Search Results

Creator:

Park, Marlene, 1931-  Search this

Subject:

Palmer, William  Search this

Magafan, Ethel  Search this

Markowitz, Gerald E.  Search this

Reisman, Philip  Search this

Rothschild, Lincoln  Search this

Burchfield, Charles Ephraim  Search this

Refregier, Anton  Search this

Van Veen, Stuyvesant  Search this

Solman, Joseph  Search this

Sternberg, Harry  Search this

Walton, Marion  Search this

Alston, Charles Henry  Search this

Bolotowsky, Ilya  Search this

Barnet, Will  Search this

Brooks, James  Search this

Cadmus, Paul  Search this

Cronbach, Robt. (Robert M.)  Search this

Citron, Minna Wright  Search this

Gottlieb, Adolph  Search this

Gellert, Hugo  Search this

Bouché, Louis  Search this

King, Roy E.  Search this

Katz, Leo  Search this

Lanning, Edward P.  Search this

Kotin, Albert  Search this

National Personnel Records Center (U.S.)  Search this

United States. Work Projects Administration  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Transcripts

Photographs

Citation:

Marlene Park and Gerald E. Markowitz research materials on New Deal Art, 1931-1999. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Theme:

Research and writing about art  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)6277

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)216622

AAA_collcode_parkmarl

Theme:

Research and writing about art

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_216622

Interviewee:

Biddle, George, 1885-  Search this

Interviewer:

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

Subject:

Bacon, Peggy  Search this

Benton, Thomas Hart  Search this

Billings, Henry  Search this

Bruce, Edward  Search this

Cahill, Holger  Search this

Demuth, Charles  Search this

Evergood, Philip  Search this

Grosz, George  Search this

Halpert, Edith Gregor  Search this

Hartley, Marsden  Search this

Marsh, Reginald  Search this

Miller, Kenneth Hayes  Search this

Orozco, José Clemente  Search this

Rivera, Diego  Search this

Robinson, Boardman  Search this

Siqueiros, David Alfaro  Search this

Sterne, Maurice  Search this

Stieglitz, Alfred  Search this

Tamayo, Rufino  Search this

Weber, Max  Search this

Zorach, William  Search this

Cassatt, Mary  Search this

Pascin, Jules  Search this

Poor, Henry Varnum  Search this

Curry, John Steuart  Search this

Bouché, Louis  Search this

Kroll, Leon  Search this

Zorach, William  Search this

Public Works of Art Project  Search this

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

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

Topic:

Art -- Censorship  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

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

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

Theme:

New Deal  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)12696

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213269

AAA_collcode_biddle63

Theme:

New Deal

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213269

Creator:

Kent, Rockwell, 1882-1971  Search this

Subject:

Wildenstein, Felix  Search this

Phillips, Duncan  Search this

Hays, Lee  Search this

Untermeyer, Louis  Search this

Zigrosser, Carl  Search this

Robeson, Paul  Search this

DuBois, W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt)  Search this

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano)  Search this

Ruggles, Carl  Search this

Stefansson, Vilhjalmur  Search this

Nearing, Helen  Search this

Nearing, Scott  Search this

Pach, Walter  Search this

Rasmussen, Knud  Search this

Reeves, Ruth  Search this

Seeger, Pete  Search this

Daniel, Charles  Search this

Cleland, T. M. (Thomas Maitland)  Search this

Davies, Arthur B. (Arthur Bowen)  Search this

Chamberlain, J. E.  Search this

Boyesen, Bayard  Search this

Chase, William Merritt  Search this

Freuchen, Peter  Search this

Gellert, Hugo  Search this

Gottlieb, Harry  Search this

Hartley, Marsden  Search this

FitzGerald, James  Search this

Keller, Charles  Search this

Miller, Kenneth Hayes  Search this

Henri, Robert  Search this

Jones, Dan Burne  Search this

United American Artists  Search this

United Office and Professional Workers of America  Search this

United Scenic Artists  Search this

National Farmers' Union (U.S.)  Search this

National Maritime Union of America  Search this

American Artists' Congress  Search this

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

Artists League of America  Search this

Citizens' Committee for Government Arts Projects  Search this

Farmers Union of the New York Milk Shed  Search this

Federal Art Project  Search this

Federal Writers' Project  Search this

Macbeth Gallery  Search this

International Workers Order  Search this

Type:

Poems

Sketches

Business records

Photographs

Drawings

Citation:

Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Designers -- New York (State)  Search this

Mural painting and decoration  Search this

Politics and culture  Search this

Authors -- New York  Search this

Art, Modern -- 20th century -- United States -- Political aspects  Search this

Dairy farms  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Illustrators -- New York (State)  Search this

Illustration of books  Search this

Works of art  Search this

Art and war  Search this

Commercial art  Search this

World War, 1939-1945 -- Art and the war  Search this

Theme:

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9557

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211757

AAA_collcode_kentrock

Theme:

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211757

Interviewee:

Lange, Dorothea  Search this

Interviewer:

Doud, Richard Keith  Search this

Creator:

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

Names:

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

United States. Farm Security Administration.Historical Section.Photographs  Search this

Evans, Walker, 1903-1975  Search this

Rothstein, Arthur, 1915-1985  Search this

Stryker, Roy Emerson, 1893-1975  Search this

Vachon, John, 1914-1975  Search this

Vanderbilt, Paul  Search this

Extent:

23 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1964 May 22

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Dorothea Lange conducted 1964 May 22, by Richard Doud, for the Archives of American Art.

Lange speaks of her decision of photography as a career; working in commercial photography; the development of her individual style; the organization of the Farm Security Administration and her association with it; camaraderie among the FSA staff; Roy Stryker's influence and guidance and political abilities; the subjects of photographs and their reactions to being photographed; the people she encountered and her feelings about them, including migratory workers and Dust Bowl farmers; opinions of her colleagues; what made the FSA a success; trends in the field of photography and photojournalism and its future.

She recalls Walker Evans, Arthur Rothstein, John Vachon and Paul Vanderbilt.

Biographical / Historical:

Dorothea Lange (1895-1965) was a photographer in California. Lange worked on FSA photograph project during the Depression.

General:

Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 51 min.

Provenance:

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

Restrictions:

Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.

Occupation:

Photographers -- California  Search this

Topic:

New Deal art  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Documentary photography -- United States  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Women photographers  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.lange64

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw99fdbe30d-7ffd-4e1a-b27c-9535ff20e3db

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-lange64

Interviewee:

Freeman, Don, 1908-1978  Search this

Interviewer:

McGlynn, Betty Hoag  Search this

Creator:

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

Names:

Art Students League (New York, N.Y.) -- Students  Search this

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

United States. Works Progress Administration  Search this

Henri, Robert, 1865-1929  Search this

Marsh, Reginald, 1898-1954  Search this

Pollock, Jackson, 1912-1956  Search this

Sloan, John, 1871-1951  Search this

Tolegian, Manuel J. (Manuel Jerair), 1911-1983  Search this

Wickey, Harry  Search this

Extent:

1 Sound tape reel (Sound recording, 5 in.)

19 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sound tape reels

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1965 June 4

Scope and Contents:

Interview of Don Freeman conducted 1965 June 4, by Betty Hoag McGlynn, for the Archives of American Art, in his home, in Santa Barbara, Calif. Freeman speaks of his childhood in San Diego with his guardian; his high school years spent in St. Louis at a public school Prineipia (and his teacher Kathryn Cherry); the knowledge of his artistic destiny as a child; his move to New York City in 1929; his time spent working as an unbooked trumpet player for jazz orchestras on Broadway; his formative years at the Art Students League under the guidance of John Sloan;

the influence of Robert Henri and "Art Spirit;" his decision to do illustrations for the theater section of the Herald Tribune of ongoing performances; his time spent studying with Harry Wickey (etcher and sculptor); his relationship and marriage to wife Lydia as well as description of life in downtown Manhattan immediately following the stock market crash ; time at Art Students League studying along side with Jackson Pollock, Manuel Tolegian, Whitney Darrel; his decision to work for the WPA in

the graphics department completing lithographs (1933-1934); "Freedom of the Press," a painting completed around the same time and the possible influence of Reginald Marsh; his interest in a project called "Paint for the People" (a public works project for the New York Subway system); time spent illustrating for the WPA theater magazine "The Living Magazine;" his opinions concerning acetate and stone as well as the use of mezzotint; his personal magazine which he published for four years (name unknown); a general summary of his feelings towards the WPA as an artistic force; his separation from the Union Uprisings due to his success within the program;

his work on "Our Flying Navy" a series of illustrations (now compiled as a book) used for advertisement for the Navy; his participation in the Association of American Artists before his term spent in the Army during WWII; his budding career as a children's books writer and illustrator (Barton Press); his illustrations for William Soroyan"s The Human Comedy; his move back west and his son Roy; and his current occupation of giving "Chalk Talks" around the country, speaking with students about art, music, theater.

Biographical / Historical:

Don Freeman (1908-1978) was an Illustrator from New York, N.Y. Went to New York City at the age of 21. Studied with John Sloan and Harry Wickey at the Art Students League.

General:

An unrelated interview of Ben Messick conducted by B. Hoag McGlynn is also on this tape.

Provenance:

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

Restrictions:

Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.

Topic:

Illustrators -- California -- Interviews  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Artists' materials  Search this

Illustration of books  Search this

Prints -- Technique  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Identifier:

AAA.freema65

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw995547556-a986-4ffc-a847-4f83d6982a0b

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-freema65

Creator:

United States. Farm Security Administration. Historical Section  Search this

Names:

Collier, John, Jr., 1913-1992  Search this

Delano, Jack  Search this

Evans, Walker, 1903-1975  Search this

Lange, Dorothea  Search this

Lee, Russell, 1903-1986  Search this

Mydans, Carl  Search this

Rosskam, Edwin, 1903-1985  Search this

Rothstein, Arthur, 1915-1985  Search this

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Stryker, Roy Emerson, 1893-1975  Search this

Vachon, John, 1914-1975  Search this

Wolcott, Marion Post, 1910-1990  Search this

Extent:

2 Items (Textual records: 2 partial microfilm reels)

218 Items (Photographs)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1935-1942

Scope and Contents:

Scattered textual records selected from the Farm Security Administration, Historical Section records at the Library of Congress and the Farmers Home Administration records at the National Archives primarily revolving around activities of Roy Stryker. Included are personnel and travel records, typescripts of photograph captions, correspondence, memoranda, files on public relations and exhibits, and printed material.

218 copy prints of photographs of America taken for the FSA, including landscapes, people, homes and other architecture, rural scenes, urban scenes, workers, products of farm and industry, transportation, entertainment, and the Quarter Circle U Ranch, Birney, Montana. Photographers include: Arthur Rothstein, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, John Collier, Marion Post Wolcott, Jack Delano, Russell Lee, John Vachon, Ben Shahn, Carl Mydans, and Edwin Rosskam.

Biographical / Historical:

Established 1935 in the Resettlement Administration Historical Section's photographic project to document poverty stricken rural America under the direction of Roy E. Stryker. In 1937, Roosevelt established the FSA, and the Resettlement Administration and its programs fell under its auspices. The Historical Section of the Resettlement Administration remained intact under the FSA, and continued its photographic survey and historical documentation under Stryker's direction.

After 1942, the photographs project was transplanted to the Office War Information, and the emphasis of the project shifted from rural and urban conditions throughout Depression-era U.S. to the domestic impact of the war. In 1946, Congress created the Farmers Home Administration (FHA) which absorbed the FSA and its programs.

Related Materials:

Additional FSA-OWI records located at: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (microfilm available at LC)

Additional Stryker papers located at: Photographic Archives University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky. 40208

Provenance:

Microfilm and copy prints donated by the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, 1965.

Reel FSA/WDC2: Record Group 96, textual records of the Farmers Home Administration include the records of the FSA, predecessor to the FHA.

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:

Photography -- United States -- Landscape -- Photographs  Search this

Photography -- United States -- Portraits -- Photographs  Search this

Architectural photography -- United States -- Photographs  Search this

Federal aid to the public welfare -- Photographs  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

New Deal, 1933-1939  Search this

Function:

Agencies

Identifier:

AAA.unstfsad

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw93760d8ca-0e22-4f9b-8bfb-c9d6ba0078c4

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-unstfsad

Interviewee:

Javitz, Romana, 1903-1980  Search this

Interviewer:

Doud, Richard Keith  Search this

Creator:

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

Names:

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

United States. Farm Security Administration  Search this

Evans, Walker, 1903-1975  Search this

Extent:

1 Sound tape (Sound recording: 1 sound tape, 7 in.)

26 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sound tapes

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1965 Feb. 23

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Romana Javitz conducted 1965 Feb. 23, by Richard Doud, for the Archives of American Art, February 23, 1965. Javitz speaks of her views on photographs; Farm Security Administration Photo File; Walker Evans; opinion of federal government being involved with photographs; and her background as an artist.

Biographical / Historical:

Romana Javitz (1903-1980) was a librarian and artist who represented the New York Public Library's Picture Collection from 1928-1968..

Provenance:

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

Restrictions:

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

Occupation:

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

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

Topic:

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Documentary photography  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Identifier:

AAA.javitz65

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ae16b507-e173-4d63-8914-fcdf5137bc6e

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-javitz65

Creator:

Stryker, Roy Emerson, 1893-1975  Search this

Names:

United States. Farm Security Administration. Historical Section  Search this

Collier, John, Jr., 1913-1992  Search this

Delano, Jack  Search this

Evans, Walker, 1903-1975  Search this

Lange, Dorothea  Search this

Lee, Russell, 1903-1986  Search this

Locke, Edwin  Search this

Rothstein, Arthur, 1915-1985  Search this

Vachon, John, 1914-1975  Search this

Wolcott, Marion Post, 1910-1990  Search this

Extent:

9 Microfilm reels

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Microfilm reels

Place:

United States -- Economic conditions -- 1918-1945

United States -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945

Date:

1932-1964

Scope and Contents:

Papers documenting Stryker's career as the head of the Farm Security Administration's photographic section, including correspondence with John Collier, Jack Delano, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Russell Lee, Edwin Locke, Arthur Rothstein, John Vachon, Marion Post Wolcott and others; reports; articles on Stryker and the FSA; publications; speeches; photographs and miscellaneous materials.

Biographical / Historical:

Director of the Farm Security Administration Historical Section; Washington, D.C. Under Stryker the Photographic project of the FSA documented the drought, poverty and despair of rural and urban America during the Depression.

Provenance:

Papers lent for microfilming 1963-1966 by Roy Stryker.

Topic:

New Deal, 1933-1939  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Federal aid to the public welfare  Search this

Art and state  Search this

Documentary photography -- United States  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.stryroyp

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e4dd9941-9e7d-4a9d-b65e-e4f4f5e840b9

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-stryroyp

Interviewee:

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Interviewer:

Doud, Richard Keith  Search this

Creator:

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

Names:

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

United States. Farm Security Administration. Historical Section  Search this

Evans, Walker, 1903-1975  Search this

Lange, Dorothea  Search this

Rosskam, Edwin, 1903-1985  Search this

Rothstein, Arthur, 1915-1985  Search this

Stryker, Roy Emerson, 1893-1975  Search this

Extent:

29 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1964 April 14

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Ben Shahn conducted 1964 April 14, by Richard K. Doud, for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project.

Shahn speaks of his travels and work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA); the American image as portrayed by FSA photographs; techniques and materials; exhibitions and publications of his work; and the effectiveness of the FSA project overall. He recalls Roy Stryker, Walker Evans, Arthur Rothstein, Edwin Rosskam and Dorothea Lange.

Biographical / Historical:

Ben Shahn (1898-1969) was a painter and photographer from Roosevelt, N.J.

General:

Originally recorded 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 23 min.

Provenance:

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

Restrictions:

Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.

Occupation:

Painters -- New Jersey -- Interviews  Search this

Topic:

Documentary photography  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Photographers -- New Jersey -- Interviews  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.shahn64

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw988bc9cc3-2f76-4e17-a315-11bcef420595

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-shahn64

Creator:

Kent, Rockwell, 1882-1971  Search this

Names:

American Artists' Congress  Search this

Artists League of America  Search this

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

Citizens' Committee for Government Arts Projects  Search this

Farmers Union of the New York Milk Shed  Search this

Federal Art Project  Search this

Federal Writers' Project  Search this

International Workers Order  Search this

Macbeth Gallery  Search this

National Farmers' Union (U.S.)  Search this

National Maritime Union of America  Search this

United American Artists  Search this

United Office and Professional Workers of America  Search this

United Scenic Artists  Search this

Boyesen, Bayard  Search this

Chamberlain, J. E.  Search this

Chase, William Merritt, 1849-1916  Search this

Cleland, T. M. (Thomas Maitland), 1880-1964  Search this

Daniel, Charles, 1878-1971  Search this

Davies, Arthur B. (Arthur Bowen), 1862-1928  Search this

DuBois, W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt), 1868-1963  Search this

Fitzgerald, James, 1899-1971  Search this

Freuchen, Peter, 1886-1957  Search this

Gellert, Hugo, 1892-1985  Search this

Gottlieb, Harry, 1895-  Search this

Hartley, Marsden, 1877-1943  Search this

Hays, Lee, 1914-1981  Search this

Henri, Robert, 1865-1929  Search this

Jones, Dan Burne  Search this

Keller, Charles, 1914-2006  Search this

Miller, Kenneth Hayes, 1876-1952  Search this

Nearing, Helen  Search this

Nearing, Scott, 1883-1983  Search this

Pach, Walter, 1883-1958  Search this

Phillips, Duncan, 1886-1966  Search this

Rasmussen, Knud, 1879-1933  Search this

Reeves, Ruth, 1892-1966  Search this

Robeson, Paul, 1898-1976  Search this

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

Ruggles, Carl, 1876-1971  Search this

Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this

Stefansson, Vilhjalmur, 1879-1962  Search this

Untermeyer, Louis, 1885-1977  Search this

Wildenstein, Felix, 1883-1952  Search this

Zigrosser, Carl, 1891-  Search this

Extent:

88 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Poems

Sketches

Business records

Photographs

Drawings

Date:

circa 1840-1993

bulk 1935-1961

Summary:

The Rockwell Kent papers measure 88.0 linear feet and date from circa 1840 to 1993 with the bulk of the collection dating from 1935 to 1961. The collection provides comprehensive coverage of Kent's career as a painter, illustrator, designer, writer, lecturer, traveler, political activist, and dairy farmer.

Scope and Content Note:

The Rockwell Kent papers measure 88 linear feet and date from circa 1840 to 1993 with the bulk of the collection dating from 1935 to 1961. The collection provides comprehensive coverage of Kent's career as a painter, illustrator, designer, writer, lecturer, traveler, political activist, and dairy farmer.

Circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the papers are highlighted in an article by Garnett McCoy ("The Rockwell Kent Papers," in the Archives of American Art Journal, 12, no. 1 [January 1972]: 1-9), recommended reading for researchers interested in the collection. The collection is remarkably complete, for in the mid 1920s Kent began keeping carbon copies of all outgoing letters, eventually employing a secretary (who became his third wife and continued her office duties for the remainder of Kent's life).

Series 1: Alphabetical Files contain Kent's personal and professional correspondence, along with business records of the dairy farm and associated enterprises; also included are printed matter on a wide variety of topics and promotional literature relating to organizations and causes of interest to him. Voluminous correspondence with his three wives, five children, and other relatives, as well as with literally hundreds of friends, both lifelong and of brief duration, illuminates Kent's private life and contributes to understanding of his complex character. Among the many correspondents of note are: his art teachers William Merritt Chase, Robert Henri, and Kenneth Hayes Miller; fellow artists Tom Cleland, Arthur B. Davies, James Fitzgerald, Hugo Gellert, Harry Gottleib, Marsden Hartley, Charles Keller, and Ruth Reeves; collectors Duncan Phillips and Dan Burne Jones; critics J. E. Chamberlain and Walter Pach; and dealers Charles Daniel, Felix Wildenstein, and Macbeth Galleries. Kent corresponded with such diverse people as Arctic explorers Peter Freuchen, Knud Rasmussen, and Vilhjalmar Steffanson; composer Carl Ruggles and songwriters Lee Hays and Pete Seeger; civil rights pioneers Paul Robeson and Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois; writers Bayard Boyesen, Scott and Helen Nearing, and Louis Untermeyer; and art historian and print curator Carl Zigrosser.

Kent's interest and involvement in the labor movement are reflected in correspondence with officials and members of a wide variety and large number of unions and related organizations, among them: the Farmers' Educational and Cooperative Union of America, Farmers' Union of the New York Milk Shed, International Workers Order, National Maritime Union, and United Office and Professional Workers of America. Of special interest is his participation, often in leadership roles, in various attempts to organize artists. Files on the American Artists' Congress, Artists League of America, The Artists Union, United American Artists, and United Scenic Artists contain particularly valuable material on the movement.

A supporter of New Deal efforts to aid artists, Kent was actively interested in the various programs and often was critical of their limitations; he advocated continuing federal aid to artists after the Depression abated. The Kent papers include correspondence with the Federal Arts Project, Federal Fine Arts Project, Federal Writers Project, and the War Department, as well as correspondence with the Citizens' Committee for Government Art Projects and President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the subject.

Kent's professional correspondence documents exhibitions, sales, consignments, and reproduction of prints and paintings. He kept meticulous records of his advertising commissions and illustration work. Detailed correspondence with publishers and printers indicates Kent's involvement in the technical aspects of production and provides a good overview of the publishing industry during the mid-twentieth century.

Business records of Asgaard Farm include records of the dairy and transfer of ownership to its employees, tax and employee information, and documents concerning several related business ventures such as distributor ships for grain, feed, and farm implements.

Series 2: Writings consists of notes, drafts, and completed manuscripts by Rockwell Kent, mainly articles, statements, speeches, poems, introductions, and reviews. The Kent Collection given to Friendship House, Moscow, in 1960, was augmented later by a set of his publications and the illustrated manuscripts of many of his monographs. Also included are a small number of manuscripts by other authors.

Series 3: Artwork consists mainly of drawings and sketches by Kent; also included are works on paper by other artists, many of whom are unidentified, and by children.

Series 4: Printed Matter consists of clippings, exhibition catalogs and announcements, brochures, broadsides, programs, and newsletters. These include items by and about Kent and his family, as well as articles written and/or illustrated by him, and reviews of his books. There is also material on a variety of subjects and causes of interest to him. Additional printed matter is included among the alphabetical files, mainly as attachments to correspondence.

Series 5: Miscellaneous includes biographical material, legal documents, and memorabilia. Artifacts received with papers include textile samples, a silk scarf, dinnerware, ice bucket, and rubber stamp, all featuring designs by Rockwell Kent. Also with this series are a variety of documents including a phrenological analysis of an ancestor, lists of supplies for expeditions, a hand-drawn map of an unidentified place, and technical notes regarding art materials and techniques.

Series 6: Photographs includes photographs of Kent, his family and friends, travel, and art number that over one thousand. Also included here are several albums of family and travel photographs.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into six series. Series 1 is arranged alphabetically. The arrangement of the remaining series is explained in each series description. Note that sealed materials that became available in 2000 were microfilmed separately on reels 5740-5741, but have integrated into this finding aid.

Missing Title

Series 1: Alphabetical Files, circa 1900-1971, undated (Reels 5153-5249, 5256, 5740-5741)

Series 2: Writings, 1906-1978, undated (Reels 5249-5252, 5741)

Series 3: Art Work, 1910-1972, undated (Reels 5252, 5741)

Series 4: Printed Matter, 1905-1993, undated (Reels 5252-5254)

Series 5: Miscellaneous, 1859-1969, undated (Reels 5254, 5741)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1840-1970, undated (Reels 5254-5255, 5741)

Biographical Note:

Rockwell Kent (1882-1971), an energetic and multitalented man, pursued many interests and careers during his very long and active life. At various times he was an architect, draftsman, carpenter, unskilled laborer, painter, illustrator, printmaker, commercial artist, designer, traveler/explorer, writer, professional lecturer, dairy farmer, and political activist.

While studying architecture at Columbia University, Kent enrolled in William Merritt Chase's summer school at Shinnecock Hills, Long Island. He then redirected his career ambitions toward painting and continued to study with Chase in New York. Kent spent a summer working and living with Abbott H. Thayer in Dublin, New Hampshire, and attended the New York School of Art, where Robert Henri and Kenneth Hayes Miller were his teachers.

Critically and financially, Kent was a successful artist. He was very well known for his illustration work--particularly limited editions of the classics, bookplates, and Christmas cards. He was a prolific printmaker, and his prints and paintings were acquired by many major museums and private collectors. During the post-World War II era, Kent's political sympathies resulted in the loss of commissions, and his adherence to artistic conservatism and outspoken opposition to modern art led to disfavor within art circles. After many years of declining reputation in this country and unsuccessful attempts to find a home for the Kent Collection, Kent gave his unsold paintings--the majority of his oeuvre--to the Soviet Union, where he continued to be immensely popular.

An avid traveler, Kent was especially fascinated by remote, Arctic lands and often stayed for extended periods of time to paint, write, and become acquainted with the local inhabitants. Between 1918 and 1935, he wrote and illustrated several popular books about his experiences in Alaska, Tierra del Fuego, and Greenland. In the 1930s and 1940s, Kent was much in demand as a lecturer, making several nationwide tours under the management of a professional lecture bureau; he spoke mainly about his travels, but among his standard lectures were some on "art for the people."

In 1927, Kent purchased Asgaard Farm at AuSable Forks, New York, in the Adirondacks, where he lived for the remainder of his life, operating a modern dairy farm on a modest scale for many years.

As a young man, Kent met Rufus Weeks, became committed to social justice, and joined the Socialist Party. Throughout his life, he supported left-wing causes and was a member or officer of many organizations promoting world peace and harmonious relations with the Soviet Union, civil rights, civil liberties, antifascism, and organized labor. Kent was frequently featured as a celebrity sponsor or speaker at fund-raising events for these causes. In 1948, he ran unsuccessfully as the American Labor Party's candidate for Congress. Kent's unpopular political views eventually led to the dissolution of his dairy business, resulted in a summons to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee, and prompted the U.S. State Department to deny him a passport, an action that subsequently was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Kent wrote two autobiographies, This Is My Own (1940) and It's Me, O Lord (1955). In 1969, he was the subject of an oral history interview conducted by Paul Cummings for the Archives of American Art.

Provenance:

In 1969, Rockwell Kent donated his papers to the Archives of American Art; textile samples were received in 1979, and his widow gave additional papers in 1971 and 1996. Letters to Rockwell Kent from wives Frances and Sally, sealed during Sally Kent Gorton's lifetime, became available for research after her death in 2000, and further material was donated to the Archives of American Art in 2001 by the Estate of Sally Kent [Shirley Johnstone] Gorton.

Restrictions:

The microfilm of this collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Use of material not microfilmed or digitized requires an appointment.

Rights:

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

Occupation:

Painters -- New York (State)  Search this

Topic:

Designers -- New York (State)  Search this

Mural painting and decoration  Search this

Politics and culture  Search this

Authors -- New York  Search this

Art, Modern -- 20th century -- United States -- Political aspects  Search this

Dairy farms  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Illustrators -- New York (State)  Search this

Illustration of books  Search this

Works of art  Search this

Art and war  Search this

Commercial art  Search this

World War, 1939-1945 -- Art and the war  Search this

Function:

Labor unions

Genre/Form:

Poems

Sketches

Business records

Photographs

Drawings

Citation:

Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.kentrock

See more items in:

Rockwell Kent papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97edd9940-eb61-4562-9583-def2da778b6a

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-kentrock

Interviewee:

Cahill, Holger, 1887-1960  Search this

Interviewer:

Morse, John D., 1906-  Search this

Pollack, Peter, 1909-1978  Search this

Names:

Federal Art Project (U.S.)  Search this

United States. Work Projects Administration  Search this

United States. Works Progress Administration  Search this

Pollock, Jackson, 1912-1956  Search this

Extent:

53 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1960 April 12 and 15

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Holger Cahill conducted 1960 April 12-15, by John Morse and Peter Pollack, for the Archives of American Art.

Cahill discusses his work as national director of the Federal Art Project. He recalls other administrators and artists who participated, and describes the allocation of the art works produced. Of particular interest is an anecdote about Jackson Pollock's experiments with his characteristic style while on the WPA. Peter Pollack contributes his own recollections of his work under Cahill developing community art centers as part of the federal program.

Biographical / Historical:

Holger Cahill (1887-1960) was an art administrator from New York, New York. Cahill was the National director of Federal Art Project, administered under Federal Project No. 1 of the Works Progress Administration (later the Work Projects Administration). The FAP provided work to unemployed artists. Cahill was the director throughout its existence.

General:

Originally recorded on 2 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 14 min.

Provenance:

This interview is 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, American  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

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

Function:

Art centers

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.cahill60

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9cabe1b64-d902-4e69-9a3b-dd5a4125fd90

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-cahill60

Creator:

Heil, Walter, 1890-1973  Search this

M.H. De Young Memorial Museum  Search this

Subject:

Public Works of Art Project  Search this

Place:

United States -- Social conditions -- California -- San Francisco

Citation:

Walter Heil papers, 1929-1973. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

New Deal, 1933-1939 -- California  Search this

Federal aid to the arts -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Theme:

Research and writing about art  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)7706

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209870

AAA_collcode_heilwalt

Theme:

Research and writing about art

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209870

Creator:

Heil, Walter, 1890-1973  Search this

M.H. de Young Memorial Museum  Search this

Public Works of Art Project  Search this

Extent:

5.6 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Place:

United States -- Social conditions -- California -- San Francisco

Date:

1929-1973

Scope and Contents:

UNMICROFILMED: Correspondence; photographs; engagement calendars; printed and manuscript material; catalogues; business material.

Reel NDA 3: Two notebooks containing names and addresses of San Francisco and Bay area artists interested in being employed on the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP); payroll data; artists submitting work ideas; reports of artists; record of sketches and paintings submitted by Bay area artists, Dec. 1933-Jan. 1934; report of the Regional Committee of PWAP (Region 15)--Northern California discussing the work executed for the Project in Northern California, Nevada, Utah, and Hawaii; and miscellaneous correspondence.

Biographical / Historical:

Director of the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, San Francisco, Calif., 1933-196 and the Region 15--Northern California, Nevada, and Utah--director of the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP).

Provenance:

Mrs. Leyland Stevens, daughter of Walter Heil, donated the papers in 1974. In 1983, 2 engagement calendars and 5 items of correspondence were found at the M.H. De Young Museum and turned over to the Archives. In 1964, Lewis Ferbrache loaned some material for microfilming on reel NDA 3; originals were returned to Lewis Ferbrache after 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.

Occupation:

Art historians -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Museum directors -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Topic:

New Deal, 1933-1939 -- California  Search this

Federal aid to the arts -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.heilwalt

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw999ad5cea-6531-42dc-aaf1-46b375caa3b9

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-heilwalt

Author:

National Gallery of Canada  Search this

Subject:

United States Public Buildings Administration Section of Fine Arts  Search this

Physical description:

26 p., 4 leaves of plates : ill. ; 23 cm

Type:

Exhibitions

Place:

United States

Date:

1940

20th century

Topic:

Mural painting and decoration, American  Search this

Mural painting and decoration  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

New Deal art  Search this

Call number:

ND2608 .E96

ND2608.E96

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_143313

Author:

Federal Art Project of New Jersey  Search this

Newark Museum  Search this

United States Work Projects Administration  Search this

Subject:

Index of American Design  Search this

Physical description:

[20] p. ; 22 cm

Type:

Exhibitions

Place:

New Jersey

Date:

1939

1939]

20th century

Topic:

New Deal art  Search this

Art, American  Search this

Art  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Call number:

N6530.N5 F29

N6530.N5F29

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_143754

Author:

Robeson Center Gallery (Newark, N.J.)  Search this

City without Walls Gallery (Newark, N.J.)  Search this

New Jersey State Museum  Search this

Newark College of Arts and Sciences (N.J.) Museum Training Program  Search this

Newark Museum  Search this

Subject:

Federal Art Project  Search this

United States Work Projects Administration  Search this

Physical description:

76 p. : ill. ; 29 cm

Type:

Exhibitions

Place:

New Jersey

Date:

1980

C1980

20th century

Topic:

New Deal art  Search this

Art, American  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_282369

Author:

Midtown Galleries (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Janet Marqusee Fine Arts  Search this

Physical description:

38, [1] p. : ill. (some col.) ; 22 x 28 cm

Type:

Exhibitions

Place:

United States

Date:

1988

[1988]

20th century

Topic:

Mural painting and decoration, American  Search this

Mural painting and decoration  Search this

New Deal, 1933-1939  Search this

Artists' preparatory studies  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Call number:

ND2608 .P14 1988

ND2608.P14 1988

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_353976

Creator:

Shuster, Will, 1893-1969  Search this

Subject:

Henri, Robert  Search this

La Farge, Oliver  Search this

Scott, Winfield Townley  Search this

Sheridan, John E.  Search this

Wheelock, Warren  Search this

Nash, Willard Ayer  Search this

Karig, Walter  Search this

Sloan, John  Search this

Public Works of Art Project  Search this

Place:

United States -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945 -- New Mexico

Citation:

Will Shuster papers, [undated] and 1914-1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art, American -- New Mexico -- Santa Fe  Search this

New Deal, 1933-1939 -- New Mexico  Search this

Art and state -- New Mexico  Search this

Federal aid to the arts -- New Mexico  Search this

Mural painting and decoration -- 20th century -- New Mexico  Search this

Theme:

Diaries  Search this

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)13458

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211861

AAA_collcode_shuswill

Theme:

Diaries

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211861

Creator:

Shuster, Will  Search this

Names:

Public Works of Art Project  Search this

Henri, Robert, 1865-1929  Search this

Karig, Walter, 1898-  Search this

La Farge, Oliver, 1901-1963  Search this

Nash, Willard Ayer, 1898-1943  Search this

Scott, Winfield Townley, 1910-1968  Search this

Sheridan, John E., 1880-1948  Search this

Sloan, John, 1871-1951  Search this

Wheelock, Warren, 1880-1960  Search this

Extent:

12 Reels (ca. 3000 items (on 12 microfilm reels))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Reels

Place:

United States -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945 -- New Mexico

Date:

[undated] and 1914-1970

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence with John Sloan and others, writings, poems, original art works, scrapbooks, photographs, and Shuster's own descriptions of his work.

Reel NDA 3: Instructions, releases, speeches, manuscripts notes, photographs of Shuster's PWAP murals in New Mexico; and a typescript of a comedy written by Shuster.

Reels 169-177: 400 letters, 1917-1968, including correspondence with Robert Henri, Edgar Varese, John S. Velie, Walter Karig, and family members. Other materials consist of diaries, 1918, 1928, 1933-1934, 1937-1962, and 1964-1969; photographs of Shuster, family, and friends, and his work; original drawings, watercolors, oils and etchings; sketchbooks; poems, lectures, and stories by Shuster; a record of his works; scrapbooks, 1920-1928, 1923-1935, and 1935-1963; and material relating to John Sloan, who was Shuster's close friend and his teacher in 1920.

Reel 277: Materials relating to John Sloan, including letters from him 1922-1951; notes by Winifield Townley Scott recording conversations with Helen Shuster and Mrs. Sloan after Sloan's death and commenting on Sloan's work, tributes by Oliver LaFarge and others, and clippings. Additional correspondents are John Sheridan, Robert Henri, Warren Wheelock, Willard Nash, and the Veterans Administration, concerning Shuster's medical disability after having his lungs damaged by poisoned gas during the World War, 1914-1918. Also included are poems by Shuster, 1925-1939, and other Santa Fe residents, including Scott; and correspondence and printed material relating to Shuster's participation in various Santa Fe festivals.

Reel 4283: Five letters from Sloan to Shuster. Three letters are illustrated and contain detailed instructions and advice on etching technique. A fourth letter, dated Jan 2, 1922, includes a recipe for gesso preparation and an offer from Sloan to pay Shuster's entry fee to "show in the Independents." Sloan in his two page letter, dated January 3, 1947, comments on the pace of his work; his participation in a "Mr. & Mrs. Exhibition" at the Laurel Gallery; a production of Eugene O'Neill's "The Ice Man Cometh"; and the Whitney Annual.

Arrangement:

Letters arranged chronologically.

Biographical / Historical:

Painter, printmaker, and writer active in Santa Fe, N.M.; b. 1893; d. 1969

Provenance:

The material borrowed from Will Shuster in October 1964 (reel NDA 3) was part of a project of AAA to document New Deal art projects throughout the U.S. The bulk of the Will Shuster papers (reels 169-177, 277) were lent by his widow, Selma Dingee Shuster. Five letters from John Sloan (Reel 4283) were lent in 1989 by her estate.

Restrictions:

The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.

Occupation:

Painters  Search this

Printmakers  Search this

Topic:

Art, American -- New Mexico -- Santa Fe  Search this

New Deal, 1933-1939 -- New Mexico  Search this

Art and state -- New Mexico  Search this

Federal aid to the arts -- New Mexico  Search this

Mural painting and decoration -- 20th century -- New Mexico  Search this

Function:

Art festivals

Identifier:

AAA.shuswill

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9b8741298-fe2f-4be8-a772-3ae7d5f5f034

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-shuswill

Creator:

Bruce, Edward, 1879-1943  Search this

Names:

Public Works of Art Project  Search this

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

Biddle, George, 1885-1973  Search this

Dornbush, Adrian  Search this

Dows, Olin, 1904-1981  Search this

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962  Search this

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

Stein, Leo, 1872-1947  Search this

Sterne, Maurice, 1878-1957  Search this

Extent:

8.9 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Diaries

Scrapbooks

Photographs

Place:

United States -- Politics and government -- 1933-1945

United States -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945

Date:

1902-1960

bulk 1932-1942

Summary:

The Edward Bruce papers measure 8.9 linear feet and date from 1902 to 1960, with the bulk of the material dating from 1932 to 1942. The collection documents Bruce's work as an artist, art collector, exhibition juror, and federal government art administrator, particularly his tenure as Director of the U. S. Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts. Well over one-half of the collection consists of extensive correspondence with artists, art collectors and dealers, arts associations, galleries, and government officials, including President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Scope and Content Note:

The Edward Bruce papers measure 8.9 linear feet and date from 1902 to 1960, with the bulk of the material dating from 1932 to 1942. The collection documents Bruce's work as an artist, art collector, exhibition juror, and federal government art administrator, particularly his tenure as Director of the U. S. Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts. Well over one-half of the collection consists of extensive correspondence with many notable artists and government officials. Also found is scattered biographical material, office diaries and speeches, personal financial material, printed material, four scrapbooks, and photographs.

A small amount of biographical material includes birth records and many awards and certificates. Bruce's correspondence files comprise over half of this collection, containing correspondence with family, friends, artists, art organizations, political figures, museums, art galleries, and government agencies. Found within the files is extensive correspondence with friend and art critic Leo Stein and artist friend Maurice Sterne. Additional artists Bruce corresponded with include George Biddle, Adrian Dornbush, and Olin Dows. Also included is correspondence documenting his career as Chief of the Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts with government colleagues and officials, much of it concerning his role on various federal arts committees, including the Commission of Fine Arts. There is also extensive correspondence with Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt concerning federal and public art projects.

Writings include office diaries and notebooks containing notes, addresses, lists of Section of Fine Arts projects, and dated work entries. There are copies of numerous written speeches given by Bruce on the importance of art, public art projects, and political issues. Financial material consists of a small number of items documenting Bruce's financial activity such as tax and insurance records, bills, a cash book, and house leases. Printed material documents Edward Bruce's career as an artist and federal arts projects and programs. Found are news clippings and magazine articles, exhibition catalogs, brochures, bulletins from the Section of Fine Arts, published speeches, and miscellaneous publications. Four scrapbooks contain news clippings, letters, photographs, and other printed material highlighting Bruce's career.

Extensive photographs include photographs of Bruce's artwork, portraits of Bruce, the Bruces with family and with friends and at many special events, including an NBC radio broadcast and at an exhibition with Eleanor Roosevelt. There are also photographs taken by Bruce during his travels and while living in Anticoli Carrado, Italy.

Arrangement:

The Edward Bruce collection is arranged into 7 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1904-1938 (Box 1, OV 11; 3 folders)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1921-1957 (Boxes 1-6; 5.5 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1931-1942 (Box 6; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 4: Financial Material, circa 1909-1913, circa 1928-1943(Box 6, 0.3 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1919, circa 1926-1943, 1960 (Box 7, 0.5 linear feet)

Series 6: Scrapbooks, 1922-1941 (Box 7-8; 0.8 linear feet)

Series 7: Photographs, circa 1902-1943 (Box 7, 9-10; 1.0 linear foot)

Although the collection no longer matches the exact filmed order, large groups of materials have been maintained in film order, particularly the correspondence. Microfilm reel and frame number notations are provided at the folder level when known.

Biographical Note:

Edward Bruce was born in 1879 in Dover Plains, New York. Though he enjoyed painting at a young age, he pursued a career in law and graduated from Columbia Law School in 1904. He practiced law in New York and in Manila, Philippines and was actively involved in international issues. He became president of the Pacific Development Corporation of California, was a lobbyist for the Philippine Independence Bill, and, in 1933, attended the London Economic Conference as a silver expert.

In 1923 Bruce gave up his career in law and business and began to paint, particularly landscapes. He and his wife Peggy spent the next six years in Anticoli Carrado, Italy where he studied painting from his friend and fellow artist Maurice Sterne. Bruce returned to the United States in 1929 and settled in California, exhibiting his artwork to much public and critical praise. In addition, Bruce was an avid collector of Chinese art.

In 1933 Bruce was appointed Chief of the newly established Public Works of Art Project, a federal government New Deal program within the U.S. Treasury Department, that employed artists to decorate numerous public buildings and parks. Though this federal program lasted less than a year, Bruce worked with Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr., to establish the Treasury Department's Section of Painting and Sculpture in 1934 - later renamed the Section of Fine Arts in 1938. Bruce was appointed Director of the department and played a primary role in securing federal government support for American artists. In 1940 he was appointed to the Commission of Fine Arts by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Bruce received many honors and awards during his lifetime both for his work as an artist and for his capable and dedicated administration of federal arts programs. Despite poor health, he continued his work for the Section of Fine Arts until shortly before his death in 1943.

Related Material:

Other resources in the Archives relating to Edward Bruce include an oral history interview with Margaret (Peggy) Bruce on October 11, 1963 conducted by Harlan Phillips. Miscellaneous Manuscript Collections include one file of material, 1933-1960, concerning Edward Bruce that was donated by the U.S. General Services Administration in 1986 and microfilmed on reel 3960.

Also available at the Archives are two collections of records loaned by the U.S. National Archives from their Public Buildings Administration records and the records of the Public Works of Art Project for microfilming by the Archives. Microfilm reels DC1-DC 13 and DC116-DC128 contain Edward Bruce's files and correspondence, respectively.

Separated Material:

A book Art in Federal Buildings by Forbes Watson and Edward Bruce was donated to AAA with Bruce's papers and microfilmed with the rest of collection on Microfilm Reel D91-D92, and then transferred to the Smithsonian American Art Museum Library.

Provenance:

The Edward Bruce papers were donated by Margaret (Peggy) Bruce, Edward Bruce's wife, in 1962. Additional printed material, financial records, and photographs of artwork were donated by Mrs. Bruce's niece, Maria Ealand in 1979.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research. The collection is partially microfilmed. Use of material not microfilmed requires an appointment.

Rights:

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

Occupation:

Painters  Search this

Arts administrators  Search this

Topic:

New Deal, 1933-1939  Search this

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Art, American  Search this

Art and state  Search this

Art, Modern -- 20th century -- United States  Search this

Genre/Form:

Diaries

Scrapbooks

Photographs

Citation:

Edward Bruce papers, 1902-1960 (bulk 1932-1942). Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.brucedwa

See more items in:

Edward Bruce papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw974a5ae73-b9a3-4cce-a3ec-77c07cc1ce18

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-brucedwa