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Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961

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
Online Media:

Marlene Park and Gerald E. Markowitz research materials on New Deal Art, 1931-1999

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
Online Media:

Oral history interview with George Biddle, 1963

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
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Dorothea Lange

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
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
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Don Freeman

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
Online Media:

Farm Security Administration (FSA) selected records and photographs

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

Oral history interview with Romana Javitz

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
Online Media:

Roy Emerson Stryker papers [microfilm]

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

Oral history interview with Ben Shahn

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
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
Online Media:

Rockwell Kent papers

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
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Holger Cahill

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
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
Online Media:

Walter Heil papers, 1929-1973

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

Walter Heil papers

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

Exhibition of mural designs for federal buildings from the Section of Fine Arts, Washington, D.C

Title:
Mural designs for federal buildings from the Section of Fine Arts, Washington, D.C
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

Work of New Jersey artists : plates from the Index of American Design, paintings and sculpture : [exhibition], The Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey, March 9 to April 16, 1939

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

New Deal art, New Jersey : [exhibition] Robeson Center Gallery, Rutgers in Newark and City without Walls Gallery, Newark, March 26-April 20, 1980, New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, May 3-July 20, 1980

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

Painting America: mural art in the New Deal era : March 2 to April 9, 1988, Midtown Galleries, 11 East 57 Street, New York, NY 10022 ..

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

Will Shuster papers, [undated] and 1914-1970

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

Will Shuster papers

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

Edward Bruce papers

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.
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
Online Media:

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