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Designer:

Stiletto Studios  Search this

Frank Schreiner, German, founded 1959  Search this

Manufacturer:

Gebrüder Siegel  Search this

Medium:

zinc-plated steel wire, plastic

Dimensions:

H x W x D: 103.3 x 72 x 75 cm (40 11/16 x 28 3/8 x 29 1/2 in.)

Type:

furniture

Decorative Arts

chair

Object Name:

chair

Designed in:

Berlin, Germany

Manufactured in:

Leipheim, Germany

Date:

Designed 1983, this example produced 1991

Credit Line:

Museum purchase from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund

Accession Number:

1992-112-1

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection

Product Design and Decorative Arts Department

Data Source:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kq4cb88dcf8-0a2b-460a-b609-e54d59521f28

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:chndm_1992-112-1

Medium:

Lacquer, gold, shell on wood with gilt metal fittings

Dimensions:

H x W x D: 28 x 21.3 x 33.4 cm (11 x 8 3/8 x 13 1/8 in)

Type:

Furniture and Furnishing

Origin:

Japan

Date:

early 17th century

Period:

Momoyama or Edo period

Topic:

Momoyama period (1573 - 1615)  Search this

Edo period (1615 - 1868)  Search this

Japan  Search this

Japanese Art  Search this

Credit Line:

Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

Accession Number:

F1944.20a-j

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

Related Online Resources:

Google Cultural Institute

See more items in:

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection

Data Source:

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ye38f45e8e2-8fe8-4a79-8c09-6ff31189cf49

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:fsg_F1944.20a-j

Medium:

Silver with gilding

Dimensions:

H x Diam: 20.7 × 16.5 cm (8 1/8 × 6 1/2 in)

Type:

Vessel

Origin:

Lhasa, Central Tibet

Date:

19th century

Topic:

Buddhism  Search this

Tibet  Search this

South Asian and Himalayan Art  Search this

Alice S. Kandell Collection  Search this

Credit Line:

The Alice S. Kandell Collection

Accession Number:

S2013.27a-b

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

Related Online Resources:

Google Cultural Institute

See more items in:

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection

On View:

Sackler Gallery 26a: The Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room

Data Source:

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ye3ec9c317f-6f1e-469f-99a8-f61e312f9181

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:fsg_S2013.27a-b

Artist:

Sid Grossman, born New York City 1913-died New York City 1955  Search this

Medium:

gelatin silver print

Dimensions:

7 1/2 x 7 1/2 in.

Type:

Photography

Date:

1940s, printed ca. 1940s

Topic:

Occupation\farm  Search this

Figure male\child  Search this

Object\furniture\stove  Search this

Architecture Interior\domestic\house  Search this

Credit Line:

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Howard Greenberg

Object number:

2020.67.14

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection

Department:

Graphic Arts

Data Source:

Smithsonian American Art Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk734acd068-1c8c-4149-9d6b-3f089802e540

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:saam_2020.67.14

Collection Creator:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History  Search this

Container:

Box 10

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1881

Scope and Contents:

Colorful trade cards representing many businesses in Washington, DC. Merchants and manufacturers dealing in thread, patent medicines, tobacco, furniture, clothing, and various services including undertaking. The cards feature flowers and plants, animals, people, and cartoons.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Collection Citation:

Archives Center Scrapbook Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

See more items in:

Archives Center Scrapbook Collection

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep85817da03-9c20-4e17-95a2-77e797b52739

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0468-ref530

Creator:

Freelon, Philip G., 1953-2019  Search this

Names:

American Institute of Architects  Search this

Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup  Search this

Freelon Bond Architects  Search this

Freelon Group  Search this

Hampton University (Va.)  Search this

Harvard University  Search this

Massachusetts Institute of Technology  Search this

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. School of Architecture  Search this

National Museum of African American History and Culture  Search this

National Organization of Minority Architects (U.S.)  Search this

North Carolina Board of Architecture  Search this

NorthStar Church of the Arts  Search this

PPG Industries, Inc.  Search this

Perkins & Will  Search this

Adjaye, David, 1966-  Search this

Bond, J. Max, Jr.  Search this

Freelon, Allan Randall, 1895-1960  Search this

Extent:

5.1 Cubic feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Correspondence

Place:

North Carolina -- United States

United States of America -- North Carolina -- Durham County -- Durham

United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Suffolk County -- Boston

United States of America -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia County -- Philadelphia

United States of America -- New York -- New York

Date:

bulk 1939-2017

Scope and Contents:

The Philip G. Freelon Architectural Archival Collection documents the life and career of architect, educator, cultural heritage preservation advocate and artist Philip G. Freelon. The collection highlights his distinguished career from its inception to his role as the "architect of record" for the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Freelon was one of the leading African American architects of his generation and he created a focus designing and constructing buildings that paid reverence to African Americans and other underrepresented communities. This collection is comprised of business records, photographic materials, ephemera, correspondence, architectural drawings, and clippings.

Arrangement:

The materials in this collection have been separated into seven series. The materials have been ordered and organized based on the content and chronology. Within each series and sub-series, the folders are organized as close to the collection's original order as when it was acquired.

Biographical / Historical:

Philip Goodwin Freelon was born March 26, 1953, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Allan Freelon, Jr. and Elizabeth Neal Freelon. Freelon was greatly influenced by his grandfather, Allan Freelon Sr., a notable Harlem Renaissance visual artist, educator, and civil rights activist. His grandfather's values and artistry inspired him to create a career that focused on creating historical and cultural spaces in African American communities. Freelon attended high school at the former predominantly white elite all-boys school, Central High School located in upper North Philadelphia from 1967 to 1971. His attendance at this school during of the Civil Rights Movement afforded him the unique experience that inspired him to attend a historically Black college (HBCU). Freelon selected Hampton Institute (Hampton University) to develop his veneration of the composition and design of the buildings that held cultural and artistic treasures. Located in the Tidewater area of Virginia, Hampton was renowned among HBCUs for its architecture program. His professor and mentor at Hampton, John Spencer, pushed Freelon academically as he moved easily through the school's curriculum. After two years at Hampton, Spencer helped Freelon transition to a more challenging program at North Carolina State University (NCSU) in Raleigh, North Carolina. Freelon graduated in 1975 with a bachelor's in environmental design in architecture.

Later in the fall of 1975, Freelon enrolled at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to pursue a master's in architecture. During the summers, Freelon worked with one of former his NC State professors at the architectural firm of John D. Latimer and Associates. After graduating from MIT in 1977, Freelon returned to North Carolina to take his Architecture Registration Examination (ARE), becoming the firm's youngest person to receive licensure. He also began teaching classes at his alma mater, NC State. It was there that Freelon met his future wife, Nnenna Pierce. Pierce, a Massachusetts native was attending Simmons College in Boston at the time. The connection was immediate, and the pair was married in 1979 and welcomed their first son, Deen in 1980. After a brief employment for a large Texas firm 3/D International, Freelon returned to Durham to join O'Brien Atkins Associates. He was the firm's youngest partner, eventually serving as principal and vice president of architecture. Freelon worked on a wide variety of projects throughout the state including learning centers, university buildings, churches, and parking garages. Along with Freelon's budding career, his family was expanding as well. Phil and Nnenna welcomed their daughter Maya in 1982 and their son, Pierce in 1983. During this time, Freelon was being highly recognized for his work. The American of Institute of Architects (AIA) awarded him the Honor Award for his design of Terminal 2 of the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, which has since been rebuilt.

By the end of the decade, Freelon and his wife Nnenna needed a change of pace. Nnenna pursued a professional career in music while Phil took a break from his career to expand his skillset and reinforce his intellectual approach to design. In 1989, Freelon was granted the Loeb Fellowship for one year of independent study at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. He also pursued a longtime hobby of furniture design, calling the practice "small architecture". He received industry awards like first prize in the PPG Industries, Inc. Furniture Design Competition as well as AIA Honor Award for conference table designs. With a year away from the field to clarify his vision, Freelon opened his own firm, simply titled, the Freelon Group in 1990. Beginning as a one-man operation, the Freelon Group grew to become one of the largest African American owned architectural firms in the country with over 50 employees, forty percent of which were women, and thirty percent were people of color. With freedom within his own firm, Freelon focused on designing learning centers, libraries and museums and vowed to never build anything that did not bring cultural and intellectual value to a community.

Over the next twenty years, Freelon would assert himself as a force in designing notable cultural institutions and community-driven projects in and around the country including the Sonja Haynes Stone Center at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC), Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture (Baltimore, MD), Museum of African Diaspora (San Francisco, CA), Harvey B. Gantt for African American Arts and Culture (Charlotte, NC), the Anacostia and Tenley-Friendship branches of the District of Columbia Public Library , National Center for Civil Rights and Human Rights (Atlanta, GA), Mississippi Civil Rights Museum (Jackson, MS) and Emancipation Park (Houston, TX). Alongside his architectural career, Freelon served as a lecturer and adjunct professor at several colleges and universities including North Carolina State University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Maryland College Park, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, and the Florence, Italy program at Kent State University. Freelon was awarded a full-time appointment as professor of Professional Practice at MIT in 2008. The Professional Practice (4.222) course was a requirement for the master's in architecture and he used examples from his extensive career and personal experience to illustrate legal, ethical, and management concepts. Nnenna's music career was also thriving. She would go on to record twelve albums and be nominated for six Grammys. This fusion of education, the arts, and music inspired another generation of Freelons: their son, Pierce Freelon is a hip-hop artist, educator, and political activist; daughter Maya Freelon is a visual artist; and son Deen Freelon is a professor.

In 2001, George W. Bush established a commission to create a new museum on the National Mall. Freelon wanted to enter his firm to participate in the international design competition. Freelon would partner with famed African American New York City architect, J. Max Bond, Jr. and by 2006 the two officially formed the Freelon Bond Architects.The Freelon Bond group submitted their proposal and soon after were elected to create programming and pre-design work for the museum. When the official design competition for the museum was announced in 2008, UK-based architect David Adjaye joined the team as the lead designer, and along with the partnering firm SmithGroup, the new architectural team became Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup. The three black architects combined a variety of distinctive elements from Africa and the Americas to create the building's unique, historically significant design. The Freelon Group served as the "architect of record" and were responsible for ensuring that key design ideas were upheld. Freelon and key firm members such as Zena Howard were active as on-site project managers during the museum's construction process to certify that the building would be developed according to plan. Freelon, Adjaye, and Bond were tasked with taking the collective history of the African American experience-- generations of pain, triumph, and perseverance-- and forming it into a structure. The team looked to African sources, such as Yoruban architecture, for inspiration. They sought to connect the building's design to the geographic and cultural roots of African Americans. Their design choices also reference the contributions of enslaved and free black metalworkers made to the landscape of the American South. Their goal was to make the museum an extension of its contents, and an expression of the stories told inside. By the groundbreaking for NMAAHC in 2012, Freelon had been appointed to the U.S. Commission of the Fine Arts by President Barack Obama. In an effort to broaden his resources and expand his firm, The Freelon Group merged with Perkins & Will, a firm originating in Chicago that grew to have offices across the United States. Freelon was appointed the managing director and later lead design director at the firm's North Carolina offices in Charlotte and Durham in 2014. By the next year, Freelon understood that his work in architecture and education was a necessary voice to preserve, which he did through donation of the bulk of his personal papers to his alma mater, NC State University. The year 2016 proved to be a year of triumph for Freelon as NMAAHC opened its doors on September 24th to much jubilation and celebration. That same year, Freelon's legacy was further cemented as the Phil Freelon Fellowship Fund was established at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, a fellowship designed to broaden opportunities for African Americans and other underrepresented communities in architecture and design.

Unfortunately, this triumphant year was met with difficulty as Freelon was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive disease that affects the nervous system. He would continue to work and lecture for the next two years until it became too challenging. One of those projects was the renovation and opening of The NorthStar Church of the Arts in early 2019. A passion project with his wife and son, Pierce, a former church was renovated and repurposed as an arts and cultural space for all. This space was created in an effort to support the Durham cultural community as it began to feel the effects of gentrification. When Freelon lost his battle with ALS on July 9, 2019, in his home in Durham, North Carolina, the family requested that in lieu of flowers that donations be sent to the NorthStar Church to continue the center's mission and Phil's dream to give back to the Durham community.

Historical Timeline

1953 -- Philip Goodwin Freelon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Allan Freelon Jr. and Elizabeth Neal Freelon.

1971 -- Freelon graduated from Central High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and entered School of Architecture, Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia as a design student.

1973 -- Freelon transferred to College of Design at the North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

1975 -- Graduated with a Bachelor's in Environmental Design in Architecture from NC State University. He received the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Book Award for Outstanding Work in Architectural Design. In the fall, he began his master's program in architecture at MIT.

1976 -- Began working as aide for architectural firm, John D. Latimer and Associates.

1977 -- Graduated with a Master's in Architecture and Design from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT.)

1978 -- Freelon became youngest architect to pass the North Carolina Architecture Registration Exam. Freelon started teaching at North Carolina State University.

1979 -- Married Chinyere "Nnenna" Pierce. Freelon began working for, 3/D International in Houston, Texas.

1980 -- Son Deen Freelon was born.

1981 -- Freelon returned to Durham, NC to join O'Brien Atkins Associates as the firm's youngest partner.

1982 -- Daughter Maya Freelon was born.

1983 -- Son Pierce Freelon was born.

1989-1990 -- Received Loeb Fellowship for independent study at Harvard University. Freelon received AIA Honor Award for American Airlines Terminal 2 at Raleigh-Durham Airport, NC (RDU).

1990 -- Freelon left O'Brien Atkins Associates to open his own firm The Freelon Group.

1991 -- Won first prize in the PPG Furniture Design Competition.

1992 -- Won the AIA Honor Award for Conference Table Designs.

2001 -- Won the AIA Firm Award for The Freelon Group and the AIA Design Award for Parking Structure, RDU Airport. Began attending meetings of President George W. Bush's commission on new National Mall museum dedicated to African American history and culture.

2003 -- Freelon merged his firm with New York architect Max Bond to create Freelon Bond Architects.

2004 -- Sonja Haynes Stone Center at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC) was completed.

2005 -- Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture (Baltimore, MD) and Museum of African Diaspora (San Francisco, CA) were both completed.

2008 -- UK-based architect David Adjaye and Washington, DC based architecture firm, Smithgroup joined the team, creating the Freelon Adjaye Bond Group/SmithGroup Freelon began teaching at MIT's school of Architecture and Design.

2009 -- Freelon Adjaye Bond/Smithgroup won the official design for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Harvey B. Gantt for African American Arts and Culture (Charlotte, NC) was completed.

2010 -- Anacostia branch of the District of Columbia Public Library (Washington, DC) was completed.

2011 -- Tenley-Friendship branch of the District of Columbia Public Library (Washington, DC) was completed.

2012 -- Construction began on NMAAHC.

2014 -- The Freelon Group merged with Perkins & Will, a much larger architectural firm. Freelon became managing director and lead design director of the North Carolina branches in Durham and Charlotte. National Center for Civil Rights and Human Rights (Atlanta, GA) was completed.

2016 -- Freelon was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

2017 -- Mississippi Civil Rights Museum (Jackson, MS) and Emancipation Park (Houston, TX) were completed.

2019 -- Freelon died in his home in Durham, North Carolina at age 66 on July 9.

Related Materials:

Phil Freelon Papers, 1975-2019 at North Carolina State University Libraries.

Provenance:

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Philip G. Freelon.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research. Access to collection materials requires an appointment.

Rights:

The NMAAHC Archives can provide reproductions of some materials for research and educational use. Copyright and right to publicity restrictions apply and limit reproduction for other purposes.

Topic:

Architecture  Search this

Business  Search this

Construction  Search this

Entrepreneurship  Search this

Local and Regional  Search this

Design  Search this

Education  Search this

Photographs  Search this

Museums  Search this

Genre/Form:

Correspondence

Citation:

Philip G. Freelon Archival Collection, 1939-2017. National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NMAAHC.A2017.51

See more items in:

Philip G. Freelon Architectural Archive

Archival Repository:

National Museum of African American History and Culture

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/io3ba3ca2a2-5495-45cf-801c-f3d66a7002fd

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmaahc-a2017-51

Collection Creator:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History  Search this

Container:

Box 7, Folder 4

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Restrictions:

Collection open for research.

Collection Rights:

Fees for commercial reproduction. However, there are copyright and trademark restrictions.

Collection Citation:

Archives Center Shopping Bag Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

See more items in:

Archives Center Shopping Bag Collection

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep85258c8f3-3297-4a09-b3be-8a28f0c65d4d

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0570-ref814

Collection Creator:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History  Search this

Container:

Box 8, Folder 2

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Restrictions:

Collection open for research.

Collection Rights:

Fees for commercial reproduction. However, there are copyright and trademark restrictions.

Collection Citation:

Archives Center Shopping Bag Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

See more items in:

Archives Center Shopping Bag Collection

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep881548f07-a198-44a0-ae55-960db39aaf8d

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0570-ref864

Collection Creator:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History  Search this

Container:

Box 9, Folder 3

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Restrictions:

Collection open for research.

Collection Rights:

Fees for commercial reproduction. However, there are copyright and trademark restrictions.

Collection Citation:

Archives Center Shopping Bag Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

See more items in:

Archives Center Shopping Bag Collection

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8c11218b6-40cb-49fc-8f2a-14ada3bb6b6c

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0570-ref977

Creator:

Sheeler, Charles, 1883-1965  Search this

Names:

Archives of American Art  Search this

Downtown Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Adams, Ansel, 1902-1984  Search this

Arensberg, Louise S. (Louise Stevenson), 1879-1953  Search this

Arensberg, Walter, 1878-1954  Search this

Bacon, Peggy, 1895-1987  Search this

Eidlitz, Dorothy  Search this

Halpert, Edith Gregor, 1900-1970  Search this

Lane, William H.  Search this

Newhall, Beaumont, 1908-1993  Search this

Newhall, Nancy Wynne.  Search this

Rourke, Constance, 1885-1941  Search this

Sheeler, Musya, 1908-1981  Search this

Waters, George  Search this

Weston, Edward, 1886-1958  Search this

Williams, William Carlos, 1883-1963  Search this

Photographer:

Sheeler, Musya, 1908-1981  Search this

White, Minor  Search this

Extent:

4.9 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Artifacts

Awards

Photographs

Journals (accounts)

Scrapbooks

Writings

Date:

circa 1840s-1966

bulk 1923-1965

Summary:

The papers of painter, photographer, lithographer and industrial designer Charles Sheeler measure 4.9 linear feet and date from circa 1840s to 1966, with the bulk of the material dating from 1923-1965. The collection documents Sheeler's family, personal life and career through financial and medical records, awards, correspondence, writings, an autobiography, journal and notebooks, scrapbooks, exhibition catalogs and announcements, printed materials, photographs, funeral records and artwork by Sheeler and others. The collection is particularly rich in Sheeler's writings, and also includes Sheeler's industrial designs and manufactured artwork. Notable photographs include Sheeler with Edward Weston, Edward Steichen, and John Marin.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of painter, photographer, lithographer and industrial designer Charles Sheeler measure 4.9 linear feet and date from circa 1840s to 1966, with the bulk of the material dating from 1923-1965. The collection documents Sheeler's family, personal life and career through financial and medical records, awards, correspondence, writings, an autobiography, journal and notebooks, scrapbooks, exhibition catalogs and announcements, printed materials, photographs, funeral records and artwork by Sheeler and others. The collection is particularly rich in Sheeler's writings, and also includes Sheeler's industrial designs and manufactured artwork. There are photographs of Sheeler with Edward Weston, Edward Steichen, and John Marin.

Biographical materials date from 1875, and 1928-1965, and include funeral records, medical records, insurance, tax, and scattered financial records. There is one folder of records relating to artwork and exhibitions, as well as Sheeler's numerous certificates, prizes and awards, and the condolence book used at his funeral.

Correspondence consists of Sheeler's personal and professional correspondence dating from 1937-1966 with friends, artists, dealers, collectors, photographers, and curators. Notable correspondents include Ansel Adams, Walter and Louise Arensberg, William Lane, Beaumont and Nancy Newhall, George Waters, William Carlos Williams, and Edward Weston. The series also includes correspondence with the Archives of American Art, Sheeler's biographer Constance Rourke, and with publishers, editors, children, and the general public. Lastly, there are condolence letters written to Musya Sheeler following Sheeler's death in May 1965.

Writings include Sheeler's journal dating from the 1950s-1963 and two notebooks containing notes, addresses, recipes, etc. Also found are Sheeler's writings on artists, drafts for articles, and a manuscript and notes for an autobiography that Sheeler wrote for Harcourt Brace. The autobiography became the basis for Constance Rourke's biography Charles Sheeler: Artist in the American Tradition published in 1938. The writing series also includes a short story by Musya Sheeler, and an illustrated short story by friend Dorothy Eidlitz.

The scrapbook series contains two oversize scrapbooks dating from 1930s-1960s that include newspaper and magazine clippings about Sheeler and his artwork, exhibition announcements and brochures, a poem, and a thank you letter from Abby Aldrich Rockefeller.

Additional printed materials date from 1923-1966 and document Sheeler's numerous exhibitions, notably his partnership with Edith Halpert and the Downtown Gallery. Found here are clippings, copies of magazines, exhibition announcements and catalogs, museum bulletings, books, and miscellaneous items.

Photographs date from circa 1840s-1963 and include photographs of Sheeler's family, of Sheeler, and of Sheeler with friends and colleagues. There is one daguerreotype, two ambrotypes, and two tintypes of Sheeler's family and of Sheeler as a child. There are copyprints of these originals. Additional photographs are of Sheeler's mother and father (or possibly Sheeler's grandparent), of Sheeler, of Sheeler with his wife Musya, Sheeler with William Lane, Sheeler with Edward Weston, and Sheeler with Edward Steichen and John Marin. The series also includes photographs of Sheeler's collection of Shaker furniture, and photographs of exhibitions.

Artwork by Sheeler dates from circa 1930s-1960s and includes artifacts of manufactured pieces based on his industrial designs. Found are a glass tumbler, salt and pepper shakers, a tea spoon, fabrics designed by Sheeler, and sketches. The series also includes a drawing by Peggy Bacon and a photograph by Minor White.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into seven series. Materials are arranged by material type and chronologically or alphabetically thereafter:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1875, 1928-1965 (Boxes 1, 5, OV10; 0.6 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1937-1966 (Box 1; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1930s-1965 (Boxes 1-2 ; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 4: Scrapbooks, 1930s-1960s (Boxes 2, 6; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1923-1966 (Boxes 2-4, 7; 1.5 linear feet)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1840s-1963 (Box 4, OV11; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1930s-1960s (Boxes 4-5, 8-9, OV12-OV14; 1.1 linear feet)

Biographical Note:

Painter, photographer, lithographer and designer, Charles Rettew Sheeler Jr. was born on July 16, 1883 to Mary Cunningham Sheeler and Charles Rettew Sheeler in Philadelphia. He attended the School of Industrial Art in Philadelphia from 1900-1903 and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he studied under William Merritt Chase. He found early success as a painter and exhibited at the Macbeth Gallery in 1908.

Around 1910 Sheeler took up photography, and by 1912 financially supported himself photographing buildings for local Philadelphia architects. The following year, Sheeler exhibited six paintings at the 1913 Armory Show in New York. In the mid 1910s, Sheeler began to collect American antiques, and by the 1920s was actively acquiring Shaker crafts and furniture.

In 1916, Sheeler was hired by Marius de Zayas of the Modern Gallery in New York to photograph objects and artwork. From 1917-1924, he worked as the staff photographer for the Modern Gallery and moved to New York in 1918. In 1920, Sheeler was hired as a still photographer for The Arts Magazine.

In 1926, Sheeler was hired by Edward Steichen to work as a fashion and celebrity photographer for Conde Nast Publications. His photographs were regularly featured in Vogue and Vanity Fair, but Sheeler also worked as a still life photographer for numerous advertising agencies. The following year, he was commissioned by the advertising firm N.W. Ayer and Son to photograph Ford Motor Company's new plant at River Rouge.

While working as a photographer, Sheeler continued to paint and used the subjects and composition of his photographs as a basis for his painting. His paintings Skyscrapers, 1922; Upper Deck, 1929; and American Landscape, 1930 are examples of Sheeler's technique of merging photographic imagery with painting and his overall precisionist style.

In 1931, upon the advice and guidance of Edith Halpert of the Downtown Gallery, Sheeler began to paint more often and to photograph less. Halpert became Sheeler's primarily dealer, and from 1931-1966 regularly exhibited his paintings and drawings. With Halpert's support, Sheeler produced Classic Landscape, 1931; American Interior, 1934; Silo, 1938; Amoskeag Canal, 1948; and Convolutions, 1952. In addition to Sheeler's partnership with Halpert, his work was exhibited by other galleries and museums throughout the United States and abroad.

In 1939, Sheeler married his second wife, Musya Metas Sokolova (1908-1981) and, in 1942, the couple moved to Irvington-on-Hudson, New York. Sheeler continued to paint and photograph until he suffered a debilitating stroke in 1959. After 1959, Sheeler remained active exhibiting his artwork until his death on May 7, 1965 in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

Related Material:

The Archives of American Art holds several collections that are related to Charles Sheeler.

There are two oral history interviews with Sheeler conducted by Mary Bartlett Cowdrey in December 1958, and by Martin Friedman in June 1959. The Archives also has the records of the Macbeth Gallery, which include a substantial amount of correspondence with Sheeler from 1907-1921, and the Downtown Gallery records, which also include correspondence with Sheeler, photographs of Sheeler and his artwork, exhibition publications, clippings, press releases, and audio visual materials dating from 1904-1972.

Also found in the the Archives is a loan of Charles Sheeler letters filmed on reel NY/59-5 containing letters written by Sheeler to his psychologist and art collector, Dr. Helen Boigon, art student George Craven, and friend William Carlos Williams, all dating from 1939-1958. There is a collection of six letters of Sheeler letters addressed to Doris Royce, possibly an art critic, dating from 1949-1957. Miscellaneous manuscript collections include one letter written by Sheeler to E.P. Richardson in 1958, and another letter written to Frank Crowninshield in September, 1939.

Separated Material:

Portions of Sheeler's papers that were originally loaned for microfilming were not included in the later gifts and are available only on microfilm reel NSH-1. A watercolor study microfilmed on reel 1811 was later transferred to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. These materials are not described in the container list of this finding aid.

Provenance:

Charles Sheeler's wife Musya initially loaned the papers to the Archives of American Art for microfilming in 1958, 1965, and 1966. In June, 1966, she donated most of the earlier loaned materials. In 1964, Sheeler's friend Howard Lipman donated three photographs of Sheeler with Edward Steichen and John Marin. The third accrual was transferred to the Archives by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery Library in June 1979.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment.

Rights:

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

Topic:

Works of art  Search this

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

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

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

Industrial designers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Genre/Form:

Artifacts

Awards

Photographs

Journals (accounts)

Scrapbooks

Writings

Citation:

Charles Sheeler papers, circa 1840s-1966, bulk 1923-1965. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.sheechar

See more items in:

Charles Sheeler papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97080c38f-51c0-443b-808a-a0c408c8352d

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-sheechar

Collection Donor:

Hiller, John  Search this

Extent:

1 Autochromes (photographs) (lantern slide.)

Container:

Box 2

Type:

Archival materials

Slides

Autochromes (photographs)

Lantern slides

Place:

Unidentified Garden (Unknown location).

Date:

circa 1910-1920

General:

This is definitely the same garden shown in HLR177 and probably that shown in HLR070 and HLR071.

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Houses  Search this

Paths  Search this

Steps  Search this

Shrubs  Search this

Benches, stone  Search this

Outdoor furniture  Search this

Hedges  Search this

Flower beds  Search this

Genre/Form:

Autochromes (photographs)

Lantern slides

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, John Hiller lantern slide collection.

Identifier:

AAG.HLR, Item HLR073

See more items in:

John Hiller lantern slide collection

John Hiller lantern slide collection / Series 1: Gardens and Sites / Unidentified Locations / Unidentified Gardens and Landscapes

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb61892e04e-55c7-44f0-8a92-bc66b1bf633b

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-hlr-ref1006

Collection Donor:

Hiller, John  Search this

Extent:

1 Autochromes (photographs) (lantern slide.)

Container:

Box 2

Type:

Archival materials

Slides

Autochromes (photographs)

Lantern slides

Place:

Unidentified Garden (Unknown location).

Date:

circa 1910-1920

General:

Historic image number: 33.

Historic caption: House & Garden.

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Flowers  Search this

Lawns  Search this

Irises (Plants)  Search this

Outdoor furniture  Search this

Trees  Search this

Houses  Search this

Porches  Search this

Columns  Search this

Genre/Form:

Autochromes (photographs)

Lantern slides

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, John Hiller lantern slide collection.

Identifier:

AAG.HLR, Item HLR085

See more items in:

John Hiller lantern slide collection

John Hiller lantern slide collection / Series 1: Gardens and Sites / Unidentified Locations / Unidentified Gardens and Landscapes

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb653b75299-fb2f-4fd8-9134-f292a37eb5e8

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-hlr-ref1010

Collection Donor:

Hiller, John  Search this

Extent:

1 Autochromes (photographs)

Container:

Box 3

Type:

Archival materials

Slides

Autochromes (photographs)

Date:

circa 1910-1920

General:

The hotel has not been identified.

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Shade trees  Search this

Outdoor furniture  Search this

Umbrellas (garden)  Search this

Lawns  Search this

Chairs  Search this

Climbing plants  Search this

Palms  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, John Hiller lantern slide collection.

Identifier:

AAG.HLR, Item HLR156

See more items in:

John Hiller lantern slide collection

John Hiller lantern slide collection / Series 1: Gardens and Sites / Switzerland

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6b57224ac-13be-438e-82eb-f603449267a2

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-hlr-ref604

Collection Donor:

Hiller, John  Search this

Extent:

1 Autochromes (photographs)

Container:

Box 3

Type:

Archival materials

Slides

Autochromes (photographs)

Date:

circa 1910-1920

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Furniture  Search this

Electric lamps  Search this

Bookcases  Search this

curtains (window hangings)  Search this

draperies (curtains)  Search this

Portraits -- Women  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, John Hiller lantern slide collection.

Identifier:

AAG.HLR, Item HLR142

See more items in:

John Hiller lantern slide collection

John Hiller lantern slide collection / Series 1: Gardens and Sites / Unidentified Locations / Unidentified Interior Views

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6762f718e-43f8-4efa-85d6-1624f29c3286

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-hlr-ref717

Collection Donor:

Hiller, John  Search this

Extent:

1 Autochromes (photographs)

Container:

Box 3

Type:

Archival materials

Slides

Autochromes (photographs)

Portraits

Date:

circa 1910-1920

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Electric lamps  Search this

draperies (curtains)  Search this

Clocks and watches  Search this

Storage  Search this

Furniture  Search this

Genre/Form:

Portraits -- Men

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, John Hiller lantern slide collection.

Identifier:

AAG.HLR, Item HLR143

See more items in:

John Hiller lantern slide collection

John Hiller lantern slide collection / Series 1: Gardens and Sites / Unidentified Locations / Unidentified Interior Views

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6e31efc36-bc87-49f4-99ca-8b6d67d0ad32

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-hlr-ref718

Creator:

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2022-06-13T20:31:55.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Art, Asian  Search this

See more by:

FreerSackler

Data Source:

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

YouTube Channel:

FreerSackler

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_cK0ArRyKhDk

Creator:

Smithsonian Institution  Search this

Type:

Conversations and talks

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2016-01-19T19:18:13.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

See more by:

SmithsonianVideos

Data Source:

Smithsonian Institution

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianVideos

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_EBFSIBnFN6A

Creator:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum  Search this

Type:

Conversations and talks

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2016-05-11T23:55:25.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Design  Search this

See more by:

cooperhewitt

Data Source:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

YouTube Channel:

cooperhewitt

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_3M5-d6nIbns

Creator:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2009-04-22T16:21:56.000Z

YouTube Category:

Nonprofits & Activism  Search this

Topic:

Design  Search this

See more by:

cooperhewitt

Data Source:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

YouTube Channel:

cooperhewitt

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_5Hfp79keGGA

Creator:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2009-04-22T17:15:28.000Z

YouTube Category:

Nonprofits & Activism  Search this

Topic:

Design  Search this

See more by:

cooperhewitt

Data Source:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

YouTube Channel:

cooperhewitt

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_F72VCbMS74I