An interview of Charles Alan conducted 1970 August 20-25, by Paul Cummings, for the Archives of American Art.
Alan speaks of studying scene and stage design; attending Yale School of Drama; doing illustrations for various publications; traveling and studying in Europe; working as a set designer for MGM and Warner Brothers; his experiences working at the Downtown Gallery; his thoughts and recollections about Edith Halpert; leaving Downtown Gallery and starting his own gallery; his opinions on the future of small galleries in New York; museum purchases; Edith Halpert's art collection; selling his gallery to Felix Landau; and various thoughts concerning the art world. He recalls Norman Bell Geddes, Edith Halpert, Stuart Davis, Julien Levy, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Kirk Askew, Raymond Breinin, Ben Shahn, George Washburn, Edward Root, Joe Hirshhorn, John Marin, John Marin Jr., Lawrence Allen, Georgia O'Keeffe, William Harnett, Julian Levi, Jack Levine, Karl Zerbe, Bruce Conner, Richard Baker, Paul Sachs, and many others.
Biographical / Historical:
Charles Alan (1908?-1975) was an art dealer from New York, New York. Alan attended Horace Mann School, graduating in 1924. Attended Yale School of Drama in 1925, then worked as a set designer for MGM and Warner Brothers. In 1930, Alan became a theatrical set designer and director. After serving in the Army in World War II, he worked for Edith Halpert at the Downtown Gallery. In 1952, he opened the Charles Alan Gallery, specializing in contemporary art. Alan closed the gallery in 1970 to become a private dealer.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 6 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hrs., 58 min.
Provenance:
These interviews are part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Topic:
Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews Search this
Set Designers -- United States -- Interviews Search this
Function:
Art galleries, Commercial -- New York (State) -- New York
The papers of New York and Connecticut painter Peter Blume date from 1870 to 2001 and measure 7.6 linear feet. Found are biographical materials; correspondence with family, friends, colleagues, galleries and institutions, and writers; writings on art by Blume and others; subject files regarding organizations, works of art, exhibitions, and reference files; personal business records; printed material; two scrapbooks; photographs of Blume, family, friends, and works of art; extensive artwork; and material relating to Blume's wife's family, the Cratons.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of New York and Connecticut painter Peter Blume date from 1870 to 2001 and measure 7.6 linear feet. Found are biographical materials; correspondence with family, friends, colleagues, galleries and institutions, and writers; writings on art by Blume and others; subject files regarding organizations, works of art, exhibitions, and reference files; personal business records; printed material; two scrapbooks; photographs of Blume, family, friends, and works of art; extensive artwork; and material relating to Blume's wife's family, the Cratons.
Biographical materials include an award, obituaries, a travel itinerary, and sound recordings and transcripts of interviews of Peter Blume by Alfred H. Barr, Boston College, Harry Boursa, and Visionary Company Magazine.
Correspondence is professional and personal. Letters are from friends, family, artists, writers, galleries, and institutions. Notable correspondents include Kirk Askew, Malcolm Cowley, Peter DeVries, Joseph Hirsch, and Frank A. Trapp, among others. Also found is Grace Blume's correspondence which includes letters to and from Peter Blume and letters from Grace to her family members and friends. The bulk of Grace Blume's correspondence concerns her travels with Blume.
Writings and notes by Blume include a travel journal, lists of works of art, lectures, talks and other writings on art, artists, and friends. Writings by others include theses and scholarly papers about Blume, and include writings by Heber Blankenhorn, Kenneth Burke, Malcolm Cowley, Robert Ulrich Godsoe, Frank Getlein, Michael A. Kelly, and Frank A. Trapp. Also found is criticism on The Rock by school children.
Blume's subject files cover the American Academy of Arts and Letters, American Artists Congress, Heber Blankenhorn, works of art by Blume, exhibitions, and the Connecticut Council on the Arts. Also found are reference files consisting of photographs of artwork by others and clippings.
Personal business and financial records consist of business correspondence with galleries and museums; sales and consignment records; scattered price lists; and receipts and invoices relating to the building and running of Blume's house in Connecticut.
Printed materials include clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs for solo and group shows, magazines featuring articles about Blume, posters, and reproductions of works of art.
Scrapbooks include a fragment of a scrapbook from 1942-1944 and a clippings scrapbook from 1934-1939.
Photographs include portraits and snapshots of Peter Blume, Grace Blume, family, friends, travel, parties, pets, homes, landscapes, exhibitions, and works of art. There are also photos of the Askews, the Blankenhorns, the Cowleys, Alfred Eisenstaedt, the Holstens, the Josephsons, Arthur Miller, Georgia O'Keeffe, the Sobys, and Raphael Soyer.
Artwork by Peter Blume includes completed drawings, sketches, doodles, prints, and preliminary drawings for many of his works. Of note are extensive sketches of heads, and preliminary drawings for Recollection of the Flood.
Craton family papers consist of geneological material relating to Grace Blume's brother, James Craton and his wife Catherine Sears Craton. Found are vital records; military records for James and Marshall Craton; correspondence; scattered financial records; clippings; and family photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 10 series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1950-1992 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1926-1992 (1.8 linear feet; Box 1-3)
Series 3: Writings and Notes, 1929-1986 (0.5 linear feet; Box 3, 9)
Series 4: Subject Files, circa 1930-1988 (0.5 linear feet; Box 3-4)
Series 5: Personal Business and Financial Records, 1934-1983 (0.6 linear feet; Box 4, 9)
Series 6: Printed Material, 1930-1990 (0.7 linear feet; Box 4-5, 9, OV 15-16)
Series 7: Scrapbooks, 1934-1944 (3 folders; Box 5)
Series 8: Photographs, 1917-circa 1980 (1.1 linear feet; Box 5-6, 9)
Series 9: Artwork, 1932-1984 (2.0 linear feet; Box 6-9, OV 10-14)
Series 10: Craton Family Papers, 1870-2001 (0.2 linear feet; Box 6)
Biographical / Historical:
Russian-born painter and sculptor Peter Blume (1906-1992) was active in New York and Connecticut. His style combined American and European traditions with folk art and surrealism.
Peter Blume was born Piotr Sorek-Sabel in 1906 in Smorgon, Russia. With his family, he emigrated to the United States in 1911 and settled in New York City. Blume studied at the Educational Alliance and the Art Students League in New York. Influenced by folk art, Precisionism, Cubism, and Surrealism, Blume combined European and American painting tradition to create his own style. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1932 and travelled to Italy.
In 1934, Blume's South of Scranton (1931) won the first prize at the Carnegie International Exhibition. Later, he exhibited The Eternal City (1937) at the Julian Levy Galleries in Manhattan. With the Section of Painting and Sculpture of the Treasury Department, Blume completed two post office murals in New York and Pennsylvania. Blume was a member of the National Academy of Design and was active with the American Academy in Rome.
Peter Blume married Grace "Ebie" Douglas Craton in 1931. The couple built their home in Sherman, Connecticut. The Blumes travelled the world and kept close relationships with family and friends, such as Ann and Heber Blankenhorn, Malcolm Cowley, and Ned and Nancy Holsten.
Peter Blume died in Connecticut in 1992.
Related Materials:
Also in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Peter Blume conducted on August 16th, 1983 to May 23rd, 1984 by Robert F. Brown.
Provenance:
The Peter Blume papers were donated by in 1993 by Grace Blume, Peter Blume's widow. Additional papers were donated by Catherine Weiss, Jamie Vance, and Leigh Butler in 2010.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
Rights:
The Peter Blume papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Genre/Form:
Travel diaries
Sound recordings
Interviews
Drawings
Photographs
Prints
Transcriptions
Lectures
Scrapbooks
Sketches
Citation:
Peter Blume papers, 1870-2001. 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
Letters from Dorothy Canning Miller, R. Kirk Askew (of Durlacher Bros.), Henry Allen Moe, Ala Story and others; financial and business records; printed material, including an exhibition catalog, announcements for an exhibit at the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and a 1949 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship; a typescript of an article by Hyman Swetzoff about Bloom, "Hyman Bloom: The Attainment of a State of Being"; and 152 pencil drawings by Bloom's students, including works by Lynn Banker, Anabel Handy, David Hayes, C. Heijn, Valerie Jayne, Peter W. Kent, Patricia Quinn, John Rooney, John Updike, A.J. Yiannias, E. Zimmerman and others.
ADDITION: Correspondence, ca. 1943-1980, including some relating to an urban renewal project and rent control matters effecting Bloom's residence; tax documents; list of paintings with prices; certificate of fellowship in the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Boston (1960); Boston Fenway Art Community Proposal and completed questionnaire; and printed material.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter; Cambridge, Mass. Born near Riga, Latvia in April 1913. Immigrated to Boston in 1920 and began painting and drawing classes, taught by Harold Zimmerman at a settlement house. Worked for the WPA in the early 1930s.
Provenance:
Donated 1981 and 1994 by Bloom.
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.
Letters, including those received from R. Kirk Askew, Perry Rathbone, Joseph Pulitzer, and Lillian Hellman; material concerning exhibitions such as catalogs, notices, and lists of collections; photographs and slides; articles and addresses by Greene.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter; New York. Died Nov. 18, 1999, at age 82. Studied at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League and with Philip Guston. Taught at Princeton Univ., Tyler School of Art of Temple Univ., and the Art Students League. Students included Frank Stella. Spent four years at the American Academy in Rome.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming 1970 by Stephen Greene.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
The papers of art dealer R. Kirk Askew, director of the New York branch of the Durlacher Bros. art firm, measure 0.6 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1958. The collection includes correspondence with artists Cady Wells, Walter Stuempfig, Walter Quirt, Edward Melcarth, Kurt Seligmann, Leonid Berman, Hyman Bloom, Peter Blume, Carlyle Brown, James W. Fosburgh, Stephen Greene, and Walter Stein.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of art dealer R. Kirk Askew, director of the New York branch of the Durlacher Bros. art firm, measure 0.6 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1958. The collection includes correspondence with artists Cady Wells, Walter Stuempfig, Walter Quirt, Edward Melcarth, Kurt Seligmann, Leonid Berman, Hyman Bloom, Peter Blume, Carlyle Brown, James W. Fosburgh, Stephen Greene, and Walter Stein.
Arrangement:
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
Biographical / Historical:
R. Kirk Askew (1903-1974) was an art dealer and manager of the Durlacher Bros. New York location from from 1927 to circa 1969.
Separated Materials:
Exhibition catalogs, 1928-1967, also donated by R. Kirk Askew, were tranferred to Smithsonian Institution Libraries in 1975. Catalogs are available on microfilm reel 148 at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Provenance:
Donated 1969-1971 by R. Kirk Askew.
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 dealers -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Art galleries, Commercial -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Gallery directors -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1947 May 12-1948 September 2
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 10
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1947 June 29- 1958 September 11
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 11
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1944 May 24-1947 February 26
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 12
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1943
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 13
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1946 October 1-1949 September 19
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1948 June 10-1952 December 29
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Correspondence with Walter Stein with 1959 exhibition catalog
Collection Creator:
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1950 January 6-1957 July 17
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 3
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1943-1945
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 4
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1949-1952
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 5
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1943-1945
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 6
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1946 May 24-1949 November1
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1945 January 9-1949 April 1
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 3
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1951 November 26-1958 December 15
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 4
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1946 March 2-1949 October 8
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
