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What a Costume Designer Pulls for a Big TV Pilot

Creator:
Smithsonian Channel  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2015-04-12T04:00:00.000Z
YouTube Category:
Entertainment  Search this
See more by:
smithsonianchannel
Data Source:
Smithsonian Channel
YouTube Channel:
smithsonianchannel
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_KpAYASEPxM8

How to Dress a Million Dollar American Princess

Creator:
Smithsonian Channel  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2015-12-28T22:14:21.000Z
YouTube Category:
Entertainment  Search this
See more by:
smithsonianchannel
Data Source:
Smithsonian Channel
YouTube Channel:
smithsonianchannel
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_VErA2stzSYk

Inventive Minds: Inventors of the Sports Bra

Creator:
Lemelson Center, National Museum of American History  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2020-10-27T21:08:23.000Z
YouTube Category:
Science & Technology  Search this
Topic:
American History  Search this
See more by:
LemelsonCenter
Data Source:
Lemelson Center, National Museum of American History
YouTube Channel:
LemelsonCenter
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_8dBA1i9q82o

The Conversion of Ka'ahumanu

Creator:
National Museum of the American Indian  Search this
Type:
Interviews
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2009-06-04T14:13:28.000Z
YouTube Category:
Entertainment  Search this
Topic:
Native Americans;American Indians  Search this
See more by:
SmithsonianNMAI
Data Source:
National Museum of the American Indian
YouTube Channel:
SmithsonianNMAI
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_hE1G5Oy30Q8

Seeing Ourselves Talk

Creator:
National Museum of African Art  Search this
Type:
Conversations and talks
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2022-10-04T16:17:06.000Z
YouTube Category:
Education  Search this
Topic:
Art, African  Search this
See more by:
SmithsonianAfricanAr
Data Source:
National Museum of African Art
YouTube Channel:
SmithsonianAfricanAr
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_ZAbFQofke9c

Aaron Koblin and Vincent Morisset - Just A Reflektor Clip

Creator:
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2016-02-10T20:59:29.000Z
YouTube Category:
Education  Search this
Topic:
Design  Search this
See more by:
cooperhewitt
Data Source:
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
YouTube Channel:
cooperhewitt
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_toSbnZVAdCI

Jun Kaneko the space between Glen R. Brown

Title:
Space between
Author:
Brown, Glen R  Search this
Author:
Kaneko, Jun 1942- Works Selections  Search this
Physical description:
261 pages illustrations (chiefly color), portraits 31 cm
Type:
Books
Criticism, interpretation, etc
Date:
2021
20th century
21st century
20e siècle
21e siècle
Topic:
Ceramic sculpture  Search this
Art, Japanese  Search this
Sculpture, Japanese  Search this
Installations (Art)  Search this
Sculpture en céramique  Search this
Art japonais  Search this
Sculpture japonaise  Search this
Call number:
NK4210.K357 B75 2021
N40.1.K172 J36 2021
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_1158650

Green velvet dress worn by Lena Horne in the film Stormy Weather

Designed by:
Helen Rose, American, 1904 - 1985  Search this
Worn by:
Lena Horne, American, 1917 - 2010  Search this
Medium:
velvet with metal and fur
Dimensions:
H x W: 53 x 24 in. (134.6 x 61 cm)
Type:
dresses
Date:
1943
Topic:
African American  Search this
Actors  Search this
Clothing and dress  Search this
Costume  Search this
Costume design  Search this
Design  Search this
Film  Search this
Women  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number:
2011.90
Restrictions & Rights:
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Clothing-Costume
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd51b5100c0-e432-42a6-a85f-13caf4ab5722
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2011.90
Online Media:

Costume Design of a Jewish Boy described as a Pharisee, a Fig Tree, and Heads, Palestine

Artist:
Frederic Edwin Church, American, 1826–1900  Search this
Medium:
Graphite on light brown paper
Dimensions:
Sheet: 20.7 x 12.2 cm (8 1/8 x 4 13/16 in.)
Type:
costume & accessories
Drawing
Object Name:
Drawing
Place depicted:
Palestine
Date:
February–April 1868
Credit Line:
Gift of Louis P. Church
Accession Number:
1917-4-185
Restrictions & Rights:
CC0
See more items in:
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection
Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department
Data Source:
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kq48797a8ae-82f0-4eac-a87b-c58cbc1b6ba0
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:chndm_1917-4-185

Costume worn by Nona Hendryx of Labelle

Designed by:
Larry LeGaspi, American, 1950 - 2001  Search this
Worn by:
Nona Hendryx, American, born 1944  Search this
Subject of:
Labelle, American, founded 1962  Search this
Medium:
Skullcap: synthetic fiber and batting
Bodysuit: synthetic fiber, metal zipper
Vest: synthetic fiber, batting, metal, and elastic
Boot Covers: synthetic fiber, batting, Velcro™, and elastic
Dimensions:
H x W x D (Skullcap (flat)): 20 1/4 × 11 × 1 1/4 in. (51.4 × 27.9 × 3.2 cm)
H x W x D (Skullcap (on form)): 20 1/2 × 9 × 9 1/2 in. (52.1 × 22.9 × 24.1 cm)
H x W (Bodysuit (flat)): 55 1/2 × 29 in. (141 × 73.7 cm)
H x W x D (Bodysuit (on form)): 54 1/2 × 18 × 11 in. (138.4 × 45.7 × 27.9 cm)
H x W (Bodysuit (inseam)): 29 in. (73.7 cm)
H x W x D (Vest (flat)): 55 × 28 1/2 × 1/2 in. (139.7 × 72.4 × 1.3 cm)
H x W x D (Vest (on form)): 27 × 26 × 12 1/2 in. (68.6 × 66 × 31.8 cm)
H x W x D (Boot cover (.a, left, flat)): 23 × 8 × 1 in. (58.4 × 20.3 × 2.5 cm)
H x W x D (Boot cover (.b, right, flat)): 23 1/2 × 8 1/4 × 1 in. (59.7 × 21 × 2.5 cm)
H x W x D (Boot cover (.a, left, on form)): 23 1/2 × 4 1/2 × 7 1/2 in. (59.7 × 11.4 × 19.1 cm)
H x W x D (Boot cover (.b, right, on form)): 22 × 4 1/2 × 7 3/4 in. (55.9 × 11.4 × 19.7 cm)
Type:
main garments for the upper body
body stockings
skullcaps
overshoes
Date:
1975
Topic:
African American  Search this
Costume  Search this
Costume design  Search this
Design  Search this
Disco (Music)  Search this
Funk (Music)  Search this
Rhythm and blues (Music)  Search this
Rock and roll (Music)  Search this
Singers (Musicians)  Search this
Soul (Music)  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Nona Hendryx of Labelle
Object number:
2014.246.3.1-.4ab
Restrictions & Rights:
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Clothing-Costume
Movement:
Afrofuturism
On View:
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse, C 050
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd525c8c82c-5df6-48f2-8e88-e0234baade5d
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2014.246.3.1-.4ab

Red Starfleet uniform worn by Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura on Star Trek

Designed by:
William Ware Theiss, American, 1931 - 1992  Search this
Worn by:
Nichelle Nichols, American, 1932 - 2022  Search this
Medium:
synthetic velour cloth with metal and Velcro closures
Dimensions:
H x W x D (flat): 27 1/2 × 22 × 3/4 in. (69.9 × 55.9 × 1.9 cm)
Type:
dresses
Date:
1966-1967
Topic:
African American  Search this
Actors  Search this
Clothing and dress  Search this
Costume  Search this
Costume design  Search this
Design  Search this
Science  Search this
Television  Search this
Women  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number:
2016.126
Restrictions & Rights:
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Clothing-Costume
On View:
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse, C 050
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd53b27b528-3266-4e90-ab6b-e5976ebd7e24
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2016.126
Online Media:

Costume for Black Panther worn by Chadwick Boseman

Produced by:
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., American, founded 1939  Search this
Worn by:
Chadwick Boseman, American, 1977 - 2020  Search this
Created by:
Andy Park, American, born 1975  Search this
Designed by:
Judianna Makovsky, American, born 1967  Search this
Medium:
Skin suit, gloves, and boots: synthetic fiber, Velcro (TM), and metal;
Muscle Suit: spandex, Lycra, polyester, and latex;
Helmet: urethane elastomer, plastic, and magnets
Dimensions:
H x W (Full Costume Measurements): 75 × 23 in. (190.5 × 58.4 cm)
Type:
costume
helmets
gloves
boots
bodysuits
Cultural Place:
Africa
Place made:
United States, North and Central America
Date:
2016
Topic:
African American  Search this
Comics and graphic novels  Search this
Costume  Search this
Costume design  Search this
Design  Search this
Hollywood (Film)  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Marvel Studios and The Walt Disney Company
Object number:
2018.39.1.1abc-.5ab
Restrictions & Rights:
© Marvel
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Clothing-Costume
On View:
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse, C 033
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse, C 050
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5bae0c0de-7388-475e-b812-296958d6d890
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2018.39.1.1abc-.5ab
Online Media:

Museum extension project costume plates

Creator:
Federal Art Project (Pa.)  Search this
Names:
United States. Work Projects Administration  Search this
United States. Works Progress Administration  Search this
Extent:
0.6 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1940-1943
Scope and Contents:
Handpainted, illustrated plates of period costume designs throughout history, accompanied by descriptive handbooks recounting the historical context of the costumes.
Biographical / Historical:
Museum projects were programs of the Work Projects Administration instituted during the Depression to increase employment opportunities, particularly among the white-collar worker. By 1941, museum projects came under the jurisdiction of the Federal Art Program (originally the Federal Art Project) of the WPA. Plates of historical costumes as well as dioramas, costumed dolls and craft objects were often prepared for educational purposes.
Provenance:
Donated by Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute. It is unclear how the materials came to M-W-P.
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.
Topic:
New Deal, 1933-1939 -- Pennsylvania  Search this
Federal aid to the arts -- Pennsylvania  Search this
Federal aid to the public welfare -- Pennsylvania  Search this
Costume  Search this
Costume design  Search this
Function:
Programs (organizations)
Agencies
Identifier:
AAA.fedeartp08
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw95a12c57c-e758-4731-9cd4-87b6475a4c15
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-fedeartp08

Dorothy Shaver Papers

Creator:
Shaver, Dorothy, 1893-1959  Search this
Donor:
Shaver, Elsie  Search this
Names:
Lord & Taylor  Search this
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962  Search this
Collector:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Costume  Search this
Extent:
14 Sound recordings
32 Cassette tapes
1 Electronic discs (CD)
6 Cubic feet (22 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Cassette tapes
Electronic discs (cd)
Clippings
Photographs
Scrapbooks
78 rpm records
Phonograph records
Professional papers
Date:
circa 1920-1959; undated
bulk 1945-1959
Summary:
This collection contains the personal and professional papers of Dorothy Shaver, one of the best-known female executives in the 1950s; Shaver became the first female president of Lord & Taylor in 1945.
Scope and Contents:
This collection documents the personal and professional life of Dorothy Shaver. Types of materials include correspondence, clippings, biographical narratives, interviews, statements to the press, event programs, speeches, certificates, obituaries, awards and honorary degrees, souvenir publications, advertisements, scrapbooks, planning documents, travel itineraries, notes, invitations, seating lists, photographs, and audio recordings. These materials range in date from 1920 to 1959, but the bulk date is from 1945 to 1959. Those interested in the history of women in business, fashion merchandising, the department store Lord & Taylor, the "American Look" as a fashion trend, and the creation of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art will find this collection useful. An oral history interview was conducted with Elsie Shaver, sister of Dorothy Shaver, in 1973.
Arrangement:
Series 1: Personal Papers, 1920s-1959; undated

Series 2: Professional Papers, 1927-1959; undated

Series 3: Social and Professional Activities, 1928-1959; undated

Series 4: Photographs, about 1920-1959; undated

Series 5: Audio Recordings, 1946-1948; 1956, 1973
Biographical History:
Dorothy Shaver was born on July 29, 1893, in Center Point, Arkansas to, Sallie Borden and James D. Shaver, a lawyer and judge. After graduating from Mena High School in 1910, Dorothy went on to study at the University of Arkansas and the University of Chicago. She moved to New York City with her sister Elsie, an artist, in the 1920s. Acting as an agent for her sister, Dorothy sold some of Elsie's fashion drawings to the department store Lord & Taylor. Dorothy also promoted Elsie's "Five Little Shaver" dolls, which became a major fad after Lord &Taylor introduced them.

Impressed, Lord & Taylor hired Dorothy Shaver to head its Comparative Shopping Bureau, the main purpose of which was to spy on other department stores. Shaver eventually reorganized this department to create a Bureau of Stylists in an effort to improve Lord & Taylor's merchandising strategy and set the pace for style in New York. Her career with Lord & Taylor skyrocketed from there. In 1927, Shaver became a member of Lord & Taylor's board of directors and in 1931, she was named a vice president. In 1937, she was elevated to first vice president and on December 19, 1945, she was named president of Lord & Taylor, becoming one of the first female executives of a large department store. One year later, she was elected to the board of directors of the Associated Dry Goods Corporation, of which Lord & Taylor was a division.

Under Shaver's direction, Lord & Taylor became one of the first department stores to sell clothing specifically designed for different subsets of their customer base; teenaged girls, young adult women, petite women, and career women. She also introduced a bridal shop and a maternity department. She was known for her unique merchandising techniques, such as spraying perfume from the store's marquee in an effort to sell perfume and attract customers. Six suburban branches were opened under her leadership in Manhasset, New York, 1941; Scarsdale, New York, 1948; Millburn, New Jersey, 1949; West Hartford, Connecticut, 1953; Bala-Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, 1954; and Garden City, New York, 1956.

Shaver was also known for her early recognition of American fashion designers. She promoted the "American Look" as a fashion trend, putting American designers on par with French designers. Her efforts fueled the careers of many American designers including Clare Potter, Claire McCardle, and Nettie Rosenstein. In 1937, Shaver established the American Design Awards, an annual event hosted by Lord & Taylor highlighting the achievements of innovators in the fields of design, the arts, housing, education, the sciences, and international relations.

Shaver also helped establish the Museum of Costume Art, which became the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1944. She was chairman of the institute's executive committee and was a member of the Museum's board of trustees. In 1942, as a merchandising consultant to the office of Quartermaster General, Shaver supervised the design of new uniforms and accessories for nurses in the military.

Shaver received numerous citations and awards over the course of her life, including honorary degrees from Syracuse University (1947), Bates College (1949), New York University (1950), Russell Sage College (1951), Lafayette College (1957), and Wheaton College (1957).

Shaver suffered a stroke and died soon after on June 28, 1959; she is buried in Texarkana, Arkansas. Her gravestone has the year of her birth as 1897, four years later than her actual birth date. This error apparently was done on the instruction of her sister, Elsie, because the two women enjoyed misrepresenting their ages.
Bibliographic references:
Lord and Taylor advertisement in: Museum of the City of New York, Paris, and New York. Design Fashion Culture 1925-1940 Monacelli Press, 1928, p. 166;
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center

Freda Diamond Collection, circa 1945-1984 (AC0616)

Estelle Ellis Collection, 1944-1994, #423, Brownie Wise Papers, circa 1928-1968 (AC0509) California Shop Records, 1938-1942 (AC0572)

Setting the Precedent: Four Women Who Excelled in Business, featuring Freda Diamond, Estelle Ellis, Dorothy Shaver, and Brownie Wise.
Related Artifacts:
The Division of Culture and the Arts (now Division of Cultural and Community Life) holds artifacts relating to S. Newman Darby and his invention of the windsurfer, including an original board, boom and mast, and sail dating from 1964. See accessions #1998.0086 and #1998.0323.
Provenance:
This collection was donated to the Museum's Division of Home and Community Life by Dorothy Shaver's sister, Elsie Shaver, in 1973.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but the original audio acssettes are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Researchers must use reference copies of audio-visual materials. When no reference copy exists, the Archives Center staff will produce reference copies on an "as needed" basis, as resources allow. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Costume design  Search this
Women in business -- 20th century  Search this
Genre/Form:
Clippings -- 20th century
Photographs -- 20th century
Scrapbooks -- 20th century
78 rpm records
Phonograph records
Professional papers
Citation:
Dorothy Shaver Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0631
See more items in:
Dorothy Shaver Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep846b248bb-7d72-45b7-94c6-78a9533028f6
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0631
Online Media:

Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin papers, 1929-1988

Creator:
Sanford, Marion, 1904-1987  Search this
Subject:
Chapin, Cornelia  Search this
Hernández, Mateo  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Photographs
Motion pictures (visual works)
Scrapbooks
Video recordings
Interviews
Drawings
Citation:
Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin papers, 1929-1988. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century  Search this
Sculpture -- Technique  Search this
Bas-relief  Search this
Sculpture, American -- 20th century  Search this
Artists' studios  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women sculptors  Search this
Theme:
Women  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)6270
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)216613
AAA_collcode_sanfmari
Theme:
Women
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_216613
Online Media:

Maxine Seelbinder Merlino papers

Creator:
Merlino, Maxine Ollie Seelbinder, 1912-  Search this
Names:
California State University, Long Beach -- Faculty  Search this
Extent:
1.1 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Photographs
Date:
1928-2003
Summary:
The papers of illustrator, muralist, theatrical set designer, and professor Maxine Seelbinder Merlino papers measure 1.1 linear feet and date from 1928-2003. The collection includes correspondence; newspaper clippings and reviews of artist's work; sketches for stage and set designs and mural decorations; federal commission contracts; exhibition brochures; theater playbills and announcements; photographs; original art work, including drawings and sketches; original lithographs; and material on the dedication of the Merlino Gallery at California State University, Long Beach.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of illustrator, muralist, theatrical set designer, and professor, Maxine Seelbinder Merlino papers measures 1.1 linear feet and date from 1928-2003. The collection includes correspondence; newspaper clippings and reviews of artist's work; sketches for stage and set designs and mural decorations; federal commission contracts; exhibition brochures; theater playbills and announcements; photographs; original art work, including watercolor sketches; original lithographs; and material on the dedication of the Merlino Gallery at California State University, Long Beach.

Documenting Merlino's work on New Deal federal government programs are letters sent to her in the early 1940s from the Public Buildings Administration and the Section of Fine Arts of the Federal Works Agency in Washington, D.C. as well as three photographs of a mural executed by Merlino for the Recorder of Deeds Building in Washington, D.C. that depicts Benjamin Banneker, a pioneering African-American surveyor, inventor, and astronomer.

Representing Merlino's early New York period are brochures of group exhibitions and her one-woman show in a theater gallery. Among the original works of art are two original lithographs: Franco's Destruction, which was reproduced in a 1938 issue of New Masses, and Hearst's Empire, which appeared in the April 1938 edition of The Fight magazine.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as five series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical, 1929-2003 (Box 1; 5 folders)

Series 2: Letters, 1936-2001 (Box 1; 6 folders)

Series 3: Projects, 1927-2002 (Box 1-2; 26 folders)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1939-1969 (Box 1-2; 13 folders)

Series 5: Works of Art, 1932-1957 (Box 1, 3, OV 4; 21 folders)
Biographical Note:
Maxine Ollie Seelbinder Merlino was born in Portland, Oregon in 1912. She trained at the Portland Art Museum School before venturing to New York City where she took classes at the Art Students' League with, among others, Will Barnet, Anton Refregier, Adolph Gottlieb, Hans Hofmann, and Harry Sternberg. Maxine Merlino worked in New York from 1936 to 1943 as a free-lance illustrator, muralist, and theatrical set designer.

In 1940 and 1942, Merlino won mural commissions for the United States Department of Interior Section of Fine Arts program. She designed and executed murals for the S.S. Garfield, and painted a mural that graced the Recorder of Deeds Building in Washington, D.C., one of seven murals in the building celebrating the contributions of African Americans.

Relocating to Long Beach, California in 1943, she worked as a scientific illustrator for the Army Air Force during the Second World War and subsequently as a stage, set and costume designer for theater and film producer Preston Sturges. From the early 1950s until her retirement in 1976, she was affiliated with California State University, Long Beach where she served as a Professor of Art and Theater Design and then as Dean of the Art Department. In recognition of Dr. Merlino's contributions to the department, the university dedicated an art gallery in her name, in February 2003.
Provenance:
Dr. Merlino donated her papers in 2003.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Set designers -- California  Search this
Topic:
Mural painting and decoration -- 20th century -- California  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Works of art  Search this
Women illustrators  Search this
Women muralists  Search this
Women designers  Search this
Women educators  Search this
Genre/Form:
Drawings
Photographs
Citation:
Maxine Seelbinder Merlino papers, 1928-2003. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.merlmaxi
See more items in:
Maxine Seelbinder Merlino papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw90a9011ad-dc22-46af-8069-cbf79c038f97
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-merlmaxi

Julian E. Levi papers

Creator:
Levi, Julian E. (Julian Edwin), 1900-1982  Search this
Names:
American Artists' Congress  Search this
An American Group (Organization)  Search this
Downtown Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
New School for Social Research (New York, N.Y.) -- Faculty  Search this
Extent:
6.9 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks
Interviews
Sketches
Drawings
Photographs
Illustrated letters
Date:
1846-1981
Summary:
The papers of painter and teacher Julian E. (Edwin) Levi date from 1846 to 1981, and comprise 6.9 linear feet. They include biographical information and extensive correspondence with museums and galleries, as well as letters written to his family, circa 1927, while Levi was living in Paris. Also found within the papers are scattered drawings and sketches by Levi, writings and notes, financial records, two scrapbooks, printed material, miscellaneous records and photographs that document Levi's professional career and personal life.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of painter and teacher Julian E. Levi date from 1846 to 1981, and comprise 6.9 linear feet. They consist of biographical information, correspondence, artwork, writings and notes, financial records, scrapbooks, printed material, miscellaneous records and photographs that document Levi's professional career and personal life.

Biographical information includes French documents regarding his trips to Paris in 1920 and 1926-1927. Julian E. Levi's Correspondence, 1914-1981, and undated, concerns professional and personal matters and consists primarily of incoming letters from friends and colleagues, arts organizations, museums, schools, and galleries. Also found are approximately sixty letters he wrote to his family circa 1927, while living in Paris. In addition, a small number of Henderson Family letters, 1846-1886, are included with the Julian E. Levi papers; their relationship to Levi is unclear. Found within the correspondence are illustrated letters and original artwork in the form of greeting cards. Additional Artwork consists mainly of pencil drawings and sketches by Levi, including a large number of stage costume designs.

Writings by Levi consist of brief statements concerning his work and other artists, brief reminiscences of friends, a poem, and the text of a speech. Notes contain miscellaneous jottings, lists of paintings, addresses and telephone information, and address books. Among the writings by others are catalog introductions for Levi exhibitions by unknown authors, and by Lewis Mumford and Archibald MacLeish for An American Group, Inc.

Financial Records concern both business and personal transactions and document art sales, commissions, consignments, and gallery expenses. Also included are receipts, a small number of banking and tax records, and scattered documentation of purchases, appraisals, and sales of antiques in his collection.

Scrapbooks (2 disbound volumes) contain clippings, other printed items, and a few photographs documenting Levi's exhibitions. There are a substantial number of exhibition catalogs and announcements. Miscellaneous printed material includes brochures, newsletters and publications, clippings, invitations, announcements of meetings, blank postcards, travel brochures and printed souvenirs. Also found is a copy of his book, Modern Art: An Introduction, and one of the articles he published in the American expatriate periodical Gargoyle.

Items of note among the Miscellaneous Records pertain to the American Artists' Congress, An American Group, Inc., Downtown Gallery, and New York City Council for Art Week. Other items of interest are a blueprint of plans for Levi's studio at his home in Easthampton, New York, and records regarding the New School for Social Research where Levi taught for many years.

Photographs of artwork include a disbound album of Levi's work and exhibition installation views that show paintings by Levi. Pictures of Levi include some taken when he was a young child, along with many views of him in his studio, with students, and others. Many views of places probably were used as reference for paintings. Other places recorded in photographs include Downtown Gallery, Stuart Davis's grave, and studios he occupied while in Paris, circa 1926-1927 and at the American Academy in Rome, 1967-1968. Of particular note are copies of Resettlement Administration and Farm Security Administration photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is organized into 9 series. Correspondence and Scrapbooks are arranged chronologically. Other series are further categorized by record type or broad topic, with material in each folder arranged chronologically or alphabetically, as noted in the series descriptions.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Information, circa 1906-1980 (Box 1; 14 folders)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1846-1981 (Boxes 1-3, OV 9; 2.3 linear ft.)

Series 3: Artwork, circa 1922-1972 (Box 3; 8 folders)

Series 4: Writings and Notes, circa 1938-1978 (Box 3; 11 folders)

Series 5: Financial Records, 1920s-1980 (Box 3; 0.4 linear ft.)

Series 6: Scrapbooks, 1921-1940(Box 4; 2 folders)

Series 7: Printed Material, circa 1922-1981(Boxes 4-6 and OV 10; 2.3 linear ft.)

Series 8: Miscellaneous Records, circa 1940-1974 (Box 6 and OV 9; 0.2 linear ft.)

Series 9: Photographs, circa 1902-1974 (Boxes 6-8 and OV 11; 1.1 linear ft.)
Biographical Note:
Julian Edwin Levi was born in New York in 1900, and his family relocated to Philadelphia six years later. At age 17, Levi enrolled in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts where he studied under Henry McCarter and Arthur B. Carles. Upon completing his studies at the Academy in 1919, Levi was awarded one of the Pennsylvania Academy's Cresson Traveling Scholarship which enabled him to travel to Italy during the summer of 1920.

Levi then headed to Paris where he spent the next four years. During this time he became fluent in French, looked at a wide variety of art that influenced him to experiment with abstraction, and had paintings accepted for exhibition the Salon d'Automne of 1921 and 1922. He met many artists in Paris, and developed a close friendship with Jules Pascin. He retuned for a second stay in Paris during 1926 and 1927.

Upon his return to Philadelphia in 1924, Levi and several other modern artists in the city (including his former instructors Carles and McCarter) began exhibiting together under the name "31." The group's work was not well-received. For the remainder of his time in Philadelphia, he continued to paint and on several occasions was able to see Albert Barnes' collection that normally was not open to the public. Levi moved to New York City in 1932 and was attracted to the support and cooperation offered by various artists' organizations. He became a member of An American Group, Inc., in 1933, and was in active in the American Artists' Congress beginning around 1937. Later, Levi was elected to the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an Associate Artist of the National Academy of Design, and a member of the Century Association.

The sea, beaches, dunes, and shores served as inspiration for many of Levi's paintings. He studied his subjects closely, amassing a wide knowledge of boats, fishing, and related equipment; he even learned professional fishing and sailing techniques in order to better understand his subjects. Levi also focused on painting people, and his wife often served as his model. Paintings by Levi are in many museums, among them: Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Art Institute of Chicago, Butler Institute of American Art, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Des Moines Art Center, Detroit Institute of Arts, Guild Hall, Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Newark Museum, Norton Simon Museum, Santa Barbara Museum, Springfield Museum of Art, Toledo Museum, University of Illinois, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Many of the paintings Levi produced while employed by the Federal Art Project, 1936-1938, served as the nucleus of his first one-man show held in 1940 at Downtown Gallery. He remained with Downtown Gallery for more than a decade. Later, he was associated with the Alan Gallery, Frank K. M. Rehn Galleries, and Nordness Gallery, each of which staged frequent solo exhibitions of Levi's work. He participated in most of the major national exhibitions and in the Venice Biennale, winning prizes awarded by the Art Institute of Chicago, Carnegie Institute, National Academy of Design, University of Illinois, Guild Hall, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. A large retrospective exhibition of his work was organized by Boston University in 1962, and a small retrospective was held in 1971 at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

A highly respected and much loved teacher, Levi emphasized the importance of drawing and provided individualized instruction. He considered himself a "coach" and viewed his students as less experienced artists (all were encouraged to call him Julian instead of Mr. Levi). His teaching career, which lasted for more than three decades, began in 1946 with his appointments as a painting instructor at the Art Students League and the New School for Social Research in New York City (later the New School appointed him director of its Art Workshop). In 1964 he began making weekly trips to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, where he taught painting; at the start of the 1977 academic year, he reduced his schedule to once a month and acted as a general critic. During the 1967-68 academic year, Levi was on sabbatical leave while artist-in-residence at the American Academy in Rome. In addition, he taught summer courses at Columbia University in the early 1950s and occasionally served as a guest instructor at other summer programs over the years.

Julian Levi died in New York City, February 28, 1982, after a brief illness.
Provenance:
The papers were a gift received in several accessions between 1969-1982 from Julian E. Levi and his estate (Herman Englander, executor). Portions of the collection were microfilmed upon receipt.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment and is limited to the Washington, D.C. office.
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  Search this
Topic:
Art -- Economic aspects  Search this
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Artists' studios  Search this
Works of art  Search this
Genre/Form:
Scrapbooks
Interviews
Sketches
Drawings
Photographs
Illustrated letters -- Local
Citation:
Julian E. Levi papers, 1846-1981. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.levijuli
See more items in:
Julian E. Levi papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw99f1f1716-1635-4a68-b892-235c3bd7be31
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-levijuli
Online Media:

George Tooker papers

Creator:
Tooker, George, 1920-2011  Search this
Names:
Bachinski, Walter  Search this
Bishop, Isabel, 1902-1988  Search this
Cadmus, Paul, 1904-1999  Search this
Christopher, William R, 1924-1973  Search this
Dix, Otto, 1891-1969  Search this
French, Jared, 1905-1988  Search this
French, Margaret  Search this
Ginzburg, Ralph  Search this
Gonzalez, Xavier, 1898-1993  Search this
Isaacson, Robert  Search this
Kirstein, Fidelma  Search this
Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-  Search this
Laning, Edward, 1906-1981  Search this
Lynes, George Platt, 1907-1955  Search this
Nordness, Lee  Search this
Perlin, Bernard, 1918-  Search this
Peterson, Joan, 1933-  Search this
Stamos, Theodoros, 1922-1997  Search this
Wescott, Glenway, 1901-  Search this
Wheeler, Monroe, 1899-  Search this
Extent:
5.1 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sketchbooks
Drawings
Scrapbooks
Date:
circa 1851-2010
Summary:
The papers of painter George Tooker measure 5.1 linear feet and date from circa 1851 to 2010. The papers document Tooker's personal and professional life through biographical material, correspondence, project files, gallery files, exhibition files, printed material, artwork and one sketchbook, and numerous photographs, including some taken by noted photographer George Platt Lynes.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of painter George Tooker measure 5.1 linear feet and date from circa 1851 to 2010. The papers document Tooker's personal and professional life through biographical material, correspondence, project files, gallery files, exhibition files, printed material, artwork and one sketchbook, and numerous photographs, including some taken by noted photographer George Platt Lynes.

Biographical material consists of membership and travel documents, writings on and by Tooker on his circle, an address book, resume, and papers regarding Tooker's education. Also included are biographical material related to Tooker's partner William Christopher who passed in 1973. A 1978 interview with Vermont Public radio on two sound reels is also featured.

Correspondence is with friends, colleagues, and organizations. Correspondents include Isabel Bishop, Paul Cadmus, Walter Bachinski, William Christopher, Otto Dix, Jared and Margaret French, Ralph Ginzburg, Xavier Gonzalez, Robert Isaacson, Edward Laning, Lincoln Kirstein, Lee Nordness, Bernard Perlin, Joan Peterson, Theodore Stamos, Bridget Tichenor, and others. Also included are family correspondence and correspondence regarding the Estate of William Christopher.

Project files document Tooker's commissions including the set and costume design for Gian-Carlo Menotti's opera The Saint of Bleecker Street and Tooker's participation in the selection of candidates for the Vestris Prize for Choreography. Files contain correspondence, business documents, printed ephemera, sketches, photographs, three volumes of vocal scores, and textile samples.

Gallery records include business correspondence and consignments with various key galleries in Tooker's career spanning the 1960s to the end of his career including D.C. Moore Gallery, Marisa Del Re Gallery, and Durlacher Bros..

Exhibition records include documents regarding the organization of several select exhibitions in Tooker's career incuding an early retrospective at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (1974) and a later traveling retrospective from 2008-2009.

Printed material consists of invitations, press releases, news clippings and exhibition catalogs documenting the careers of both George Tooker and William Christopher.

Artwork includes numerous sketchbooks, loose drawings, and sketches from Tooker's studies at the Art Students' League in the mid 1940s, in addition to an early ex-libris print created by Tooker in his youth. Also included is a sketchbook by William Christopher, as well as a study for the work The Subway, in the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Photographic materials depict Tooker's family life as well as his early artistic collaborations depicted in a number of black and white photographs taken by George Platt Lynes and PaJaMa in the mid to late 1940s. A majority of the photographs depict artists and friends, among them: George Tooker and his companion William Christopher, Paul Cadmus, Jared and Margaret French, Lincoln and Fidelma Kirstein, Glenway Wescott, Monroe Wheeler, and Bridget Tichenor. Other photographs are of Tooker building his home, gardening, and working in his studio in Hartland, Vermont. Also included are installation views from the exhibition Painting in the United States (1949) at the Carnegie Institute in Pennsylvania. There are also a fair amount of photographs, transparencies, slides and negatives documenting artwork from both the studios of George Tooker and his late partner William Christopher.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 8 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1920-2005 (0.7 linear feet; Boxes 1, 5)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1932-2010 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, Oversize 7)

Series 3: Project Files, circa 1935-1968 (0.3 linear feet; Boxes 2-3, 6)

Series 4: Gallery Records, circa 1960-2009 (0.3 linear feet; Box 3)

Series 5: Exhibition Files, circa 1967-2009 (0.3 linear feet; Boxes 1, 3)

Series 6: Printed Material, circa 1851-2010 (0.5 linear feet; Boxes 3, 5)

Series 7: Artwork and Sketchbook, circa 1932-2009 (0.7 linear feet; Boxes 3, 5, 8)

Series 8: Photographs, circa 1900-2010 (1.1 linear feet; Boxes 4-5, 8)
Biographical / Historical:
George Tooker (1920-2011) was a painter based in Hartland, Vermont and New York, New York. Tooker was born in Brooklyn, New York on August 5, 1920 to George Clair Tooker and Angela Montejo Roura. He graduated from preparatory school at Phillips Academy, Andover in 1938 and received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Harvard University in 1942. Tooker studied drawing and painting under Reginald Marsh, Kenneth Hayes Miller, and Harry Sternberg at the Art Students' League from circa 1944 to 1945.

Tooker became acquainted with American painter Paul Cadmus while studying at the Art Students' League. Cadmus introduced Tooker to a circle of artists and writers living and working in New York and Europe in the mid to late 1940s that included George Platt Lynes, Jared and Margaret French, Monroe Wheeler, Glenway Westcott, and Lincoln and Fidelma Kirstein. He lived and worked with his partner and fellow artist William Christopher in New York City and later Hartland, VT.

In 1953, Tooker was commissioned by writer and philanthropist Lincoln Kirstein to design the sets and costumes for The Saint of Bleecker Street, an opera by Gian-Carlo Menotti. In 1966, the Wasemquia Charitable Trust sponsored the Vestris Prize for Choreography in cooperation with the Boston Ballet Company and Tooker was invited by trustee Henry H. Crapo to participate on the Committee of Judges for the Vestris Prize. In 1968, NASA commissioned Tooker to produce drawings and one painting documenting the development of spacecraft at the Goddard Space Flight Center located in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Tooker's paintings are found in numerous art museums and galleries including the Whitney Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, DC Moore Gallery, Robert Isaacson Gallery, and the Venice Biennale. In 1968, Tooker's paintings were featured in the art magazine, Avant-Garde.
Related Materials:
Available in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with George Tooker conducted in 1966 by Grace G. Alexander for radio station WNYC, New York City.

Materials related to the George Tooker papers can be found the William Christopher papers at the Archives of American Art.
Provenance:
George Tooker donated his papers to the Archives of American Art in 1973. A subsequent addition was donated in 2018 by Aaron Watkins, the executor to George Tooker's estate.
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 -- Vermont  Search this
Printmakers -- Vermont  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sketchbooks
Drawings
Scrapbooks
Citation:
George Tooker papers, circa 1851-2010. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.tookgeor
See more items in:
George Tooker papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw979ef9bde-924c-4b3e-95a6-59ac6e873bbb
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-tookgeor

Marimekko collection

Creator:
Marimekko, Inc.  Search this
Names:
Cooper-Hewitt Design Archive  Search this
Design Research, Inc.  Search this
Marimekko Oy  Search this
Printex Corporation  Search this
Ratia, Armi, 1912-1979  Search this
Thompson, Benjamin, 1918-2002  Search this
Extent:
8.5 Cubic feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Trade catalogs
Clippings
Swatch books
Scrapbooks
Textile designers
Fashion designers
Home furnishings
Correspondence
Date:
1951-1979
bulk 1957-1979
Summary:
This collection covers the period that Ratia was with Marimekko, 1951-1979.It includes scrapbook, press releases, correspondence, brochures, photographs, magazine articles, swatches, and trade catalogs. It contains extensive information about the company's affiliation with D/R and its operations in Finland. It includes a copy of "Phenomenon Marimekko," the catalog from a comprehensive exhibition that was held at the Museum of Applied Arts in Helsinki in 1986. The collection contains legal correspondence and contracts pertaining to D/R's representation of Marimekko in the United States, as well as numerous swatches, sample books, brochures for stockholders, and trade catalogs. Files pertaining to Marimekko's work in Finland is mostly in Finnish and consists of brochures, posters, articles, and sample books, as well as a copy of the publication, "Design in Finland 1983."Additional information on Marimekko's association with D/R can be found in the Cooper-Hewitt Design Archive's Design Research, Inc. Collection.
Arrangement note:
Unprocessed. This collection consists of six record groups: 1) Company history and background information; 2) Marimekko/Design Research, Inc. Correspondence; 3) Marimekko Finland; 4) Scrapbooks and press clippings; 5) Swatches and samples; and 6) Photographs.
Biographical/Historical note:
Finnish fabric manufacturer and retail chain. The company's chief designer was Armi Ratia (1912-1979), who was known for her use of vibrant colors and large patterns. She first joined her husband's design firm, Printex, in 1949. In 1951, the company was renamed Marimekko, which means "a little dress for Mary" in Finnish. During the 1960s and '70s, the firm manufactured cotton, jersey, and wool fabrications, along with paper, laminated plastics, and table coverings. Ratia was known for designing free, easy fashions in bold painterly designs taking much of her inspiration from nature and handicraft.

Ben Thompson, the founder of the retail establishment Design Reseaach, Inc. (D/R), discovered Ratia's designs at the Finnish Pavilion of the Brussels World Fair in 1957, and persuaded her to come to the United States. D/R became the exclusive representative of Marimekko products in the U.S. Today, through franchises worldwide, Marimekko stores sell simple clothing for women and children, as well as household accessories and furniture.
Location of Other Archival Materials Note:
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Textiles Department. 28 printed textiles designed by or for Marimekko.
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Wallcoverings Department. One samplebook.
Marimekko Homepage. Additional information on the history of the company and its activities today can be found on Marimekko's homepage: http://www.marimekko.fi/.
Provenance:
The materials in this collection were donated to Cooper-Hewitt in 1975 by Benjamin and Jane Thompson.
Topic:
Interior decoration -- Finland  Search this
House furnishings  Search this
Retail trade -- United States  Search this
Stores, Retail -- United States  Search this
Costume design -- Finland  Search this
Clothing trade -- United States  Search this
Fashion design  Search this
Textile design -- Finland  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Trade catalogs
Clippings
Swatch books
Scrapbooks
Textile designers
Fashion designers
Home furnishings
Correspondence
Identifier:
SIL-CH.1997-123-1
Archival Repository:
Smithsonian Libraries
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sc2bb7684a6-1bd2-4a39-ae77-c69f1f36642f
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-sil-ch-1997-123-1

Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin papers

Creator:
Sanford, Marion  Search this
Names:
Chapin, Cornelia, 1893-1972  Search this
Hernández, Mateo, 1884-1949  Search this
Extent:
2.5 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Photographs
Motion pictures (visual works)
Scrapbooks
Video recordings
Interviews
Drawings
Date:
1929-1988
Summary:
The papers of sculptors and close companions Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin measure 2.5 linear feet and date from 1929-1988. The papers include scattered materials created by and about both women, including biographical materials, one folder of correspondence for each woman, a few writings and essays, newsclippings, exhibition catalogs, other printed materials, and four scrapbooks (three about Chapin and one about Sanford). Photographs are of Chapin only and of artwork of both women. There is also one phonograph album transferred onto cassette of a radio interview with Chapin and several motion picture films of Chapin's home movies shot in upstate New York and Paris.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of sculptors Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin measure 2.5 linear feet and date from 1929-1988. Sanford and Chapin were close companions and shared a studio in New York City. The papers include scattered materials created by and about both women, including biographical materials, one folder of correspondence for each woman, a few writings and essays, newsclippings, exhibition catalogs, other printed materials, and four scrapbooks (three about Chapin and one about Sanford). Photographs are of Chapin only and of artwork of both women. There is also one sound recording of a radio interview with Chapin and several motion picture films of Chapin's home movies shot in upstate New York and Paris.

Biographical material consists of scattered items documenting the careers of Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin. Included are a small amount of correspondence of both women, membership certificates, an index card file of Sanford's artwork, Chapin's written description of her sculpting process, and writings by others about Chapin. The sound recording is a radio interview of Chapin after she sculpted a bear for the National Zoo. Films include several home movies of Chapin from 1932-1936, showing Chapin at a summer home in Harpursville, NY, working in her studio, and working in Paris with teacher Mateo Hernandez.

Printed material includes exhibition announcements and catalogs for many group and solo shows of both women, news clippings about Chapin and Sanford, and a few reproductions of their artwork. Source files consist of postcards and clippings of various images that were most probably used as references or inspiration for their artwork.

The collection includes four scrapbooks compiled by Sanford and Chapin documenting their careers through news clippings, a few exhibition materials, and photographs of their artwork. There are three scrapbooks about Chapin, and one about Sanford. Also found are two additional scrapbooks on the subject of bas-relief and sculpture. Photographs include several of Cornelia Chapin in her studio and with her teacher Mateo Hernandez. There are numerous photographs of artwork by Chapin and Sanford. Artwork includes drawings of animals, architectural elements, coins, and people, by either Sanford or Chapin.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into 6 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1930-1986 (Box 1, 6, 8; 0.8 linear feet)

Series 2: Printed Material, 1931-1972 (Box 1-2; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 3: Source Files, 1940s-1960s (Box 2-3; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 4: Scrapbooks, 1932-1949 (Box 3-7; 1.0 linear foot)

Series 5: Photographs, circa 1930-1962 (Box 4, 7; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 6: Artwork, 1929-circa 1960s (Box 4; 5 folders)
Biographical Note:
Marion Sanford was born in 1904 in Ontario, Canada and was raised in Warren, Pennsylvania. She studied painting at the Pratt Institute in New York, and worked for a period of time as a stage and costume designer. She developed an interest in sculpture, and studied the direct-carving method briefly at the Art Students League, but was largely self-taught. In 1937 she had her first exhibition of sculptures depicting women performing household chores and everyday tasks. She later created a series called "Women at Work" and her imagery of women would be the subject for which she would become best known, although she also completed bronze portraits and bas-reliefs. In 1941 and 1943 she worked as a Guggenheim Fellow, and became a member of the National Academy of Design, National Sculpture Society, and the National Association of Women Artists. Sanford won many awards and medals for her works and also created sculptures on commission, including a carved altar panel for the First Methodist Church in Warren, Pennsylvania. Marion Sanford died in 1987.

Cornelia Van Auken Chapin was born in 1893 in Waterford, Connecticut. After exploring other interests, including aeronautics, she decided to become a sculptor in the 1920s. She studied with Gail Corbett and in the early 1930s began exhibiting her sculptures of animals. In 1934 she moved to Paris, France and studied with Mateo Hernandez as his only student. Under Hernandez, she learned the technique of direct-carving from life in stone and wood and won the 2nd grand prize at the Paris Exposition in 1937. In 1936, Chapin was the only foreign and woman sculptor elected to the Societaire Salon d'Automne in Paris. The threat of World War II brought her back to the United States in 1939. Chapin won many awards for her sculptures and became a member of the National Academy of Design in 1945 and the National Sculpture Society. She was also one of the founding members of Artists' for Victory, Inc. and a participant in the women's artist group known as "The Philadelphia Ten," a unique and progressive group of women painters and sculptors who often exhibited together in the Philadelphia area.

In the late 1930s Chapin purchased a studio in New York City which had formally belonged to sculptor Gutzon Borglum. She shared the studio with her fellow sculptor Marion Sanford, and often modeled for Sanford's work. Sanford and Chapin remained close companions until Chapin's death in 1972.
Related Material:
Harvard University Library houses the the bulk of Cornelia Van Auken Chapin's papers, 1877-1959.
Provenance:
A portion of the Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin papers were donated by Marion Sanford in 1974. Additional materials were donated by Sanford's caretaker, Brenda Brenwell-Lejeune, in 1999.
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:
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century  Search this
Sculpture -- Technique  Search this
Bas-relief  Search this
Sculpture, American -- 20th century  Search this
Artists' studios  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women sculptors  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Photographs
Motion pictures (visual works)
Scrapbooks
Video recordings
Interviews
Drawings
Citation:
Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin papers, 1929-1988. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.sanfmari
See more items in:
Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw93be7e8e5-5614-4fa3-89a8-bc4648207c0c
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-sanfmari
Online Media:

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