Search Results

Creator:

Shapiro, Dee, 1936-  Search this

Names:

Soho Center for Visual Artists  Search this

Castanis, Muriel, 1926-2006  Search this

Golden, Eunice  Search this

Kozloff, Joyce  Search this

Sleigh, Sylvia  Search this

Spero, Nancy, 1926-2009  Search this

Stevens, May  Search this

Extent:

0.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1975-1976

Scope and Contents:

Dee Shapiro research material relating to women artists measures 0.2 linear feet and dates from circa 1975-1976. The collection documents Shapiro's research on women artists, some used for an exhibition and book "Breaking the Sex Barrier in the Visual Arts". Included are untranscribed audio recordings containing six interviews on 3 audio cassettes and 7 CDs conducted by Dee Shapiro with artists Joyce Kozloff, May Stevens, Sylvia Sleigh, Muriel Castanis, Nancy Spero and Eunice Golden; a panel discussion at the Soho Center for Visual Arts by Amy Goldin; correspondence, slides and artists biographies of women; and notes for " A Chronology of Women Artists' Movement" by Lucy Lippard.

Biographical / Historical:

Dee Shapiro (1936- ) is an artist in Great Neck, N.Y. Shapiro was a member of a women's cooperative gallery in New York when she conducted research into the lives of women artists.

Provenance:

Donated 2014 and 2020 by Dee Shapiro.

Restrictions:

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

Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

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:

Women artists  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Identifier:

AAA.shapdee

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9b15ce3c7-cec0-4c34-b017-0d23fb460222

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-shapdee

Creator:

Artists Talk on Art  Search this

Names:

Barnet, Will, 1911-2012  Search this

Bourgeois, Louise, 1911-2010  Search this

Christo, 1935-  Search this

De Niro, Robert, Sr., 1922-1993  Search this

Denes, Agnes  Search this

Goldberg, Michael, 1924-2007  Search this

Jeanne-Claude, 1935-2009  Search this

Longo, Robert  Search this

Mendieta, Ana, 1948-1985  Search this

Morris, Robert, 1931-2018  Search this

Murray, Elizabeth, 1940-  Search this

Neel, Alice, 1900-1984  Search this

Pavia, Philip, 1915-2005  Search this

Sleigh, Sylvia  Search this

Wilke, Hannah  Search this

Wojnarowicz, David  Search this

Extent:

64.4 Linear feet

317.43 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Photographs

Sound recordings

Scrapbooks

Transcripts

Video recordings

Date:

circa 1974-2018

Summary:

The records of Artists Talk on Art (ATOA) measure 64.4 linear feet and 317.43 gigabytes and date from circa 1974-2018. The bulk of the records consist of extensive video and sound recordings of events organized by the group featuring artists, critics, historians, dealers, curators and writers discussing contemporary issues in the American art world in hundreds of panel discussions, open screenings, and dialogues held in New York City. Events began in 1975 and continue to the present; recordings in the collection date from 1977 and 2016. A smaller group of records include administrative files, panel flyers, three scrapbooks, as well as photographs, slides, and negatives of panel discussions and participants.

Scope and Contents:

The records of Artists Talk on Art (ATOA) measure 64.4 linear feet and 317.43 gigabytes and date from circa 1974-2018. The bulk of the records consist of extensive video and sound recordings of events organized by the group featuring artists, critics, historians, dealers, curators and writers discussing contemporary issues in the American art world in hundreds of panel discussions, open screenings, and dialogues held in New York City. Events began in 1975 and continue to the present; recordings in the collection date from 1977 and 2016. A smaller group of records include administrative files, panel flyers, three scrapbooks, as well as photographs, slides, and negatives of panel discussions and participants.

ATOA's recordings chronicle the American art world, covering critical discussions and significant art world issues over five decades. Thousands of artists such as Will Barnet, Louise Bourgeois, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Robert De Niro, Agnes Denes, Michael Goldberg, Robert Longo, Ana Mendieta, Robert Morris, Elizabeth Murray, Alice Neel, Philip Pavia, Howardena Pindell, Larry Rivers, Sylvia Sleigh, Kahinde Wiley, Hannah Wilke, David Wojnarowicz, and others speak about their work. The original recordings exist in a variety of formats, including U-Matic and VHS videotape, MiniDVs, sound cassettes and sound tape reels. ATOA digitized most of the video and sound recordings prior to donating the collection.

The collection also includes printed histories, board and program committee meeting minutes, financial statements, general correspondence files of the president and chair, attendance statistics, grant files, panel participant release forms, sixteen panel transcripts, a complete set of panel flyers (many are annotated) and other printed materials, three dismantled scrapbooks, as well as photographs, slides, and negatives of panels and panel participants.

Arrangement:

The records are arranged into nine series.

Series 1: Adminstrative Files, 1974-2013 (0.4 linear feet, Box 1)

Series 2: Director's and Chairman's Correspondence, 1977-2006 (0.4 linear feet, Box 1)

Series 3: Grant Files, 1977-2009 (1 linear foot, Boxes 1-2)

Series 4: Panel Release Forms, 1978-2012 (1 linear foot, Boxes 2-3)

Series 5: Panel Transcripts, 1981, 1986, 1988, 2017-2018 (1 folder, Box 3; 0.002 GB, ER01)

Series 6: Printed Materials, 1975-2015 (0.8 linear feet, Boxes 3-4; 0.434 GB, ER02)

Series 7: Scrapbooks, 1975-1989 (0.2 linear feet, Box 4)

Series 8: Photographic Materials, circa 1975-circa 2000 (1 linear foot, Boxes 4-5)

Series 9: Video and Sound Recordings of Events, 1977-2016 (59 linear feet, Boxes 6-65; 317.43 GB, ER03-ER04)

Biographical / Historical:

Established in 1974 and still active in New York, Artists Talk on Art is the art world's longest running and most prolific aesthetic panel discussion series organized by artists for artists. Founded by Lori Antonacci, Douglas I. Sheer, and Robert Wiegand, the forum has presented 6,000 artists in nearly 1,000 documented panels or dialogues. ATOA held its first panel, "Whatever Happened to Public Art," on January 10, 1975 and it drew a "crowd" of 77 people. In the decades that followed, ATOA presented dozens of panels or dialogues a year, tackling such diverse topics as "What is Happening with Conceptual Art," with Louise Lawler and Lawrence Weiner; "Painting and Photography: Defining the Difference," with Sarah Charlesworth, Jack Goldstein, Joseph Kosuth, Barbara Kruger, and Robert Mapplethorpe; "Organizing Arts Activism," with Lucy Lippard; "The Artist and the Epidemic—an information panel about AIDS"; "Cross-generational Views of Feminism"; and hundreds more.

Provenance:

The Artists Talk on Art (ATOA) records, including digital files of the video and sound recordings, were donated to the Archives in 2016 by Douglas Sheer, Chairman of ATOA.

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

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  Search this

Art dealers  Search this

Art historians  Search this

Artists  Search this

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

Historians  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Sound recordings

Scrapbooks

Transcripts

Video recordings

Citation:

Artists Talk on Art records, circa 1974-2018. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.artitalk

See more items in:

Artists Talk on Art records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9c4de66ef-397b-4e6e-9fde-d6deca12fa3a

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-artitalk

Creator:

Gordon, Elizabeth, 1906-2000  Search this

Names:

Claiborne, Craig  Search this

Gordon, Elizabeth, 1906-2000  Search this

Leach, Bernard, 1887-1979  Search this

Extent:

3 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Periodicals

Photographs

Correspondence

Personal papers

Place:

Japan

Date:

1958-1987

Summary:

Papers, 1959-1987, of Elizabeth Gordon, editor of the periodical, House Beautiful from 1941-1964, mostly related to her research for the August and September 1960 issues of House Beautiful regarding the Japanese aesthetic concept of "shibui", and the subsequent travelling "shibui exhibition" from 1961-1964. Included are correspondence, some photocopies, 1959-1963; notes; drafts for articles and lectures; printed material including magazine and newspaper clippings, 1959-1987; 2 books, and exhibition announcements; drawings of paper and foil art; a photo album containing photos of exhibition installations; and photographs, slides, color transparencies, and lantern slides depicting people, sites, and objects reflecting the "shibui" aesthetic.

Scope and Contents:

The Elizabeth Gordon Papers measure 4.5 linear feet and span the years 1959-1987. The collection mainly documents Ms. Gordon's research for the August and September 1960 issues of House Beautiful regarding the Japanese aesthetic concept of "shibui", and the subsequent travelling "shibui exhibition" from 1961-1964. Included are correspondence, some photocopies, 1959-1963; research notes and materials; articles; lectures; printed material including magazine and newspaper clippings, 1959-1987; 2 books, and exhibition announcements; article materials; a photo album containing photos of exhibition installations; and photographs, slides, color transparencies, and lantern slides depicting people, sites, and objects reflecting the "shibui" aesthetic.

Arrangement note:

This collection is organized into eight series. 1. Biographical data, 2. Shibui research, 3. Shibui issues of, House Beautiful, 4. Correspondence, 5. Shibui promotion, 6. Exhibition files, 7. Printed materials, and 8. Photographs.

Biographical Information:

Born in Logansport, Indiana in 1906, Elizabeth Gordon served as editor of House Beautiful magazine 1941 to 1964. Ms. Gordon first became interested in Japanese aesthetics during the mid-1950s. As a result she began to read and study Japanese art, history and culture. In 1959, Gordon travelled to Japan with three staff people from, House Beautiful. In Kyoto she met Eiko Yuasa, a young woman then employed by the City of Kyoto to handle foreign V.I.P.s, who was assigned to assist Gordon during her stay there. It was Ms. Yuasa who, in the course of discussions of Japanese aesthetics, introduced the term "shibui." Around that term and its related concepts ("iki", "jimi", "hade") the theme for the issue began to crystallize. In August and September, 1960, House Beautiful, under the editorial control of Ms. Gordon, published two extremely popular issues devoted to the subject of "shibui". Due to the popularity of the issues, museum exhibits devoted to the concept of "shibui" travelled around the United States. Ms. Gordon died in Adamstown, Maryland in 2000.

Biographical Overview

1906 -- Born in Logansport, Indiana

1920s -- Attended the University of Chicago

1930s -- Moved to New York to work as a promotional copywriter for several newspapers

1930s -- Syndicated columnist on home maintenance for The New York Herald Tribune

1930s -- Editor at Good Housekeeping (here for 8 years)

1937 -- More House for your Money by Elizabeth Gordon and Dorothy Ducas published by W. Morrow and Company: New York.

1937 -- Married Carl Hafey Norcross

1939 -- Appointed editor of House Beautiful

1964 -- Left the magazine world

1972 -- Published a special issue on Scandinavian design and awarded the insignia of a knight, first class, in the Finnish Order of the Lion

1987 -- American Institute of Architects made her an honorary member

1988 -- Carl Hafey Norcross died

September 3, 2000 -- Died in Adamstown, MD

(The following biography of Elizabeth Gordon comes courtesy of curator Louise Cort. Written in consultation with Elizabeth Gordon, October 23, 1987)

The research papers, memoranda, magazines, books, photographs and color transparencies and other materials in this archives are related to the publication by Elizabeth Gordon (Mrs. Carl Norcross), editor of House Beautiful from 1941 to 1964 and creator of the August, 1960 issue of the magazine on the special theme of the Japanese aesthetic concept of "shibui". The "shibui issue" was followed by the September, 1960, issue of the same publication on the theme, "How to be shibui with American things." As a by-product of the issues, a "Shibui Exhibition" travelled to eleven museums in the United States during 1961-1964. Each exhibition was opened with a slide lecture by Elizabeth Gordon.

Miss Gordon first became curious about Japanese aesthetics in the mid-1950s when she began to see Japanese objects being displayed and used in the homes of Americans who had spent time in Japan during the Occupation and Japanese influence began to appear in wholesale showrooms of home furnishings manufacturers. It was clear that the time had come: she HAD to go to Japan!

She read for five years before going to Japan - history, social mores, art history. (Many of the books on Japan that she collected during this time have been presented to the library at the University of Maryland, College Park.)

An important bit of advice came from Alice Spaulding Bowen, owner of Pacifica, the highest quality shop of Asian antiquities in Honolulu, who told her, "Be sure to read, The Tale of Genji - then you'll understand everything."

She made her first trip to Japan in April, 1959, accompanied by three staff people from, House Beautiful. In Kyoto she met Eiko Yuasa, a young woman then employed by the City of Kyoto to handle foreign V.I.P.s, who was assigned to assist Miss Gordon during her stay there. It was Ms. Yuasa who, in the course of discussions of Japanese aesthetics, introduced the term "shibui." Around that term and its related concepts ("iki", "jimi", "hade") the theme for the issue began to crystallize.

Miss Gordon came home, planning to spend the summer researching "shibui" with the aid of the Japan Society. But she found virtually nothing written in English on the concept. So she returned to Japan in December, 1959 together with staff member Marion Gough, to dig deeper and to work out details and get better educated with Eiko Yuasa. One of their devices was to walk through department stores and discuss with sales personnel whether objects for sale were "shibui", or were "jimi" or "hade", and why. Between themselves, they did the same for the costumes of women they saw on the streets.

Lacking printed sources for information on "shibui", Miss Gordon sought out and interviewed experts, including Douglas Overton, head of the Japan Society in New York. In Japan in December, 1959, she met Yanagi Soetsu, founder of Japan's Folk Craft Movement and head of the Craft Museum in Tokyo (with an introduction from Tonomura Kichinosuke, head of the Craft Museum in Kurashiki). She met the chef Tsuji Kaichi, who was commissioned to write an article on "kaiseki" (that could not be used because of an inadequate English translation) and Frances Blakemore. She met several times with Bernard Leach and attended his lecture at Bonnier's while he was in New York in March, 1960. (He would later write a "fan letter" for the issue)

As the concept of "the shibui issue" began to take shape, a third trip in the spring of 1960 focused on photography - to produce the shooting script decided on the preceding December. This was executed by the noted photographer Ezra Stoller of Rye, New York, and John DeKoven Hill, House Beautiful's Editorial Director. (Mr. Hill worked with Frank Lloyd Wright except for the ten years that he was a member of the House Beautiful editorial staff)

Miss Gordon was back in Japan in Mid-August 1960 as the "shibui issue" was causing a sensation. Altogether she spent sixteen months in Japan.

As one of the experiences that influenced her strong interest in Japanese costumes and textiles, Miss Gordon remembers a spectacularly thorough exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno on, 1200 Years of Japanese Costume. She saw it on the last day of its exhibition (possibly 1964).

The August 1960 issue sold out quickly. Copies of the magazine, which sold for fifty cents, were sold on the "black market" for ten dollars.

The publication of the August 1960 issue was followed by an unprecedented avalanche of "fan mail". Many department heads in colleges and universities, including the Harvard-Yenching Institute and the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (where Miss Gordon had worked as an undergraduate) wrote to comment on the issue. Many people in other fields of endeavor wrote: heads of firms concerned with interior design, landscape architecture, and related areas expressed their interest in the concept of "shibui" Other writers include Bernard Leach, Gertrude Natzler, Laura Gilpin, Mainbocher, the architect Yoshimura Junzo, the textile artist Marianne Strengell, Walter Kerr, Craig Claiborne, and Oliver Statler.

The "shibui issue" was followed immediately by the September issue dealing with the use of non-Japanese objects to express the concept of "shibui." (Miss Gordon convinced her advertisers, who had been skeptical about the potential success of the August issue, by promising the September issue dealing with American products.) Four American firms were involved in the production of an integrated line of paints, wallpaper, furniture and carpets expressive of the concept. Products were designed by the firms' designers following the clues offered by objects and fabrics purchased by Miss Gordon in Japan in December 1959 and spring 1960. Miss Gordon has expressed her dissatisfaction with the September issue, although public opinion was positive. She feels that some of the firms failed in the "shibui" project, though some "caught" the message: namely the paint company and the fabric/wallpaper company.

In response to strong public interest, the House Beautiful staff prepared a travelling exhibition to introduce the concept of "shibui" through a series of vignettes, mixing fabrics and objects, colors and textures. The museum installation was designed by John Hill of House Beautiful. Japan Air Lines underwrote shipping costs.

The exhibition began in Philadelphia in late 1961. Ezra Stoller was sent to photograph the installation in considerable detail at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts in January, 1962, so that his photographs cold serve as guidelines for installations at the other museums, which included the San Francisco Museum of Art (April 1962), the Newark Pubic Library, and the Honolulu Academy of Art. Miss Gordon presented a lecture on "shibui" at each of the museum installations.

In appreciation of her work to introduce Americans to the concept of "shibui", the city of Kyoto presented a bolt of especially "shibui" kimono fabric executed by a Living National Treasure textile artist. Miss Gordon eventually tailored the fabric into a dress and jacket. She received the 1961 Trail Blazer Award from the New York Chapter of the National Home Fashions League, Inc. In June, 1987, Miss Gordon was named an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects, with her introduction of the concept of "shibui" and her promotion of an understanding of other culture cited as her major contributions to American architecture.

Provenance:

Elizabeth Gordon donated her papers to the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives in 1988.

Elizabeth Gordon donated her papers to the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives in 1988.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Rights:

No restrictions on use.

Topic:

Interior decoration -- Periodicals  Search this

Landscape gardening  Search this

Art, Japanese  Search this

Aesthetics, Japanese  Search this

House funishings  Search this

Interior decoration  Search this

Museum exhibits  Search this

Interior decorators  Search this

Gardens -- Japan  Search this

Genre/Form:

Periodicals -- 1940-1970

Photographs

Correspondence

Personal papers -- 1950-2000

Citation:

The Elizabeth Gordon Papers. Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Elizabeth Gordon, 1988

Identifier:

FSA.A1988.03

See more items in:

Elizabeth Gordon Papers

Archival Repository:

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3bd5683e5-f956-4a04-9d0c-4565a6b761b7

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-fsa-a1988-03

Creator:

Lowenthal, Milton  Search this

Lowenthal, Edith  Search this

Names:

Brooklyn Museum  Search this

Avery, Milton, 1885-1965  Search this

Davis, Stuart, 1892-1964  Search this

De Creeft, José, 1884-1982  Search this

Gross, Chaim, 1904-1991  Search this

Lawrence, Jacob, 1917-2000  Search this

Miller, Henry, 1891-1980  Search this

O'Keeffe, Georgia, 1887-1986  Search this

Rattner, Abraham  Search this

Sheeler, Charles, 1883-1965  Search this

Weber, Max, 1881-1961  Search this

Extent:

4.4 Linear feet ((on 5 microfilm reels))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Scrapbooks

Date:

1940-1989

Scope and Contents:

Biographical material; correspondence and greeting cards; writings; business records; printed material about the Lowenthal collection, exhibitions, and artists, photographs; scrapbooks; and sound recordings.

REEL 4904, frames 1-114: Thirty-nine greeting cards from artists, illustrated with original prints, drawings, and off-set reproductions. Included are 20 from Jose de Creeft and Lorrie Goulet, 8 from Abraham and Esther Rattner, 4 each from Chaim Gross and Milton and Sally Avery, 2 from Max Weber, and 1 from Jacob Lawrence.

REELS 4904 (fr. 126-end) - 4908: Biographical material includes a resume and transcripts for Edith Lowenthal, an obituary of Isadore Lowenthal, M.D., Milton's father, and clippings related to the Lowenthals. General correspondence, 1947-1991, is primarily with museums, university galleries, and publishers regarding loans and gifts of art work, contributions, lectures, travel, and permissions to reproduce for publication. In addition, there are a correspondence file, 1963-1990, with the Brooklyn Museum, regarding loans, contributions, and conservation work, and correspondence from artists, including letters, greeting cards, and announcements from Stuart Davis, Jacob Lawrence, Josef Presser, Abraham Rattner, Charles Sheeler, Max Weber, and others.

Writings and notes by Milton Lowenthal are about the role of the art collector, his thoughts on works of art and artists, and drafts of letters. Writings by others include Henry Miller's "The Rattner Portfolio" and Elizabeth McCausland's proposal for a Marsden Hartley catalog raisonne. Material relating specifically to the Lowenthal Collection includes lists, valuations, collection exhibition records, documentation of gifts, financial records, receipts, clippings, catalogs, and a 2 v. index of acquisitions. A file containing memorabilia relating to Stuart Davis includes clippings, an address book, printed materials, and notes.

Printed materials include clippings about artists, collectors, and other art related issues and exhibitions, exhibition announcements, and catalogs. Photographs are of artists and works of art. Files relating to the "Friends of the Whitney", ca. 1956-1961, include correspondence, by-laws, annual and other reports, statements, and catalogs of loan exhibitions. Scrapbooks (4 v.), 1942-1953, contain letters and greeting cards (many illustrated) from friends, artists and associates, clippings, exhibition announcements, and catalogs about artists, museums, and exhibitions.

Unmicrofilmed material consists of negatives, slides, and transparencies of works of art and 3 phonograph albums (78 r.p.m) of a radio interview with art collectors and a recording of a school performance by Stuart Davis' son.

Biographical / Historical:

Art collectors, benefactors of the Brooklyn Museum; New York, N.Y. Mr. Lowenthal was a lawyer whose clients included Stuart Davis.

Provenance:

Donated 1993 by Louis M. Bernstein, Mrs. Lowenthal's nephew, except for illustrated greeting cards on reel 4904, frames 1-114, which were received as a loan for microfilming.

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.

Topic:

Art -- Collectors and collecting  Search this

Greeting cards  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Scrapbooks

Identifier:

AAA.lowemilt

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw93ff6c9a9-440c-40db-a074-e6cb92ca04a8

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-lowemilt

Creator:

Terry Dintenfass, Inc.  Search this

Names:

Art Dealers Association of America  Search this

Grace Borgenicht Gallery  Search this

Bloom, Hyman, 1913-  Search this

Cober, Alan E.  Search this

Dintenfass, Terry, 1920-  Search this

Dove, Arthur Garfield, 1880-1946  Search this

Evergood, Philip, 1901-1973  Search this

Fleischner, Richard, 1944-  Search this

Frasconi, Antonio  Search this

Goodman, Sidney  Search this

King, William, 1925-2015  Search this

Lawrence, Jacob, 1917-2000  Search this

Merkin, Richard  Search this

Pippin, Horace, 1888-1946  Search this

Suttman, Paul, 1933-1993  Search this

Tovish, Harold, 1921-2008  Search this

Extent:

22.1 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Visitors' books

Date:

1947-1987

bulk 1961-1983

Summary:

The records of New York art gallery Terry Dintenfass, Inc. date from 1947 to 1987, with the bulk of the collection dating from 1961 to 1983, and measure 22.1 linear feet. The records are comprised of administrative files, correspondence, exhibition files, artists' files, and financial records.

Scope and Contents:

The records of New York art gallery Terry Dintenfass, Inc. date from 1947 to 1987, with the bulk of the collection dating from 1961 to 1983, and measure 22.1 linear feet. The records include administrative files, correspondence, exhibition files, artists' files, and financial records.

Administrative files include advertising and membership records, insurance documents, a guest book, resumes, and agreements with other corporations. Correspondence is with artists, galleries, museums, and arts organizations. There is a significant amount of correspondence regarding the Art Dealers Association of America. Exhibition files are found for numerous exhibitions to which Dintenfass either loaned art or helped to organize. There is extensive documentation of the 20 Galleries/20 Years exhibition held at the Grace Borgenicht Gallery and the Terry Dintenfass Gallery in 1982 and the "Machine Themed Shows" in 1974-1975.

Artists' files comprise the largest group of materials within the collection. Files for Hyman Bloom, Alan Cober, Arthur Dove, Philip Evergood, Richard Fleischner, Antonio Frasconi, Sidney Goodman, William King, Jacob Lawrence, Richard Merkin, Horace Pippin, Paul Suttman, and Harold Tovish bulk the largest.

Financial records contain artist expense and sales ledgers, consignment papers, invoices and receipts, as well as records for D Contemporary Paintings.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 5 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Administrative Files, 1961-1983 (1.0 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1961-1981 (1.0 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Exhibition Files, 1962-1983 (4.5 linear feet; Boxes 2-7, OV 23)

Series 4: Artists' Files, 1947-1987 (8.5 linear feet; Boxes 7-15, OV 23)

Series 5: Financial Records, 1959-1981 (7.0 linear feet; Boxes 16-22, OV 23)

Biographical / Historical:

Terry Dintenfass, Inc. is a New York City art gallery founded in 1959 by Terry Dintenfass (1920-2004).

In 1954, Theresa "Terry" Dintenfass opened D Contemporary Paintings in Atlantic City, New Jersey. With financial backing from Armand Erpf, she moved the gallery to New York City in 1959 and changed the name to Terry Dintenfass Gallery. There, she became a protégé of Downtown Gallery owner Edith Halpert. Dintenfass was one of several notable female art dealers in the city during the 1940s-1980s among Edith Halpert, Betty Parsons, Grace Borgenicht, Antoinette Kraushaar, and others. She showed work on consignment from other dealers, and when Edith Halpert retired, Terry Dintenfass, Inc. began to represent the estate of Arthur Dove. Other notable artists represented by the gallery included social realists Philip Evergood and Robert Gwathmey, and African American painters Horace Pippin and Jacob Lawrence, whom she represented for 25 years. The gallery's stable also included William King, Sidney Goodman, Hyman Bloom, Antonio Frasconi, and others.

After Dintenfass retired in 1999, her son Andrew took over the business and continues to run the gallery today. Terry Dintenfass died in 2004 in Manhattan.

Related Materials:

Also found at the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Terry Dintenfass conducted by Paul Cummings on December 2, 1974-January 13, 1975 for the Archives of American Art.

Provenance:

The collection was donated in 1995 by Terry Dintenfass.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the 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.

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

Function:

Art galleries, Commercial -- New York (State)

Genre/Form:

Visitors' books

Citation:

Terry Dintenfass, Inc. records, 1947-1987, bulk 1961-1983. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Smithsonian Institution Collections Care and Preservation Fund.

Identifier:

AAA.terrdint

See more items in:

Terry Dintenfass, Inc. records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e485640b-ef7f-49bb-8964-fed4c50e6438

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-terrdint

Creator:

Arwin Galleries (Detroit, Mich.)  Search this

Names:

Arwin, Kathleen G.  Search this

Arwin, Lester B.  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Yunkers, Adja, 1900-1983  Search this

Extent:

8.7 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Drawings

Motion pictures

Date:

1948-1981

Summary:

The records of Detroit art gallery Arwin Galleries measure 8.7 linear feet and date from 1948 to 1981. The collection comprises administrative records including sales, a financial ledger of artists' account consignment and loan records; personal and professional correspondence; artist files for Chuang Chi, Richard Kozlow, Ben and Bernarda Bryson Shahn, Jo Snyder, Russel Thayer, Adja Yunkers, and others; printed materials documenting the 1963 fire at the gallery, exhibitions, and other activities related to the gallery; artwork by Frederick Simper, Donald Snydor, and a few others; and photographic materials and moving images including photos of the Arwins, gallery artists, and exhibitions, and two film reels relating to the gallery fire.

Scope and Contents:

The records of Detroit art gallery Arwin Galleries measure 8.7 linear feet and date from 1948 to 1981. The collection comprises administrative records containing sales records, consignment and loan records, appraisals, framing and graphics orders, a financial ledger of artists' accounts, and other administrative documents; personal and professional correspondence; artist's files for Chuang Chi, Richard Kozlow, Ben and Bernarda Bryson Shahn, Jo Snyder, Russel Thayer, Adja Yunkers, and others; printed materials documenting the 1963 fire at the gallery, exhibitions, and other articles related to the gallery; artwork by Frederick Simper, Donald Snydor, and a few others; and photographic materials and moving images include portraits and candid shots of the Arwins, gallery installations and openings, artists, works of art, and two film reels relating to the fire at the gallery.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as six series.

Series 1: Administrative Records, 1959-1981 (2.5 linear feet; Boxes 1-3, 13, OV 11)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1958-1981 (0.4 linear feet; Box 3)

Series 3: Artist's Files, 1948-1981 (4.0 linear feet; Boxes 3-7, 13, OV 11)

Series 4: Printed Materials, 1956-1981 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 7-8, OV 11)

Series 5: Artwork, circa 1970s (0.2 linear feet; Box 3)

Series 6: Photographic Materials and Moving Images, circa 1950-1981 (0.8 linear feet; Box 3, FC 12)

Biographical / Historical:

The Arwin Galleries (est. 1963-1981) was founded by Lester and Kathleen (Kitty) Arwin in Detroit, Michigan.

Although intending to move to Chicago in the 1930s, Lester Arwin found himself remaining in Detroit due to lack of funds. There he spent time observing Diego Rivera painting the murals at the Detroit Institute of Art. He also visited Rivera's studio and purchased his first piece of artwork, thus beginning his career as an art collector and dealer. Arwin served as director of Grinnell Art Galleries prior to opening his own business.

In 1963, Lester and his wife Kitty opened the Arwin Galleries, specializing in contemporary art, in Robinsons Furniture Store on Washington Boulevard. A fire at the gallery in 1963 destroyed approximately $300,000 worth of artwork, including works by Picasso with an estimated value of $150,000. The Arwin Galleries reopened at W. Grand River in 1965. The Arwins worked closely with many renowned artists such as Richard Kozlow, Ben Shahn, and numerous others.

Lester and Kitty Arwin died in 1981.

Provenance:

The Arwin Galleries records were donated in 1981, 1984 and 2021 by Melanie Arwin, the daughter of Lester and Kathleen Arwin.

Restrictions:

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

Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact Reference Services for more information.

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:

Women art dealers  Search this

Function:

Art galleries, Commercial -- Michigan

Genre/Form:

Drawings

Motion pictures

Citation:

Arwin Galleries records, 1948-1981. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for processing the bulk of this collection was provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee. A small portion of the collection was processed with funding provided by the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund.

Identifier:

AAA.arwigall

See more items in:

Arwin Galleries records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9cf38970b-0287-482f-9a00-39cc5ea2f2d4

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-arwigall

Creator:

Eva Lee Gallery  Search this

Names:

Korvettes  Search this

New Art Circle (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Albers, Josef  Search this

Benn, Ben, 1884-  Search this

Benton, Thomas Hart, 1889-1975  Search this

Calder, Alexander, 1898-1976  Search this

Christo, 1935-  Search this

Corinth, Lovis, 1858-1925  Search this

Cornell, Joseph  Search this

Dalí, Salvador, 1904-1989  Search this

Feininger, Lyonel, 1871-1956  Search this

Grosz, George, 1893-1959  Search this

Hartley, Marsden, 1877-1943  Search this

Hopkins, John  Search this

Indiana, Robert, 1928-  Search this

Lee, Eva  Search this

Lieberman, Harry, 1880-1983  Search this

Lipchitz, Jacques, 1891-1973  Search this

Loewe, Frederick  Search this

Magritte, René, 1898-1967  Search this

Marin, John, 1870-1953  Search this

Mommer, Paul  Search this

Nesbitt, Lowell, 1933-1993  Search this

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

Odets, Clifford, 1906-1963  Search this

Ritchie, Andrew Carnduff  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Simpson, Merton D. (Merton Daniel), 1928-  Search this

Valentin, Curt, 1902-1954  Search this

Vasarely, Victor, 1906-1997  Search this

Weber, Max, 1881-1961  Search this

Extent:

4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Watercolor drawings

Photographs

Date:

1921-1973

Summary:

The scattered records of the New York contemporary American art Eva Lee Gallery measure 4.0 linear feet and date from 1921-1973. Artist files contain provenance notes, photographs of artwork, records of sales and consignments, exhibition catalogs from other galleries, and reference information on numerous contemporary artists, many represented by the gallery. There are also scattered letters and artwork from artists, scattered sales records of J.B. Neuman's New Art Circle Gallery, and a photocopy of an auction catalog for Korvettes Art Galleries in Douglastan, New York. A significant amount of information is found within the collection about Alexander Calder, Lovis Corinth, Salvadore Dali, Lyonel Feininger, George Grosz, Robert Indiana, Harry Lieberman, Rene Magritte, John Marin, Lowell Nesbitt, Ben Shahn, Victor Vasarely, and Max Weber.

Scope and Content Note:

The scattered records of the New York contemporary American art Eva Lee Gallery measure 4.0 linear feet and date from 1921-1973. Artist files contain provenance notes, photographs of artwork, records of sales and consignments, exhibition catalogs from other galleries, and reference information on numerous contemporary artists, many represented by the gallery. There are also scattered letters and artwork from artists, scattered sales records of J.B. Neumann's New Art Circle Gallery, and a photocopy of an auction catalog for Korvettes Art Galleries in Douglastan, New York.

The records are comprised of artists' files arranged into four categories established by the gallery: general artists' files; notebooks of artists' files; financial artists' files; and consignment and sales artists' files. General artists' files contain background and reference information on numerous contemporary artists, performers, and art-related organizations. More information exists for Alexander Calder and Harry Lieberman than the other names represented in the general files. Lee also arranged provenance notes and photographs of artwork into notebooks, presumably including many of the artists represented by the gallery. There is a significant amount of material in the notebooks on Alexander Calder, Robert Indiana, Lowell Nesbitt, Ben Shahn, Victor Vasarely, and Max Weber.

Financial artists' files contain correspondence with artists and patrons concerning the sale of artwork by both the Eva Lee Gallery and J. B. Neumann of the New Art Circle Gallery, scattered artwork, printed material, photographs of artists, and checks signed by Neumann and endorsed by miscellaneous artists. Eva Lee worked on the estate of J. B. Neumann and collected and interspersed his files with her own. These files include letters from Josef Albers, Thomas Hart Benton, Alexander Calder, Christo, Joseph Cornell, Robert Indiana, and a postcard of Calder's studio from Ben Shahn. There are also watercolor sketches by Clifford Odets, an exhibition catalog autographed by Ben Shahn, and photographs of Marsden Hartley, Jacques Lipchitz, composer Frederick Loewe, Paul Mommer, Mert Simpson, and Curt Valentin with Andrew Ritchie.

Eva Lee Gallery artists' consignment and sales files primarily contain photographs of artwork and notes concerning sales of specific artwork by the Eva Lee Gallery. Also found in these sales files are scattered letters, receipts, and printed material. There is a significant amount of material for Ben Benn, Alexander Calder, Lovis Corinth, Salvadore Dali, Lyonel Feininger, George Grosz, Marsden Hartley, John Hopkins, Rene Magritte, and John Marin. It is assumed that Eva Lee separated the two latter sets of artists' files containing sales records.

Also found in the collection is a photocopy of the Korvettes Art Galleries auction catalog, which lists artwork sold at a 1970 auction liquidating the holdings of the Douglaston, New York gallery.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 5 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: General Artist Files, 1923-1972 (Boxes 1-2; 1.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Notebooks of Artist Files, 1929-1973 (Boxes 2-3; 1.4 linear feet)

Series 3: Financial Artist Files, 1921-1970 (Boxes 3-4; 0.6 linear feet)

Series 4: Eva Lee Gallery Consignment and Sales Artist Files, 1960-1972 (Box 4; 0.7 linear feet)

Series 5: Photocopy of Korvettes Art Galleries Auction Catalog, 1970 (Box 4; 1 folder)

Historical Note:

Eva Lee was born circa 1924. She fled from Nazi Germany to the United States, becoming an art dealer and the owner of the Eva Lee Gallery, Inc. Located in Great Neck, New York, the Eva Lee Gallery specialized in modern art and handled the work of many prominent artists including Alexander Calder, Lyonel Feininger, George Grosz, Marsden Hartley, Jacob Lawrence, Ben Shahn, and Max Weber. The gallery was in operation through the first half of 1973.

Eva Lee died suddenly on November 4, 1973 in Terre Haute, Indiana, while undergoing unspecified medical treatment.

Provenance:

The Eva Lee Gallery records were donated in 1973 by Eva Lee through Eloise Spaeth, and in 1978 by Neal Richmond of the Paul Klapper Library, Queens College, Flushing, New York, who had been asked to disperse Lee's gallery records following her sudden death in 1973. A photocopy of the Korvettes Art Galleries Auction Catalog was donated by Eva Lee in 1970.

Lee's records also contained financial files belonging to art dealer J. B. Neumann and his New Art Circle Gallery, whose estate she had worked on in 1966.

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.

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

Function:

Art galleries, Commercial -- New York (State)

Genre/Form:

Watercolor drawings

Photographs

Citation:

Eva Lee Gallery records, 1921-1973. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.evalee

See more items in:

Eva Lee Gallery records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw94fc1585b-1c6a-4e39-9484-b34a914e88a2

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-evalee

Creator:

Waintrob-Budd (Firm : New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Names:

American Academy of Arts and Letters  Search this

Budd (Firm : New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Adrian, Barbara, 1931- -- Photographs  Search this

Archipenko, Alexander, 1887-1964 -- Photographs  Search this

Avery, Milton, 1885-1965 -- Photographs  Search this

Barnet, Will, 1911- -- Photographs  Search this

Benton, Thomas Hart, 1889-1975 -- Photographs  Search this

Biddle, George, 1885-1973 -- Photographs  Search this

Bosa, Louis, 1905- -- Photographs  Search this

Botkin, Henry, 1896-1983 -- Photographs  Search this

Browne, Byron, 1907-1961 -- Photographs  Search this

Carroll, John, 1892-1959 -- Photographs  Search this

Constant, George, 1892-1978 -- Photographs  Search this

De Creeft, José, 1884-1982 -- Photographs  Search this

De Diego, Julio, 1900- -- Photographs  Search this

Delaunay, Sonia -- Photographs  Search this

Dickinson, Edwin Walter, 1891-1978 -- Photographs  Search this

Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968 -- Photographs  Search this

Evans, Walker, 1903-1975 -- Photographs  Search this

Floch, Joseph, 1895-1977 -- Photographs  Search this

Gablik, Suzi -- Photographs  Search this

Goodrich, Lloyd, 1897-1987 -- Photographs  Search this

Gottlieb, Adolph, 1903-1974 -- Photographs  Search this

Goulet, Lorrie, 1925- -- Photographs  Search this

Grosz, George, 1893-1959 -- Photographs  Search this

Hare, David, 1917- -- Photographs  Search this

Harkavy, Minna, b. 1895 -- Photographs  Search this

Hayter, Stanley William, 1901- -- Photographs  Search this

Hofmann, Hans, 1880-1966 -- Photographs  Search this

Hopper, Edward, 1882-1967 -- Photographs  Search this

Hopper, Jo N. (Josephine Nivison), 1883-1968 -- Photographs  Search this

Jenkins, Paul, 1923-2012 -- Photographs  Search this

Kantor, Morris, 1896-1974 -- Photographs  Search this

Krasner, Lee, 1908-1984 -- Photographs  Search this

Kroll, Leon, 1884-1974 -- Photographs  Search this

Lawrence, Jacob, 1917-2000 -- Photographs  Search this

Levi, Julian E. (Julian Edwin), 1900-1982 -- Photographs  Search this

Levine, Jack, 1915-2010 -- Photographs  Search this

Levy, Ellen K -- Photographs  Search this

Lijn, Liliane, 1939- -- Photographs  Search this

Lipchitz, Jacques, 1891-1973  Search this

Lowry, W. McNeil (Wilson McNeil), 1913-1993 -- Photographs  Search this

Marsh, Reginald, 1898-1954 -- Photographs  Search this

Mayor, A. Hyatt (Alpheus Hyatt), 1901-1980 -- Photographs  Search this

Menkes, Sigmund, 1896-1986 -- Photographs  Search this

Motherwell, Robert -- Photographs  Search this

Root, Edwin -- Photographs  Search this

Rorimer, James J. (James Joseph), 1905-1966 -- Photographs  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Sheerin, Jerry -- Photographs  Search this

Soyer, Moses, 1899-1974 -- Photographs  Search this

Soyer, Raphael, 1899-1987 -- Photographs  Search this

Speicher, Eugene E. (Eugene Edward), 1883-1962 -- Photographs  Search this

Speyer, Darthea -- Photographs  Search this

Steinberg, Saul -- Photographs  Search this

Sweeney, James Johnson, 1900- -- Photographs  Search this

Waintrob, A. L., 1908-  Search this

Waintrob, Sidney J., 1903-  Search this

Walker, Hudson D. (Hudson Dean), 1907-1976 -- Photographs  Search this

Walkowitz, Abraham, 1880-1965 -- Photographs  Search this

Zorach, William, 1887-1966 -- Photographs  Search this

Extent:

68 Items ((partially microfilmed on 2 reels))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1953-1980

Scope and Contents:

REEL 1817: Photographs of: Will Barnet, Jose de Creeft (2), Sonia Delaunay, Walker Evans, Joseph Floch, Suzi Gablik (2), Adolph Gottlieb (also filmed on reel 1886, fr. 33-34), Lorrie Goulet, Minna Harkavy, William Hayter (2), Paul Jenkins, Lee Krasner (2), Lilliane Lijn, Jerry Sheerin (2), and Darthea Speyer (2). Also included is a group photo of Jose de Creeft, Jacques Lipchitz, George Biddle, Thomas Benton, and Ben Shahn at the American Academy of Arts & Letters Ceremonial, May 20, 1964.

REEL 1886: Photographs of: Barbara Adrian, Alexander Archipenko, Milton Avery, Will Barnet, Isabel Bishop, Louis Bosa, Henry C. Botkin, Byron Browne, John Carroll, George Constant, Julio de Diego, Edwin Dickinson, Marcel Duchamp, Joseph Floch, Lloyd Goodrich, Adolph Gottlieb, Lorrie Goulet, George Grosz, David Hare, Minna Harkavy, Hans Hofmann, Edward Hopper, Josephine Hopper, Morris Kantor, Leon Kroll, Jacob Lawrence, Julian Levi, Jack Levine, Reginald Marsh, A. Hyatt Mayor, Sigmund Menkes, Robert Motherwell, Edwin Root, James Rorimer (a cropped version erroneously microfilmed as Sidney Waintrob appears on reel 1817, fr. 1193), Moses Soyer, Raphael Soyer, Eugene Speicher, Saul Steinberg, James Johnson Sweeney, Hudson Walker, Abraham Walker, and William Zorach.

UNMICROFILMED Two photographs: Ellen K. Levy and McNeil Lowry.

Arrangement:

REEL 1817: Microfilmed with AAA's Photographs of Artists Collection II, and appear on microfilm in alphabetical order under artist with other unrelated photographs.

Biographical / Historical:

Photographic studio; New York, N.Y. Sidney J. and his brother A. L. (Bud) Waintrob specialized in photographing artists, curators and other art world personalities. They worked under the name Budd [Studio] before using Waintrob-Budd.

Provenance:

Photographs on reel 1817 and unmicrofilmed photos donated 1974-1987 by Sidney J. Waintrob; photographs on reel 1886 donated 1979-1980 by Samuel I. Hoffberg, whose relationship to Waintrob-Budd is unclear.

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.

Rights:

Authorization to publish quote, or reproduce requires written permission from David Stekert. 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:

Artists -- United States -- Photographs  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.wainbudd

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw997984475-f0b5-41ac-b438-8b48c89a9145

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-wainbudd

Creator:

Neuberger, Roy R.  Search this

Names:

Africano, Nicholas, 1948-  Search this

Ajay, Abe  Search this

Austin, Darrel, 1907-  Search this

Avery, Milton, 1885-1965  Search this

Baldessari, John, 1931-  Search this

Baziotes, William, 1912-1963  Search this

Bearden, Romare, 1911-1988  Search this

Brooks, James, 1906-1992  Search this

Browne, Byron, 1907-1961  Search this

Calder, Alexander, 1898-1976  Search this

Constant, George  Search this

Davis, Stuart, 1892-1964  Search this

Evergood, Philip, 1901-1973  Search this

Feininger, Lyonel, 1871-1956  Search this

Gatch, Lee, 1902-1968  Search this

Gottlieb, Adolph, 1903-1974  Search this

Hurd, Peter, 1904-1984  Search this

Kinigstein, Jonah, 1923-  Search this

Knaths, Karl, 1891-1971  Search this

Kopman, Benjamin, b. 1887  Search this

Lamis, Leroy, 1925-  Search this

Laufman, Sidney, 1891-  Search this

Lawrence, Jacob, 1917-2000  Search this

Levine, Jack, 1915-2010  Search this

Levine, Les, 1935-  Search this

Maccoy, Guy C., 1904-1981  Search this

Magriel, Paul David, 1906-  Search this

Marin, John, 1870-1953  Search this

Moller, Hans, 1905-  Search this

Morris, George L. K., 1905-1975  Search this

Orr, Elliot, 1904-1997  Search this

Pereira, I. Rice (Irene Rice), 1902-1971  Search this

Quirt, Walter, 1902-  Search this

Rivers, Larry, 1925-2002  Search this

Rockefeller, Nelson A. (Nelson Aldrich), 1908-1979  Search this

Roth, Frank, 1936-  Search this

Rothschild, Judith  Search this

Schueler, Jon, 1916-  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Sheeler, Charles, 1883-1965  Search this

Snyder, Joan, 1940-  Search this

Sonfist, Alan  Search this

Steinberg, Saul  Search this

Walker, Hudson D. (Hudson Dean), 1907-1976  Search this

Weber, Max, 1881-1961  Search this

Wight, Frederick Stallknecht, 1902-  Search this

Extent:

5.4 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 2 reels))

0.2 Linear feet (Addition)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1940-1979

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence, printed material, photographs; and "birthday books" containing drawings and writings by artists sent to Neuberger on his 50th and 75th birthdays.

REEL NSM 1: A "Birthday Book," 1953, for Neuberger containing drawings, sketches and written birthday greetings from 38 artists, compiled by Mrs. Neuberger. Contributors include Alexander Calder, Byron Browne, George Constant, Adolph Gottlieb, Jack Levine, Lyonel Feininger, Lee Gatch, Benjamin Kopman, Jonah Kinigstein, Karl Knaths, William Baziotes, Peter Hurd, Walter Quirt, Milton Avery, Ben Shahn, George L. K. Morris, Hans Moller, Guy Maccoy, Irene Rice Pereira, Max Weber, Stuart Davis, Charles Sheeler, Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, Darrel Austin, Philip Evergood, Saul Steinberg, Elliot Orr, and John Marin.

REEL 4588: A scrapbook containing illustrated birthday cards from artists sent to Neuberger on the occasion of his 75th birthday (1978). Included are cards from Nicolas Africano, Abe Ajay, John Baldessari, Romare Bearden, James Brooks, Les Levine, Judith Rothschild, Joan Snyder, and Alan Sonfist, and others.

UNMICROFILMED: Material relating to Neuberger's activities as an art collector, patron, and trustee consisting of: clippings, exhibiton catalogs and announcements; photographs; and correspondence with Leroy Lamis, Sidney Laufman, Paul David Magriel, Larry Rivers, Frank Roth, Jon Rudolf Schueler, Hudson Walker and Frederick Stallknecht Wight.

ADDITION: Correspondence with artists and other prominent people including: Edward Albee, Alexander Calder, Merce Cunningham, Lyonel Feininger, Henry Geldzahler, Henry Moore, Gerald Ford, Robert F. Kennedy, John V. Lindsay, George McGovern and Nelson Rockefeller. Also included are a letter from Mr. and Mrs. John Walker relating to their trip to Europe to return the "Mona Lisa" to the Louvre in 1963; printed material relating to Nelson Rockefeller; and four lists of art related papers remaining with Neuberger.

Biographical / Historical:

Art collector, patron; New York, N.Y. Born 1903. A collector of primarily American art. President of the American Federation of the Arts, 1958-1968; a trustee and member of Friends of the Whitney Museum of American Art; honorary trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; member of the executive committee of the Council of Friends, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University; and many other positions and memberships. A large part of his private art collection was donated to the Roy R. Neuberger Museum of the State University of New York College at Purchase.

Provenance:

"Birthday books" on reels NSM 1 and 4588 lent for microfilming 1963 and 1992 by Neuberger. He donated the unmicrofilmed material in 1975 and 1993.

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:

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

Topic:

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

Artists and patrons -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Artists' books  Search this

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

Identifier:

AAA.neubroy

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ed9bd2bc-13f3-4cf8-83fa-08ac83e43104

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-neubroy

Creator:

Navas, Elizabeth S., 1885-1979  Search this

Names:

Wichita Art Museum  Search this

Bacon, Peggy, 1895-1987  Search this

Bouché, Louis, 1896-1969  Search this

Brice, William, 1921-2008  Search this

Burchfield, Charles Ephraim, 1893-1967  Search this

Burlin, Paul, 1886-1969  Search this

Callahan, Kenneth, 1905-1986  Search this

Copley, John Singleton, 1738-1815  Search this

Cowles, Russell, 1887-1979  Search this

Curry, John Steuart, 1897-1946  Search this

Davis, Stuart, 1892-1964  Search this

De Creeft, José, 1884-1982  Search this

Dehn, Adolf, 1895-1968  Search this

Dehner, Walt, 1898-  Search this

Demuth, Charles, 1883-1935  Search this

Dove, Arthur Garfield, 1880-1946  Search this

Eakins, Thomas, 1844-1916  Search this

Glackens, William J., 1870-1938  Search this

Gleitsmann, Raphael, 1910-  Search this

Grosz, George, 1893-1959  Search this

Heliker, John, 1909-2000  Search this

Homer, Winslow, 1836-1910  Search this

Hopper, Edward, 1882-1967  Search this

James, Alexander, 1890-1946  Search this

Kinigstein, Jonah, 1923-  Search this

Kirsch, Frederick D. (Frederick Dwight), b. 1899  Search this

Kuhn, Walt, 1877-1949  Search this

Kuniyoshi, Yasuo, 1889-1953  Search this

Lachaise, Gaston, 1882-1935  Search this

Lechay, James  Search this

Marin, John, 1870-1953  Search this

Marsh, Reginald, 1898-1954  Search this

Mattson, Henry E. (Henry Elis), 1887-1971  Search this

Morris, Carl, 1911-1993  Search this

Morris, George L. K., 1905-1975  Search this

Moyer, Roy, 1921-2007  Search this

Murdock, Louise Caldwell, 1858-1915  Search this

Murdock, Roland P. -- Art collections  Search this

Oscar, Charles, 1923-  Search this

Penney, James, 1910-1982  Search this

Poor, Anne, 1918-  Search this

Poor, Henry Varnum, 1887-1970  Search this

Pène Du Bois, Guy, 1884-1958  Search this

Ryder, Albert Pinkham, 1847-1917  Search this

Schnakenberg, H. E. (Henry Ernest), 1892-1970  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Sheeler, Charles, 1883-1965  Search this

Sloan, John, 1871-1951  Search this

Smith, Houghton Cranford, 1887-1983  Search this

Sparhawk-Jones, Elizabeth, 1885-1968  Search this

Watkins, Franklin Chenault, 1894-1972  Search this

Weber, Max, 1881-1961  Search this

Williamson, Clara McDonald, 1875-1976  Search this

Zerbe, Karl, 1903-1972  Search this

Zorach, William, 1887-1966  Search this

Extent:

0.4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1939-1963

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence, photographs, clippings, magazines and statements by 20th century artists on their works bought for the Roland P. Murdock Collection of the Wichita Art Museum, Wichita, Kansas, by Navas.

Artists represented include: Peggy Bacon, Louis Bouche, William Brice, Charles E. Burchfield, Paul Burlin, Kenneth Callahan, John S. Copley, Russell Cowles, John S. Curry, Stuart Davis, Jose de Creeft, Adolf Dehn, Walt Dehner, Charles Demuth, Arthur Dove, Guy Pène du Bois, Thomas Eakins, William Glackens, Raphael Gleitsmann, George Grosz, John E. Heliker, Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, Alexander R. James, Jonah Kinigstein, Frederick D. Kirsch, Walt Kuhn, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Gaston Lachaise, James Lechay, John Marin, Reginald Marsh, Henry E. Mattson, Carl Morris, George L. K. Morris, Roy Moyer, Charles Oscar, James Penney, Anne Poor, Henry V. Poor, Albert Pinkham Ryder, Henry E. Schnakenberg, Ben Shahn, Charles Sheeler, John Sloan, Houghton C. Smith, Elizabeth Sparhawk-Jones, Franklin C. Watkins, Max Weber, Clara M. Williamson, Karl Zerbe, and William Zorach.

Biographical / Historical:

Elizabeth S. Navas (1885-1979) was an art collector and patron in New York City. Navas was designated to assemble the Roland P. Murdock Collection of the Wichita Art Museum under the terms of the will of her friend, Louise Caldwell Murdock (1858-1915), widow of Roland P. Murdock.

Provenance:

Donated 1963 by Elizabeth S. Navas.

Restrictions:

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

Occupation:

Artists -- United States  Search this

Art patrons  Search this

Painters  Search this

Topic:

Art, American -- Kansas -- Witchita  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.navaeliz

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9d7b37ccc-d6cd-4695-8168-4eb31cb7b6a9

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-navaeliz

Interviewer:

Parsons, Anne Bowen  Search this

Names:

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

Club (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Federal Art Project  Search this

Baker, Mildred, 1905-  Search this

Barnet, Will, 1911-2012  Search this

Benson, Emanuel, 1904-1971  Search this

Brooks, James, 1906-1992  Search this

Burlin, Paul, 1886-1969  Search this

Cavallon, Giorgio, 1904-1989  Search this

De Kooning, Willem, 1904-1997  Search this

Ernst, Jimmy, 1920-1984  Search this

Geist, Sidney  Search this

Gottlieb, Adolph, 1903-1974  Search this

Greene, Balcomb, 1904-1990  Search this

Gwathmey, Robert, 1903-1988  Search this

Hacker, Seymour  Search this

Holty, Carl, 1900-1973  Search this

Holtzman, Harry  Search this

Kadish, Reuben, 1913-1992  Search this

Krasner, Lee, 1908-1984  Search this

Lasker, Joe  Search this

Lassaw, Ibram, 1913-2003  Search this

Levine, Jack, 1915-2010  Search this

Marca-Relli, Conrad, 1913-2000  Search this

McNeil, George, 1908-1995  Search this

Miller, Dorothy Canning, 1904-2003  Search this

Morris, George L. K., 1905-1975  Search this

Nakian, Reuben, 1897-1986  Search this

Pavia, Philip, 1915-2005  Search this

Schanker, Louis, 1903-1981  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Stamos, Theodoros, 1922-1997  Search this

Thaw, Eugene Victor  Search this

Tworkov, Jack  Search this

Vicente, Esteban, 1903-2001  Search this

Extent:

30 Items (transcripts)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Date:

1967-1968

Scope and Contents:

The interviews are of artists, educators, art administrators, and dealers. Topics covered include the Federal Art Project, the Artists' Union, the Club, the influence of French emigre artists, and political activism among artists. The transcripts range from 1 to 4 pages in length.

Interviewees include: Mildred Baker, Will Barnet, Emanuel Benson, James Brooks, Paul Burlin, Giorgio Cavallon, Willem de Kooning, Jimmy Ernst, Sidney Geist, Adolph Gottlieb, Balcomb Greene, Robert Gwathmey, Seymour Hacker, Carl Holty, Harry Holtzman, Reuben Kadish, Lee Krasner, Joe Lasker, Ibram Lassaw, Jack Levine, Conrad Marca-Relli, George McNeil, Dorothy Canning Miller, George L.K. Morris, Reuben Nakian, Phillip Pavia, Louis Schanker, Ben Shahn, Theodoros Stamos, Eugene Victor Thaw, Jack Tworkov, and Esteban Vincente.

Provenance:

Donated in 1985 by Anne Bowen Parsons' son, Randall T. Parsons.

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:

Artists -- Interviews  Search this

Art dealers -- Interviews  Search this

Art teachers -- Interviews  Search this

Painters -- Interviews  Search this

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

Art and state  Search this

Museum curators -- Interviews  Search this

Museum directors -- Interviews  Search this

Printmakers -- Interviews  Search this

Publishers -- Interviews  Search this

Sculptors -- Interviews  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Identifier:

AAA.parsanne

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9cebc01b2-2b58-431a-ad17-ddb4c9da09fe

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-parsanne

Creator:

Seckler, Dorothy Gees, 1910-1994  Search this

Names:

Art in America  Search this

Velvet Underground (Musical group)  Search this

Asher, Elise, 1914-  Search this

Avery, Sally  Search this

Beck, Margit, 1915-1997  Search this

Bellow, Saul  Search this

Bultman, Fritz, 1919-1985  Search this

Cale, John  Search this

Cavallon, Giorgio, 1904-1989  Search this

Cohen, Jean  Search this

Cunningham, Merce  Search this

De Diego, Julio, 1900-  Search this

Drexler, Rosalyn  Search this

Flexner, James Thomas, 1908-2003  Search this

Frankenthaler, Helen, 1928-2011  Search this

Freed, William, 1904-  Search this

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

Gelb, Jan, 1906-1978  Search this

Gorelick, Shirley, 1924-2000  Search this

Greenwood, Marion, 1909-1970  Search this

Hofmann, Hans, 1880-1966  Search this

Jones, John  Search this

Kahn, Wolf, 1927-  Search this

Karolik, Maxim  Search this

Katz, Alex, 1927-  Search this

Marcus, Marcia, 1928-  Search this

Margo, Boris, 1902-1995  Search this

Martin, Fletcher, 1904-1979  Search this

McLuhan, Marshall, 1911-1980  Search this

Middleman, Raoul F., 1935-  Search this

Motherwell, Robert  Search this

Newman, Barnett, 1905-1970  Search this

Nico, 1938-1988  Search this

Noguchi, Isamu, 1904-1988  Search this

Orlowsky, Lillian, 1914-2004  Search this

Pearlstein, Philip, 1924-  Search this

Refregier, Anton, 1905-  Search this

Rivers, Larry, 1925-2002  Search this

Ross, Alvin, 1920-1975  Search this

Rothschild, Judith  Search this

Saint-Phalle, Niki de, 1930-  Search this

Segal, George, 1924-2000  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Tinguely, Jean, 1925-  Search this

Ustinov, Peter  Search this

Warhol, Andy, 1928-  Search this

Whyte, William Hollingsworth  Search this

Wyeth, Andrew, 1917-2009  Search this

Extent:

1.6 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1962-1976

Summary:

The Dorothy Gees Seckler collection of sound recordings relating to art and artists measures 1.6 linear feet and dates from 1962 to 1976. Recordings include 17 interviews conducted by Seckler, one interview by John Jones, and 17 additional recordings of mostly contemporary art-related programs and interviews taped from radio and television broadcasts. Recordings are on 26 sound cassettes and 25 sound tape reels.

Scope and Contents:

The Dorothy Gees Seckler collection of sound recordings relating to art and artists measures 1.6 linear feet and dates from 1962 to 1976. Recordings include 20 interviews conducted by Seckler, one interview by John Jones, and 17 additional recordings of mostly contemporary art-related programs and interviews taped from radio and television broadcasts. Recordings are on 26 sound cassettes and 25 sound tape reels.

Interviews with Artists consist of 17 interviews by Dorothy Seckler with artists including Elise Asher, Fritz Bultman, Judith Rothschild, Giorgio Cavallon, Marcia Marcus, Jean Cohen, William Freed, Lillian Orlowsky, Shirley Gorelick, Hans Hofmann, Wolf Kahn, Raoul Middleman, Robert Motherwell, Helen Frankenthaler, Olin Orr, Larry Rivers, Alvin Ross, George Segal, Jean Tinguely, and Niki de Saint Phalle. Several interviews are with two subjects at once. Many of these interviews were conducted in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and are referenced in her introduction to the catalog for the exhibition Provincetown Painters, 1890's – 1970's held at the Everson Museum and the Provincetown Art Association in 1977, and several interviews were conducted as research for articles Seckler wrote and published in Art in America. Also found are group interviews on specific subjects, including an interview with Julio de Diego, Marion Greenwood, Fletcher Martin, and Anton Refregier on the Woodstock art colony, and with Sally Avery, Boris Margo, Jan Gelb, Margit Beck and others on Op Art. In September of 1966, Seckler recorded some of Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable in Provincetown, which includes a performance by Nico and the Velvet Underground, as well as an interview with one of the band's members, John Cale. A single interview conducted by John Jones of George Segal appears to have been copied by Seckler to prepare for her April 1966 interview of Segal.

Broadcast materials include sound recordings of television and radio broadcast programs taped off the air presumably by Seckler. Most programs are interviews, with subjects including Maxim Karolik, James Thomas Flexner, R. Buckminster Fuller, Merce Cunningham, Alex Katz, Phillip Pearlstein, Roslyn Drexler, Barnet Newman, Saul Bellow, Ben Shahn, Marshall McLuhan, Isamu Noguchi, Andrew Wyeth, and William H Whyte. Other recordings include documentary programs related to contemporary art, book reviews, and a comedy performance with actor Peter Ustinov.

Photographs include 12 color slides from October of 1967 that appear to have been shot in Provincetown, Mass. Subjects include Dorothy Seckler and two other unidentified women.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged in 3 series.

Series 1: Interviews with Artists, 1962-1976 (1 linear foot; Box 1)

Series 2: Broadcast Materials, 1962-1972 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 2-3)

Series 3: Photographs, 1967 (1 folder; Box 3)

Biographical / Historical:

Dorothy Gees Seckler was an art historian, critic, journalist, and artist active in New York City and Provincetown, Mass. Born Dorothy Elizabeth Gees in Baltimore, MD in 1910, she completed the program in Advertising Design at Maryland Institute College of Art in 1931 and was awarded a traveling scholarship upon graduation, which she used to study in Europe. She later received a masters degree from Columbia University in Art History and Art Education, and worked during World War II as head of an illustration unit in the Army's Judge Advocate General's office.

After the war, she worked at the Museum of Modern Art as an art historian in the education office until 1950, when she began writing for ARTnews magazine, reviewing New York gallery shows for its "Gallery Notes" section, and exploring painters' processes in the "Paints a Picture" series. She later served as contributing editor for Art in America from the late 1950s through the late 1960s, where her published work included features on Robert Rauschenberg and Louise Nevelson, as well as broad surveys of contemporary art such as "A Folklore of the Banal" (Winter 1962) and "Audience is His Medium" (February 1963). She taught at New York University and City College of New York, and wrote a long essay on the history of the Provincetown's art colony, published in Art in America in 1959, and later updated for the catalog for the 1977 exhibition Provincetown Painters, 1890's - 1970's. Between 1962 and 1968, she conducted thirty oral history interviews for the Archives of American Art and served as one of its manuscript collectors.

Throughout her career as a writer and critic, Seckler painted and worked in collage, and her work was shown in several Provincetown galleries, and in the Provincetown Art Center and Museum. She married Jerome Seckler in 1937 and they had one son. Seckler received the American Federation of Arts Award for outstanding writing in the field of American Art in 1952. She died in 1994.

Related Materials:

Other related materials in the Archives' collections include several additional interviews conducted by Seckler for its oral history program, a full recording and transcript of the August 28, 1963 symposium on pop art, for which brief sound notes are found in this collection, and a transcript of the John Jones interview with George Segal in the John Jones interviews with artists collection, 1965 Oct. 5-1965 Nov. 12.

Separated Materials:

In 2012, several duplicates of recordings Seckler made for the Archives of American Art's oral history program were removed from the collection including: Peter and Riva Dechar (1965 and 1967), David von Schlegell (1967), Joan Mitchell (1965), Theresa Schwartz (1965), Paul Burlin (1962), Ibram Lassaw (1964), Jack Tworkov (1962), Allan Kaprow (1968), Edwin Dickinson (1962), Nathan Halper (1963), Louise Nevelson (1964-1965), Karl Knaths (1962), and Stephen Greene (1968). Joan Mitchell's 1965 oral history interview remains with the Seckler collection because reel 2 of this recording also contains a discussion of optical art that belongs in the Seckler collection. The oral history interview has been digitized and is available through the Archives' oral history program.

Provenance:

The bulk of the collection, including the interviews with the Provincetown artists, was donated 1995 by Don Seckler, son of Dorothy Seckler. The source of acquisition for the Seckler interviews with the Woodstock artists is unknown.

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.

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

Topic:

Optical art  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Dorothy Gees Seckler collection of sound recordings relating to art and artists, 1962-1976. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the transcription of Seckler's interviews with Provincetown artists was provided by the Shirley Gorelick Foundation in 2014.

Identifier:

AAA.seckdoro

See more items in:

Dorothy Gees Seckler Collection of Sound Recordings Relating to Art and Artists

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9af226ceb-11fb-469d-ae6f-d35718934f26

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-seckdoro

Creator:

Mesches, Arnold, 1923-  Search this

Names:

New York University  Search this

Ciment, Jill, 1953-  Search this

Danto, Arthur Coleman, 1924-  Search this

Marshall, Kerry James, 1955-  Search this

Miami Dade College  Search this

Miller, Henry, 1891-  Search this

Motherwell, Robert  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Siqueiros, David Alfaro  Search this

Storr, Robert  Search this

Wayne, June, 1918-2011  Search this

Zinn, Howard, 1922-2010  Search this

Extent:

13.6 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Collages

Diaries

Drawings

Sketches

Date:

1939-2015

Summary:

The papers of New York City and Gainesville, Florida based painter Arnold Mesches (1923-2016) measure 13.6 linear feet and date from 1939-2015. The collection documents Mesches' politically-engaged career and work process through biographical material, correspondence, writings, gallery and exhibition files, project files, subject files, teaching files, personal business records, printed material, and photographic material. Project files comprise a bulk of the collection and include grant files, activism files, project notebooks, and over 100 art project files containing drawings, source material, and photographic material for individual artworks.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of New York City and Gainesville, Florida based painter Arnold Mesches (1923-2016) measure 13.6 linear feet and date from 1939-2015. The collection documents Mesches' politically engaged career and work process through biographical material, correspondence, writings, gallery and exhibition files, project files, subject files, teaching files, personal business records, printed material, and photographic material.

Biographical material includes addresses, family papers, interview transcripts, life documents, identification cards, a residency file, resumes, biographical statements, and travel records. Correspondence is both personal and professional in nature and is with wife, novelist Jill Ciment, family, friends, artists, museums, galleries, and magazines. Notable correspondents include Arthur Danto, Robert Storr, June Wayne, and Howard Zinn. Single items of correspondence are from Kerry James Marshall, Henry Miller, Robert Motherwell, and Ben Shahn.

Writings include manuscripts of unpublished novels and short stories, autobiographical writings, recordings of dreams, introductions to artists, a journal, memorials, project proposals, statements on art and politics, notes from Mesches' psychotherapy sessions, as well as numerous outlines, fragments, and notes.

Gallery and exhibition files document dozens of Mesches' gallery and museum exhibitions, including his 2013 retrospective at Miami Dade College, Arnold Mesches: A Life's Work.

Project files consist of grant files, activism files, project notebooks, and art projects. Activism files pertain to the Los Angeles Peace Tower, Arts Coalition for Freedom of Expression, and the pardon of muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros. Project notebooks contain preliminary sketches, technical notes including color palette and paint formulas, Polaroids of in-process works, and source material. Over 100 art project files further detail individual works, and include preliminary drawings in pen, pencil and charcoal, as well as collages, source material, and Polaroids. Several of Mesches' serial works are well represented here, including Anomie, Comings Attractions, and The FBI Files.

Subject files consist of a sequence of alphabetical files maintained by Mesches as reference material. Teaching files document posts at New York University and other institutions and include course descriptions, lists of materials, course notes, newsletters, reference articles, and correspondence.

Personal business records include documentation related to donations, Mesches' estate, gallery representation, inventories, properties, artwork shipment, supplies, and website design.

Printed material documents Mesches' career as both political illustrator and fine artist. Found here are brochures, leaflets, and Frontier and The Nation magazines featuring illustrations by Mesches. Calendars, newsletters, clippings, announcements, exhibition catalogs, and press releases document Mesches' gallery and museum exhibitions.

Photographic material includes hundreds of photographic prints, contact sheets, slides, and negatives of Arnold Mesches, Mesches' family and friends, studio, and artworks from his seven decade long career.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as ten series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1960s-2012 (0.2 linear feet, Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1949-2014 (0.8 linear feet, Box 1)

Series 3: Writings, 1958-2013 (1.1 linear feet, Box 2-3)

Series 4: Gallery and Exhibition Files, 1979-2015 (0.8 linear feet, Box 3)

Series 5: Project Files, 1950s-2014 (5.3 linear feet, Box 3-8, 15, OV 16-19)

Series 6: Subject Files, 1939-2000s (1.3 linear feet, Box 8-9)

Series 7: Teaching Files, 1992-2004 (0.2 linear feet, Box 9-10)

Series 8: Personal Business Records, 1983-2015 (0.5 linear feet, Box 10)

Series 9: Printed Material, 1950s-2000s (1.5 linear feet, Box 10-11, 15, OV 20)

Series 10: Photographic Material, 1940s-2010s (1.9 linear feet, Box 12-15)

Biographical / Historical:

Arnold Mesches (1923-2016) was a painter in New York, New York and Gainesville, Florida. Born in the Bronx and raised in upstate Dunkirk, New York, Mesches studied advertising design in high school before moving to Los Angeles in 1943 to study art at the Jepson Art Institute and Chouinard Art Institute.

Mesches began his career as a scenic painter for Hollywood while honing his own style as a fine artist and illustrator influenced by the political landscape and social realism. As a result of his political activity and involvement in the Communist Party, the FBI opened a file on Mesches in the 1950s, and began tracking his activities. The file, obtained by Mesches through a Freedom of Information Act request in 1999, became the basis for one of his most famous series, The FBI Files.

Throughout his life, Mesches was a socially-oriented figurative painter working in an expressionist style, mining the daily news and the current political landscape for subject matter, including the Cold War, the trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and the Vietnam War. Mesches was also one of the organizers of the 1966 Peace Tower artwork in Los Angeles and contributed illustrations to Frontier magazine throughout the 1950s, and The Nation magazine from 1960s-1980s.

In the early 1980s, Mesches relocated to New York City with wife, novelist Jill Ciment.

Mesches held several teaching posts over the course of his career, including at the New School, New York University, and the University of Florida.

Provenance:

Donated to the Archives of American Art in 2017 by Jill Ciment, Mesches' widow.

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.

Rights:

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

Occupation:

Painters -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Painters -- Florida  Search this

Topic:

Art -- Political aspects  Search this

Art -- Study and teaching  Search this

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

Painting -- Technique  Search this

Politics in art  Search this

Interviews  Search this

Photographs  Search this

Transcripts  Search this

Genre/Form:

Collages

Diaries

Drawings

Sketches

Citation:

Arnold Mesches papers, 1939-2015. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.mescarno

See more items in:

Arnold Mesches papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9415d73fe-0b7a-41fc-a1a6-7ac35ec38ac6

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-mescarno

Creator:

Boris Mirski Gallery (Boston, Mass.)  Search this

Names:

Aronson, David, 1923-2015  Search this

Baskin, Leonard, 1922-2000  Search this

Bloom, Hyman, 1913-  Search this

Geller, Esther  Search this

Lebrun, Rico, 1900-1964  Search this

Mazur, Michael, 1935-2009  Search this

Mirski, Boris, 1898-1974  Search this

Polonsky, Arthur  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Siporin, Mitchell, 1910-1976  Search this

Swan, Barbara, 1922-  Search this

Zerbe, Karl, 1903-1972  Search this

Extent:

6.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Date:

circa 1936-2000

bulk 1945-1972

Summary:

The Boris Mirski Gallery records measure 6.2 linear feet and date from 1936-2000, bulk 1945-1972. They include gallery administrative files; artist files including correspondence, exhibition and loan paperwork as well as photographic documentation of artwork; gallery correspondence; financial materials including outgoing and incoming invoices and sales records; printed materials promoting the gallery and its artists; press materials; and a number of photographs of Boris Mirski at events and with others, as well as photographs of artwork. Artists particularly well represented in the collection include David Aronson, Leonard Baskin, Hyman Bloom, Esther Geller, Rico Lebrun, Michael Mazur, Arthur Polonsky, Ben Shahn, Mitchell Siporin, Barbara Swan, and Karl Zerbe.

Scope and Contents:

The records of the Boris Mirski Gallery, which showed the avant-garde art of the Boston Expressionist school, as well as New York and international modern art styles and non-western art, measure 6.2 linear feet and date from 1936-2000, bulk 1945-1972. They include gallery administrative files; artist files including correspondence, exhibition and loan paperwork as well as photographic documentation of artwork; gallery correspondence; financial materials including outgoing and incoming invoices and sales records; printed materials promoting the gallery and its artists; press materials; and a number of photographs of Boris Mirski at events and with others, as well as photographs of artwork. Artists particularly well represented in the collection include David Aronson, Leonard Baskin, Hyman Bloom, Esther Geller, Rico Lebrun, Michael Mazur, Arthur Polonsky, Ben Shahn, Mitchell Siporin, Barbara Swan, and Karl Zerbe.

The administrative files cover a number of topics including documents related to various properties, mortgages, and insurance, copyrights, legal cases, administrative events, and select group exhibitions at the gallery.

The artist files document each gallery artist's exhibition history in the gallery and include correspondence with the artist as well as files documenting significant outside exhibitions, projects and the placement of artworks. While exhibiting artists showed a range of sculpture, painting, and drawing at the gallery, there was a tendency towards highly expressive figurative artwork sometimes referred to as Boston Expressionism, often associated with the first generation Jewish American experience.

The gallery correspondence, primarily with patrons and institutions, is arranged alphabetically with select regular correspondents of the gallery having their own file, in addition to a folder of holiday cards.

The financial files include both outgoing and incoming transactions as invoices and sales records, organized by patron or vendor.

The printed materials are a records of the printing activities of the gallery as well as a press archive, with select printed materials from outside the gallery reflecting the activities of the gallery and gallery artists.

The photographic materials include both images that include the gallerist as well as images that document artworks.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 6 series.

Series 1: Administrative Files, circa 1948-1995 (0.5 Linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Artist Files, circa 1945-2000 (2.7 Linear feet; Boxes 1-4, OV 7)

Series 3: Gallery Correspondence, circa 1936-1976 (1 Linear feet; Boxes 4-5)

Series 4: Financial Files, circa 1958-1974 (1.2 Linear feet; Boxes 5-6)

Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1944-1981 (0.7 Linear feet; Box 6, OV 8)

Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1945-1976 (0.1 Linear feet; Box 6)

Biographical / Historical:

The Boris Mirski Gallery (est.1944; closed 1979) was a gallery in Boston, Massachusetts owned and operated by Boris Mirski (1898-1974). The gallery evolved out of various businesses owned by Mirski from the late 1910s, including his first formal gallery established alongside a framing shop on Charles Street in Beacon Hill in 1927. The gallery moved to its final incarnation on the lower level of 166 Newbury in 1972, and closed in 1979 following the gallerist's death in 1974.

Boris Chaim Mirski, born 1898, immigrated to the United States at the age of fourteen, leaving behind his troubled youth as a Lithuanian Jew in a harsh political climate that included frequent pogroms. At the advice of his mother, an activist in the resistance, Boris acquired a number of marketable skills including metalwork and framing, which allowed him to establish a lucrative business while he developed opportunities to show art that interested him. Early in his career this included a home for non-western and "primitive" art styles from around the globe, as well as the work of emerging local artists. Mirski's gallery created opportunities for artists working against the generally conservative tradition of the Boston School, and helped establish an identity for the local avant-garde. The gallery program had strong ties with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston alumni and faculty, and frequently hosted exchange shows with New York City's Downtown Gallery, whose director Edith Halpert acted as a mentor. While exhibiting artists showed a range of sculpture, painting, and drawing at the gallery, there was a tendency towards highly expressive figurative artwork sometimes referred to as Boston Expressionism, often associated with the first generation Jewish American experience. Gallery artists included David Aronson, Leonard Baskin, Hyman Bloom, Esther Geller, Rico Lebrun, Michael Mazur, Arthur Polonsky, Ben Shahn, Mitchell Siporin, Barbara Swan, and Karl Zerbe.

Related Materials:

Related materials include Archives of American Art's Oral history interview with Boris Mirski, 1973 June 19.

Provenance:

The Boris Mirski Gallery records were donated by Deborah Mirski Brown, Boris Mirski's daughter from 1989-1996, with additions in 2007 and 2017.

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.

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:

Expressionism (Art)  Search this

Jewish artists  Search this

Modernism (Art)  Search this

New York school of art  Search this

Sculptors  Search this

Function:

Art galleries, Commercial -- Massachusetts

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Citation:

Boris Mirski Gallery records, 1936-2000, bulk 1945-1972. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.mirsbori

See more items in:

Boris Mirski Gallery records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97a5810a0-f6bb-4929-9fa5-c484ee8c9cdc

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-mirsbori

Creator:

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Goldman, Eric Frederick, 1915-  Search this

Extent:

36 Items (p. transcript (on partial microfilm reel))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Date:

1965 Jan. 17

Scope and Contents:

Interview of Shahn moderated by Eric F. Goldman for "The Open Mind," WNBC TV, January 17, 1965. Among the topics discussed are Pablo Picasso, pop art, artists' values and culture, Shahn's social content of his work in the 1930's, New School for Social Research, Diego Riviera, and Henry Wallace.

Biographical / Historical:

Shahn was a printmaker, photographer and social activist; Roosevelt, N.J.; Goldman, the author of several books on American reform and American art.

Provenance:

Donated 1967 by Dorothy Seckler. Seckler worked for AAA as an interviewer.

Restrictions:

Use of original recording 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:

Painters -- New Jersey -- Roosevelt  Search this

Topic:

Painting, American  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Identifier:

AAA.shahben2

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw99623e6a0-47a7-48f9-99d3-2346ae1efaed

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-shahben2

Creator:

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Names:

Baskin, Leonard, 1922-2000  Search this

Delano, Jack  Search this

Evans, Walker, 1903-1975  Search this

Osborn, Robert Chesley, 1904-1994  Search this

Rivera, Diego, 1886-1957  Search this

Robbins, Jerome  Search this

Soyer, Raphael, 1899-1987  Search this

Extent:

25.1 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Motion pictures (visual works)

Sketchbooks

Video recordings

Drawings

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1879-1990

bulk 1933-1970

Summary:

The papers of social realist painter, photographer, printmaker, and teacher Ben Shahn (1898-1969) measure 25.1 linear feet and date from 1879-1990, with the bulk of the material dating from 1933-1970. The bulk of the collection consists of over 14 linear feet of incoming letters from artists, writers, colleagues, publishers, art organizations, galleries, and universities and colleges. Also found are biographical materials, project and source files, printed material, artwork by Shahn and others, photographs taken of and by Shahn, interview transcripts, sound recordings of interviews and a motion picture film.

Scope and Contents note:

The papers of social realist painter, photographer, illustrator, printmaker, and teacher Ben Shahn (1898-1969) measure 25.1 linear feet and date from 1879-1990, with the bulk of the material dating from 1933-1970. The bulk of the collection consists of over 14 linear feet of incoming letters from artists, writers, colleagues, publishers, art organizations, galleries, and universities and colleges. Also found are biographical materials, project and source files, printed material, artwork by Shahn and others, photographs taken of and by Shahn, interview transcripts, sound recordings of interviews and a motion picture film.

Biographical material and family records include a 1924 passport for Shahn and his first wife, Tillie, biographical sketches of Shahn, and award certificates received by him.

Letters are primarily written to Shahn from family members, artists, writers, colleagues, publishers, art organizations, galleries, and universities and colleges. Notable correspondents include Leonard Baskin, Alexander Calder, Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans, Joseph Hirsch, Leo Lionni, John Bartlow Martin, George and Marian Nakashima, Clifford Odets, Charles Olson, Robert Osborn, Diego Rivera, Jerome Robbins, Selden Rodman, James Thrall Soby, Raphael Soyer, and William Carlos Williams. A small number of scattered letters from Shahn can also be found throughout the series.

Project files document approximately twenty-one of Shahn's commissions, including murals for the community center at Jersey Homesteads, the Bronx Central Annex Post Office, the Social Security Building in Washington D.C. , and the William E. Grady Vocational High School. The files also document his involvement in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Roosevelt, in addition to projects for schools, temples and private homes.

Financial and legal records include consignment records, loan agreements, royalty statements and receipts for artwork sold.

Notes and writings are by Shahn and others including Alan Dugan, W. H. Ferry, Theodore Gusten, and John Bartlow Martin. They include lists of artwork, many of which are annotated.

Artwork includes a sketchbook and several unbound sketches and lettering by Shahn, in addition to drawings and prints by others including Shahn's children, Mario Casetta and Stefan Martin.

Source files contain printed material and photographs relating to topics depicted by Shahn in his artwork such as children, dams, farming, houses, industry, mines and miners, slums, war and workers. These files also contain scattered photographic prints by FSA and OWI photographers including Shahn, Jack Delano, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Russell Lee, Carl Mydans, Marion Post Wolcott, Arthur Rothstein, and John Vachon.

Printed material includes news clippings covering Shahn and his career as well as subjects of interest to Shahn. Also found are exhibition catalogs and announcements for exhibitions for Shahn and others, and reproductions of Shahn's artwork including publications illustrated by him.

Photographs are of Shahn, his family and friends and colleagues including Alexander Calder, Jerome Robbins, Charles Sheeler, David Smith and William Zorach. Also included are photographs taken by Shahn of New York City and for the FSA in the 1930s, as well as photographs of artwork by Shahn. Photographs by others include one photo each by Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Russell Lee and Arthur Rothstein.

The collection also contains transcripts of eight radio, television and motion picture interviews of Shahn and a reel of 16mm motion picture film from the BBC-TV program "Monitor," in addition to sound recordings of interviews of Shahn by Tony Schwartz and Arlene Francis. Artifacts include a Christmas greeting in the form of a sock.

Arrangement note:

The collection is arranged as 12 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical and Family Records, 1879-1984 (Box 1, OV 36; 0.2 linear ft.)

Series 2: Letters, 1929-1990 (Boxes 1-25, 35, 43, OVs 36-38; 14.5 linear ft.)

Series 3: Project Files, 1933-1975 (Boxes 25-26; OVs 36-37; 1.03 linear ft.)

Series 4: Financial and Legal Records, 1934-1988 (Boxes 26-27, 35; 0.81 linear ft.)

Series 5: Notes and Writings, circa 1933-1988 (Boxes 27-28, 43; 1.72 linear ft.)

Series 6: Artwork, circa 1930s-1965 (Boxes 28, 35; 11 folders)

Series 7: Source Files, circa 1900s-1960s (Boxes 28-30, 35; 1.81 linear ft.)

Series 8: Printed Material, 1912-1988 (Boxes 30-33, 35, OV 39; 3.22 linear ft.)

Series 9: Photographs, circa 1900-1969 (Boxes 33-35; 0.86 linear ft.)

Series 10: Interview Transcripts, 1943-1968 (Box 34; 0.25 linear ft.)

Series 11: Audio and Video Recordings, 1959-1968 (Box 34; 0.25 linear ft.)

Series 12: Artifacts, circa 1930s-circa 1960s (Box 34; 2 items)

Biographical/Historical note:

Ben Shahn (1898-1969) was a social realist painter, muralist, printmaker, photographer, illustrator, and educator who worked primarily in Brooklyn, New York and New Jersey. He was most active in the 1930s through the 1950s and worked on several federally funded arts projects, including the Farm Security Administration's photographic documentation project of rural America during the Depression.

Ben Shahn was born in Kovno, Lithuania and immigrated with his family to the United States in 1906 where he settled in Brooklyn, and later Roosevelt, New Jersey, after becoming a naturalized citizen in 1918.

Following an apprenticeship as a lithographer from 1913-1917, Shahn studied at New York University, the City College of New York, and the National Academy of Design from 1919-1922. He married Tillie Goldstein in 1922 and they had two children, Judith and Ezra.

Two years after Shahn's first solo exhibition at the Downtown Gallery in 1930, his Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti, a series of 23 gouaches about the Sacco and Vanzetti trial of the 1920s, was exhibited at the Downtown Gallery to critical and public acclaim. The exhibition marked the beginning of Shahn's reputation as one of the most important social realist painters in America. Shahn's commitment to social and political justice found a natural outlet in mural painting when, in 1933, he was hired to assist Diego Rivera on the labor and industry mural Man at the Crossroads, for New York City's Rockefeller Center. The mural was destroyed amid controversy in 1933 before it was completed, but Shahn had learned much about the art of fresco painting during the project and was inspired by the potential of the mural as a unique art form for presenting life's struggles and stories to a large public audience. Between 1933 and 1937 Shahn worked on various murals for other buildings, including New York's Central Park Casino (circa 1934) and Riker's Island Prison (1934), none of which saw completion. In 1937, however, the Farm Security Administration (FSA) commissioned Shahn to execute a mural for the Community Center in the town of Jersey Homesteads, later Roosevelt, New Jersey, which Shahn completed in 1938. Shahn settled in Jersey Homesteads the following year and remained there for the rest of his life. Other important mural commissions followed for the Bronx Central Post office (1939) and the Social Security Building in Washington DC (1942).

One of Shahn's assistants on the Jersey Homesteads mural was Bernarda Bryson, whom he had met in 1933 when she came to New York to interview Rivera about the Rockefeller Center mural controversy for an Ohio newspaper. Shahn and Bryson became lifetime companions and had three children, Susanna, Jonathan and Abigail, although they did not marry until shortly before Shahn's death in 1969. Shahn and Tillie Goldstein were divorced in 1944.

Shahn had enrolled with the federal Public Works of Art Project in 1934, and between 1935 and 1938 he and Bryson travelled across country as Shahn photographed poverty-stricken areas and documented rural life for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and the Resettlement Agency. Shahn's interest in photography developed in the early 1930s when, encouraged by his friendship with Walker Evans, he began photographing street scenes and people in New York City. He later used the images as the basis for many of his prints and paintings.

In 1942 Shahn began working for the Office of War Information (OWI) and was instructed to produce posters and pamphlets explaining to citizens the necessities of wartime, such as the need for secrecy and food rationing. Ultimately, only two of Shahn's posters were ever used; the rest were rejected as being too harsh for their intended audience. Shahn later worked for the Congress of Industrial Organization Political Action Committee (CIO-PAC), producing posters for the 1944 campaign to re-elect Roosevelt, who he believed in deeply. He was promoted to director of the CIO's Graphic Arts Division for the 1946 congressional campaign following Roosevelt's death, but that job ended when the election went poorly for the Democratic party.

Shahn returned increasingly to painting and a retrospective of his work was held at the Museum of Modern Art in 1947. He also became more active in academia as an accomplished writer, teacher and lecturer. He received honorary doctorates from Princeton University and Harvard University, and become the Charles Eliot Norton professor at Harvard in 1956. Shahn's Norton lectures were collected and published as the influential The Shape of Content in 1957. He also began to work as a commercial artist for a variety of companies and publications including CBS, Time, Harper's, and the Container Corporation of America. Shahn believed, however, that the artist's ideas and integrity must always be reflected in his commercial art. He refused to compromise on this point and was very selective in his choice of commercial commissions. Shahn illustrated many books and articles, designed sets for stage productions such as New York Export: Opus Jazz, choreographed by Jerome Robbins, and designed mural mosaics for synagogues, universities and private homes.

Since the 1930s Shahn had been represented by Edith Halpert at the Downtown Gallery, but his relationship with her was always contentious on the subject of payments Shahn received for commercial work, and became increasingly so as his income from such sources increased. Finally, in 1968, Shahn wrote to Halpert telling her that after ten years of "an accumulation of ill-feeling, discomfort and recrimination between us" he felt compelled to end their dealer-artist relationship.

By the time of Shahn's break with Halpert his health had begun to fail. He died of a heart attack following surgery in a New York City hospital on March 14, 1969.

Related Archival Materials note:

The Archives of American Art holds four oral history interviews with Ben Shahn: 1964 Apr. 14 interview conducted by Richard K. Doud for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project in which Shahn speaks of his travels and work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and the American image as portrayed by FSA; 1965 Jan. 17 interview; 1965 Oct. 3. interview conducted by Harlan Phillips for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project; and 1968 Sept. 27 interview conducted by Forrest Selvig. Most of these interviews have transcripts available online.

The Archives also holds the Bernarda Bryson Shahn papers, circa 1947-2005, and two oral history interviews with Bernarda Bryson Shahn: 1983 Apr. 29 and 1995 July 3.

Separated Materials note:

The Archives of American Art also holds material lent for microfilming (reel N70-6) including addresses and essays by Shahn, seven royalty statements, and three letters from publishers. Many of the writings found on this reel were included in subsequent donations. All other lent material was returned to the lender and is not described in the collection container inventory.

Provenance:

The Ben Shahn papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in several installments between 1967-1991 by Shahn's widow, Bernarda Bryson Shahn who also lent materials for microfilming in 1969. Jean Shahn, Ben Shahn's daughter-in-law and estate representative, donated additional material in 2018 and 2021.

Restrictions:

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

Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

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 Jersey -- Roosevelt  Search this

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

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

Photographers -- New Jersey -- Roosevelt  Search this

Printmakers -- New Jersey -- Roosevelt  Search this

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

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

Educators -- New Jersey -- Roosevelt  Search this

Muralists -- New York (State) -- Brooklyn  Search this

Muralists -- New Jersey -- Roosevelt  Search this

Topic:

Social realism  Search this

Genre/Form:

Motion pictures (visual works)

Sketchbooks

Video recordings

Drawings

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Ben Shahn papers, 1879-1990, bulk 1933-1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.shahben

See more items in:

Ben Shahn papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw983b06d9b-dd51-45bc-9b11-09b06a88f6c6

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-shahben

Creator:

Schnakenberg, H. E. (Henry Ernest), 1892-1970  Search this

Names:

American Academy of Arts and Letters  Search this

Artists Equity Association  Search this

Angel, John, 1881-1960  Search this

Bacon, Peggy, 1895-1987  Search this

Barye, Antoine-Louis, 1796-1875  Search this

Beal, Gifford, 1879-1956  Search this

Bierstadt, Albert, 1830-1902  Search this

Billings, Henry, 1901-  Search this

Bishop, Isabel, 1902-1988  Search this

Blume, Peter, 1906-1992  Search this

Bouché, Louis, 1896-1969  Search this

Brooks, Van Wyck, 1886-1963  Search this

Buller, Audrey, 1902-  Search this

Cadmus, Paul, 1904-1999  Search this

Calder, Alexander, 1898-1976  Search this

Catherwood, Frederick, 1799-1854  Search this

Congdon, William, 1912-1998  Search this

Day, Horace Talmage, 1909-1984  Search this

Dows, Olin, 1904-1981  Search this

Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968  Search this

Etting, Emlen, 1905-1993  Search this

Evergood, Philip, 1901-1973  Search this

Faulkner, Barry, 1881-1966  Search this

Fiene, Ernest, 1894-  Search this

Goff, Lloyd Lozés, 1919-  Search this

Guys, Constantin, 1805-1892  Search this

Hardy, Thomas, 1921-  Search this

Harnett, William Michael, 1848-1892  Search this

Hartl, Léon, 1889-  Search this

Homer, Winslow, 1836-1910  Search this

Hoyt, Whitney Ford, 1910-1980  Search this

Inness, George, 1825-1894  Search this

Ivins, William Mills, 1881-1961  Search this

Johnson, Eastman, 1824-1906  Search this

Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-  Search this

Kroll, Leon, 1884-1974  Search this

Kuniyoshi, Yasuo, 1889-1953  Search this

Laning, Edward, 1906-1981  Search this

Lasker, Joe  Search this

Leighton, Clare, 1899-  Search this

Locke, Charles, 1899-  Search this

Low, Sanford B. D. (Sanford Ballard Dole), 1905-1964  Search this

Lucioni, Luigi, 1900-1988  Search this

Marsh, Reginald, 1898-1954  Search this

Miller, Kenneth Hayes, 1876-1952  Search this

Parsons, Betty  Search this

Robus, Hugo, 1885-1964  Search this

Saint-Gaudens, Homer, b. 1880  Search this

Savery, Rockland  Search this

Schmidt, Katherine, 1898-1978  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Sheeler, Charles, 1883-1965  Search this

Speicher, Eugene Edward, 1883-1962  Search this

Stamos, Theodoros, 1922-1997  Search this

Tait, Arthur Fitzwilliam, 1819-1905  Search this

Watkins, Franklin Chenault, 1894-1972  Search this

Watson, Forbes, 1880-1960  Search this

Watson, Nan, 1876-1966  Search this

Weisgard, Leonard, 1916-  Search this

Extent:

5.1 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 6 reels))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1905-1969

Scope and Contents:

Photographs, correspondence, appointment books, etchings, a scrapbook, printed materials, writings, and posters.

REEL D113: Primarily letters received from artists, 1940s-50s; background material for Ft.Lee and Amsterdam (N.Y.) murals; and miscellaneous printed material and photographs.

Correspondents include John Angel, Artists Equity, Peggy Bacon, Gifford Beal, Henry Billings, Isabel Bishop, Peter Blume, Louis Bouche, Van Wyck Brooks, Audrey Buller, Paul Cadmus, Alexander Calder, William Congdon, Horace T. Day, Olin Dows, Marcel Duchamp, Emlen P. Etting, Philip Evergood, Barry Faulkner, Ernest Fiene, Leon Hartl, Whitney F. Hoyt, William M. Ivins, Jr., Lincoln E. Kirstein, Leon Kroll, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Edward Laning, Joseph L. Lasker, Clare Leighton, Charles W. Locke, Sanford B.D. Low, Luigi Lucioni, Reginald Marsh, Kenneth H. Miller, Nat'l Institute of Arts and Letters, Betty Parsons, Hugo Robus, Homer Saint-Gaudens, Katherine Schmidt, Ben Shahn, Charles Sheeler, Eugene Speicher, Theodoros Stamos, Franklin C. Watkins, Forbes and Nan Watson, and Leonard Weisgard.

REEL 847: Photographs, including 67 of Schnakenberg and friends, 1 of a portrait of him by Lloyd Goff, 95 of his oil paintings, 33 of his watercolors, 25 of his works in unidentified media, 29 of works by other artists, and 46 of pre-Columbian art from Central and South America. Among artists whose works are included are Antoine Louis Barye, Albert Bierstadt, Frederick Catherwood, Constantin Guys, Thomas Hardy, William Harnett, Winslow Homer, George Inness, Eastman Johnson, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Reginald Marsh, Rockland Savery, Theodoros Stamos, and Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait.

REELS 850-853: Biographical information; personal and business correspondence; 17 diaries, mainly about Schnakenberg's travels, 1905-1960; appointment calendars, 1963-1969; 70 etchings by Schnakenberg; a scrapbook containing clippings, catalogs, and other printed material; a book published by G. Alan Chidsey on Schnakenberg; clippings, catalogs, and announcements; papers relating to gifts and acquisitions of works of art; receipts for Schnakenberg paintings from C.W. Kraushaar Galleries; a 650-page typescript for a book "The Background of Painting" by Schnakenberg; and drafts of speeches.

UNMICROFILMED: Six World War I posters designed by Schnakenberg; Christmas cards from artists and other friends; printed material; and a photograph of Lloyd Goff, inscribed to Schnakenberg, in front of one of his paintings, 1939.

Biographical / Historical:

Painter, etcher; Newton, Conn.

Provenance:

Material donated 1963-1971 by Schnakenberg and, after his death, by his estate.

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:

Etchers -- Connecticut -- Newton  Search this

Painters -- Connecticut -- Newton  Search this

Topic:

Art, Prehistoric  Search this

Painting, Modern -- 20th century  Search this

Etching  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.schnh

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9324de55d-c4b7-4bbe-9ff3-d60db8786f14

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-schnh

Creator:

Lynes, Russell, 1910-1991  Search this

Names:

Berger, Oscar, 1901-1997  Search this

Bryson, Bernarda  Search this

Osborn, Robert Chesley, 1904-1994  Search this

Perlin, Bernard, 1918-  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Warhol, Andy, 1928-  Search this

Extent:

1 Linear foot

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Illustrated letters

Date:

1946-1965

Summary:

Correspondence with artists kept by Russell Lynes in his capacity as managing editor of Harper's Magazine, measures one linear foot and dates from 1946 to 1965. The files consist primarily of correspondence with young artists and illustrators wishing to submit material to the magazine. Biographical notes from the magazine's "Personal and Otherwise" column about the artists whose material was accepted, clippings, scattered original artwork, and printed reproductions of artwork, are also included.

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence with artists kept by Russell Lynes in his capacity as managing editor of Harper's Magazine, measures one linear foot and dates from 1946 to 1965. The files consist primarily of correspondence with young artists and illustrators wishing to submit material to the magazine. Biographical notes from the magazine's "Personal and Otherwise" column about the artists whose material was accepted, clippings, scattered original artwork, and printed reproductions of artwork, are also included.

Although brief, the exchanges found in this collection offer a glimpse into the early careers of the artists represented, who often penned introductions to their work, and provided biographical information. Some of the letters are illustrated. Artists represented include Edmond Amateis, Benny Andrews, Irene Aronson, Oscar Berger, Marvin Bileck, Isabel Bishop, Carlyle Brown, Claire Burch, Ivan Chermayeff, Richard E. Davis, Robert J. Day, Eldon Dedini, Harvey Dinnerstein, Dean Ellis, Joseph Farris, Helen Frank, Frank Gallo, William D. Gorman, Douglas W. Gorsline, William Gropper, John Groth, Albert Hirschfeld, Carl Holty, Anne M. Jauss, Hans Jelinek, Kay Kato, Ted Key, Bernard Krigstein, Joseph Low, Loren MacIver, Jack Markow, Reginald Marsh, Charles E. Martin, William Mauldin, Richard Mayhew, Edward Melcarth, Glen Michaels, Nicolas Mordvinoff, Robert Osborn, David Pascal, Bernard Perlin, Ben Shahn, Bernarda Bryson Shahn, Aaron Sopher, Saul Steinberg, Susanne Suba, Peter Takal, Tony Walton, Andy Warhol, and Robert J. Wolff.

In addition to correspondence with artists there are notes on telephone calls to artists used for updating information in the Harper's Magazine files, reference letters written by Lynes on behalf of some artists, correspondence and memoranda with others regarding publishing logistics, and printed material featuring artwork.

Arrangement:

Records are arranged as one series due to the small size of the collection.

Series 1: Managing Editor Russell Lynes Correspondence with Artists, 1946-1965 (1 linear foot; Box 1)

Biographical / Historical:

Russell Lynes (1910-1991) joined Harper's Magazine as an assistant editor in 1944, and served as managing editor from 1947-1967. As an essayist, social historian, photographer, and arbiter of taste, Lynes served informally as art editor and corresponded with many artists regarding submissions to the magazine.

In addition to gaining renown for the thoughtful articles published in Harper's under his stewardship, Lynes was known for his satirical commentary on American tastes and preferences, particularly in architecture and decoration, in such books as Highbrow, Lowbrow, Middlebrow (1949), The Tastemakers (1954), and later works including The Art-Makers of Nineteenth Century America (1970).

Provenance:

The collection was donated to the Archives of American Art in 1967 by Harper & Row via Russell Lynes.

Restrictions:

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

Rights:

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

Topic:

Magazine illustration  Search this

Illustrators  Search this

Genre/Form:

Illustrated letters

Citation:

Managing editor Russell Lynes correspondence with artists, 1946-1965. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.harpmaga

See more items in:

Managing editor Russell Lynes correspondence with artists

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9d0091dff-5a44-4768-a8fd-77f530921771

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-harpmaga

Creator:

Bentivoglio, Mirella, 1922-  Search this

Names:

Halpert, Edith Gregor, 1900-1970  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Extent:

24 Items

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1959-1962

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence tied with research in preparation for Bentivoglio's book on Shahn. Includes two letters from Edith Gregor Halpert of the Downtown Gallery. Also includes one copy photograph of Shahn's photo "The accordion player" and a printed flier for "A treasury of Yiddish stories" (a book with illustrations by Shahn).

Biographical / Historical:

Mirella Bentivoglio (b. 1922) is an Italian sculptor, book artist, and performance artist.

Provenance:

Donated by Frances Pohl, a friend of Bentivoglio's, in 1992.

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:

Sculptors -- Italy  Search this

Book artists -- Italy  Search this

Performance artists -- Italy  Search this

Topic:

Women artists  Search this

Women sculptors  Search this

Women performance artists  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.bentmire

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw92ed5f345-dbff-4c32-8f99-d00bea65c0fc

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-bentmire

Creator:

Biddle, George, 1885-1973  Search this

Names:

Federal Art Project  Search this

Justice Dept. Building (Washington, D.C.)  Search this

National Library Building (Rio de Janerio, Brazil)  Search this

Supreme Court Building (Mexico City, Mexico)  Search this

United States. Dept. of the Treasury. Section of Fine Arts  Search this

United States. Dept. of the Treasury. Section of Painting and Sculpture  Search this

Berenson, Bernard, 1865-1959  Search this

Brewer, Bessie Marsh, d. 1952  Search this

Brooks, Van Wyck, 1886-1963  Search this

Diederich, William Hunt, 1884-1953  Search this

Kuniyoshi, Yasuo, 1889-1953  Search this

Pascin, Jules, 1885-1930  Search this

Poor, Anne, 1911-2011  Search this

Poor, Henry Varnum, 1887-1970  Search this

Pound, Ezra, 1885-1972  Search this

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Sterne, Maurice, 1878-1957  Search this

Extent:

0.76 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Diaries

Place:

United States -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945

Date:

circa 1910-1970

Summary:

The papers of New York painter and muralist George Biddle (1885-1973), measure 0.76 linear feet and date from circa 1910-1970. The collection includes a certificate signed by President Harry Truman, transcripts of Biddle's diaries, a manuscript of a memoir about meeting President Franklin Roosevelt, three letters from William Hunt Diederich's daughter, transcripts of letters from Bernard Berenson, sketches and mural studies, and two glass plate negatives.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of New York painter and muralist George Biddle (1885-1973), measure 0.76 linear feet and date from circa 1910-1970. The collection includes a certificate signed by President Harry Truman, transcripts of Biddle's diaries, a manuscript of a memoir about meeting President Franklin Roosevelt, three letters from William Hunt Diederich's daughter, transcripts of letters from Bernard Berenson, sketches and mural studies, and two glass plate negatives.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as one series.

Series 1: George Biddle Papers, circa 1910-1970 (0.7 linear feet; Box 1, OVs 2-4, MGP4)

Biographical / Historical:

New York painter and muralist George Biddle (1885-1973) proposed to President Franklin Roosevelt the establishment of a federal relief program for artists during the Depression, and subsequently painted a number of government murals under the auspices of the Federal Art Project, including murals for the Department of Justice in 1935.

Biddle was born to a prominent Philadelphia family and graduated from Harvard College. He studied at the Académie Julian and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and served in the United States Army in World War I, before returning to New York where he had his first series of one-man shows.

In 1933 Biddle wrote to long-time friend President Franklin Roosevelt, to suggest a work relief program that supported mural painters. Although the idea initially met with opposition, Biddle persisted and the resulting art projects of the Works Progress Administration went on to support the production of thousands of paintings in government buildings throughout the country during the Depression.

In 1940 Biddle was invited by the Mexican government to create a mural for the supreme court building in Mexico City. Biddle had visited Mexico in 1928 where he had traveled and sketched with Diego Rivera, and seen firsthand the value of government sponsored art programs.

In addition to his murals, Biddle was also known for his portraits, lithographs, and paintings. His work can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and others. His work has been shown throughout the United States, Europe, Mexico, Japan, and India in over a hundred one-man shows and group exhibitions.

Related Materials:

Originals of the edited diary transcripts in this collection are in the Library of Congress, Manuscript Division. The unedited diary has many more entries than the edited version and includes more details about Biddle's daily life and work, versions of articles by Biddle, and lists of his works of art through 1934.

Separated Materials:

The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming, including one of Biddle's original diaries, 1933-1935 (reel D127), records from the Federal Art Project, personal correspondence, articles and talks relating to Artists Equity (reels P17-P18), and a photocopy of Biddle's inventory notebook listing artwork and exhibitions (reel 4909). While the inventory notebook was discarded after microfilming, all other loaned materials were returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory.

Provenance:

The papers on reels P12-P18 were loaned for microfilming in 1954 by the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, PA. George Biddle lent the material on reel D127 in 1963 and donated the rest of the collection to the Archives of American Art between 1966-1970. In 1972, Michael Biddle, George Biddle's son, gifted a photocopy of an inventory notebook that was discarded after microfilming.

Restrictions:

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

Rights:

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Topic:

New Deal, 1933-1939  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Mural painting and decoration, American  Search this

Art and state -- United States  Search this

Muralists  Search this

Genre/Form:

Diaries

Citation:

George Biddle papers, circa 1910-1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.

Identifier:

AAA.biddgeor

See more items in:

George Biddle papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw914a8a397-8d17-42b1-8038-b8b6e3075445

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-biddgeor