-69b5b8d63fc4

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-bennben

Collection Creator:

Zabriskie Gallery  Search this

Container:

Box 88, Folder 18

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1998

Collection 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. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or 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:

Zabriskie Gallery Records, 1905-2011. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.

See more items in:

Zabriskie Gallery records

Zabriskie Gallery records / Series 7: Institution Files

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw91db0c01f-f9fd-4c9a-94f0-9e745c1037dc

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-zabrgall-ref3326

Maker:

Eickemeyer, Jr., Rudolf  Search this

Physical Description:

paper (overall material)

Measurements:

overall: 33 cm x 39.5 cm; 13 in x 15 9/16 in

image: 20.5 cm x 9 cm; 8 1/16 in x 3 17/32 in

Object Name:

platinum print

Date made:

1890s

Subject:

Women  Search this

ID Number:

PG.004135.B103.18

Catalog number:

4135.B103.18

Accession number:

106456

See more items in:

Work and Industry: Photographic History

Photography

Rudolf Eickemeyer Jr. Collection

Domestic Furnishings

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b4-06d8-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmah_1874427

Collection Creator:

Stable Gallery  Search this

Container:

Box 1, Folder 44

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1962-1968

Collection 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. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.

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:

Stable Gallery records, 1916-1999, bulk 1953-1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by the Lichtenstein Foundation.

See more items in:

Stable Gallery records

Stable Gallery records / Series 2: Artist Files

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw93d23d06a-7f9e-4182-9f58-795961720f47

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-stabgall-ref45

Series Creator:

Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this

Container:

Box 1, Folder 15

Type:

Archival materials

Series Restrictions:

Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.

Series 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.

Series Citation:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Pottery, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Sponsor:

Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).

See more items in:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Pottery

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Pottery / 1: Manufacturers and Distributors

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep838d676d0-72c5-4eff-b7fe-c199107c2824

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0060-s01-01-pottery-ref549

Series Creator:

Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this

Container:

Box 2, Folder 9

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1921-1942

Scope and Contents:

Five illustrated Old English silver catalogues (1933-1938, Christie's). One catalogue on Old English silver (1921, Anderson Galleries). Two excerpted sections of auction catalogues (1941, 1942, source unknown).

Series Restrictions:

Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.

Series 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.

Series Citation:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Silver, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Sponsor:

Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).

See more items in:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Silver

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Silver / 2: Genre

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8ab6faf8c-5d58-4d64-975c-86be6e113932

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0060-s01-01-silver-ref18

Series Creator:

Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this

Container:

Box SUPP 28, Folder 7

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1795-circa 1960

Scope and Contents:

Contains color and B&W print and photographic images of sailing ships, sailors, and harbor scenes. A souvenier America's Cup booklet (1899). An Anderson Galleries catalogue of a 1992 auction of the William Bell Chambers R.N. Marine Collection. Additional material includes a brochure on the "Long-Arm" system for doors and hatches, a schematic of a boat and shoreline (possibly related to a shipwreck), and a 1795 Encyclopedia Britannica excerpt on ships masts.

Series Restrictions:

Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.

Series 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.

Series Citation:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Ships, Boats, and Vessels, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Sponsor:

Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).

See more items in:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Steamboats [Ships, Boats, and Vessels]

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Steamboats [Ships, Boats, and Vessels] / Genre

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8ffe1575d-584a-49d9-8b03-dbc176bcd18e

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0060-s01-01-steamboats-ref1580

Collection Creator:

Thompson, Bob, 1937-1966  Search this

Container:

Box 1, Folder 10

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1985-1990

Collection Restrictions:

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

Collection Rights:

"Bob Thompson Happening" (1965) video: Permission to publish, quote or reproduce requires written permission from Joanne Elkin. 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.

Collection Citation:

Bob Thompson papers, 1949-2005. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by The Walton Family Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Bob Thompson papers

Bob Thompson papers / Series 2: Carol Thompson's Correspondence

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9f6b6737c-69de-436f-868e-9d36e6eeb7be

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-thombob-ref90

Creator:

Cortor, Eldzier, 1916-  Search this

Names:

Anderson Gallery  Search this

Art Institute of Chicago -- Students  Search this

Kenkeleba House  Search this

Sylvan Cole Gallery  Search this

Anderson, Carol  Search this

Carracio, K.  Search this

Collier, Leontine L.  Search this

Driskell, David C.  Search this

Harrigan, Violetta C., 1941-  Search this

Lynch, Acklyn  Search this

Saar, Betye  Search this

Taha, Halima  Search this

Extent:

3.1 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Sketches

Collages

Diaries

Watercolors

Place:

Haiti -- description and travel

Date:

circa 1930s-2015

bulk 1972-2015

Summary:

The papers of painter and printmaker Eldzier Cortor measure 3.1 linear feet and date from circa 1930s to 2015, with the bulk of the papers dating from 1972 to 2015. The papers contain biographical material, correspondence, professional files, exhibition and gallery files, writings, printed material, artwork, and photographs.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of painter and printmaker Eldzier Cortor measure 3.1 linear feet and date from circa 1930s to 2015, with the bulk of the papers dating from 1972 to 2015. The papers contain biographical material, correspondence, professional files, exhibition and gallery files, writings, printed material, artwork, and photographs.

Biographical material consists of awards certificates; Cortor's artist biography; an obituary and prayer cards for his father in law; an address book; and a Christmas list.

Correspondence includes letters from Cortor's family; correspondence with or about individuals or organizations; and general correspondence. Individuals included in the general correspondence are Acklyn Lynch, Leontine Collier, Violetta Harrigan, Halima Taha, David C. Driskell, Carol Anderson, and Betye Saar. Art institutions represented in this series include Sylvan Cole Gallery, Anderson Gallery, and Kenkeleba House.

Professional files include materials related to the Cosby Collection of Fine Arts; publishing; materials related to fake Cortor works; the Public School Mural Project; teaching files; lists of possible titles for paintings; financial documents; materials related to painting and etching plates for storage; and notes of museum and gallery contacts.

Exhibition and gallery files include correspondence; contracts and agreements; exhibition announcements; inventories; other exhibition materials; clippings; press releases; photographs and photocopied images of artwork; and photographs of exhibitions.

Writings consist primarily of essays and articles about Eldzier Cortor. Also included are his answers to a questionnaire about art, a diary, and notes, as well as hand-copied excerpts of reviews.

Printed material includes exhibition announcements, exhibition catalogs, newsletters, clippings, research and source material, and books.

Artwork includes ink and watercolor sketches from Cortor's time as a student at the Art Institute of Chicago. This series also includes additional sketches, sketchbooks, and a collage by K. Carracio.

Photographs depict Cortor, other individuals, his artwork, and exhibitions. There are also photographs from his time in Cuba and Haiti (circa 1950s).

Arrangement:

The Eldzier Cortor papers are organized into 8 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1947-2012 (Box 1; 5 folders)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1970-2015 (Box 1; 8 folders)

Series 3: Professional Files, 1960, 1972-2015 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet, OV 4)

Series 4: Exhibition and Gallery Files, 1972-2015 (Boxes 1-2; 0.7 linear feet)

Series 5: Writings, circa 1970s-2006 (Box 2; 8 folders)

Series 6: Printed Material, 1940-1976, 1996-2015 (Boxes 2-3; 0.8 linear feet, OV 4)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1930s, circa 1970s-circa 1990s (Box 3; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 8: Photographs, 1939-2002, 2014 (Box 3; 0.5 linear feet)

Biographical Note:

Eldzier Cortor (1916-2015) spent his professional career as a painter and printmaker in Chicago and New York. He was born in Richmond Virginia to John and Ophelia Cortor. In 1917, the family moved to Chicago along with countless other African Americans as part of the Great Migration.

In 1936, Cortor began taking evening classes at the Art Institute of Chicago prior to enrolling full time. Kathleen Blackshear, an instructor at the Institute, recommended Cortor for employment at the Works Projects Administration in 1940. It was under Blackshear's guidance that Cortor was introduced to African Art. The depiction of African Americans became the defining subject of Cortor's career, specifically the portrayal of the African American woman, which he commonly represented nude in paintings and prints.

In 1941, with funding by the Works Projects Administration, Cortor helped found the South Side Community Arts Center in Chicago. Over the next few years he would receive two Rosenwald Fellowships, which allowed him to travel to the Sea Islands of Georgia. Afterward, Cortor moved to New York, and in 1946 Life magazine published his work Southern Gate. In 1949 he received a Guggenheim fellowship, which provided the opportunity to travel to Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti. He settled in Port-au-Prince, where he taught for two years.

Cortor married Sophia Schmidt on August 20, 1951, and they subsequently had four children: Michael, Mercedes, Stephen, and Miriam. His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Studio Museum of Harlem, and the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Boston. Notable exhibitions include Three Masters: Eldzier Cortor, Hughie Lee-Smith, and Archibald John Motley, Jr. at Kenkeleba House in 1988; Southern Gate: African American Paintings from the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution at Duke University Museum of Art, 1999; Eldzier Cortor: Master Printmaker at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, 2002; and Black Spirit: Works on Paper by Eldzier Cortor at the Indiana Art Museum, 2006.

Eldzier Cortor died in November of 2015, at the age of 99.

Related Material:

The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of materials lent for microfilming on reel N70-47, including biographical material, correspondence, printed material, papers related to exhibitions, photographs, and sketchbooks. Except for three photographs that appear in this collection (Box 3, Folder 19), loaned materials were returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory.

Provenance:

Eldzier Cortor loaned materials to the Archives of American Art for microfilming in 1970 and donated papers in 2009. His son, Michael Cortor, gave additional materials in 2016.

Restrictions:

Use of 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 -- Illinois -- Chicago  Search this

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

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

Printmakers -- Illinois -- Chicago  Search this

Topic:

Art -- Economic aspects  Search this

Art -- Forgeries  Search this

Art -- Study and teaching  Search this

Cuba -- Description and Travel  Search this

African American artists  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Sketches

Collages

Diaries

Watercolors

Citation:

Eldzier Cortor papers, circa 1930s-2015, bulk 1972-2015. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the 2017 processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation.

Identifier:

AAA.corteldz

See more items in:

Eldzier Cortor Papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e30a2a29-7e5a-4147-afb3-7af49ea2a333

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-corteldz

Collection Creator:

Cortor, Eldzier, 1916-  Search this

Extent:

8 Folders (Box 1)

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1970-2015

Scope and Contents note:

Correspondence includes letters from Cortor's family; correspondence with or about individuals or organizations; and general correspondence. Material related to Cortor's mother, Ophelia, including a newspaper clipping and a certificate from Saint Peter's Church in New York are included with the family correspondence. Individuals included in the general correspondence are Acklyn Lynch, Leontine Collier, Violetta Harrigan, Halima Taha, David C. Driskell, Carol Anderson, and Betye Saar. Art institutions represented in this series include Sylvan Cole Gallery, Anderson Gallery, and Kenkeleba House. General correspondence is both personal and professional in nature.

Researchers should note that additional correspondence can be found within the Exhibition and Gallery Files series.

Arrangement:

This series is arranged with family correspondence at the beginning in chronological order, followed by folders for other individuals arranged alphabetically. General correspondence, arranged chronologically, concludes the series.

Collection Restrictions:

Use of 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.

Collection Citation:

Eldzier Cortor papers, circa 1930s-2015, bulk 1972-2015. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the 2017 processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation.

Identifier:

AAA.corteldz, Series 2

See more items in:

Eldzier Cortor Papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw92fb4fc4a-59ef-4647-923c-98b3d64cfb30

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-corteldz-ref16

Collection Creator:

Cortor, Eldzier, 1916-  Search this

Container:

Box 1, Folder 28

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1972-1991

Collection Restrictions:

Use of 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.

Collection Citation:

Eldzier Cortor papers, circa 1930s-2015, bulk 1972-2015. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the 2017 processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation.

See more items in:

Eldzier Cortor Papers

Eldzier Cortor Papers / Series 4: Exhibition and Gallery Files

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw92ababd47-b19d-40db-8075-7c0f542b40de

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-corteldz-ref22

Creator:

Paris, Harold Persico, 1925-1979  Search this

Subject:

Ippolito, Angelo  Search this

Type:

Scrapbooks

Sketchbooks

Sound recordings

Citation:

Harold Paris papers, 1946-1982. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art, Modern -- 20th century -- California -- San Francisco Bay Area  Search this

Theme:

Sketches & Sketchbooks  Search this

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)7200

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209337

AAA_collcode_pariharo

Theme:

Sketches & Sketchbooks

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209337

Creator:

Cortor, Eldzier, 1916-2015  Search this

Subject:

Taha, Halima  Search this

Harrigan, Violetta C.  Search this

Driskell, David C.  Search this

Lynch, Acklyn  Search this

Collier, Leontine L.  Search this

Anderson, Carol  Search this

Carracio, K.  Search this

Saar, Betye  Search this

Sylvan Cole Gallery  Search this

Kenkeleba House  Search this

Art Institute of Chicago  Search this

Anderson Gallery  Search this

Type:

Photographs

Sketches

Collages

Diaries

Watercolors

Place:

Haiti -- description and travel

Citation:

Eldzier Cortor Papers, circa 1930s-2015, bulk 1972-2015. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art -- Economic aspects  Search this

Art -- Forgeries  Search this

Art -- Study and teaching  Search this

Cuba -- Description and Travel  Search this

African American artists  Search this

Theme:

Sketches & Sketchbooks  Search this

African American  Search this

Chicago's Art-Related Archival Materials: A Terra Foundation Resource  Search this

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)7524

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209683

AAA_collcode_corteldz

Theme:

Sketches & Sketchbooks

African American

Chicago's Art-Related Archival Materials: A Terra Foundation Resource

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209683

Creator:

Garvan, Mabel Brady  Search this

Garvan, Francis P. (Francis Patrick), 1875-1937  Search this

Subject:

Nutting, Wallace  Search this

Kimball, Fiske  Search this

Phillips, John Marshall  Search this

Halsey, R. T. Haines (Richard Townley Haines)  Search this

Ensko, Robert  Search this

Keough, Andrew  Search this

Jones, E. Alfred (Edward Alfred)  Search this

Day, George Parmly  Search this

Bigelow, Francis Hill  Search this

Macbeth Gallery  Search this

Garvan Collection (Yale University)  Search this

Yale University  Search this

American Art Association  Search this

Parke-Bernet Galleries  Search this

O'Reilly's Plaza Art Galleries  Search this

Type:

Photographs

Citation:

Francis Patrick Garvan papers, 1912-1953. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Decorative arts  Search this

Decorative arts -- Collectors and collecting -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting  Search this

Theme:

Patronage  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)8176

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210347

AAA_collcode_garvfran

Theme:

Patronage

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210347

Creator:

MacAgy, Douglas, 1913-1973  Search this

Subject:

Murphy, Gerald  Search this

Russell, Morgan  Search this

Lipman, Jean  Search this

Citation:

Douglas MacAgy papers, 1916-1973. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art, Modern -- 20th century  Search this

Theme:

Research and writing about art  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9030

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211219

AAA_collcode_macadoug

Theme:

Research and writing about art

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211219

Creator:

Lachaise, Gaston, 1882-1935  Search this

Lachaise, Isabelle Nagle, d. 1957-  Search this

Subject:

Marin, John  Search this

Sprinchorn, Carl  Search this

Stieglitz, Alfred  Search this

Van Vechten, Carl  Search this

Weber, Max  Search this

Hartman, C. Bertram  Search this

Kuniyoshi, Yasuo  Search this

Citation:

Gaston and Isabelle Nagle Lachaise papers, 1903-1962. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Sculpture, American  Search this

Theme:

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9109

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211303

AAA_collcode_lachgast

Theme:

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211303

Creator:

Wheeler, Charles V. (Charles Van Cise), 1866-  Search this

Citation:

Charles van Cise Wheeler papers, 1920-[ca. 1935]. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this

Theme:

Patronage  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9347

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211543

AAA_collcode_wheechar

Theme:

Patronage

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211543

Creator:

Jacques Seligmann & Co.  Search this

Subject:

Hauke, Cesar M. de (Cesar Mange)  Search this

Glaenzer, Eugene  Search this

Haardt, Georges  Search this

Seligman, Germain  Search this

Seligmann, Arnold  Search this

Parker, Theresa D.  Search this

Waegen, Rolf Hans  Search this

Trevor, Clyfford  Search this

Seligmann, René  Search this

Seligmann, Jacques  Search this

De Hauke & Co., Inc.  Search this

Jacques Seligmann & Co  Search this

Eugene Glaenzer & Co.  Search this

Germain Seligmann & Co.  Search this

Gersel  Search this

Type:

Gallery records

Citation:

Jacques Seligmann & Co. records, 1904-1978, bulk 1913-1974. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Mackay, Clarence Hungerford, 1874-1938 -- Art collections  Search this

Schiff, Mortimer L. -- Art collections  Search this

Arenberg, duc d' -- Art collections  Search this

Liechtenstein, House of -- Art collections  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- France -- Paris  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting  Search this

World War, 1939-1945 -- Art and the war  Search this

La Fresnaye, Roger de, 1885-1925  Search this

Art, Renaissance  Search this

Decorative arts  Search this

Art treasures in war  Search this

Art, European  Search this

Theme:

Art Gallery Records  Search this

Art Market  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9936

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)212486

AAA_collcode_jacqself

Theme:

Art Gallery Records

Art Market

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_212486

Creator:

Zeitlin, Marilyn A., 1941-  Search this

Subject:

Camp, Jeffrey Thomas  Search this

Hall, Michael D.  Search this

Torres, Rigoberto  Search this

Ahearn, John  Search this

Alexander, Brooke  Search this

Alexander, Carolyn  Search this

Carpenter, Miles B. (Miles Burkholder)  Search this

Garcia, Raymond  Search this

Gregson, Chris  Search this

Type:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Citation:

Marilyn Zeitlin research material, 1985-1991. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Group work in art  Search this

Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Latino and Latin American artists  Search this

Women museum curators  Search this

Women arts administrators  Search this

Woodwork  Search this

Theme:

Latino and Latin American  Search this

Research and writing about art  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)5568

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)214582

AAA_collcode_zeitmari

Theme:

Latino and Latin American

Research and writing about art

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_214582