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Dore Ashton papers

Creator:
Ashton, Dore  Search this
Names:
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art -- Faculty  Search this
New School for Social Research (New York, N.Y.) -- Faculty  Search this
Yale University -- Faculty  Search this
Adams, Pat, 1928-  Search this
Adley, James, 1931-  Search this
Albee, Edward, 1928-  Search this
Albers, Josef  Search this
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Avedon, Richard  Search this
Berthot, Jake, 1939-2014  Search this
Borges, Jacopo Luis  Search this
Congdon, Dennis  Search this
Cornell, Joseph  Search this
Diebenkorn, Richard, 1922-1993  Search this
Driskell, David C.  Search this
Giacometti, Alberto, 1901-1966  Search this
Guidieri, Remo  Search this
Guston, Philip, 1913-1980  Search this
Hellman, Lillian, 1905-1984  Search this
Herbert, George  Search this
Hiss, Alger  Search this
Howes, Barbara  Search this
Kaprow, Allan  Search this
Licht, Fred, 1928-  Search this
Lindner, Richard, 1901-1978  Search this
Malamud, Bernard  Search this
Miró, Joan, 1893-  Search this
Motherwell, Robert  Search this
Moy, Seong  Search this
Mumford, Lewis, 1895-1990  Search this
Oldenburg, Claes, 1929-  Search this
Reuterswärd, Carl Fredrik, 1934-  Search this
Sterne, Hedda, 1910-  Search this
Tinguely, Jean, 1925-  Search this
Tobey, Mark  Search this
Tworkov, Jack  Search this
Vasilikos, Vasilēs, 1934-  Search this
Yunkers, Adja, 1900-1983  Search this
Extent:
35.6 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Diaries
Photographs
Sketchbooks
Transcripts
Date:
circa 1928-2014
1849
Summary:
The papers of Dore Ashton measure 35.6 linear feet and date from circa 1928-2014, with one letter in the Joseph Cornell subject file dating from 1849. The records document Dore Ashton's career as an art critic, historian and educator, with particular depth for the period of 1952 through 1990. The collection contains a small amount of biographical material, as well as correspondence, writings, subject files, printed materials, artwork, and reference photographs of artworks. An addition to the Dore Ashton papers includes biographical material, correspondence, writings, writing project and subject files, teaching files, printed material, artwork and sketchbooks, and photographic material.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Dore Ashton measure 35.6 linear feet and date from circa 1928-2014, with one letter in the Joseph Cornell subject file dating from 1849. The records document Dore Ashton's career as an art critic, historian and educator, with particular depth for the period of 1952 through 1990. The collection contains a small amount of biographical material, as well as correspondence, writings, subject files, printed materials, artwork, and reference photographs of artworks. An addition to the Dore Ashton papers includes biographical material, correspondence, writings, writing project and subject files, teaching files, printed material, artwork and sketchbooks, and photographic material.

The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence with many artists, writers and others, including Pat Adams, James Adley, Rudolf Arnheim, Jake Berthot, Dennis Congdon, George Herbert, Remo Guidieri, Barbara Howes, Fred Licht, Joan Punyet Miro, Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, and Hedda Sterne, among others. Smaller amounts of letters are from Joseph Albers, Edward Albee, Richard Avedon, Richard Diebenkorn, David Driskell, Alberto Giacometti, Philip Guston, Lillian Hellman, Alger Hiss, Bernard Malamud, Joan Miro, Robert Motherwell, Lewis Mumford, Claes Oldenburg, and Vassilis Vassilikos.

Writings consist of transcripts of miscellaneous articles or those written for various publications. Research files include reference or research materials for books, exhibitions, individuals and various topics. Individuals and topics include Jacopo Luis Borges, Allan Kaprow, Richard Lindner, Seong Moy, Jean Tinguely, Mark Tobey, Jack Tworkov, Adja Yunkers; and Dadaism, poetry and symbolism.

The addition to the Dore Ashton papers (Series 8) includes biographical material, correspondence, writings, writing project and subject files, teaching files, printed material, artwork and sketchbooks, and photographic material. Writings make up a significant part of the addition and contain hundreds of manuscripts, as well as lectures, notes, sixty notebooks, ten diaries, and writings by others. Writing project and subject files comprise over half of the addition and encompass a large collection of alphabetical files pertaining to artists, actors, writers, thinkers, and collaborators; work projects including writings, exhibitions, panels, symposia, and lecture series; as well as various other subjects and topics. The addition also contains teaching files related to Ashton's positions at the Cooper Union, the New School for Social Research, and Yale University. The photographic material in this series is also abundant and contains hundreds of original photographs of Ashton throughout all stages of her life, many with friends and family.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 8 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1962-1978

Series 2: Correspondence, 1945-2010, undated

Series 3: Writings, 1952-1976, undated

Series 4: Research files, 1849, 1950-1984, 2009, undated

Series 5: Printed Materials, 1931-1981, undated

Series 6: Artwork, 1949, 1952, 1983, undated

Series 7: Photographs of Artwork, circa 1950-2010

Series 8: Addition to the Dore Ashton Papers, circa 1928-2013
Biographical / Historical:
Dore Ashton (1928-) is an art critic, author, and educator living in New York City. She wrote, contributed , and edited more than 30 books. Ashton was born in Newark New Jersey in 1928 and received an MA from Harvard University in 1950. Her many books and articles focus on late 19th and 20th century art and artists. Ashton was associate editor at Art Digest from 1952-1954, and critic for Arts and Architecture at the New York Times, 1955-1960. Starting in 1962 she held several lecturing posts at various institutions including the School of Visual Arts, Cooper Union, and the New School for Social Research. She was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship in 1964 and a National Endowment for the Humanities grant in 1980. Among Ashton's books are Abstract Art Before Columbus, 1956; Poets and the Past, 1959; A Joseph Cornell Album, 1974; Yes, But…A Critical Study of Philip Guston, 1976, About Rothko, 1983; The New York School: a Cultural Reckoning, 1973; Noguchi East and West, 1992; and David Rankin: The New York Years, 2013. Dore Ashton was the first critic to develop a comprehensive and eye-witness account of the history of the Abstract Expressions.

Ashton married artist Adja Yunkers (1900-1983) in 1953, and they had two daughters Alexandra (known as Sasha) and Marina. In 1985 she married writer Matti Megged (1923-2003).
Related Materials:
Among the holdings of the Archives is an oral history interview with Dore Ashton conducted November 21, 2010 by George W. Sampson, for the Archives of American Art's Elizabeth Murray Oral History of Women in the Visual Arts Project.

Dore Ashton papers are also located at Emory University Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library.
Provenance:
The Dore Ashton papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by Dore Ashton May 27, 1982, May 8, 1997, June 2, 2011, and March, 25, 2016.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Art critics -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Art historians -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Authors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Educators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Women art critics  Search this
Women art historians  Search this
Women authors  Search this
Women educators  Search this
Art criticism  Search this
Art, Modern  Search this
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Artists -- United States  Search this
Genre/Form:
Diaries
Photographs
Sketchbooks
Transcripts
Citation:
Dore Ashton papers, 1849, circa 1928-2014. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.ashtdore
See more items in:
Dore Ashton papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96b23d022-d02d-4a06-ba62-e34c59ad25ae
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-ashtdore
Online Media:

Diana Korzenik papers relating to Rudolf Arnheim

Creator:
Korzenik, Diana, 1941-  Search this
Names:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Extent:
0.4 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Video recordings
Sound recordings
Date:
circa 1964-1983
Scope and Contents:
Letters, a photograph, writings, audio visual material, and printed materials compiled by Korzenik, documenting the career of artist and art educator Rudolf Arnheim.
Letters to Korzenik from Arnheim and Henry Schaefer-Simmern, a friend and colleague of Arnheim's. Writings consist of a copy of Arnheim's commencement address at the Massachusetts College of Art, 1977 and 1985, as well as Korzenik's published writings about Arnheim and a list of Arnheim's writings, Rudolf Arnheim: Bibliography of his writings, 1928-1982, compiled by Mary Arnheim, Rudolf Arnheim's wife. One photograph is of Arnheim, 1972.
Audio visual material consists of 2 VHS video tapes, Arnheim, et. al., Art and Visual Learning Symposium, undated, and Rudolph Arnheim in Conversation with Diana Korzenik and Art Education Students at Massachusetts College of Art, 1983 and 4 cassette tapes of Arnheim's lectures and discussions, 1980, 1988, and undated. Printed material includes articles written about Arnheim.
Biographical / Historical:
Diana Korzenik is an art professor and historian in Newton, Mass. Korzenik was a student and friend of Arnheim's and wrote about Arnheim.
Provenance:
Donated 2009 by Diana Korzenik.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Art teachers -- Massachusetts  Search this
Art historians -- Massachusetts  Search this
Psychologists  Search this
Topic:
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Women art historians  Search this
Women educators  Search this
Genre/Form:
Video recordings
Sound recordings
Identifier:
AAA.korzdian
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw90854a3b7-e805-436c-a322-120b879863de
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-korzdian

Oral history interview with Rudolf Arnheim

Interviewee:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Interviewer:
Brown, Robert F.  Search this
Extent:
24 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1972 May 16
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Rudolph Arnheim conducted 1972 May 16, by Robert F. Brown, for the Archives of American Art.
Biographical / Historical:
Rudolf Arnheim (1904-2007) was an educator and writer from Ann Arbor, Michigan.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 1 hr., 25 min.
An interview of Royal Cloyd conducted by R. Brown is also on this tape.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Restrictions:
Use requires an appointment.
Topic:
Art, American  Search this
Authors -- Michigan -- Ann Arbor -- Interviews  Search this
Educators -- Michigan -- Ann Arbor -- Interviews  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.arnhei72
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9d3b9d36d-6dce-4e01-94c0-2effb4061093
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-arnhei72
Online Media:

Raymond Baxter and Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden papers

Creator:
Dowden, Raymond Baxter, 1905-1982  Search this
Dowden, Anne Ophelia Todd, 1907-  Search this
Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation  Search this
Names:
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. Art School -- Faculty  Search this
Yale Summer Art School (Norfolk, Conn.) -- Faculty  Search this
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Starr, Floyd Elliot, 1883-1980  Search this
Thomas, Byron, 1902-1978  Search this
Extent:
0.8 Linear feet ((microfilmed on 2 partial reels))
12 Items (Addition)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1937-1996
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence, letter essays, writings, project files, printed material, works of art, and photographs primarily regarding Dowden's positions as head of the Design Department at Cooper Union Art School (CUAS) for 32 years and Director of the Yale summer art school in Norfolk, Connecticut. Also included are papers of Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden.
REELS 4884-4885: Biographical material consists of memorial tributes and obituaries, 1982. Correspondence, 1952-1980, is with friends and colleagues, primarily concerning the Cooper Union Art School and it's publications and projects, calligraphy, and the Yale-Norfolk art school, 1952-1982. Among the correspondents are Rudolf Arnheim, painter Byron Thomas, and Floyd Starr of the Starr Commonwealth for Boys, where Dowden had gone as a boy. Letters, written in essay form, 1955-1978, by Dowden regard Anne Ophelia's botanical drawing publications, his health concerns, travel plans, and general thoughts. Writings, ca. 1960, concern Dowden's philosophy of art in relation to CUAS.
Also included are files regarding CUAS publications, Green Camp, Dowden's participation as an art juror, the Yale summer art school, and Byron Thomas's death and memorial service, 1978. Printed material, 1940-1976, includes exhibition announcements and catalogs, CUAS publications, newspaper and magazine clippings, and reproductions of Dowden's art work. Original art work by Raymond and Ophelia include ink drawings and pencil sketches. Photographs are of family and friends, works of art and exhibition installations, and friends while Dowden was a resident fellow at the Tiffany Foundation in 1929 and 1932.
Unmicrofilmed addition: Biographical material, writings, an outline of a book on design, exhibition announcements, printed material, and photographs.
Biographical / Historical:
Painters; New York, N.Y. Raymond Dowden taught design at Cooper Union Art School, New York, N.Y., and is known also for his calligraphy work. His wife, Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden, was a botanical artist. Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden died in 2007.
Provenance:
Donated 1978-1982 by Raymond Baxter Dowden and Anne Ophelia Dowden; and in 1990 and 2004 by Anne Dowden.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Educators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Botanical artists  Search this
Topic:
Women artists  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Women educators  Search this
Identifier:
AAA.dowdraym
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96821ca78-2442-4854-8f53-b1774fb98488
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-dowdraym

Gyorgy Kepes papers

Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Names:
Center for Advanced Visual Studies  Search this
Illinois Institute of Technology  Search this
Saidenberg Gallery  Search this
Triennale di Milano (Milan, Italy)  Search this
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Bertoia, Harry  Search this
Blee, Michael  Search this
Boghosian, Varujan  Search this
Brazdys, Konslancija  Search this
Burgess, Lowry, 1940-  Search this
Burnham, Jack, 1931-  Search this
Calder, Alexander, 1898-1976  Search this
Chermayeff, Serge, 1900-  Search this
Dreyfuss, Henry, 1904-1972  Search this
Eames, Charles  Search this
Eames, Ray  Search this
Egawa, Kazuhiko  Search this
Entwhistle, Clive  Search this
Fuller, R. Buckminster (Richard Buckminster), 1895-  Search this
Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969  Search this
Hayter, Stanley William, 1901-1988  Search this
Hélion, Jean, 1904-1987  Search this
Johnson, Philip, 1906-2005  Search this
Kepes, Juliet  Search this
Kowalski, Piotry  Search this
Lynch, Kevin, 1918-1984  Search this
McLuhan, Marshall, 1911-1980  Search this
Mead, Margaret, 1901-1978  Search this
Moholy-Nagy, László, 1895-1946  Search this
Moholy-Nagy, Sibyl, 1905-  Search this
Nusberg, Lev, 1937-  Search this
Osborn, Robert Chesley, 1904-1994  Search this
Piene, Otto, 1928-  Search this
Read, Herbert Edward, Sir, 1893-1968  Search this
Richards, I. A. (Ivor Armstrong), 1893-1979  Search this
Rickey, George  Search this
Saarinen, Eero, 1910-1961  Search this
Sonfist, Alan  Search this
Steinberg, Saul  Search this
Tacha, Athena, 1936-  Search this
Takis, Vassilakis  Search this
Tange, Kenzō, 1913-  Search this
Thiel, Philip  Search this
Tovish, Harold, 1921-2008  Search this
Tsʻai, Wen-ying, 1928-  Search this
Wolff, Robert Jay, 1905-  Search this
Wurster, William Wilson  Search this
Zvilna, Jēkabs, 1913-1997  Search this
Faculty:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology  Search this
Extent:
21.2 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Caricatures
Designs
Photographs
Sketchbooks
Sketches
Sound recordings
Place:
Times Square (New York, N.Y.)
Date:
1909-2003
bulk 1935-1985
Summary:
The papers of Hungarian-born artist, art theorist, and educator, Gyorgy Kepes, measure 21.2 linear feet and date from 1909-2003, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1935-1985. The papers document Kepes's career as an artist and educator, and as founder of the Center for Advanced Visual Studies (CAVS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), through biographical material, correspondence, writings by Kepes and others, project files, exhibition files, printed material, sketchbooks, artwork, sound recordings and motion picture films, and photographic material.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Hungarian-born artist, art theorist, and educator, Gyorgy Kepes, measure 21.2 linear feet and date from 1909-2003, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1935-1985. The papers document Kepes's career as an artist and educator, and as founder of the Center for Advanced Visual Studies (CAVS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), through biographical material, correspondence, writings by Kepes and others, project files, exhibition files, printed material, sketchbooks, artwork, sound recordings and motion picture films, and photographic material.

Correspondence provides a wide range of documentation on all aspects of Kepes's career including his collaborations and friendships with artists, architects, writers, scientists, and fellow educators including Rudolf Arnheim, Alexander Calder, Henry Dreyfuss, Charles and Ray Eames, Clive Entwhistle, R. Buckminster Fuller, Walter Gropius, S. W. Hayter, Jean Hélion, Laszlo and Sibyl Moholy-Nagy, Lev Nussberg, Robert Osborn, George Rickey, Saul Steinberg, Kenzo Tange, Robert Jay Wolff, and Jekabs Zvilna. Correspondence also documents the evolution of Kepes's vision for the Center for Advanced Visual Studies, which he established in 1967, and his subsequent leadership of CAVS at M.I.T. Records document his collaborations with students and fellows including Lowry Burgess, Jack Burnham, Piotry Kowalski, Margaret Mead, Otto Piene, Alan Sonfist, Athena Tacha, Vassilakis Takis, Philip Thiel, Harold Tovish, and Wen-Ying Tsai. Correspondents also include people who contributed to Kepes's Vision + Value series, including Michael Blee, Kazuhiko Egawa, Jean Hélion, and others. Correspondence includes three motion picture films, including what appears to be an early version of Powers of Ten by Charles and Ray Eames.

Writings include notes and manuscripts for articles and essays in which Kepes explored ideas evident in his books The New Landscape and Language of Vision, and submitted to publications such as Daedalus, Design, Domus, and Leonardo. Writings also include manuscripts for lectures, and draft manuscripts documenting Kepes's collaborative work with fellow M.I.T. professor Kevin Lynch on city planning, which culminated in Lynch's research project "The Perceptual Form of the City."

A small group of "Times Square Project" files documents Kepes's proposal for a lightscape in Times Square that was ultimately not realized.

Teaching files include sound recordings of circa five symposia and discussions held at M.I.T., the Illinois Institute of Technology, and elsewhere, some featuring Kepes and including Philip Johnson, Eero Saarinen and others.

Exhibition files include documentation of three exhibitions, including Light as a Creative Medium (1968) and a Kepes exhibition at Saidenberg Gallery (1968). They also record Kepes's involvement in designing the 1968 Triennale di Milano.

Printed material includes a substantial collection of announcements and catalogs for Kepes exhibitions, lectures, and other events, and includes catalogs and announcements for scattered exhibitions of his wife, artist and illustrator, Juliet Kepes. Clippings from newspapers and magazines include articles about Kepes, and contain some copies of published writings and designs by him. The series also includes sound recordings and motion picture films containing original material for a CBS television series "The 21st Century," probably as part of the episode "Art for Tomorrow," which appear to feature M.I.T. fellows Jack Burnham and Vassilakis Takis. Another motion picture film of an Italian documentary "Operazione Cometa" can also be found here.

Two sketchbooks contain pen and ink and painted sketches by Kepes. Artwork by Kepes includes original poster designs, caricatures, and many pencil, and pen and ink sketches and paintings on paper and board, including designs for stained glass. Artwork by others includes ink on mylar sketches by D. Judelson and Konstancija Brazdys, and a sketch by Harold Tovish. Also found are circa seventeen motion picture films and four sound recordings, the majority of which are untitled and by unidentified artists, but include films by M.I.T. fellows Otto Piene, Vassilakis Takis, Philip Thiel, Harold Tovish, Wen-Ying Tsai, and others.

Photographs are of Kepes, Juliet Kepes, and other family members; students, colleagues, and friends, including R. Buckminster Fuller, Serge Chermayeff, Harry Bertoia, Varujan Boghosian, Alexander Calder, Marchall McLuhan, Margaret Mead, Herbert Read, I. A. Richards, Saul Steinberg, and William Wurster; and of Kepes in his studio. There are also photos of exhibition installations in which Kepes's work appeared or which he designed, and photos of his artwork and of images for publications which he wrote or edited. Photos by others include artwork by established artists and work by students, as well as photographs arranged by subjects such as cityscapes, forms found in nature, light patterns, mechanical devices, and photomicrographs. A collection of lantern slides with similar content to the photos of artwork and photos by subject is also found in this series and includes a lantern slide of Picasso creating a design with light.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as eleven series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1940-circa 1980 (0.25 linear feet; Boxes 1, 28)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1936-1984 (5.7 linear feet; Boxes 1-7, 28 OV 33, FCs 39-41)

Series 3: Interviews and Transcripts, 1954-1970 (4 folders; Box 7)

Series 4: Writings and Notes, 1948-circa 1980s (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 7-8, 28)

Series 5: Times Square Project Files, 1972-1974 (6 folders; Box 9)

Series 6: Teaching Files Sound Recordings, circa 1953-1972 (0.7 linear feet; Box 9)

Series 7: Exhibition Files, 1958-1973 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 9-10)

Series 8: Printed Material, circa 1922-1989 (3.6 linear feet; Boxes 10-12, 28-29, OVs 35, 37, FCs 42-49)

Series 9: Sketchbooks, circa 1940s-circa 1970s (2 folders; Box 12)

Series 10: Artwork and Moving Images, circa 1924-2003 (2.5 linear feet; Boxes 12, 13, OVs 33-36, 38, FCs 50-62)

Series 11: Photographs, 1909-1988 (10.4 linear feet; Boxes 13-32)
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, designer, art theorist, and educator, Gyorgy Kepes (1906-2001), was born in Selyp, Hungary, and studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Budapest. He worked with Moholy-Nagy in Berlin and London before joining him at the New Bauhaus (later the Chicago Institute of Design) in 1937.

Kepes taught courses at the New Bauhaus from 1937 to 1945, and published Language of Vision in 1944, summarizing the educational ideas and methods he had developed during his time at the institute. In 1946 he accepted a teaching position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) where he initiated a program in visual design.

In 1956 Kepes published The New Landscape in Art and Science, in which he presented images from nature that were newly accessible due to developments in science and technology, and explored his ideas for a common language between science and the visual arts.

In 1965, these ideas were apparent in Kepes's proposal of an expanded visual arts program at M.I.T., which would "build new as yet undetermined bridges between art and engineering and science," according to the minutes of an M.I.T. Art Committee meeting in March of that year. Kepes's vision dovetailed with M.I.T.'s vested interest in promoting the arts, and faculty and administrators were open to the argument that "The scientific-technical enterprise needs schooling by the artistic sensibilities." In 1967, they appointed Kepes Director of M.I.T.'s Center for Advanced Visual Studies (CAVS).

Kepes retired from the regular faculty at M.I.T. in 1967, to focus on his role as director of CAVS, where he worked to provide artists with opportunities for exploring new artistic forms on a civic scale through a working dialogue with scientists and engineers. Early fellows of the center included Maryanne Amacher, Joan Brigham, Lowry Burgess, Jack Burnham, Piotry Kowalski, Otto Piene, Vassilakis Takis, and Wen-Ying Tsai.

In 1965-1966 Kepes edited a six-volume series entitled Vision + Value, published by George Braziller, Inc. Each volume featured essays that centered around a core theme: The Education of Vision; Structure in Art and Science; The Nature and Art of Motion; Module, Symmetry, Proportion, Rhythm; Sign, Image, Symbol; and Man-Made Object. Contributions came from prominent artists, designers, architects, and scientists of the time including Rudolf Arnheim, Saul Bass, Marcel Breuer, John Cage, R. Buckminster Fuller, Johannes Itten, Marshall McLuhan, and Paul Rand.

Kepes experimented widely with photography, producing abstract images through the application of fluids and objects to photographic paper. He also took commercial work throughout his career, producing designs for all kinds of objects, including books and stained glass windows for churches. He returned to painting in the 1950s, and his development as a painter continued throughout his career at M.I.T., where he remained until his retirement in 1974, and beyond. His paintings, which were abstract and often incorporated organic shapes and hints of landscapes, can be found in museums such as the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Kepes received many awards during his lifetime, including a Guggenheim Fellowship (1958); the Gold Star Award of the Philadelphia College of Art (1958); the National Association of Art Colleges Annual Award (1968); the California College of Art Award (1968); and the Fine Arts Medal from the American Institute of Architects (1968). In 1973 he was elected into the National Academy of Design as an associate member, and became a full academician in 1978. He was a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters and Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Related Materials:
Additional papers of Gyorgy Kepes can be found at Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Advanced Visual Studies Special Collection.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reel 1211) including ninety-eight letters to Kepes from colleagues, 1946-1974. Lent materials were returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
Gyorgy Kepes lent papers for microfilming in 1974 and donated material to the Archives of American Art in a series of gifts between 1974 and 1993.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Juliet Kepes Stone or Imre Kepes. 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.
Topic:
Art -- Philosophy  Search this
Artists' studios--Photographs  Search this
City planning  Search this
Educators--Massachusetts--Cambridge  Search this
Motion pictures (visual works)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Caricatures
Designs
Photographs
Sketchbooks
Sketches
Sound recordings
Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.kepegyor
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9f863f285-f429-48f1-ba6e-fb74702c12ba
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-kepegyor

Rudolf Arnheim papers

Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Names:
Harvard University  Search this
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
New School for Social Research (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Sarah Lawrence College  Search this
University of Michigan  Search this
Albers, Josef  Search this
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Sheldon, Alice Bradley, 1915-1987  Search this
Extent:
9.6 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Interviews
Diaries
Date:
1919-1998
Summary:
The papers of art historian, educator, writer and psychologist Rudolf Arnheim measure 9.6 linear feet and date from 1919 to 1998. The papers document his career in New York, Michigan, and abroad through biographical material, correspondence, writings, lectures, diaries, printed material, and sound recordings.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of art historian, educator, writer and psychologist Rudolf Arnheim measure 9.6 linear feet and date from 1919 to 1998. The papers documents his career in New York, Michigan, and abroad through biographical material, correspondence, writings, lectures, diaries, printed material, and sound recordings.

Biographical material includes a bibliography, biographical sketches, contracts and agreements, sound cassettes of interviews, and other miscellaneous material.

Correspondence is with colleagues, editors, publishers, and universities on various subjects. The bulk of the correspondence is arranged by subject such as architects, art historians, dance, and film. There is correspondence with Harvard University, University of Michigan, Museum of Modern Art, and New School of Social Research, as well as various individuals such as Josef Albers, Gyorgy Kepes, and Alice Sheldon.

Writings and lectures include book reviews, articles, lecture drafts and notes, sound recordings of lectures, manuscripts, and copies of published articles.

Arnheim's diaries date from 1919 to 1987 and discuss his early life as a student in Germany and career as an educator and lecturer. Some diaries include draft writings.

Printed material includes lecture announcements, reviews, clippings, programs, brochures, assorted material from Sarah Lawrence College, and two instructional sound cassettes.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 5 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1939-1991 (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1940-1998 (Boxes 1-5; 4.4 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings and Lectures, 1930-1989 (Boxes 5-8; 2.7 linear feet)

Series 4: Diaries, 1919-1987 (Boxes 8-9; 1.0 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1928-circa 1990 (Boxes 9-11; 1.2 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Rudolf Arnheim (1904-2007) was a writer, educator, art historian and psychologist who was born in Germany and immigrated to the United States where he primarily worked in New York and Massachusetts.

Rudolf Arnheim was born in Berlin, Germany on July 15, 1904. He received his doctorate in psychology from the University of Berlin in 1928. Arnheim worked as a film critic and editor for several magazines and journals after graduation. During this time, he gathered information which would be compiled in his book Film as Art (1932). When the Nazis came into power in 1933, Arnheim moved to Rome where he worked at the Institute for the Educational Film for six years, then moved to London in 1939 and worked as a translator for the British Broadcasting Company.

Arnheim immigrated to the United States in 1940. In 1943, he became a psychology professor at Sarah Lawrence College where he continued to teach until 1968. He also taught at the New School for Social Research during this time. From 1959 to 1960, he was a Fulbright lecturer at Ochanomizu University in Tokyo, Japan. After Sarah Lawrence College, Arnheim became a Professor of Psychology of Art at Harvard University, where he stayed until 1974 when he moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife Mary. He was a visiting professor at the University of Michigan from 1974 to roughly 1984.

Among his many publications are Art and Visual Perception, Toward a Psychology of Art, Visual Thinking, Entropy and Art, Picasso's Guernica, and The Power of Center. Arnheim died in Ann Arbor in 2007.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Rudolf Arnheim conducted by Robert F. Brown, May 16, 1972. Additional papers on Rudolf Arnheim related to psychology are available at the Archives of the History of Psychology in Akron, Ohio.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reel 3767) including correspondence with German publishers and editors, 1959-1982; Dumont Buchverlag, 1963-1980; Carl Hanser Varlag, 1974-1981; Helmut Diederich, 1974-1981; Franz Rudolf Knubel, 1971-1981; Werner Korbs, 1976-1982; Jurgen Weber, 1972-1981; and others. The originals were returned to Rudolf Arnheim after microfilming and subsequently donated to the Schiller-Nationalmuseum Deutsches Literaturarchiv, Germany. This material is not described in the collection container inventory or the finding aid.
Provenance:
The Rudolf Arnheim papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in several installments between 1974 to 1998 by Rudolf Arnheim. Arnheim also loaned material for microfilming in 1986.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Occupation:
Art historians -- Massachusetts  Search this
Art historians -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Art -- Study and teaching -- United States  Search this
Art--Study and teaching--Germany  Search this
Authors -- Massachusetts  Search this
Educators -- Massachusetts  Search this
Educators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Diaries
Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.arnhrudo
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw956011d71-95ed-495e-9e42-c9ae139b89ac
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-arnhrudo

Biographical Material

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Extent:
0.3 Linear feet (Box 1)
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1939-1991
Scope and Contents:
Biographical material includes a bibliography and supplement to Rudolf Arnheim's writings, short biographical sketches, assorted contracts and agreements; 5 sound cassettes of interviews, all of Arnheim being interviewed except for one where he interviews artist Adja Yunkers; interview transcripts, a few travel itineraries and documents mostly related to Arnheim's trip to Japan in 1976, and other miscellaneous material.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.arnhrudo, Series 1
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw972a5dc05-91f3-4be0-b40a-589beb1faefa
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref1

Rudolf Arnheim on WVOM discussing Radio

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Extent:
1 Sound cassette
Container:
Box 1, Folder 8
Type:
Archival materials
Sound cassettes
Date:
1987
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 1: Biographical Material / Interviews
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9254275e1-cbbf-4b07-b542-a28a56ada077
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref10

Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 87
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1994-1997
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9618cb517-2a78-4d81-8eee-2c9959a6443b
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref100

J-K, Miscellaneous

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 88
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1990-1996
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9be3066db-70a7-4fb6-b4a9-d8a1337d4763
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref101

Language and Culture Discussion Group

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 89
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1987-1997
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9859bd168-126f-48f1-b0db-661d61dd28ce
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref102

Law Professors

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 90
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1996-1997
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw983eba699-0f2e-4026-a142-8769ab99d820
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref103

Lectures and Conferences

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 91-93
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1962-1972
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ad734271-f75b-4382-ae38-0dcf0cc9c734
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref104

Lectures and Conferences

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 94-95
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1972-1973
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96f06f98c-d006-4c67-a780-cd4327011f25
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref105

Lectures and Conferences

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 1-5
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1973-1976
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96fbd1874-dbc4-4d6e-94ce-24e7c9706557
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref106

Lectures and Conferences

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 6-10
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1976-1979
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9bc35cf72-3073-4d4a-94e2-1a9fb2319a10
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref107

Lectures and Conferences

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 11-15
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1979-1981
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9447baed1-7931-4689-8887-6189a4053aaf
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref108

Lectures and Conferences

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 16-20
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1981-1983
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e1149109-c6c6-463a-b82f-44a16fe56548
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref109

Interview Transcripts

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 9
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1972
1982
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 1: Biographical Material
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9672f675f-5a20-4f11-a1a1-1f0da11e6db6
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref11

Lectures and Conferences

Collection Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 21-25
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1983-1985
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Rudolf Arnheim papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9dae47303-3082-4b92-8fd3-653c7c55304b
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-arnhrudo-ref110

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