Search Results

Creator:

Park Place, The Gallery of Art Research, Inc. and Paula Cooper Gallery  Search this

Names:

Park Place Gallery Art Research, Inc.  Search this

Paula Cooper Gallery  Search this

Paula Johnson Gallery  Search this

Bartlett, Jennifer, 1941-  Search this

Campus, Peter, 1937-  Search this

Cooper, Paula, 1938-  Search this

Di Suvero, Mark, 1933-  Search this

Fleming, Dean  Search this

Forakis, Peter  Search this

Grosvenor, Robert, 1937-  Search this

Leonard, Zoe  Search this

Magar, Anthony, 1936-  Search this

Melcher, Tamara  Search this

Murray, Elizabeth, 1940-  Search this

Myers, Forrest Warden, 1941-  Search this

Novros, David, 1941-  Search this

Ruda, Edwin  Search this

Shields, Alan, 1944-  Search this

Smith, Tony, 1912-1980  Search this

Thompson, Bob, 1937-1966  Search this

Valledor, Leo, 1936-1989  Search this

Extent:

50 Linear feet

0.001 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Interviews

Transcripts

Photographs

Date:

1961-2006

Summary:

The records of the New York artist-cooperative Park Place, The Gallery of Art Research, Inc. and the Soho contemporary art gallery Paula Cooper Gallery measure 50.0 linear feet and 0.001 GB and date from 1961 to 2006. The collection documents the founding of the Park Place Gallery and its artists through correspondence, artists' files, photographic materials, financial records, printed and digital materials, and scattered business records. The bulk of the collection is Paula Cooper Gallery records; nearly two-thirds of which are artists' files containing a variety of materials such as correspondence, printed materials, and photographic materials. Also found is additional business correspondence, business records, financial records, and printed materials for Paula Cooper Gallery, as well as a handful of records from Paula Johnson Gallery.

Scope and Content Note:

The records of the New York artist-cooperative Park Place, The Gallery of Art Research, Inc. and the Soho contemporary art gallery Paula Cooper Gallery measure 50.0 linear feet and 0.001 GB and date from 1961 to 2006. The collection documents the founding of the Park Place Gallery and its artists through correspondence, artists' files, photographic materials, financial records, printed and digital materials, and scattered business records. The bulk of the collection is Paula Cooper Gallery records; nearly two-thirds of which are artists' files containing a variety of materials such as correspondence, printed materials, and photographic materials. Also found is additional business correspondence, business records, financial records, and printed materials for Paula Cooper Gallery, as well as a handful of records from Paula Johnson Gallery.

The collection is divided in three series, one series for each gallery represented in this collection. The records in each series are not comprehensive and do not represent the full scope of operations at each gallery. Due to the original arrangement of materials, some records related to Park Place Gallery are found in Series 3, and scattered records related to Paula Cooper Gallery are found in Series 2. Researchers are encouraged to reference both series.

Series 1, Paula Johnson Gallery records, contains six folders and includes an artist file for Bob Thompson; two ledger pages of accounts receivables; scattered exhibition announcements and flyers; two photographs of artwork by Vernon Lobb; tax records, and a handful of legal organizational records.

Park Place, The Gallery of Art Research, Inc. records are filed in Series 2 and is arranged in five subseries: correspondence, business files, artists' files, financial records, and printed materials. The correspondence is between gallery employees and clients, museums, and other galleries regarding artwork inquiries, sales and exhibitions. Business files are limited in scope and include documents related to the founding of the gallery, a guest book, and one folder of legal and financial records. Artists' Files for eight of the ten Park Place Gallery artists are found: Dean Fleming, Peter Forakis, Tony Magar, Tamara Melcher, Forrest Myers, David Novros, Edwin Ruda, and Leo Valledor. Not present in this collection are files for Mark di Suvero and Robert Grosvenor. Artists' Files contain a variety of materials including artists' statements, bibliographies, biographies, correspondence, exhibition flyers, interview transcripts, clippings and other printed materials, and photographic materials. Financial Records include check ledgers, a general ledger, paid bill receipts, sales invoices, tax forms, and other miscellaneous financial and banking records. Printed Materials include newspaper clippings, gallery announcements, an interview transcript, a handwritten gallery floor plan, and a poster for the 1964 Park Place Invitational Show drawn by Mark di Suvero with artists' names handwritten by Robert Grosvenor.

The bulk of the collection is the records of Paula Cooper Gallery, Series 3. This series contains similar materials as Series 2 and is arranged in the same five subseries. Correspondence includes responses to appraisal requests (1968-1997) and copies of outgoing gallery correspondence from 1985-1999. Business Files contain documentation related to advertising and renovations to the gallery, as well as an artwork inventory book from the early years of the gallery's operation. The bulk of this series is comprised of Artists' Files which contain varied materials such as correspondence with artists, museums, and galleries regarding installations, artwork fabrication, and other business; biographies and bibliographies; exhibition files; printed materials; and photographic materials of artwork and installations. There is considerable documentation for artists Jennifer Bartlett, Peter Campus, Zoe Leonard, Elizabeth Murray, Alan Shields and the estate of Tony Smith. Sales invoices, consignment records, payment ledgers, cancelled checks and other financial materials are found in Financial Records. Printed Materials are comprised of some newspaper and magazine clippings, an interview transcript, and a copy of a manuscript.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 3 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Paula Johnson Gallery, 1963-1967 (Box 1; 6 folders)

Series 2: Park Place, The Gallery of Art Research, Inc., 1961-1973, 1989 (Boxes 1-4, 50-51, OV 52; 4.1 linear feet)

Series 3: Paula Cooper Gallery, 1962-2006 (Boxes 4-49, 51; 45.7 linear feet, ER01; 0.001 GB)

Historical Note:

The artists' cooperative Park Place, The Gallery of Art Research, Inc. opened in November 1965 at 542 West Broadway, showing the work of ten young contemporary artists. The cooperative did not represent an art movement, but frequently exhibited large-scale, non-figurative, geometric paintings and sculptures.

Many of the gallery's artists had attended art school in California and shared similar ideas about art, community, and collaboration. Since 1962, they had been informally exhibiting together at 79 Park Place and other various New York City locations under the name Park Place Gallery. With the successes of their informal exhibitions, and the loss of their lease at 79 Park Place, the group formalized their cooperative under the umbrella non-profit, Art Research, Inc. in 1965.

The cooperative was comprised of five sculptors, five painters, and five collectors. Members included sculptors Mark di Suvero, Peter Forakis, Robert Grosvenor, Tony Magar, and Forrest Myers; painters Dean Fleming, Tamara Melcher, David Novros, Edwin Ruda, and Leo Valledor; and collectors Virginia Dwan, Allen and Betty Guiberson, J. Patrick Lannan, Vera List, and John and Lupe Murchison. The collectors each donated an artwork by one of the artists for sale in the gallery, as well as financed the gallery's annual operating budget. As compensation, each collector was given one major work of art by each artist every year.

Paula Cooper (nee. Johnson) joined Park Place Gallery in 1966 and she became director in late 1966-early 1967. Previously, from 1964-1966, she ran Paula Johnson Gallery, showing artwork by Bob Thompson and other young artists.

Park Place, The Gallery of Art Research, Inc. had its first group show in February 1966. In addition to showing art, the gallery occasionally held jazz sessions and other art-related gatherings. The gallery physically closed at the end of July 1967. However, Paula Cooper continued managing the sale of artwork and organized exhibitions at various locations. The final exhibition of Park Place Gallery artists was held at M.I.T. in late spring of 1968.

Paula Cooper opened Paula Cooper Gallery in Soho at 96 Prince Street in 1968. Her gallery is often credited as being the first gallery in Soho and thus paved the way for the migration of uptown galleries to the neighborhood. From the beginning, the gallery showed primarily conceptual and minimalist art and she continued representing some of the Park Place artists. Artists represented by Paula Cooper Gallery and found in this collection include Jennifer Bartlett, Dara Birnbaum, Peter Campus, Michael Hurson, Zoe Leonard, Robert Mangold, Elizabeth Murray, Cady Noland, Adrian Piper, Ulrich Rückriem, Edwin Ruda, Alan Shields, the estate of Tony Smith, Joseph White, Chris Wilmarth, Kes Zapkus, and many others. The gallery continues to operate in Chelsea on West 21st Street.

Sources consulted include "Reimaging Space: the Park Place Gallery Group in 1960s New York" by Linda Dalrymple Henderson, published by Blanton Museum of Art, 2008; and, "Art and Space: Park Place and the beginning of the Paula Cooper Gallery," by Liza Kirwin, 2007 (http://www.aaa.si.edu/exhibitions/paula-cooper).

Related Material:

Related collections found among the holdings of the Archives of America include a sound recording of a lecture given by Paula Cooper (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston sound recordings, May 18, 1983-February 8, 1984); audio tapes which include Paula Cooper (Bruce D. Kurtz video and audio recordings and papers, 1966-1995); and two silent 16mm films by Kenny Schneider (Park Place Gallery artists films, 1967.)

Provenance:

Park Place, The Gallery of Art Research, Inc. records and Paula Cooper Gallery records were donated by Paula Cooper, director of the galleries, in two accessions in 2006 and 2009.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

Rights:

All collection material except photographs: Permission to quote, publish or reproduce requires written permission from Paula Cooper. 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.

Function:

Art galleries, Commercial -- New York (State)

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Transcripts

Photographs

Citation:

Park Place, The Gallery of Art Research, Inc. records and Paula Cooper Gallery records, 1961-2006. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Smithsonian Institution Collection Care Preservation Fund

Identifier:

AAA.parkplag

See more items in:

Park Place, The Gallery of Art Research, Inc. records and Paula Cooper Gallery records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw926d9e348-f361-4c9a-bec4-7cb8f9c08556

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-parkplag

Creator:

Brook, Alexander, 1898-1980  Search this

Subject:

Bacon, Peggy  Search this

Biddle, George  Search this

Brett, Catherine  Search this

Covarrubias, Miguel  Search this

Pollock, Jackson  Search this

Spencer, Niles  Search this

Knee, Gina  Search this

Bouché, Louis  Search this

Type:

Photographs

Watercolors

Sketches

Transcriptions

Scrapbooks

Sketchbooks

Interviews

Etchings

Illustrations

Citation:

Alexander Brook papers, 1900-1982. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Post-impressionism (Art)  Search this

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

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

Theme:

Diaries  Search this

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)6833

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)208960

AAA_collcode_brooalex

Theme:

Diaries

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_208960

Interviewee:

Biddle, George, 1885-  Search this

Interviewer:

Phillips, Harlan B. (Harlan Buddington),, 1920-  Search this

Subject:

Bacon, Peggy  Search this

Benton, Thomas Hart  Search this

Billings, Henry  Search this

Bruce, Edward  Search this

Cahill, Holger  Search this

Demuth, Charles  Search this

Evergood, Philip  Search this

Grosz, George  Search this

Halpert, Edith Gregor  Search this

Hartley, Marsden  Search this

Marsh, Reginald  Search this

Miller, Kenneth Hayes  Search this

Orozco, José Clemente  Search this

Rivera, Diego  Search this

Robinson, Boardman  Search this

Siqueiros, David Alfaro  Search this

Sterne, Maurice  Search this

Stieglitz, Alfred  Search this

Tamayo, Rufino  Search this

Weber, Max  Search this

Zorach, William  Search this

Cassatt, Mary  Search this

Pascin, Jules  Search this

Poor, Henry Varnum  Search this

Curry, John Steuart  Search this

Bouché, Louis  Search this

Kroll, Leon  Search this

Zorach, William  Search this

Public Works of Art Project  Search this

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with George Biddle, 1963. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art -- Censorship  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

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

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

Theme:

New Deal  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)12696

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213269

AAA_collcode_biddle63

Theme:

New Deal

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213269

Interviewee:

Davis, Leroy, 1922-  Search this

Interviewer:

Berman, Avis, 1949-  Search this

Subject:

Langdale, Cecily  Search this

Shikler, Aaron  Search this

Barnes, Albert C. (Albert Coombs)  Search this

Bly, Boris  Search this

De Mazia, Violette  Search this

Davis, Terry Ritter  Search this

Bouché, Louis  Search this

Levine, David  Search this

Penn, Arthur  Search this

Hirschl & Adler Galleries  Search this

Tyler School of Art  Search this

Barnes Foundation  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Leroy Davis and Cecily Langdale, 2007 June 26-August 7. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Gallery owners -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Gallery owners -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)13624

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)271983

AAA_collcode_davis07

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_271983

Creator:

Harmon, Lily, 1912-  Search this

Names:

Algren, Nelson, 1909-1981  Search this

Neumann, J. B. (Jsrael Ber)  Search this

Nierendorf, Karl  Search this

Odets, Clifford, 1906-1963  Search this

Schmid, Elsa, 1897-  Search this

Stieglitz, Alfred, 1864-1946  Search this

Warburg, Edward M. M.  Search this

Interviewee:

Ashton, Dore  Search this

Avery, Sally  Search this

Barr, Alfred H., Jr., 1902-1981  Search this

Bruno, Phillip A.  Search this

Copley, Alfred L.  Search this

Dehner, Dorothy, 1901-1994  Search this

Drew, Bettina, 1956-  Search this

Driggs, Elsie, 1898-1992  Search this

Hertzberg, Benjamin  Search this

Hutton, Leonard, Sir  Search this

Isaacs, Lewis  Search this

Kahn, Max, 1903-2005  Search this

Knotts, Howard  Search this

Kuh, Katharine  Search this

Lamm, Johanna Neumann  Search this

Manacher, Frances  Search this

Neumann, Albrecht  Search this

Neumann, Peter, 1928-  Search this

Rothbaum, Nolbert  Search this

Sapanel, Margarete  Search this

Schultz, Margarete  Search this

Solman, Joseph, 1909-2008  Search this

Stix, Hugh  Search this

Vogel, Ilse Margret  Search this

Extent:

6 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Sound recordings

Video recordings

Date:

1930-1996

Scope and Contents:

Primarily research files and notes, subject files, interview tapes and transcripts, correspondence, writings, and other materials compiled by Harmon for a never-published biography of art dealer J.B. Neumann, titled The Art Lover. Found are photocopies of J.B. Neuman's correspondence with Karl Nierendorf, Clifford Odets, Elsa Schmid, and Alfred Stieglitz; photocopies and other materials from the J.B. Neumann Collection at the University of Texas at Austin, Harry Ransom Humanities Center, including photocopies of the magazine published by Neumann titled Art Lover Library, 1930-1957 (volume 1, 1930 is original bound volume), copyprints and photocopies of photographs of Neumann, his family, and of other subjects; interview transcripts and audio tapes with numerous artists conducted in the mid-1980s; research notes and files; and subject files on numerous artists (all photocopies).

Harmon's personal papers include resumes; copies of letters from friends, family, dealers and others; photographs of Harmon's paintings; writings, including poems, excerpts from diaries, autobiographical essays, and her autobiography FREEHAND; photocopies of various mss. drafts of Harmon's biography of Neumann, The Art Lover, and related writings by Harmon, including The Art Dealer and the Playwright, and Synopsis of Art Lover, ca. 1987-1990 ; a transcript of an interview of Harmon conducted by Karl Fortress, 1967; magazine and newspaper clippings; exhibition announcements and catalogs; and miscellany.

Interviewees include: Dore Ashton, Sally Avery, Alfred Barr, Phillip Bruno, Al Copley, Dorothy Dehner, Bettina Drew (about Nelson Algren), Elsie Driggs (also found is a video interview and transcript of Driggs by Merryman Gatch, n.d.), Ben Hertzberg, Leonard Hutton, Lewis Isaacs, Max Kahn, Katharine Kuh, Johanna Neumann Lamm, Frances Manacher, Peter Neumann, Albrecht Neumann, Nolbert Rothbaum, Margarete Schultz, Joseph Solman, Margarete Sapanel, Hugh Stix, Ilse Vogel with Howard Knotts, and Edward M.M. Warburg.

Biographical / Historical:

Painter and sculptor; New York City. Harmon worked for the influential art dealer J.B. Neumann, and spent several years preparing a biography of him which was never published. As an artist, she lived in Europe in the early part of the century, and worked on WPA art projects in the 1930s.

Provenance:

Donated 1983 and 1998 by Lily Harmon.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.

Occupation:

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

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

Topic:

Women artists  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Women sculptors  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Video recordings

Identifier:

AAA.harmlily

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9f94dc6db-1401-409d-b617-4439c4f8fb03

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-harmlily

Interviewee:

Burton, Irving F. (Irving Frederick), 1918-  Search this

Woolfenden, William E. (William Edward), 1918-1995  Search this

Interviewer:

McCoy, Garnett  Search this

Names:

Archives of American Art  Search this

Richardson, Edgar Preston, 1902-1985  Search this

Extent:

33 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Interviews

Sound recordings

Date:

1992 December 12

Scope and Contents:

An interview of William E. Woolfenden and Irving Burton conducted 1992 December 12, by Garnett McCoy for the Archives of American Art, concerning the development of the Archives of American Art.

Woolfenden speaks about E.P. Richardson and his intent in founding of the Archives of American Art; the earliest development and collecting activities; his role as assistant director and Richardson's role as director; receiving a Ford foundation grant and other early financial support; fundraising events; auctions; trustees; the founding of regional offices; early employees; forming an alliance with the Smithsonian Institution; and the impact of the AAA on American art history. Irving Burton discusses his involvement.

Biographical / Historical:

William E. Woolfenden (1918- 1995) was the director of the Archives of American Art from 1963-1983.

General:

Originally recorded on 1 sound cassette. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 35 min.

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 administrators.

Restrictions:

Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.

Occupation:

Arts administrators -- Michigan -- Detroit -- Interviews  Search this

Topic:

Arts -- Management  Search this

Art, American -- History -- Sources  Search this

Arts administrators -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.woolfe92

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9df35d1c8-45e5-46b1-be94-c3e6de491832

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-woolfe92

Interviewee:

Fleischman, Lawrence A. (Lawrence Arthur), 1925-1997  Search this

Interviewer:

Stavitsky, Gail, 1954-  Search this

Names:

Archives of American Art  Search this

Extent:

2 Sound cassettes (Sound recording (90 min. each), analog)

40 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sound cassettes

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1994 Apr. 18

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Lawrence A. Fleischman conducted 1994 Apr. 18, by Gail Stavitsky, for the Archives of American Art.

Fleischman discusses his involvement with the British Museum, his personal collection of ancient art, his co-founding of the Archives of American Art and the American Art Journal, and his decision to become an art dealer. He gives his assessment of changes in the American art world since the early seventies, noting the rise of prices for American art, the entry of greater numbers of women artists and scholars into the art world, and changes to the structure of major museums. He reminisces about E. P. Richardson, Ben Shahn, and Stuart Davis, as well as other dealers and artists.

Biographical / Historical:

Lawrence A. Fleischman (1925-1997) was a gallery owner, art dealer, collector, and publisher from New York, N.Y.

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 administrators. Funding for this interview was provided by the Art Dealers Association of America.

Restrictions:

Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.

Occupation:

Gallery owners -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

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

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

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- Interviews  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.fleisc94

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9fdee0a0b-7f06-4b3e-81d4-f9b154eebe6e

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-fleisc94

Creator:

Brown, Milton Wolf (Milton Wolf), 1911-1998  Search this

Names:

Archives of American Art  Search this

Armory Show 50th anniversary exhibition (1963 : New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Brooklyn College -- Faculty  Search this

Century Association (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

City University of New York -- Faculty  Search this

Whitney Museum of American Art  Search this

Brown, Blanche  Search this

Lawrence, Jacob, 1917-2000  Search this

Lozowick, Louis, 1892-1973  Search this

Lynes, Russell, 1910-1991  Search this

Meltzoff, Stanley  Search this

Panofsky, Erwin, 1892-1968  Search this

Prendergast, Charles, 1863-1948  Search this

Prendergast, Maurice Brazil, 1858-1924  Search this

Sachs, Paul J. (Paul Joseph), 1878-1965  Search this

Extent:

26 Linear feet

0.225 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Travel diaries

Articles

Interviews

Essays

Drafts (documents)

Transcripts

Photographs

Notebooks

Lectures

Scripts (documents)

Date:

1908-1998

Summary:

The papers of art historian and educator Milton Wolf Brown date from 1908 to 1998 and measure 26.0 linear feet and 0.225 GB. The collection documents Brown's career through scattered biographical material, correspondence with friends, publishers, colleagues, artists, museums, and art organizations, travel journals, files for the Prendergast Catalogue Raisonne Project, exhibition, research, teaching, and organization files, printed and digital material, and scattered photographs. A large portion of this collection consists of writings by Brown including notebooks, draft writings for books and other publications, lectures, and his writings as a student.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of art historian and educator Milton Wolf Brown date from 1908 to 1998 and measure 25.8 linear feet and 0.225 GB. The collection documents Brown's career through scattered biographical material, correspondence with friends, publishers, colleagues, artists, museums, and art organizations, travel journals, files for the Prendergast Catalogue Raisonne Project, exhibition, research, teaching, and organization files, printed and digital material, and scattered photographs. A large portion of this collection consists of writings by Brown including notebooks, draft writings for books and other publications, lectures, and his writings as a student.

Biographical material includes academic records, travel documents, financial documents, Brown's military records, and a transcript of a 1997 interview. Correspondence is with students, museums, universities, publishers, art organizations, and others. The bulk of these letters document Brown's professional activities, but also found are scattered letters from friends, artists, and colleagues such as Russell Lynes, Stanley Meltzoff, Louis Lozowick, Erwin Panofsky, and Paul Sachs.

This collection also contains 33 detailed travel journals written primarily by Milton Brown's wife, Blanche, documenting their travels in Europe, the United States, and other parts of the world. Within the writings series are notebooks from the period that Brown was a student and while traveling in Europe in 1959 and 1960; book project files, which include draft writings as well as related correspondence, research material, notes, photographs and other material. Files are found for American Art: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Decorative Arts, Photography (1979), American Painting, From the Armory Show to the Depression (1955), The Story of the Armory Show (1963, 1988 2nd ed.), and other books. Among the writings are files for lectures written by Brown; essays, articles, and scripts written for various publications; general research notes and student writings; and writings by others sent to Brown for review and feedback.

Brown maintained a set of files documenting his work on the Prendergast Catalogue Raisonne Project, which consist of correspondence, drafts, reports, and research materials, including notes on twenty meetings with Mrs. Prendergast. Exhibition files document Brown's work as curator on several major exhibitions, including a Jacob Lawrence exhibition at the Whitney Museum, and his contributions to others. Also found here are three interviews of Milton Brown and Marcel Duchamp concerning the 50th Anniversary of the Armory Show and anniversary exhibition. Research files include notes, research material, and printed material on various art-related subjects that were maintained by Milton and Blanche Brown for regular use for lectures, teaching, and writing projects. Brown's teaching files contain scattered lecture notes, syllabi, correspondence, faculty records, and other materials from his time at CUNY, Brooklyn College, and other visiting professorships. Organization Files contain correspondence, reports, planning documents, and event materials. These records document his membership or advisory role in various organizations such as the Archives of American Art and Century Association.

This collection also contains printed material, such as exhibition announcements, newsletters, brochures, journals, event programs, and magazine and newspapers clippings compiled by Brown. Scattered photographs include nine photographs of Milton Brown, a few photographs of friends, and photographs of artwork.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 11 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1932-1998 (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1908, 1934-1998 (Boxes 1-3; 1.8 linear feet)

Series 3: Travel Journals, 1941-1996 (Boxes 3-4; 1.6 linear feet)

Series 4: Writings, circa 1929-1990s (Boxes 4-13, 25; 8.7 linear feet)

Series 5: Prendergast Catalogue Raisonne Project, circa 1952-1990 (Boxes 13-14, 25; 1.8 linear feet)

Series 6: Exhibition Files, 1962-circa 1997 (Boxes 14-16, 28; 2.0 linear feet, ER01; 0.225 GB)

Series 7: Research Files, circa 1930s-1986 (Boxes 16-19; 3.0 linear feet)

Series 8: Teaching Files, circa 1946-1993 (Boxes 19-21; 2.0 linear feet)

Series 9: Organization Files, 1959-1995 (Boxes 21-22; 1.3 linear feet)

Series 10: Printed Material, 1925-1990s (Boxes 22-24, 26, 27; 3.2 linear feet)

Series 11: Photographs, circa 1956-1990s (Boxes 25, 27; 0.2 linear feet)

Biographical Note:

Milton Wolf Brown (1911-1998) was an art historian and educator in New York City.

Known to his friends as "Mainey," Brown was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1911. At a young age he intended to be a painter and studied with Louis Lozowick. However, instead of attending art school, he entered New York University to study education and eventually received his master's and doctorate in art history from the Institute of Fine Arts. While there he took courses with Walter Friedlander, Erwin Panofsky, and Mayer Schapiro. He also received fellowships to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1934 and Brussels in 1937, and studied from 1938-1939 at the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University. In 1938 he married fellow student Blanche Levine. After serving in World War II, he began teaching in the art department at Brooklyn College in 1946. There he developed a specialization in American art history and his doctoral dissertation, American Painting from the Armory Show to the Depression, was published in 1955. In 1963 he participated in the fiftieth anniversary exhibition of the 1913 Armory Show. The publication of his book Story of the Armory Show coincided with this event.

In 1971 Brown established the graduate program in Art History at the City University of New York, which became preeminent in the areas of modern art and American art history. During the 1980s he remained a resident professor at CUNY, though he retired in 1979, and he held visiting professorships at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art. From 1983 to 1987 he had a senior fellowship at Williams College for the Prendergast Catalogue Raisonne Project.

Over the course of his career Brown curated exhibitions, including an exhibition on the works of Jacob Lawrence and The Modern Spirit: American Painting and Photography, 1908-1935, and wrote for numerous publications. He also served as an active member of several professional societies. Brown was close friends with art scholars and artists, such as Jack Levine, Moses and Raphael Soyer, Ad Reinhardt, and Paul Strand. In 1991 he returned to painting landscape watercolors, and had the opportunity to exhibit his work before his death in 1998.

Related Material:

Also at the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Milton Wolf Brown, conducted in 1976 by Paul Cummings.

Provenance:

The Milton Wolf Brown papers were donated in 2000 and 2001 by Blanche R. Brown, Brown's widow. Three reel-to reel sound recordings were lent for duplication to cassette and transcript in 1986 by Milton Brown. A cassette copy of the Martha Deane interview was donated in 2006 by Milton Brown's estate, via Naomi Rosenblum. Additional material was donated in 2002 and 2004 by Naomi Rosenblum, executor for the estate of Blanche R. Brown, who died in 2002.

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 museum curators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

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

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

Topic:

Art, American History Sources  Search this

Genre/Form:

Travel diaries

Articles

Interviews

Essays

Drafts (documents)

Transcripts

Photographs

Notebooks

Lectures

Scripts (documents)

Citation:

Milton Wolf Brown papers, 1908-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.browmilt

See more items in:

Milton Wolf Brown papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9c2f1a099-bc53-4b03-a5fd-61e0feca9db8

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-browmilt

Creator:

Sheeler, Charles, 1883-1965  Search this

Names:

Archives of American Art  Search this

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

Adams, Ansel, 1902-1984  Search this

Arensberg, Louise S. (Louise Stevenson), 1879-1953  Search this

Arensberg, Walter, 1878-1954  Search this

Bacon, Peggy, 1895-1987  Search this

Eidlitz, Dorothy  Search this

Halpert, Edith Gregor, 1900-1970  Search this

Lane, William H.  Search this

Newhall, Beaumont, 1908-1993  Search this

Newhall, Nancy Wynne.  Search this

Rourke, Constance, 1885-1941  Search this

Sheeler, Musya, 1908-1981  Search this

Waters, George  Search this

Weston, Edward, 1886-1958  Search this

Williams, William Carlos, 1883-1963  Search this

Photographer:

Sheeler, Musya, 1908-1981  Search this

White, Minor  Search this

Extent:

4.9 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Artifacts

Awards

Photographs

Journals (accounts)

Scrapbooks

Writings

Date:

circa 1840s-1966

bulk 1923-1965

Summary:

The papers of painter, photographer, lithographer and industrial designer Charles Sheeler measure 4.9 linear feet and date from circa 1840s to 1966, with the bulk of the material dating from 1923-1965. The collection documents Sheeler's family, personal life and career through financial and medical records, awards, correspondence, writings, an autobiography, journal and notebooks, scrapbooks, exhibition catalogs and announcements, printed materials, photographs, funeral records and artwork by Sheeler and others. The collection is particularly rich in Sheeler's writings, and also includes Sheeler's industrial designs and manufactured artwork. Notable photographs include Sheeler with Edward Weston, Edward Steichen, and John Marin.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of painter, photographer, lithographer and industrial designer Charles Sheeler measure 4.9 linear feet and date from circa 1840s to 1966, with the bulk of the material dating from 1923-1965. The collection documents Sheeler's family, personal life and career through financial and medical records, awards, correspondence, writings, an autobiography, journal and notebooks, scrapbooks, exhibition catalogs and announcements, printed materials, photographs, funeral records and artwork by Sheeler and others. The collection is particularly rich in Sheeler's writings, and also includes Sheeler's industrial designs and manufactured artwork. There are photographs of Sheeler with Edward Weston, Edward Steichen, and John Marin.

Biographical materials date from 1875, and 1928-1965, and include funeral records, medical records, insurance, tax, and scattered financial records. There is one folder of records relating to artwork and exhibitions, as well as Sheeler's numerous certificates, prizes and awards, and the condolence book used at his funeral.

Correspondence consists of Sheeler's personal and professional correspondence dating from 1937-1966 with friends, artists, dealers, collectors, photographers, and curators. Notable correspondents include Ansel Adams, Walter and Louise Arensberg, William Lane, Beaumont and Nancy Newhall, George Waters, William Carlos Williams, and Edward Weston. The series also includes correspondence with the Archives of American Art, Sheeler's biographer Constance Rourke, and with publishers, editors, children, and the general public. Lastly, there are condolence letters written to Musya Sheeler following Sheeler's death in May 1965.

Writings include Sheeler's journal dating from the 1950s-1963 and two notebooks containing notes, addresses, recipes, etc. Also found are Sheeler's writings on artists, drafts for articles, and a manuscript and notes for an autobiography that Sheeler wrote for Harcourt Brace. The autobiography became the basis for Constance Rourke's biography Charles Sheeler: Artist in the American Tradition published in 1938. The writing series also includes a short story by Musya Sheeler, and an illustrated short story by friend Dorothy Eidlitz.

The scrapbook series contains two oversize scrapbooks dating from 1930s-1960s that include newspaper and magazine clippings about Sheeler and his artwork, exhibition announcements and brochures, a poem, and a thank you letter from Abby Aldrich Rockefeller.

Additional printed materials date from 1923-1966 and document Sheeler's numerous exhibitions, notably his partnership with Edith Halpert and the Downtown Gallery. Found here are clippings, copies of magazines, exhibition announcements and catalogs, museum bulletings, books, and miscellaneous items.

Photographs date from circa 1840s-1963 and include photographs of Sheeler's family, of Sheeler, and of Sheeler with friends and colleagues. There is one daguerreotype, two ambrotypes, and two tintypes of Sheeler's family and of Sheeler as a child. There are copyprints of these originals. Additional photographs are of Sheeler's mother and father (or possibly Sheeler's grandparent), of Sheeler, of Sheeler with his wife Musya, Sheeler with William Lane, Sheeler with Edward Weston, and Sheeler with Edward Steichen and John Marin. The series also includes photographs of Sheeler's collection of Shaker furniture, and photographs of exhibitions.

Artwork by Sheeler dates from circa 1930s-1960s and includes artifacts of manufactured pieces based on his industrial designs. Found are a glass tumbler, salt and pepper shakers, a tea spoon, fabrics designed by Sheeler, and sketches. The series also includes a drawing by Peggy Bacon and a photograph by Minor White.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into seven series. Materials are arranged by material type and chronologically or alphabetically thereafter:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1875, 1928-1965 (Boxes 1, 5, OV10; 0.6 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1937-1966 (Box 1; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1930s-1965 (Boxes 1-2 ; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 4: Scrapbooks, 1930s-1960s (Boxes 2, 6; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1923-1966 (Boxes 2-4, 7; 1.5 linear feet)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1840s-1963 (Box 4, OV11; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1930s-1960s (Boxes 4-5, 8-9, OV12-OV14; 1.1 linear feet)

Biographical Note:

Painter, photographer, lithographer and designer, Charles Rettew Sheeler Jr. was born on July 16, 1883 to Mary Cunningham Sheeler and Charles Rettew Sheeler in Philadelphia. He attended the School of Industrial Art in Philadelphia from 1900-1903 and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he studied under William Merritt Chase. He found early success as a painter and exhibited at the Macbeth Gallery in 1908.

Around 1910 Sheeler took up photography, and by 1912 financially supported himself photographing buildings for local Philadelphia architects. The following year, Sheeler exhibited six paintings at the 1913 Armory Show in New York. In the mid 1910s, Sheeler began to collect American antiques, and by the 1920s was actively acquiring Shaker crafts and furniture.

In 1916, Sheeler was hired by Marius de Zayas of the Modern Gallery in New York to photograph objects and artwork. From 1917-1924, he worked as the staff photographer for the Modern Gallery and moved to New York in 1918. In 1920, Sheeler was hired as a still photographer for The Arts Magazine.

In 1926, Sheeler was hired by Edward Steichen to work as a fashion and celebrity photographer for Conde Nast Publications. His photographs were regularly featured in Vogue and Vanity Fair, but Sheeler also worked as a still life photographer for numerous advertising agencies. The following year, he was commissioned by the advertising firm N.W. Ayer and Son to photograph Ford Motor Company's new plant at River Rouge.

While working as a photographer, Sheeler continued to paint and used the subjects and composition of his photographs as a basis for his painting. His paintings Skyscrapers, 1922; Upper Deck, 1929; and American Landscape, 1930 are examples of Sheeler's technique of merging photographic imagery with painting and his overall precisionist style.

In 1931, upon the advice and guidance of Edith Halpert of the Downtown Gallery, Sheeler began to paint more often and to photograph less. Halpert became Sheeler's primarily dealer, and from 1931-1966 regularly exhibited his paintings and drawings. With Halpert's support, Sheeler produced Classic Landscape, 1931; American Interior, 1934; Silo, 1938; Amoskeag Canal, 1948; and Convolutions, 1952. In addition to Sheeler's partnership with Halpert, his work was exhibited by other galleries and museums throughout the United States and abroad.

In 1939, Sheeler married his second wife, Musya Metas Sokolova (1908-1981) and, in 1942, the couple moved to Irvington-on-Hudson, New York. Sheeler continued to paint and photograph until he suffered a debilitating stroke in 1959. After 1959, Sheeler remained active exhibiting his artwork until his death on May 7, 1965 in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

Related Material:

The Archives of American Art holds several collections that are related to Charles Sheeler.

There are two oral history interviews with Sheeler conducted by Mary Bartlett Cowdrey in December 1958, and by Martin Friedman in June 1959. The Archives also has the records of the Macbeth Gallery, which include a substantial amount of correspondence with Sheeler from 1907-1921, and the Downtown Gallery records, which also include correspondence with Sheeler, photographs of Sheeler and his artwork, exhibition publications, clippings, press releases, and audio visual materials dating from 1904-1972.

Also found in the the Archives is a loan of Charles Sheeler letters filmed on reel NY/59-5 containing letters written by Sheeler to his psychologist and art collector, Dr. Helen Boigon, art student George Craven, and friend William Carlos Williams, all dating from 1939-1958. There is a collection of six letters of Sheeler letters addressed to Doris Royce, possibly an art critic, dating from 1949-1957. Miscellaneous manuscript collections include one letter written by Sheeler to E.P. Richardson in 1958, and another letter written to Frank Crowninshield in September, 1939.

Separated Material:

Portions of Sheeler's papers that were originally loaned for microfilming were not included in the later gifts and are available only on microfilm reel NSH-1. A watercolor study microfilmed on reel 1811 was later transferred to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. These materials are not described in the container list of this finding aid.

Provenance:

Charles Sheeler's wife Musya initially loaned the papers to the Archives of American Art for microfilming in 1958, 1965, and 1966. In June, 1966, she donated most of the earlier loaned materials. In 1964, Sheeler's friend Howard Lipman donated three photographs of Sheeler with Edward Steichen and John Marin. The third accrual was transferred to the Archives by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery Library in June 1979.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Topic:

Works of art  Search this

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

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

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

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

Genre/Form:

Artifacts

Awards

Photographs

Journals (accounts)

Scrapbooks

Writings

Citation:

Charles Sheeler papers, circa 1840s-1966, bulk 1923-1965. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.sheechar

See more items in:

Charles Sheeler papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97080c38f-51c0-443b-808a-a0c408c8352d

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-sheechar

Interviewee:

Fleischman, Barbara  Search this

Interviewer:

Berman, Avis  Search this

Names:

Archives of American Art  Search this

Extent:

4 Items (Sound recording, master: 4 sound files (5 hr., 39 min.), digital, wav)

134 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

2011 Dec. 27-2012 Jan. 23

Scope and Contents:

An interview with Barbara Fleischman conducted 2011 Dec. 27-2012 Jan. 23 by Avis Berman for the Archives of American Art.

Biographical / Historical:

Interviewee Barbara G. Fleischman (1924- ) is an art collector in New York and a member of the Archives of American Art's board of trustees. Interviewer Avis Berman (1949- ) is a writer in New York, N.Y.

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 administrators.

Restrictions:

This transcript is open for research. Access to the audio is restricted. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Rights:

Sound recording: Authorization to quote or reproduce for the purposes of publication requires written permission from Barbara Fleischman. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Topic:

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Women art collectors  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Identifier:

AAA.fleisc11

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9a98e9b4d-a99b-4b1d-9451-6033ef815c66

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-fleisc11

Interviewer:

Gioni, Massimiliano  Search this

Curator:

Carrion-Murayari, Gary  Search this

Author:

Lippard, Lucy R.,  Search this

Godfrey, Mark (Mark Benjamin),)  Search this

Baraka, Amiri 1934-2014  Search this

Brooks, LeRonn P  Search this

Bryan-Wilson, Julia  Search this

Cooks, Bridget R. 1972-  Search this

Whitley, Zoé  Search this

Casteel, Jordan  Search this

Self, Tschabalala 1990-  Search this

Brackens, Diedrick 1989-  Search this

Wallace, Michele  Search this

Interviewee:

Ringgold, Faith  Search this

Author:

Container of (work): Ringgold, Faith Works Selections  Search this

Host institution:

New Museum (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

M.H. de Young Memorial Museum  Search this

Publisher:

Phaidon Press  Search this

Subject:

New Museum (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Physical description:

239 pages illustrations (chiefly color), color map, portraits (chiefly color) 30 cm

Type:

Exhibitions

Interviews

Expositions

Exhibition catalogs

Essays

Illustrated works

Place:

New York (State)

New York

Date:

2022

21st century

20th century

Topic:

African American women artists  Search this

Art, American  Search this

African American art  Search this

African American quilts  Search this

African Americans--History--In art  Search this

African Americans in art  Search this

Femmes artistes noires américaines  Search this

Call number:

N40.1.R5823 G48 2022

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_1158037

Creator:

Mason, Alice Trumbull, 1904-1971  Search this

Names:

American Abstract Artists  Search this

Kelpe, Paul, 1902-1985  Search this

Lassaw, Ibram, 1913-2003 -- Photographs  Search this

Extent:

1.3 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Sketchbooks

Poetry

Date:

1921-1977

Summary:

The papers of abstract artist Alice Trumbull Mason date from 1921 to 1977 and measure 1.3 linear feet. The collection documents her career as a painter, particularly her role as one of the founders of the American Abstract Artists group, through biographical materials; correspondence with family, friends, fellow artists, art galleries, museums, and organizations; writings and notes, including notebooks of poetry and other creative writings; a small amount of printed material; photographs of Mason, friends, and her artwork; and original artwork, including five sketchbooks.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of abstract artist Alice Trumbull Mason date from 1921 to 1977 and measure 1.3 linear feet. The collection documents her career as a painter, particularly her role as one of the founders of the American Abstract Artists group, through biographical materials; correspondence with family, friends, fellow artists, art galleries, museums, and organizations; writings and notes, including notebooks of poetry and other creative writings; a small amount of printed material; photographs of Mason, friends, and her artwork; and original artwork, including five sketchbooks.

Biographical material consists of resumes, passports, exhibition files, as well as documentation of her membership and active participation in art organizations, including her work as an officer in the American Abstract Artists group. Also found here are scattered personal financial and legal records. Personal and professional correspondence is with family members, including many detailed letters between her and her husband Warwood, fellow artists, including Paul Kelpe, art organizations, curators, museums, galleries, and others. Professional correspondence generally discusses selection of exhibition and awards, sale of artwork, and art events. Writings and notes, mostly from the 1920s and 1930s, consist of Mason's notes on art history and her creative writings, including poetry and "abstract writing." Also found are a few writings about abstract art and various notes and lists.

Printed material includes news clippings on topics of interest to Mason, and other miscellaneous items such as brochures, and exhibition announcements. Photographs include several portraits of Mason with her artwork, photographs of friends including artist Ibram Lassaw, photographs of an American Abstract Artists exhibition, and artwork by her and others. Original artwork found in this collection includes five sketchbooks belonging to Mason, including two that document her travels through Greece and Italy, and other loose drawings.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into 6 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1925-1968 (Box 1, OV 3; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1922-1977 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings and Notes, 1921-1965 (Box 1; 6 folders)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1936-1974 (Box 1; 2 folders)

Series 5: Photographs, 1920s-1967 (Box 1, OV 3; 5 folders)

Series 6: Artwork, 1924-1963 (Box 1-2, OV 3; 0.4 linear feet)

Biographical Note:

Alice Trumbull Mason was born in 1904 in Litchfield, Connecticut. Her mother, Anne Leavenworth Train, was an accomplished artist before she met Alice's father, William Trumbull, a descendent of the Revolutionary War era painter, John Trumbull. Alice spent much of her childhood in Europe with her family. From 1921 to 1922 they lived in Florence and Rome where she studied at the British Academy. In 1923 she continued her studies with painter Charles W. Hawthorne at the National Academy of Design in New York and from 1927 to 1928 attended courses at the Grand Central Art Galleries taught by Arshile Gorky. Gorky inspired her interest in abstract painting, and Mason painted her first non-objective works in 1929. In 1928 she returned to Italy and Greece and was greatly influenced by ancient art, Byzantium, and Italian primitives. She married Warwood Mason, a merchant seaman, in 1930 and her daughter Emily was born in 1932 and her son Jonathan in 1933. During this period she stopped painting and devoted her creative energy to writing poetry inspired by American avant-garde writers.

Mason began painting again in 1934 and was recognized as a key figure of American abstraction. In 1935 she met and became close friends with fellow artist Ibram Lassaw, and they, along with several other artists, began to meet on a regular basis which led to the first American Abstract Artists group exhibition in 1937. Mason remained very active in the group and served as treasurer in 1939, secretary from 1940 to 1945, and president from 1959 to 1963. She was also an activist for abstract art, protesting the decisions of the Museum of Modern Art several times for excluding abstract artists from exhibitions. During the 1940s her paintings and concept of "architectural abstraction" was influenced by the arrival of Piet Mondrian in New York. Also in the 1940s she had two one-woman shows, but throughout her career she felt there was a bias against women in the New York art world and most often she participated in AAA group shows. Her work would be viewed as an important bridge for future abstract and conceptualist artists. In 1958 her son died, and though she continued to paint and participate in exhibitions, she never recovered from this tragedy and in the late 1960s withdrew into seclusion until her death in 1971.

Related Material:

Also found in the Archives of American Art is a collection of interviews by Ruth Bowman of members of the American Abstract Artists group conducted between 1963-1965, that includes an interview with Alice Trumbull Mason. The Archives of American Art also houses 2.3 linear feet of the records of the American Abstract Artists group.

Separated Material:

A portion of the material donated by Alice Trumbull Mason in 1969 relating to her involvement with the American Abstract Artists was separated and filed with the American Abstract Artists records at the Archives of American Art. Files of news clippings and exhibition catalogs were transferred to the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery Library after microfilming.

Provenance:

A portion of this collection was donated by Alice Trumbull Mason in 1969. Additional material was donated from 1972 to 1977 by Mason's daughter, Emily Mason Kahn.

Restrictions:

The collection is partially microfilmed. Use of material not microfilmed 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:

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

Topic:

Women artists  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Women authors  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Sketchbooks

Poetry

Citation:

Alice Trumbull Mason papers, 1921-1977. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.masoalic

See more items in:

Alice Trumbull Mason papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw95e72c55c-ce27-48d3-a5d7-2904106402d0

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-masoalic

Creator:

Swenson, Gene, 1934-1969  Search this

Names:

Dine, Jim, 1935-  Search this

Extent:

2.8 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Diaries

Interviews

Date:

1950-1969

Scope and Contents:

The papers of art critic and curator Gene Swenson measure 2.8 linear feet and date from 1950-1969. Included are correspondence with art world and political figures Jim Dine and Harry Truman among others; loose writings and 24 diaries by Swenson, and 13 audio cassette tapes of interviews with artists.

Biographical / Historical:

Gene Swenson (1934-1969) was an art critic and curator in New York, N.Y.

Provenance:

The collection was donated in 2018 by by Anne Wilson, Gene Swenson's companion.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of audio visual recordings with no duplicate copy requires advance notice.

This collection, with the exception of the audio cassette tapes of interviews with artists, is temporarily closed to researchers due to conservation treatment. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

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

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Diaries

Interviews

Identifier:

AAA.swengene

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ae3754e8-9f92-4987-b425-5f218c7f6278

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-swengene

Interviewee:

Biddle, George, 1885-1973  Search this

Interviewer:

Phillips, Harlan B. (Harlan Buddington), 1920-  Search this

Creator:

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

Names:

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

Public Works of Art Project  Search this

Bacon, Peggy, 1895-1987  Search this

Benton, Thomas Hart, 1889-1975  Search this

Billings, Henry, 1901-  Search this

Bouché, Louis, 1896-1969  Search this

Bruce, Edward, 1879-1943  Search this

Cahill, Holger, 1887-1960  Search this

Cassatt, Mary, 1844-1926  Search this

Curry, John Steuart, 1897-1946  Search this

Demuth, Charles, 1883-1935  Search this

Evergood, Philip, 1901-1973  Search this

Grosz, George, 1893-1959  Search this

Halpert, Edith Gregor, 1900-1970  Search this

Hartley, Marsden, 1877-1943  Search this

Kroll, Leon, 1884-1974  Search this

Marsh, Reginald, 1898-1954  Search this

Miller, Kenneth Hayes, 1876-1952  Search this

Orozco, José Clemente, 1883-1949  Search this

Pascin, Jules, 1885-1930  Search this

Poor, Henry Varnum, 1887-1970  Search this

Rivera, Diego, 1886-1957  Search this

Robinson, Boardman, 1876-1952  Search this

Siqueiros, David Alfaro  Search this

Sterne, Maurice, 1878-1957  Search this

Stieglitz, Alfred, 1864-1946  Search this

Tamayo, Rufino, 1899-  Search this

Weber, Max, 1881-1961  Search this

Zorach, William, 1887-1966  Search this

Zorach, William, 1887-1966  Search this

Extent:

239 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1963

Scope and Contents:

An interview of George Biddle conducted in 1963, by Harlan Phillips, for the Archives of American Art.

Biddle speaks of his background in Philadelphia; his Harvard education in preparation for a law career; literary acquaintances; travel; the beginning of his art career; his preoccupation with portraiture; his tragic and pleasant works; the importance of mood; his drawing techniques; drawing from nature; color experimentation; Stieglitz's circle; the susceptibility of artists to change during the 1930s; his involvement with the Public Works of Art Project; government censorship of his murals; his involvement with artists overseas during World War II; and his aesthetic philosophy. He recalls Max Weber, Maurice Sterne, George Grosz, William Zorach, Kenneth Hayes Miller, Peggy Bacon, Marsden Hartley, Charles Demuth, Edith Halpert, Boardman Robinson, Reginald Marsh, Thomas Hart Benton, Henry Billings, Ned Bruce, Holger Cahill, Philip Evergood, Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, David Siqueiros, and Rufino Tamayo.

Biographical / Historical:

George Biddle (1885-1973) was a painter and sculptor, in Croton-on-Hudson, New York.

General:

Originally recorded 3 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 9 digital wav files. Duration is 13 hr., 56 min.

Provenance:

Conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.

Restrictions:

This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Topic:

Art -- Censorship  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

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

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

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Identifier:

AAA.biddle63

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9bb4fdb2d-29ab-4c56-bcef-655c27a0afb8

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-biddle63

Creator:

Schwalb, Claudia  Search this

Names:

Saret, Alan, 1944-  Search this

Extent:

0.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Date:

1984-1996

Summary:

The scattered papers of New York painter and author Claudia Schwalb date from 1984-1996 and measure 0.2 linear feet. Papers include letters, artwork by Scwalb, a typescript of a writing including an interview with Alan Saret, photographs of individuals and works of art, negatives, and slides of artwork.

Scope and Contents:

The scattered papers of New York painter and author Claudia Schwalb date from 1984-1996 and measure 0.2 linear feet. Papers include letters, artwork by Scwalb, a typescript of a writing including an interview with Alan Saret, photographs of individuals and works of art, negatives, and slides of artwork.

Arrangement:

Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.

Biographical / Historical:

New York City, New York painter and author Claudia Schwalb has exhibited at Clocktower Gallery and the New Museum, and is currently a writer for whitehotmagazine.com.

After graduating from Pratt Institute, Schwalb apprenticed with painter Ron Gorchov and began writing for Cover Magazine and other art journals.

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Occupation:

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

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

Topic:

Women artists  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Women authors  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Citation:

Claudia Schwalb papers, 1984-1996. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Processing of this collection received support from the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative.

Identifier:

AAA.schwclau

See more items in:

Claudia Schwalb papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw987418634-5d5b-46eb-b9c2-202652390bcc

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-schwclau

Creator:

Cramer, Douglas S.  Search this

Subject:

Ruscha, Edward  Search this

Boone, Mary  Search this

Kelly, Ellsworth  Search this

Castelli, Leo  Search this

Type:

Visitors' books

Photographs

Citation:

Douglas Cramer papers, circa 1970-2014. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- Florida -- Miami  Search this

Television producers and directors -- Florida -- Miami  Search this

Television producers and directors -- New York -- New York  Search this

Theme:

Sketches & Sketchbooks  Search this

Patronage  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)17350

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)380682

AAA_collcode_cramdoug

Theme:

Sketches & Sketchbooks

Patronage

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_380682

Interviewee:

Michelson, Alan, 1953-  Search this

Interviewer:

Berman, Avis, 1949-  Search this

Subject:

United States. General Services Administration. Design Excellence and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Alan Michelson, 2009 Aug. 5-14. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Installations (Art)  Search this

Theme:

Native American  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)15705

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)283569

AAA_collcode_michel09

Theme:

Native American

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_283569

Interviewee:

Cramer, Douglas S.  Search this

Interviewer:

Berman, Avis, 1949-  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Douglas S. Cramer, 2013 October 23-December 13. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Producers and directors  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)16142

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)363892

AAA_collcode_cramer13

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_363892

Interviewee:

Halpert, Edith Gregor, 1900-1970  Search this

Interviewer:

Phillips, Harlan B. (Harlan Buddington), 1920-  Search this

Names:

C.W. Kraushaar Art Galleries  Search this

Daniel Gallery  Search this

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

Ferargil Galleries  Search this

Grand Central Art Galleries  Search this

M. Knoedler & Co.  Search this

Montross Gallery  Search this

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

Bacon, Peggy, 1895-1987  Search this

Barr, Alfred H., Jr., 1902-1981  Search this

Barrie, Erwin S., 1886-1983  Search this

Benton, Thomas Hart, 1889-1975  Search this

Brackman, Robert, 1898-  Search this

Bridgman, George Brant, 1864-1943  Search this

Brixey, Richard de Wolfe  Search this

Cahill, Holger, 1887-1960  Search this

Calder, Alexander, 1898-1976  Search this

Cary, Elisabeth Luther, 1867-1936  Search this

Chase, William Merritt, 1849-1916  Search this

Coleman, Glenn O., 1887-1932  Search this

Crowninshield, Frank, 1872-1947  Search this

Daniel, Charles, 1878-1971  Search this

Davis, Stuart, 1892-1964  Search this

Demuth, Charles, 1883-1935  Search this

Deskey, Donald, 1894-  Search this

Dove, Arthur Garfield, 1880-1946  Search this

Dudensing, F. Valentine, 1892-1967  Search this

Fergusson, John Duncan, 1874-1961  Search this

Field, Hamilton Easter  Search this

Force, Juliana, 1876-1948  Search this

Ford, Ford Madox, 1873-1939  Search this

Frost, Robert, 1874-1963  Search this

Fuller, R. Buckminster (Richard Buckminster), 1895-1983  Search this

Goodyear, A. Conger (Anson Conger), 1877-1964  Search this

Greenberg, Clement, 1909-1994  Search this

Halpert, Samuel, 1884-1930  Search this

Hartley, Marsden, 1877-1943  Search this

Hirsch, Stefan, 1899-1964  Search this

Hopkinson, Charles, 1869-1962  Search this

Hopper, Edward, 1882-1967  Search this

Johns, Jasper, 1930-  Search this

Kline, Franz, 1910-1962  Search this

Knox, Seymour H., 1898-1990  Search this

Kroll, Leon, 1884-1974  Search this

Kuhn, Walt, 1877-1949  Search this

Kuniyoshi, Yasuo, 1889-1953  Search this

Laurent, Robert, 1890-1970  Search this

Lawrence, Jacob, 1917-2000  Search this

Levine, Jack, 1915-2010  Search this

Levy, Julien  Search this

Locke, Charles, 1899-  Search this

Luks, George Benjamin, 1867-1933  Search this

Léger, Fernand, 1881-1955  Search this

Marin, John, Jr., 1915?-1988  Search this

McBride, Henry, 1867-1962  Search this

Mellon, Paul  Search this

Mercer, Henry Chapman  Search this

Montross, N. E. (Newman E), 1849-1932  Search this

Noguchi, Isamu, 1904-1988  Search this

O'Keeffe, Georgia, 1887-1986  Search this

Pascin, Jules, 1885-1930  Search this

Picasso, Pablo, 1881-1973  Search this

Pollock, Jackson, 1912-1956  Search this

Pound, Ezra, 1885-1972  Search this

Rivera, Diego, 1886-1957  Search this

Robinson, Edward G., 1893-1973  Search this

Rockefeller, Abby Aldrich  Search this

Saarinen, Aline B. (Aline Bernstein), 1914-1972  Search this

Saklatwalla, Beram K.  Search this

Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Sheeler, Charles, 1883-1965  Search this

Siporin, Mitchell, 1910-1976  Search this

Soutine, Chaim, 1893-1943  Search this

Steichen, Edward, 1879-1973  Search this

Stein, Gertrude, 1874-1946  Search this

Stella, Frank  Search this

Stern, Louis E., 1886-1962  Search this

Stieglitz, Alfred, 1864-1946  Search this

Tannahill, Robert Hudson  Search this

Vollard, Ambroise, 1867-1939  Search this

Weber, Max, 1881-1961  Search this

Whitney, Gertrude Vanderbilt, 1875-1942  Search this

Williams, William Carlos, 1883-1963  Search this

Wittenberg, Philip, 1895-1987  Search this

Zerbe, Karl, 1903-1972  Search this

Zorach, Marguerite, 1887-1968  Search this

Zorach, William, 1887-1966  Search this

Extent:

436 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Date:

1962-1963

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Edith Halpert conducted 1962-1963, by Harlan Phillips, for the Archives of American Art.

Halpert speaks of her childhood in Russia and growing up in New York City; working at Bloomindale's, Macy's, Stern Brothers, and Cohen Goldman; her marriage to artist Sam Halpert, his health, and living in Paris in 1925; becoming an art student at the Academy of Design and feeling that Leon Kroll was an excellent art teacher until he began to correct her drawings; when George Bridgman thought she was ruining his class; the Lincoln Square Arcade, when she and Ernest Fiener and Robert Brackman would rent Conan's studio evenings and bring in instructors; how Newman Montross influenced her more than anybody about showing her art that she loved; burning all of her work because Kroll said she had no talent; receiving a painting from John Marin; her friendship and working relationship with Abby Rockefeller and other family members.

She recalls opening the Downtown Gallery, in Greenwich Village, in 1926; a brief history of modern art; many artists helping decorate the new Daylight Gallery in 1930 and the first show being called "Practical Manifestations of Art"; meeting Robert and Sonia Delaunay in France; when she refused to allow Ezra Pound to speak at one of the gallery lectures because of his anti-Semite remarks and William Carlos Williams and Ford Madox Ford argued with her over it; experiencing jealousy and professional attacks from other dealers; the successful "Pop" Hart show and book in 1929; the "Thirty-three Moderns" show in 1930 at the Grand Central Galleries; the Jules Pascin show in 1930; in America, most of the art buyers supporters of culture were women, until the WPA and World War II, when it became fashionable for men to be involved; Ambroise Vollard's advice on selling art; handling the frustrations of working in the art field; friendships with Stuart Davis,Charles Sheeler, and Ben Shahn; how artists work through dry periods in their creativity and the "Recurrent Image" show; a discussion on modern art galleries of New York City, such as Daniel, Knoedler, Ferargil, the New Gallery, 291, the Grand Central, Kraushaar, and Montross; her travels through Pennsylvania and Maine for good examples of folk art for the gallery; the "The Artist Looks at Music" show; the non-competitive spirit of the early modern American artists; of being saved financially in 1940 by selling a William Harnett painting to the Boston Museum and then renting new space for the gallery.

Also, Mitchell Siporin bringing Halpert and Edmund Gurry to Mitchell Field during World War II for a camouflage show and consequently Downtown Gallery artists and others were enlisted in the camouflage corps for the U.S. Air Force; Charles Sheeler and his wife find Halpert a house in Newtown, Conn.; her decision in 1933 to push folk art for acquisition by the William Rockhill Nelson Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri; her great concern about what to do with her folk art literature collection; dismay and that no one writes about the history of folk art and those responsible for its creation and popularity; Louis Stern hiring her to organize a municipal exhibit in Atlantic City, N.J., with Donald Deskey designing the furniture and Holger Cahill managing the publicity; Joe Lillie helping her meet Fiorello La Guardia and Joe McGoldrick in 1934 about a municipal show in New York City, but it is moved to Radio City Music Hall through Nelson Rockefeller; the "Salons of America" show; wanting articles written about art for love rather than art for investment; working with Aline Saarinen on her book, "Proud Possessors;" letters from Stuart Davis, William Zorach and others that hurt her feelings; enjoying giving educational lectures and considering retirement because of ill health; the desire to write a book on the history of trade signs in folk art; feeling that the young artists are being ruined by too much support without working for it; planning to write a book entitled, "Unsung Heroes," about artists brave enough to experiment; organizing a show in Russia at her own expense; later representing the U.S. in art at the "American National Exposition"; the agitators and success of the exposition; Alfred Stieglitz and Georgia O'Keeffe.

Halpert also recalls Juliana Force, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Buckminster Fuller, George Luks, Edsel Ford, Max Weber, Danny Diefenbacker, Hamilton Easter Field, Frank Stella, Glenn Coleman, Margaret Zorach, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Henry Mercer, Romany Marie, Edward G. Robinson, Paul Mellon, Charles Pollet, Alex Brook, Lunca Curass, Dorothy Lambert, Duncan Candler, Frank Rhen, Louis Rittman, Bea Goldsmith, Arthur Craven, Robert Frost, Philip Wittenberg, Caesar de Hoke, Richard deWolfe Brixey, Seymour Knox, Walt Kuhn, Elisabeth Luther Cary, Charles Locke, Duncan Fergusson, Mrs. Solomon Guggenheim, Bob Tannahill, David Thompson, Marsden Hartley, Erwin Barrie, Robert Laurent, Conger Goodyear, Henry McBride, Edward Hopper, Charles Daniel, William Merritt Chase, Charles Hopkinson, Thomas Hart Benton, Frank Crowninshield, Alfred Barr, Lord Duveen, Jacob Lawrence, John Marin Jr., Karl Zerbe, Franz Kline, Arthur Dove, Julian Levy, Jack Levine, Valentine Dudensing, Peggy Bacon, Stefan Hirsch, Gertrude Stein, Isamu Noguchi, Jasper Johns, Chaim Soutine, B. K. Saklatwalla; Fernand Leger, Pablo Picasso, Ben Shahn, Charles Demuth, Alexander Calder, Jackson Pollock, Edward Steichen, Carl Sandburg, Clement Greenberg, and others.

Biographical / Historical:

Edith Halpert (1900-1970) was an art dealer from New York, N.Y.

General:

Originally recorded on 7 tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 27 digital wav files. Duration is 32 hrs., 27 min.

Provenance:

This interview is part of the Archives of American Art 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. The transcript was microfilmed in 1996.

Occupation:

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

Topic:

Art -- Economic aspects  Search this

Camouflage  Search this

Folk art -- Collectors and collecting  Search this

Women art dealers  Search this

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.halper62

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw94b057b9a-c3f9-4586-8d44-ee2d58857127

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-halper62

Interviewee:

Cramer, Douglas S.  Search this

Interviewer:

Berman, Avis  Search this

Extent:

79 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

2013 October 23-December 13

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Douglas S. Cramer conducted 2013 October 23-December 13, by Avis Berman, for the Archives of American Art, at Cramer's homes in Miami Beach, Florida and New York, New York.

Cramer speaks of growing up in Kentucky and Cincinnati; his mother's career as a writer and interior designer; his interest in collecting objects as a young boy; growing up under his parents and his family history; racism and prejudices in society and Hollywood; the impact of the Depression on his family; his early interest in theater and art; his involvement with Hollywood and production work; his early art and real estate purchases; his friendship since high school with Jim Dine; reactions from dealers and artists when selling artwork; his belief in the importance of artists' drawings; his college career and his desire to go to Princeton; his desire to live in New York City; working for Proctor & Gamble; his early foray into collecting; his first collection of 20th century works on paper; meeting Leo Castelli and Jasper Johns; guidance of Dan Melnick in collecting; living and collecting in California; his desire to own a Joseph Cornell box; his divorce from Joyce Haber and their California collection; buying from Leo Castelli; getting to know and collecting Julian Schnabel; getting a protrait painted by Schnabel; donating works of art to museums; art dealers and customer service; working on the Love Boat (series); Andy Warhol's involvement with the Love Boat; his involvement with the MOCA board; the creation of the Douglas Cramer Foundation; Batman (series) and Roy Lichtenstein; meeting, collecting, and friendship with Roy Lichtenstein; meeting, collecting, and friendship with Ellsworth Kelly; Andy Warhol's persona. Cramer also recalls Larry Gagosian, Jeffrey Deitch, Eli Broad, David Hockney, Jasper Johns, Margo Leavin, Dorothy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko, Charles and Doris Saatchi, Paul Schimmel, Richard Serra, Marcia and Fred Weisman, and others.

Biographical / Historical:

Douglas S. Cramer (1931-2021) was an American television producer and contemporary art collector in New York, New York. Avis Berman (1949- ) is an art historian and author in New York, New York.

General:

Originally recorded as 4 sound files. Duration is 5 hr., 8 min.

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 administrators.

Restrictions:

This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its Oral History Program interviews available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. Quotation, reproduction and publication of the recording is governed by restrictions. If an interview has been transcribed, researchers must quote from the transcript. If an interview has not been transcribed, researchers must quote from the recording. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Topic:

Producers and directors  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Identifier:

AAA.cramer13

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9da665d48-d28f-4cc1-a8f2-3d05ced515b1

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-cramer13