Eight letters from Robert Frederick Blum to Alexander Drake concerning Blum's travels in Venice, Madrid, Tokyo, and Alexandria, Virginia. Blum describes his surroundings and briefly mentions his art work, such as in a letter introducing "Mr. Hodges, a gentleman from St. Louis" for whom he plans to illustrate an article on Venetian life. Some of the letters have small illustrations.
Biographical / Historical:
Blum was a painter, illustrator, and muralist in New York City. He worked for SCRIBNER'S in 1879, and in 1890 he traveled to Japan. Alexander Drake was a wood engraver, art editor, and patron in New York City. From 1881-1912, he was director of the Art Department and art editor of CENTURY magazine.
Provenance:
Donated by Dr. Paul Hart, who had purchased them from Lewis A. Shepard. Shephard had purchased the letters from Drake's granddaughter, Hilah (?) Wheeler Remaily (?).
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.
0.5 Linear feet ((343 items on 3 reels of microfilm))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Date:
1873-1938
Scope and Contents:
Notebooks, correspondence, photographs, art works, printed materials, and miscellany.
REEL 1654: A notebook listing prices of printmaking supplies; 3 illustrated notebooks; a passport, 1878; letters to Bacher and his wife Mary from Robert Blum concerning his travels to Japan, from John M. Carrier and Gari Melchers; condolence letters to Mary; photographs of Bacher; a photograph album of an artists' party, including Bacher, John White Alexander, James Carroll Beckwith, Edwin Blashfield, Robert Blum, William Merritt Chase, Thomas Wilmer Dewing, John LaFarge, Will Hicok Low, Frances Millet, John Singer Sargent, Jules Turcas, John Twatchmann, and J. Alden Weir; and photographs of tableaux at the American Art Club, Munich, 1878-1897, the Bronxville studio, and works of art; exhibition announcements and catalogs; clippings; reproductions; a Frank Duveneck exhibition catalogue, 1938; and miscellany.
REEL 1654, frames 327-371: Six drawings and 28 etchings including scenes of Venice and landscapes; two drawings "Caricatures of Some of the Venetian Group of 1886" by Robert Blum; an etching of Venice by Theodore M. Wendel; snapshots and a few photographs, including one of the interior of the Hotel Gramatan.
REEL 2786: An undated letter to Bacher from Robert Blum, discussing his mental and physical condition and thanking Bacher for his kindness.
REEL 3967: Three letters to the Bachers from their nephew, Lewis Archibald Blum; a photo of Bacher, 1887; a circular "Panama-Pacific International Exposition of San Francisco," 1915; and a pamphlet from the Metropolitan Museum, "Publications on Sale," 1938.
Biographical / Historical:
Impressionist painter and etcher; Cleveland, Ohio. Studied with Frank Duveneck in Cincinnati and Boulanger in Paris.
Provenance:
Papers originally lent for filming 1979 by Mr. and Mrs. Will Bacher, Bacher's son and son's wife. Will Bacher's grandchildren subsequently donated most of this material in 1985 and six other items. Art work and a few photographs (reel 1654, frames 327-371 and 417) previously lent were not donated with other materials in 1985.
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.
Letters, mostly from distinguished club members in behalf of candidates for membership, and some membership forms.
Correspondents are: James C. Beckwith, Norman Bel Geddes, Karl Bitter, Robert Blum, Gutzon Borglum, Arnold W. Brunner, Clarence C. Buel, Gelett Burgess, Charles C. Coleman, Royal Cortissoz, Lawrence Hutton, Richard Mansfield, Thomas Nast, Maxfield Parrish, Howard Pyle, F. Hopkinson, J. Alden Weir, and Stanford White.
Biographical / Historical:
New York City. Founded by Edwin Booth in 1888, the club had among its members many prominent actors, artists and writers.
Provenance:
Microfilmed 1956 by the Archives of American Art with other art-related papers in the Manuscript Division of the New York Public Library. Included in the microfilming project were selected papers of the Art Division and the Prints Division.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Scrapbook of Irving Wiles containing many original letters and sketches glued in place; sketchbook of Robert Henri with loose sketches and one notebook containing some original sketches, also photocopies of sketches already removed, names of pupils, dates and amounts paid; letters, many illustrated, to William Merritt Chase from Robert Blum; a sketchbook of John F. Kensett; a copy of a book, RIP VAN WINKLE, illustrated by Everett Shinn.
Biographical / Historical:
Galleries founded in 1916 in Brussels and London; in 1923 in New York City. Active as of 1983. Chapellier Galleries collected primarily important American paintings 1840-1940, and represented virtually all significant American painters of the period in their collections. The Chapellier Galleries sometimes acted as sole agents for the works in artists' estates; the Robert Henri estate, a notable example.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming 1968 by the Chapellier Galleries.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Three letters, all illustrated: one to Minnie; another to Virginia, apparently Minnie's sister; and an unaddressed letter, probably to Virginia, from Venice. Blum writes of various personal matters, and refers twice to "Chase," saying "He must be quite unbearable since Whistler painted his portrait.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, illustrator, muralist; New York, N.Y.
Provenance:
Provenance unknown.
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:
Illustrators -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Letters, photographs and clippings about Blum collected by De Stephano. Correspondence includes 2 letters from Robert Blum (1889, 1900), a letter to Blum from De Stephano (1893), several cables and a letter about Blum's death (1903), letters and 2 legal documents relating to de Stephano's claims against Blum's estate (1903-1932), and letters pertaining to De Stephano's loan of works by Blum to the Carnegie Institute exhibition (1923). Photographs show Blum; groups including Blum, De Stephano, Otto Bacher, William Merritt Chase, John Twachtman, and J. Alden Weir; and paintings by Blum (1889-1911). Printed material consists of a Carnegie Institute exhibition catalog (1923) and 20 clippings (1901-1932).
Biographical / Historical:
After Robert Blum's death, Flora de Stephano claimed to be his widow. She eventually received a small sum of money, some personal possessions, and three paintings by Blum from his executors.
Provenance:
The papers were given to the donor, Alan Pensler, by Webster de Stephano Smith, a descendant of Flora de Stephano.
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.
A handwritten and illustrated menu for a dinner held by a group of traveling American artists in honor of what would have been the 44th birthday of Spanish painter Mariano Fortuny (Fortuny died 8 years prior).
Biographical / Historical:
Mariano Fortuny was a prominent 19th century painter and influenced the work of many younger artists of the late 19th century studying in Europe.
General:
Note in purple ink on top left of cover reads "June 9th 1838" (Fortuny's birthday as according to Robert Blum, one of the organizers of the event). A drawing of a sailor is underneath.
The remainder of the cover reads "Menu of ye 7 painter fellers & one literary cuss on ye good ship Pennland, June 9th, 1882."
Back of menu has a row of signatures in pencil: F.H. Lungren; Robt. Blum; A.A. Anderson; [illegible, possibly Mr. Sevy?]; Carroll Beckwith; Fred P. Vinton; C.C. Buel; Arthur Quartley. Beneath signatures is a drawing of a palette with the word "Fortuny" on it.
Provenance:
Provenance unknown, possibly from the papers of Robert Blum.
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.
Robert Frederick Blum. Robert Frederick Blum, Tokyo, Japan letter to Otto H. (Otto Henry) Bacher, 1890 Aug. 22. Otto Bacher papers, 1873-1938. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Robert Frederick Blum. Sketch of Otto Bacher and Robert Blum on bicycles, between 1873 and 1903. Otto Bacher papers, 1873-1938. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Bacher, Otto H. (Otto Henry), 1856-1909 Search this
Type:
Correspondence
Date:
between 1895 and 1903
Citation:
Robert Frederick Blum. Robert Frederick Blum letter to Otto H. (Otto Henry) Bacher, between 1895 and 1903. Otto Bacher papers, 1873-1938. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Kenyon Cox. Kenyon Cox letter to Robert Frederick Blum, 1876 Jul. 24. Kenyon and Louise Cox papers, 1876-1977. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Robert Frederick Blum. Robert Frederick Blum to Minnie Gerson, 1883 December 6. Robert Blum illustrated letters, [between 1875 and 1900?]. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Robert Frederick Blum. Robert Frederick Blum to Virginia Gerson, 1885 Sept. 22. Robert Blum illustrated letters, [between 1875 and 1900?]. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Bacher, Otto H. (Otto Henry), 1856-1909 Search this
Type:
Correspondence
Date:
1887 July 18-23
Citation:
Robert Frederick Blum. Robert Frederick Blum to Otto H. (Otto Henry) Bacher, 1887 July 18-23. Otto Bacher papers, 1873-1938. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Bacher, Otto H. (Otto Henry), 1856-1909 Search this
Type:
Correspondence
Date:
1890 November 20
Citation:
Robert Frederick Blum. Robert Frederick Blum to Otto H. (Otto Henry) Bacher, 1890 November 20. Otto Bacher papers, 1873-1938. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
