Search Results

Designer:

Filippo Marchionni, Italian, 1732–1805  Search this

Medium:

Pen and ink, brush and wash on paper

Type:

architecture

Drawing

Object Name:

Drawing

Made in:

Italy

Date:

1750–75

Credit Line:

Museum purchase through gift of various donors

Accession Number:

1901-39-683

See more items in:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection

Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department

Data Source:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:chndm_1901-39-683

Architect:

Giuseppe Barberi, Italian, 1746–1809  Search this

Medium:

Pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash

Type:

architecture

Drawing

Object Name:

Drawing

Made in:

Italy

Credit Line:

Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund

Accession Number:

1938-88-2589

See more items in:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection

Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department

Data Source:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:chndm_1938-88-2589

Artist:

Whitney Warren Jr., American, 1864–1943  Search this

Medium:

Brush and watercolor, graphite on thick cream wove paper tipped into binding with fabric

Type:

architecture

Album page

Object Name:

Album page

Made in:

Cremona, Lombardi, Italy

Place depicted:

Cremona, Lombardi, Italy

Date:

October 4, 1887

Credit Line:

Gift of Mrs. William Greenough

Accession Number:

1943-51-15

See more items in:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection

Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department

Data Source:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:chndm_1943-51-15

Artist:

Whitney Warren Jr., American, 1864–1943  Search this

Medium:

Brush and watercolor, graphite on thick, cream wove paper tipped into binding with fabric

Type:

architecture

Album page

Object Name:

Album page

Made in:

Verona, Italy

Place depicted:

Verona, Italy

Date:

October 7, 1887

Credit Line:

Gift of Mrs. William Greenough

Accession Number:

1943-51-2

See more items in:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection

Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department

Data Source:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:chndm_1943-51-2

Artist:

Whitney Warren Jr., American, 1864–1943  Search this

Medium:

Brush and watercolor, graphite on cream paperboard tipped into binding with fabric

Type:

architecture

Album page

Object Name:

Album page

Place depicted:

Venice, Italy

Made in:

Venice, Italy

Date:

October 21, 1887

Credit Line:

Gift of Mrs. William Greenough

Accession Number:

1943-51-37

See more items in:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection

Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department

Data Source:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:chndm_1943-51-37

Artist:

Whitney Warren Jr., American, 1864–1943  Search this

Medium:

Brush and watercolor, graphite on thick white wove paper, adhered to a sheet of thin, white wove paper tipped into binding with fabric

Type:

architecture

Album page

Object Name:

Album page

Made in:

Venice, Italy

Date:

October 23, 1887

Credit Line:

Gift of Mrs. William Greenough

Accession Number:

1943-51-3

See more items in:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection

Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department

Data Source:

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:chndm_1943-51-3

Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Names:

New York Flower Show  Search this

Extent:

37,000 Slides (35mm slides)

33 Linear feet ((garden files))

3,000 Lantern slides

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Slides

Lantern slides

Plans (drawings)

Brochures

Articles

Correspondence

Clippings

Slides (photographs)

Date:

circa 1920-present

Summary:

This collection contains over 37,000 35mm slides, 3,000 glass lantern slides and garden files that may include descriptive information, photocopied articles (from journals, newspapers, or books), planting lists, correspondence, brochures, landscape plans and drawings. Garden files were compiled by Garden Club of America (GCA) members for most of the gardens included in the collection. Some gardens have been photographed over the course of several decades; others only have images from a single point in time. In addition to images of American gardens, there are glass lantern slides of the New York Flower Show (1941-1951) and trips that GCA members took to other countries, including Mexico (1937), Italy, Spain, Japan (1935), France (1936), England (1929), and Scotland.

A number of the slides are copies of historic images from outside repositories including horticultural and historical societies or from horticultural books and publications. The GCA made a concerted effort in the mid-1980s to acquire these images in order to increase its documentation of American garden history. Because of copyright considerations, use of these particular images may be restricted.

Biographical/Historical note:

The Garden Club of America was established in 1913 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when the Garden Club of Philadelphia and eleven other garden clubs met to create a national garden club. Its purpose is to foster the knowledge and love of gardening and to restore and protect the quality of the environment through educational programs and gardening and conservation efforts. The GCA was incorporated in Delaware in 1923, with its headquarters established in New York City. Today, local clubs are organized under twelve regional zones. The GCA continues its tradition of hosting flower shows and publishing material related to gardening in the United States.

The GCA's glass lantern slides were used by The GCA for presentations and lectures about notable gardens throughout the United States dating back to colonial times. An effort was made in the late 1980s, in preparation of the 75th anniversary of the Garden Club of America's founding, to collect the disbursed slides. These slides were to eventually form the Slide Library of Notable American Parks and Gardens. The informational value of this collection is extensive since a number of images of the more than 4,500 gardens represented show garden designs that have changed over time or no longer exist. While the majority of images document a range of designed upper and upper-middle class gardens throughout the U.S., the scope of the collection is expanding as volunteers photograph and document contemporary gardens including community and vernacular gardens.

The gardens illustrate the design work of dozens of landscape architects including Marian Coffin, Beatrix Farrand, Lawrence Halprin, Hare & Hare, Umberto Innocenti, Gertrude Jekyll, Jens Jensen, Warren Manning, the Olmsted Brothers, Charles Platt, Ellen Biddle Shipman, and Fletcher Steele. Because of their proximity to the gardens, works of notable architects and sculptors may also be featured in the images.

Restrictions:

Access to original images 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.

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.

Topic:

Gardens -- France  Search this

Gardens -- Italy  Search this

Gardens -- Japan  Search this

Gardens -- Mexico  Search this

Flower shows  Search this

Gardening -- United States -- societies, etc  Search this

Gardens -- England  Search this

Landscape architecture  Search this

Gardens -- United States  Search this

Gardens -- Spain  Search this

Gardens -- Scotland  Search this

Genre/Form:

Plans (drawings)

Brochures

Articles

Correspondence

Clippings

Lantern slides

Slides (photographs)

Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aag-gca

Creator:

Aldobrandini, Pietro Cardinal  Search this

Aldobrandini Prince  Search this

James River Garden Club  Search this

Architect:

Della Porta, Giacomo, 1532-1602  Search this

Sculptor:

Buti, Jacque  Search this

Sarazin, Jacque  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Extent:

1 Photograph (lantern slide, hand-colored)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Lantern slides

Place:

Italy -- Frascati

Italy -- Lazio Region -- Frascati

Date:

[between 1914 and 1949?]

General:

Called a Water Theater. Sculptures depict Polyphemus with reed pipes, a centaur. Atlas sculpted by Jacque Sarazin.

Mount reads: "Fratelli Alinari (I. D. E. A.); Italia - 8 Via Nazionale 8 - Firenze. (7); Serie Artistica."

Historic plate number: "6843."

Historic plate caption: "[manuscript text on label:] Villa Aldobrandini. [printed text in image:] (Ed.?? Alinari) P.? I.? N.? 6843. Frascati - Villa Aldobrandini. La cascata principale. (G. Della Porta.)."

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original images 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.

Topic:

Water stairs  Search this

Columns  Search this

Urns  Search this

Walls (building)  Search this

Sculpture  Search this

Fountains  Search this

Niches (Architecture)  Search this

Open-air theaters  Search this

Relief (Sculpture)  Search this

Balustrades  Search this

Parterres  Search this

Hollies  Search this

Genre/Form:

Lantern slides

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, Item IT021001

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 2: International Garden Images / Italy / IT021: Frascati -- Villa Aldobrandini

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref4275

Creator:

Aldobrandini, Pietro Cardinal  Search this

Aldobrandini Prince  Search this

James River Garden Club  Search this

Architect:

Della Porta, Giacomo, 1532-1602  Search this

Sculptor:

Buti, Jacque  Search this

Sarazin, Jacque  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Extent:

1 Photograph (lantern slide, hand-colored)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Lantern slides

Place:

Italy -- Frascati

Italy -- Lazio Region -- Frascati

Date:

[between 1914 and 1949?]

General:

Sculptures of peasants.

Mount reads: "Fratelli Alinari (I. D. E. A.); Italia - 8 Via Nazionale 8 - Firenze. (7); Serie Artistica."

Historic plate number: "6847."

Historic plate caption: "[manuscript text on label:] Villa Aldobrandini. [printed text in image:] (Ed.?? Alinari) P.? I.? N.? 6847. Frascati - Villa Aldobrandini. La cascata superiore. (G. Della Porta.)."

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original images 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.

Topic:

Spring  Search this

Waterfalls  Search this

Niches (Architecture)  Search this

Sculpture  Search this

Genre/Form:

Lantern slides

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, Item IT021002

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 2: International Garden Images / Italy / IT021: Frascati -- Villa Aldobrandini

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref4276

Creator:

Conti  Search this

Sforza  Search this

Torlonia, Andrea Duke  Search this

James River Garden Club  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Extent:

1 Photograph (lantern slide, hand-colored)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Lantern slides

Place:

Italy -- Frascati

Italy -- Lazio Region -- Frascati

Date:

[between 1914 and 1949?]

General:

Mount reads: "Fratelli Alinari (I. D. E. A.); Italia - 8 Via Nazionale 8 - Firenze. (7); Serie Artistica."

Historic plate number: "6849."

Historic plate caption: "[manuscript text on label:] Villa Torlonia. [printed text in image:] (Ed.?? Alinari) P.? I.? N.? 6849. Frascati - Villa Torlonia. La cascata."

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original images 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.

Topic:

Cascades  Search this

Water stairs  Search this

Fountains  Search this

Balustrades  Search this

Sculpture  Search this

Open-air theaters  Search this

Niches (Architecture)  Search this

Urns  Search this

Stairs  Search this

Groves  Search this

Hollies  Search this

Men  Search this

Genre/Form:

Lantern slides

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, Item IT023001

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 2: International Garden Images / Italy / IT023: Frascati -- Villa Torlonia

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref4278

Architect:

Salvi, Nicola, 1697-1751  Search this

Lantern slide maker:

Williams, Brown & Earle, Inc.  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Extent:

1 Photograph (lantern slide, hand-colored)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Lantern slides

Place:

Italy -- Rome

Italy -- Lazio Region -- Rome

Date:

[between 1900 and 1930]

General:

A well-known custom is to throw a coin in this fountain to ensure one will return to Rome.

Mount reads: "Williams, Brown & Earle, Inc., 918 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa."

Historic plate caption: "LEWIS [photographer?]; Rome - Fountain of Trevi (detail)."

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original images 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.

Topic:

Fountains  Search this

Niches (Architecture)  Search this

Sculpture  Search this

Genre/Form:

Lantern slides

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, Item IT009001

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 2: International Garden Images / Italy / IT009: Rome -- Fontana di Trevi

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref4286

Architect:

Oglesby, Enslie O.  Search this

Landscape architectural firm:

Naud Burnett & Partners  Search this

Boyd Heiderich Bargas, Inc.  Search this

Provenance:

Founders Garden Club of Dallas  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Place:

Ravine Garden (Dallas Texas)

United States of America -- Texas -- Dallas

Scope and Contents:

The folder includes worksheets and an article.

General:

Ravine Garden is a two-acre private residence in Dallas, Texas, with a deep ravine and creek running through the property, with a hidden rose garden across the ravine that is accessed via stone steps and paths. There are several seating areas within the garden for dining and visiting. A Camellia House (greenhouse) designed by Dallas architect Enslie O. Oglesby sits atop a round concrete cistern that provides water for the plants inside. One area of the garden has children's play equipment which the owners will change eventually.

The carport planted with wisteria and climbing roses is modeled after an arbor the owners admired in Italy. Family heirlooms are featured in the garden, including a monogrammed iron gate and a Chinese sculpture.

The owner's wanted a garden that suits the topography of the property. As such, they have left woodlands intact by the ravine and as a screen for the children's play area. The rose garden was planted for beauty, scent and cutting.

Persons associated with the garden include Naud Burnett & Partners (landscape architect of rose garden, dates unknown); Boyd Heiderich Bargas, Inc. (landscape architect for front, patio and terrace gardens, dates unknown); Enslie O. Oglesby (architect for Camellia greenhouse, dates unknown).

Related Materials:

Ravine Garden related holdings consist of 1 folder (20 35 mm. slides (photographs))

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original images 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.

Topic:

Gardens -- Texas -- Dallas  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, File TX091

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Texas

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref13479

Former owner:

Craig, John  Search this

Biddle, Nicholas, Mrs., 1786-1844  Search this

Biddle, Charles J. (Charles John), 1819-1873  Search this

Architect:

Latrobe, Benjamin Henry, 1764-1820  Search this

Walter, Thomas Ustick, 1804-1887  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Place:

Andalusia (Andalusia, Pennsylvania)

United States of America -- Pennsylvania -- Bucks County -- Bensalem Township -- Andalusia

Scope and Contents:

The folder includes a worksheet; brief descriptions; and web pages from www.philadelphiabuildings.org.

General:

Andalusia is a National Historic Landmark. The main portion of Andalusia was built in 1794-1795 by John Craig as a summer residence for his wife and daughter. The latter became Mrs. Nicholas Biddle. In 1833, the "Big House" was built with Grecian porticoes--the porticoes being an exact copy of the Greek temple of Neptune at Paestum in Italy. The garden was famous for its grapes grown in forcing houses designed by Thomas U. Walter. The Biddle family harvested grapes from the hothouses until the 1870's. The estate also became known as an experimental farm. The first Guernsey cattle were brought to Andalusia. A 20th century feature of the grounds is the Green Walk with ornamental dwarf evergreens. According to the "List of Gardens of the Members of the Garden Club of America," 1921, Andalusia was typed as an old-fashioned walled garden with specialties being wisteria and white hawthorn trees.

Persons associated with the garden include: John Craig (former owner, 1794-1811); Mrs. Nicholas Biddle (Jane Craig) (former owner, 1814); Charles J. Biddle (former owner); Benjamin Latrobe (architect, 1800); and Thomas U. Walter (architect of Greek Revival additions and Gothic "ruin," 1811).

Related Materials:

Andalusia related holdings consist of 1 folder (5 glass lantern slides and 4 35 mm. slides)

Architectural plans located at John M. Dickey Collection, Athenaeum of Philadelphia.

Registered by HABS (Historic American Building Survey): PA-1248-B.

Additional images located at Mellor, Meigs & Howe Collection, Athenaeum of Philadelphia.

See others in:

J. Horace McFarland Collection, 1900-1961.

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original images 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.

Topic:

Gardens -- Pennsylvania -- Andalusia  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, File PA007

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Pennsylvania

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref16439

Former owner:

Deering, James, 1859-1925)  Search this

Architect:

Hoffman, Francis Burrell, 1882-1980)  Search this

Landscape architect:

Suarez, Diego, 1888-1974  Search this

Sculptor:

Calder, Alexander Stirling, 1870-1945  Search this

Collection Collector:

Marchand, Richard  Search this

Extent:

5 Slides (photographs)

Type:

Archival materials

Slides (photographs)

Postcards

Place:

Vizcaya estate (Florida)

United States of America -- Florida -- Miami-Dade County -- Miami

General:

The Vizcaya gardens span over ten acres surrounding the former winter home of the wealthy industrialist and patron of the arts, James Deering (1859-1925). The Vizcaya estate, located in the Coconut Grove area of Miami, was conceived of by Deering and artist and designer Paul Chalfin (1874-1959). Together they traveled extensively through Europe, particularly Italy, to inspire the design for Deering's South Florida retreat. Vizcaya which means "an elevated place" in Basque, was built in the years 1914 to 1916, and transformed a jungle tract of land into one of the most celebrated houses on the Eastern Seaboard. Diego Suarez (1888-1974), a Columbia-born landscape architect trained in Florence, Italy, was commissioned to create a modern, subtropical interpretation of classical, European Renaissance and Baroque landscape design suited to Miami's climate and terrain. Suarez' extensive knowledge of Italian gardens was combined with a consciousness of architectural design to create a setting for the house.

The garden scheme was divided into various terraces and areas, including a completely walled secret garden, a maze garden, theater garden, pergola garden, and the fountain garden, which features a fountain from the town square of Sutri, Italy. Plants were chosen for their ability to withstand south Florida's climate and pests and combined with native soil and plant materials in designs inspired by gardens seen by Deering and Chalfin on their tours of Italy and France. Varieties of bougainvillea, roses, water lilies, and jasmine were among the flowers found throughout the gardens, along with potted pines and podocarpus, some carefully trimmed in the art of topiary. The gardens were trimmed with hedges and trees and feature decorative walls, balustrades, urns, and sculpture. The areas were supplied with water through designed elements meant to compliment the garden such as pools, cascades, a frescoed grotto pool, fountains, and a system of canals, which invokes scenes on the waterways of Venice.

Unique among country estates, the gardens of Vizcaya integrated statues, busts, vases and urns that ranged from antiquity to the Renaissance and Baroque periods, as well as modern art from Deering's time into the lush vegetation. As the artistic advisor of the property, Paul Chalfin, acquired artifacts as decoration rather than to create a collection. Garden artworks ranged from antique elements to new sculptural decorations by contemporary artists. The gardens also featured several structures including a Baroque casino (garden house), decorative bridges, a large boathouse with a rooftop garden, and a domed garden house called the Casba. The most celebrated outdoor feature was the Barge by artist Alexander Stirling Calder (1870–1945), located in the water in front of the house. In addition to the house and gardens, the grounds also housed a swimming pool and tennis courts. Over two-thirds of the estate, originally 180 acres of subtropical forest along the shores of Biscayne Bay, remains in its natural state. The untouched hammock, shoreline, and pineland serves as a background for the more formal main gardens and along the drive up to the house. The Vizcaya property was surrounded by a wall with decorative paintings on stone and wrought-iron grills.

The house was designed to take advantage of its location on west shore of Biscayne Bay and each side of the house had a unique relationship with the surrounding grounds with loggias, terraces, arcades, and a partially enclosed swimming pool and, from some rooms, views of the gardens and bay. Architect F. Burrell Hoffman Jr. (1884-1980) was commissioned to design the house in the manner of an Italian Renaissance-style villa. Hoffman adapted traditional Mediterranean architectural elements to the subtropical climate in the palatial 70-room mansion. The beautifully planned interior was designed around an airy garden courtyard with a peripheral gallery, originally open to the sky, that was the heart and primary living space of the home. The house embraced modern conveniences and employed the latest technology of the period with an automated telephone switch board, a central vacuum-cleaning system, central heating, several elevators, generators and a water filtration system. The house also included a billiard room, bowling alley, and smoking room. The interiors were designed by the artistic advisor Paul Chalfin around objects acquired on Deering's travels in period rooms ranging in style from the Renaissance through the Neoclassical. The villa housed entire ceilings, mural paintings, chimney pieces, carved paneling, and doorways removed from foreign palaces along with rare rugs, tapestries, and antique furnishings. A working farm called the "Village" with eleven outbuildings was also located on the estate. These buildings were designed to look like an Italian village by Hoffman to compliment the architecture of the house. The Village included barns, stables, chicken houses, mechanical shops, housing for the staff, and the gate lodge making it nearly self-sufficient. A pumphouse provided water for the flower and vegetable gardens, groves for citrus, pineapple, and other fruits, greenhouses, and a large shade house for delicate plants grown at the Village to supply the mansion.

The estate, mansion, and its interiors were celebrated in magazines of the time. Deering occupied the house for four months each winter season beginning at Christmas in 1916.The whole complex was created for entertaining and recreation and Deering frequently invited family, visitors, and houseguests to the enjoy his estate. After Deering's death in 1925, the estate passed to his brother's children. Some of the acreage was sold off, and in 1952 Dade County purchased the remaining land and house. With donations of art and furniture from the family, the Vizcaya estate, became a decorative arts museum operated by Dade County Park and Recreation Department. The property, including the house, gardens, hammock forest, and Vizcaya Village, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1994.

Other notable artists who contributed to the house and grounds were: Alexander Stirling Calder (1870-1945), Gaston Lachaise (1882-1935), Robert Chanler (1872-1930), Charles Gary Rumsey (1879-1922), Ettore Pellagatta (1881-1966), Paul Thevenez (1891-1921), and Samuel Yellin (1885-1940).

Persons associated include: James Deering (former owner), F. Burrall Hoffman, Jr. (architect), Paul Chalfin (architect of interiors), Diego Suarez (landscape architect), and Alexander Stirling Calder (sculptor), and Metro Dade County Park & Recreation Department (owner).

National Register of Historic Places, Vizcaya, Miami, Dade County, Florida, National Register #70000181.

Postcards circa 1915-1930.

Varying Form:

Also known as Villa Vizcaya, Vizcaya Palace, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, and the James Deering Estate.

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original images 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.

Topic:

Gardens -- Florida -- Miami  Search this

Seaside gardening  Search this

Formal gardens  Search this

Mansions  Search this

Genre/Form:

Postcards

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, Richard Marchand historical postcard collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid in this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.MAR, File FL083

See more items in:

Richard Marchand historical postcard collection (35mm slides)

Richard Marchand historical postcard collection (35mm slides) / Florida

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-mar-ref1329

Creator:

Poor, Henry Varnum, 1887-1970  Search this

Names:

Montross Gallery  Search this

Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture  Search this

Benton, William, 1900-1973  Search this

Biddle, George, 1885-1973  Search this

Billing, Jules  Search this

Burchfield, Charles Ephraim, 1893-1967  Search this

Caniff, Milton Arthur, 1907-1988  Search this

Ciardi, John, 1916-  Search this

Czebotar, Theodore  Search this

Deming, MacDonald  Search this

Dickson, Harold E., 1900-  Search this

Dorn, Marion, 1896-1964  Search this

Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968  Search this

Esherick, Wharton  Search this

Evergood, Philip, 1901-1973  Search this

Garrett, Alice Warder  Search this

Houseman, John, 1902-1988  Search this

Marston, Muktuk  Search this

Meredith, Burgess, 1907-1997  Search this

Mumford, Lewis, 1895-1990  Search this

Padro, Isabel  Search this

Poor, Anne, 1918-  Search this

Poor, Bessie Breuer  Search this

Poor, Eva  Search this

Poor, Josephine Graham  Search this

Poor, Josephine Lydia  Search this

Poor, Peter  Search this

Sargent, Elizabeth S.  Search this

Smith, David, 1906-1965  Search this

Steinbeck, John, 1902-1968  Search this

Watson, Ernest William, 1884-1969  Search this

Extent:

12.9 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sketches

Motion pictures (visual works)

Diaries

Prints

Photographs

Illustrations

Drawings

Watercolors

Sketchbooks

Date:

1873-2001

bulk 1904-1970

Summary:

The papers of Henry Varnum Poor measure 12.9 linear feet and date from 1873-2001, with the bulk from the period 1904-1970. Correspondence, writings, artwork, printed material and photographs document Poor's work as a painter, muralist, ceramic artist and potter, architect, designer, writer, war artist, educator and a co-founder of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Also found is extensive information about the design and construction of Crow House, his home in New City, New York, commissions for other architectural projects, and his personal life.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of Henry Varnum Poor measure 12.9 linear feet and date from 1873-2001, with the bulk from the period 1904-1970. Correspondence, writings, artwork, printed material and photographs document Poor's work as a painter, muralist, ceramic artist and potter, architect, designer, writer, war artist, educator and a co-founder of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Also found is extensive information about the design and construction of Crow House, his home in New City, New York, commissions for other architectural projects, and his personal life.

Henry Varnum Poor's correspondence documents his personal, family, and professional life. Correspondents include family and friends, among them George Biddle, Charles Burchfield, John Ciardi, Marion V. Dorn (who became his second wife), Philip Evergood, Lewis Mumford, John Steinbeck, David Smith, and Mrs. John Work (Alice) Garrett. Among other correspondents are galleries, museums, schools, organizations, fans, former students, and acquaintances from his military service and travels. Family correspondence consists of Henry's letters to his parents, letters to his parents written by his wife, and letters among other family members.

Among the writings by Henry Varnum Poor are manuscripts of his two published books, An Artist Sees Alaska and A Book of Pottery: From Mud to Immortality. as well as the text of "Painting is Being Talked to Death," published in the first issue of Reality: A Journal of Artists' Opinions, April 1953, and manuscripts of other articles. There are also film scripts, two journals, notes and notebooks, lists, speeches, and writings by others, including M. R. ("Muktuk") Marston's account of Poor rescuing an Eskimo, and Bessie Breuer Poor's recollections of The Montross Gallery.

Subject files include those on the Advisory Committee on Art, American Designers' Gallery, Inc., William Benton, Harold Dickson, Reality: A Journal of Artists' Opinions Sales, and War Posters. There are numerous administrative files for the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture.

Artwork by Henry Varnum Poor consists mainly of loose drawings and sketches and 45 sketchbooks of studies for paintings, murals, and pottery. There is work done in France, 1918-1919, and while working as a war correspondent in Alaska in 1943. There are commissioned illustrations and some intended for his monograph, A Book of Pottery: From Mud to Immortality. Also found are a small number of watercolors and prints. Work by other artists consist of Anne Poor's drawings of her father's hands used for the Lincoln figure in The Land Grant Frescoes and interior views of Crow House by Ernest Watson.

Documentation of Poor's architectural projects consists of drawings and prints relating to houses designed and built for Jules Billing, MacDonald Deming, John Houseman, Burgess Meredith, Isabel Padro, and Elizabeth S. Sargent. Also found is similar material for the new studio Poor built in 1957 on the grounds of Crow House.

Miscellaneous records include family memorabilia and two motion picture films, Painting a True Fresco, and The Land Grant Murals at Pennsylvania State College.

Printed material includes articles about or mentioning Poor, some of his pottery reference books, family history, a catalog of kilns, and the program of a 1949 Pennsylvania State College theater production titled Poor Mr. Varnum. Exhibition catalogs and announcements survive for some of Poor's shows; catalogs of other artists' shows include one for Theodore Czebotar containing an introductory statement by Henry Varnum Poor. Also found is a copy of The Army at War: A Graphic Record by American Artists, for which Poor served as an advisor. There are reproductions of illustrations for An Artist Sees Alaska and Ethan Frome, and two Associated American Artists greeting cards reproducing work by Poor.

Photographs are of Henry Varnum Poor's architectural work, artwork, people, places, and miscellaneous subjects. This series also contains negatives, slides, and transparencies. Images of architectural work include exterior and interior views of many projects; Poor's home, Crow House, predominates. Photographs of artwork by Poor are of drawings, fresco and ceramic tile murals, paintings, pottery and ceramic art. People appearing in photographs include Henry Varnum Poor, family members, friends, clients, juries, students, and various groups. Among the individuals portrayed are Milton Caniff, Marcel Duchamp, Wharton Esherick, M. R. ("Muktuk") Marston, and Burgess Meredith. Among the family members are Bessie Breuer Poor, Marion Dorn Poor, Anne Poor, Eva Poor, Josephine Graham Poor, Josephine Lydia Poor, Peter Poor, and unidentified relatives. Photographs of places include many illustrating village life in Alaska that were taken by Poor during World War II. Other places recorded are French and California landscapes, and family homes in Kansas. Miscellaneous subjects are exhibition installation views, scenes of Kentucky farms, and a photograph of Poor's notes on glazes.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 9 series:

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1919-1987 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1, OV 18)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1873-1985 (1.5 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Writings and Notes, circa 1944-1974 (0.6 linear feet; Boxes 2-3)

Series 4: Subject Files, 1928-1975 (0.8 linear feet; Box 3, OV 23)

Series 5: Artwork, circa 1890s-circa 1961 (3.5 linear feet; Boxes 4-6, 9-10, OV 19-22)

Series 6: Architectural Projects, circa 1940-1966 (0.7 linear feet; Box 6, OV 24-26, RD 14-17)

Series 7: Miscellaneous Records, 1882-1967 (Boxes 6, 11, FC 30-31; 0.5 linear ft.)

Series 8: Printed Material, 1881-2001 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 6-7, 11, OV 27-29)

Series 9: Photographs, 1893-1984 (2.3 linear feet; Boxes 7-8, 12-13)

Biographical Note:

Henry Varnum Poor (1888-1970), best known as a potter, ceramic artist, and a co-founder of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, was also an architect, painter, muralist, designer, educator, and writer who lived and worked in New City, New York.

A native of Chapman, Kansas, Henry Varnum Poor moved with his family to Kansas City when his grain merchant father became a member of the Kansas Board of Trade. From a young age he showed artistic talent and spent as much time as possible - including school hours - drawing. When a school supervisor suggested that Henry leave school to study at the Art Institute of Chicago, the family disagreed. Instead, he enrolled in the Kansas City Manual Training High School where he delighted in learning skills such as carpentry, forge work, and mechanical drawing. In 1905, he moved with his older brother and sister to Palo Alto, California and completed high school there. Because Poor was expected to join the family business, he enrolled at Stanford University as an economics major, but much to his father's disappointment and displeasure, soon left the economics department and became an art major.

Immediately after graduation in 1910, Poor and his major professor at Stanford, Arthur B. Clark, took a summer bicycling tour to look at art in London, France, Italy, and Holland. As Poor had saved enough money to remain in London after the summer was over, he enrolled in the Slade School of Art and also studied under Walter Sickert at the London County Council Night School. After seeing an exhibition of Post-Impressionism at the Grafton Galleries in London, Poor was so impressed that he went to Paris and enrolled in the Académie Julian. While in Paris, Poor met Clifford Addams, a former apprentice of Whistler; soon he was working in Addams' studio learning Whistler's palette and techniques.

In the fall of 1911, Poor returned to Stanford University's art department on a one-year teaching assignment. During that academic year, his first one-man show was held at the university's Old Studio gallery. He married Lena Wiltz and moved back to Kansas to manage the family farm and prepare for another exhibition. Their daughter, Josephine Lydia Poor, was born the following year. Poor returned to Stanford in September 1913 as assistant professor of graphic arts, remaining until the department closed three years later. During this period, Poor began to exhibit more frequently in group shows in other areas of the country, and had his first solo exhibition at a commercial gallery (Helgesen Gallery, San Francisco). In 1916, Poor joined the faculty of the San Francisco Art Association. He and his wife separated in 1917 and were divorced the following year. Poor began sharing his San Francisco studio with Marion Dorn.

During World War I, Poor was drafted into the U. S. Army, and in 1918 went to France with the 115th Regiment of Engineers. He spent his spare time drawing; soon officers were commissioning portraits, and Poor was appointed the regimental artist. He also served as an interpreter for his company. Discharged from the Army in early 1919, Poor spent the spring painting in Paris. He then returned to San Francisco and married Marion Dorn.

Once Poor realized that earning a living as a painter would be extremely difficult in California, he and his new wife moved to New York in the autumn of 1919. They were looking for a place to live when influential book and art dealer Mary Mowbray-Clarke of the Sunwise Turn Bookshop in Manhattan suggested New City in Rockland County, New York as good place for artists. In January of 1920, the Poors purchased property on South Mountain Road in New City. The skills he acquired at the Kansas City Manual Training High School were of immediate use as Poor designed and constructed "Crow House" with the assistance of a local teenager. Influenced by the farmhouses he had seen in France, it was made of local sandstone and featured steep gables, rough plaster, chestnut beams and floors, and incorporated many hand-crafted details. Poor designed and built most of their furniture, too. Before the end of the year, he and Marion were able to move into the house, though it remained a work in progress for many years. Additions were constructed. Over time, gardens were designed and planted, and outbuildings - a kiln and pottery, work room, garage, and new studio - appeared on the property.

In 1925, two years after his divorce from Marion Dorn, Poor married Bessie Freedman Breuer (1893-1975), an editor, short story writer, and novelist. Soon after, he adopted her young daughter, Anne (1918-2002), an artist who served as his assistant on many important mural commissions. Their son, Peter (b. 1926) became a television producer. Crow House remained in the family until its sale in 2006. In order to prevent its demolition, Crow House was then purchased by the neighboring town of Ramapo, New York in 2007.

Between 1935 and 1966 Poor designed and oversaw construction of a number of houses, several of them situated not far from Crow House on South Mountain Road. Poor's designs, noted for their simplicity, featured modern materials and incorporated his ceramic tiles. Among his important commissions were houses for Maxwell Anderson, Jules Billig, Milton Caniff, MacDonald Deming, and John Houseman.

Poor's first exhibition of paintings in New York City was at Kevorkian Galleries in 1920, and sales were so disappointing that he turned his attention to ceramics. His first pottery show, held at Bel Maison Gallery in Wanamaker's department store in 1921, was very successful. He quickly developed a wide reputation, participated in shows throughout the country, and won awards. He was a founder of the short-lived American Designers' Gallery, and the tile bathroom he showed at the group's first exposition was critically acclaimed. Poor was represented by Montross Gallery as both a painter and potter. When Montross Gallery closed upon its owner's death in 1932, Poor moved to the Frank K. M. Rehn Gallery.

Even though Poor's pottery and ceramic work was in the forefront, he continued to paint. His work was acquired by a number of museums, and the Limited Editions Club commissioned him to illustrate their republications of Ethan Frome, The Scarlet Letter, and The Call of the Wild.

Poor's first work in true fresco was shown in a 1932 mural exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Between 1935 and 1949 he was commissioned to produce several murals in fresco for Section of Fine Arts projects at the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior, The Land Grant Frescoes at Pennsylvania State College, and a mural for the Louisville Courier-Journal. Ceramic tile mural commissions included: the Klingenstein Pavilion, Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York City; Travelers Insurance Co., Boston; the Fresno Post Office, California; and Hillson Memorial Gallery, Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, Mass.

As a member of the War Artists' Unit, Poor was a "war correspondent" with the rank of major in World War II, and for several months in 1943 was stationed in Alaska. An Artist Sees Alaska, drawing on Poor's observations and experiences, was published in 1945. A Book of Pottery: From Mud to Immortality, his second book, was published in 1958. It remains a standard text on the subject. While on the faculty of Columbia University in the 1950s, Poor and other artists opposed to the growing influence of Abstract Expressionism formed the Reality Group with Poor the head of its editorial committee. Their magazine, Reality: A Journal of Artists' Opinions, first appeared in 1953 featuring "Painting is Being Talked to Death" by Poor as its lead article. Two more issues were published in 1954 and 1955.

Along with Willard Cummings, Sidney Simon, and Charles Cuttler, in 1946 Henry Varnum Poor helped to establish the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, Maine. He served as its first president. Poor and his daughter, Anne, were active members of the Board of Trustees and were instructors for many years. The summer of 1961 was Henry Varnum Poor's last as a full-time teacher, though he continued to spend summers at Skowhegan.

Henry Varnum Poor exhibited widely and received many awards, among them prizes at the Carnegie Institute, Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Architectural League of New York. Poor was appointed to the United States Commission of Fine Arts by President Roosevelt in 1941 and served a five year term. He was elected a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1943. The National Academy of Design named him an Associate Artist in 1954 and an Academician in 1963. He became a trustee of the American Craftsman's Council in 1956. The work of Henry Vernum Poor is represented in the permanent collections of many American museums including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Addison Gallery of American Art, and Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts.

Henry Varnum Poor died at home in New City, New York, December 8, 1970.

Related Material:

An oral history interview with Henry Varnum Poor was conducted by Harlan Phillips for the Archives of American Art in 1964.

Provenance:

Gift of Henry Varnum Poor's son, Peter V. Poor, in 2007. A smaller portion was loaned to the Archives in 1973 by Anne Poor for microfilming and returned to the lender; this material was included in the 2007 gift.

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. Use of audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.

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:

War artists  Search this

Topic:

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

World War, 1914-1918  Search this

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

War posters  Search this

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

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

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

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

Artists' studios  Search this

Art -- Study and teaching  Search this

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

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

Genre/Form:

Sketches

Motion pictures (visual works)

Diaries

Prints

Photographs

Illustrations

Drawings

Watercolors

Sketchbooks

Citation:

Henry Varnum Poor papers, 1873-2001, bulk 1904-1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.poorhenr

See more items in:

Henry Varnum Poor papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-poorhenr

Architect:

Walter, Thomas Ustick, 1804-1887  Search this

Latrobe, Benjamin Henry, 1764-1820  Search this

Former owner:

Biddle, Charles J. (Charles John), 1819-1873  Search this

Craig, John  Search this

Biddle, Nicholas, Mrs., 1786-1844  Search this

Collection Creator:

McFarland, J. Horace (John Horace), 1859-1948  Search this

American Rose Society  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Place:

Andalusia (Andalusia, Pennsylvania)

United States of America -- Pennsylvania -- Bucks County -- Bensalem Township -- Andalusia

Date:

1904-1961

Scope and Contents note:

The folder includes a worksheet; brief descriptions; and web pages from www.philadelphiabuildings.org.

General note:

Andalusia is a National Historic Landmark. The main portion of Andalusia was built in 1794-1795 by John Craig as a summer residence for his wife and daughter. The latter became Mrs. Nicholas Biddle. In 1833, the "Big House" was built with Grecian porticoes--the porticoes being an exact copy of the Greek temple of Neptune at Paestum in Italy. The garden was famous for its grapes grown in forcing houses designed by Thomas U. Walter. The Biddle family harvested grapes from the hothouses until the 1870's. The estate also became known as an experimental farm. The first Guernsey cattle were brought to Andalusia. A 20th century feature of the grounds is the Green Walk with ornamental dwarf evergreens. According to the "List of Gardens of the Members of the Garden Club of America," 1921, Andalusia was typed as an old-fashioned walled garden with specialties being wisteria and white hawthorn trees.

Persons associated with the garden include: John Craig (former owner, 1794-1811); Mrs. Nicholas Biddle (Jane Craig) (former owner, 1814); Charles J. Biddle (former owner); Benjamin Latrobe (architect, 1800); and Thomas U. Walter (architect of Greek Revival additions and Gothic "ruin," 1811).

Related Archival Materials note:

Architectural plans located at John M. Dickey Collection, Athenaeum of Philadelphia.

Registered by HABS (Historic American Building Survey): PA-1248-B.

Additional images located at Mellor, Meigs & Howe Collection, Athenaeum of Philadelphia.

See others in:

Garden Club of America Collection, ca. 1920-[ongoing].

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original images 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:

For information or study purposes only. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens.

Topic:

Gardens -- Pennsylvania -- Andalusia  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, J. Horace McFarland Company Collection.

Identifier:

AAG.MCF, File PA007

See more items in:

J. Horace McFarland Company collection

J. Horace McFarland Company collection / Series 1: Garden Images / United States / Pennsylvania

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-mcf-ref11495

Creator:

National Museum of the American Indian  Search this

Type:

Symposia

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2013-11-19T16:21:34.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Native Americans;American Indians  Search this

See more by:

SmithsonianNMAI

Data Source:

National Museum of the American Indian

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianNMAI

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_fLkAhs6FhmE

Creator:

Getz, Ilse, 1917-  Search this

Extent:

3.4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Diaries

Photographs

Date:

1928-1999

Summary:

The papers of collage artist Ilse Getz measure 3.4 linear feet and date from 1928 through 1999, with the bulk of the papers dating from circa 1947-circa 1990. Her personal life is reflected through biographical material including a genealogy of the Bechhold family; marriage and death certificates; and writings that include journals, artist statement, poems and notes. The collection contains letters from friends, artists, collectors, and museum and art gallery representatives; exhibition files; and printed material relating to Getz's exhibitions. Also found are photographs, slides and transparencies of artwork.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of collage artist Ilse Getz measure 3.4 linear feet and date from 1928 through 1999, with the bulk of the papers dating from circa 1947-circa 1990. Her personal life is reflected through biographical material including a genealogy of the Bechhold family; marriage and death certificates; and writings that include journals, artist statement, poems and notes. The collection contains letters from friends, artists, collectors, and museum and art gallery representatives; exhibition files; and printed material relating to Getz's exhibitions. Also found are photographs, slides and transparencies of artwork.

Arrangement:

This collection is organized into 6 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1934-1996 (Box 1, OV 5; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 2: Letters, circa 1950-1999 (Box 1; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 3: Exhibition Files, circa 1944-1990 (Box 1, 2, 4; 1.0 linear feet)

Series 4: Writings, circa 1928-1987 (Box 2, 4; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1956-1990 (Box 2, 3, 4, OV 5; 1.0 linear feet)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1940-1985 (Box 3; 0.5 linear feet)

Biographical / Historical:

Ilse Getz (1917-1992) was born in Nuremberg, Germany and immigrated to the U.S. in 1933. She studied at the Art Students League with George Grosz and Morris Kantor and at the Ozenfant School. Getz was a collage and construction artist active from the 1950s through the 1980. She exhibited at several galleries in New York City including the Bertha Schaefer Gallery and Rosenberg Gallery.

During her childhood, Ilse Getz (nee Bechhold) had been uprooted both from home and country. She was first displaced in 1929, when she was sent to Hamburg to live with her sister after her father committed suicide. In 1933, Ilse and her sister left Nazi Germany, and traveled to Italy, Spain, Cuba, and Mexico. Ilse joined immediate family in New York. In 1937, Ilse married lawyer David Getz and settled in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Three years later she had a child and became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

In 1942, while visiting her sister in Mexico, Getz created her first oil painting. Upon returning to New York, Ilse continued her artistic exploration and studied with George Grosz and Morris Kantor at the Art Students League. By 1945, Getz had already held her first solo exhibition at the Norlyst Gallery in New York.

Getz traveled extensively throughout her life, incorporating the experiences in her work. During 1947-1948, she traveled and worked in Europe, visiting Switzerland, France, Spain and Portugal among other countries before retiring for four months in Guaruja, Brazil. She destroyed most of the artwork created during that period and returned to New York City.

During the summer of 1956, Getz taught and exhibited at the Positano Art Workshop in Italy along with Piero Dorazio. She repeated the experience two years later. In 1958, Getz married her second husband, artist Manoucher Yektai. The following year, Getz and Yektai went to Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, New York after having received fellowships to the artists' community.

In 1960, Getz was commissioned by Richard Barr to create the set for Eugene Ionesco's play, The Killer. The venue was the Seven Arts Theater in New York City and she completed the set in five days. Getz spent the next two years in Paris where she was represented by the Iris Clert Gallery; she exhibited in France, Germany and England. In 1962, Getz returned to New York City and maintained a studio on the Upper East Side. Getz married for the third time in 1964 to Gibson Danes who was then the Dean of Yale School of Art and Architecture. The couple lived in New York and Connecticut, and eventually settled in Newtown, Connecticut.

Getz participated in national and international exhibitions and in solo and group shows. Her collages and constructions incorporate items such as dolls, toys, birds, eggs, playing cards, and game boards. In 1978, retrospective exhibitions of Getz's work were held at the Neuberger Museum in Purchase, New York and in her native city at the Kunsthalle Nürnberg. Retrospective exhibitions were also held in 1980 at the Goethe House and Alex Rosenberg Gallery.

Later in life, Getz suffered from advanced Alzheimer's disease. In 1992, Gibson Danes, fearful that he would no longer be able to properly care for his wife, took both his life and that of Ilse Getz. They were found dead in their garage from acute carbon monoxide toxicity after breathing the fumes of their idling car.

Provenance:

The papers were donated in 2001 by Patricia Getz-Gentle, the daughter of Ilse Getz.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.

Occupation:

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

Topic:

Women painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Genre/Form:

Diaries

Photographs

Citation:

Ilse Getz Papers, 1928-1999. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.getzilse

See more items in:

Ilse Getz papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-getzilse

Creator:

Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969  Search this

Gropius, Ise  Search this

Names:

Architects Collaborative, Inc.  Search this

Bauhaus  Search this

Walter Gropius Foundation  Search this

Aalto, Alvar, 1898-1976  Search this

Albers, Josef  Search this

Bayer, Herbert, 1900-1985  Search this

Beckmann, Hannes, 1909-1977  Search this

Breuer, Marcel, 1902-  Search this

Calder, Alexander, 1898-1976  Search this

Cascieri, Arcangelo, 1902-1997  Search this

Chermayeff, Ivan  Search this

Chermayeff, Serge, 1900-  Search this

Davis, Charles H. (Charles Harold), 1856-1933  Search this

Feininger, Lyonel, 1871-1956  Search this

Gabo, Naum, 1890-1977  Search this

Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969  Search this

Huxley, Julian, 1887-1975  Search this

Kandinsky, Wassily, 1866-1944  Search this

Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this

Klarmann, Adolf D., 1904-  Search this

Klee, Paul, 1879-1940  Search this

Klemperer, Otto, 1885-1973  Search this

Koch, Helmut  Search this

Le Corbusier, 1887-1965  Search this

Mahler, Alma, 1879-1964  Search this

Marcks, Gerhard  Search this

Miró, Joan, 1893-  Search this

Moholy-Nagy, László, 1895-1946  Search this

Muche, Georg, 1895-  Search this

Pei, I. M., 1917-  Search this

Petit, Claude  Search this

Pritchard, Jack, 1899-  Search this

Rivera, Diego, 1886-1957  Search this

Scharoun, Hans, 1893-1972  Search this

Schmidt, Joost, 1893-1948  Search this

Schwitters, Kurt, 1887-1948  Search this

Sert, José Luis, 1902-  Search this

Stravinsky, Igor, 1882-1971  Search this

Tange, Kenzō, 1913-  Search this

Wachsmann, Konrad, 1901-1980  Search this

Werfel, Franz, 1890-1945  Search this

Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1867-1959  Search this

artók, Béla, 1881-1945  Search this

Extent:

0.4 Linear feet ((24 microfilm reels))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1883-1981

Scope and Contents:

Biographical material, correspondence with architects and artists (1903-1978), writings (1923-1969), a diary, an autograph book, subject files, printed material, photographs (1883-1979) and 5 photograph albums reflect the career of Walter Gropius, the activities of his wife Ise, and her recollections of the Bauhaus. Also included are 5 cassette tapes, untranscribed and unmicrofilmed.

REELS 2270-2283: Walter Gropius' correspondence concerns family matters (1903-1933), locating his sister in Berlin after World War II (1945-1946), and the Bauhaus Archiv (1957-1968). Ise Gropius' correspondents (1969-1978) include Alvar Aalto, Herbert Bayer, Hannes Beckmann, Arcangelo Cascieri, Ivan and Serge Chermayeff, Adolf Klarmann, Helmut Koch, Gerhard Marcks, Jack Pritchard, Hans Scharoun, and Konrad Wachsmann. Other correspondence concerns exhibitions about Gropius (1969-1976). Writings by Walter Gropius include lecture notes and short essays on architecture and design. A subject file (1945-1954) concerns visits to Japan. Printed material (1910-1978) includes galley proof sheets and clippings (1913-1957).

REELS 2284-2286: Photographs (1896-1937) show family members including Gropius' first wife Alma Schindler and their daughter Manon; Gropius' architectural projects including finished buildings, models, blueprints, and drawings (1906-1952); and an exhibition in London on Gropius.

REEL 2287: Biographical material (1883-1979) consists of Gropius' birth, marriage and death certificates, his military record (1914-1917), contracts, U.S. naturalization papers (1941-1944), financial documents (1945), Ise Gropius' will (1979), a list of works, a history of the Gropius family, real estate records, and membership cards. Excerpts from letters written by Marcel Breuer describe his European travels (1931-1937). A file on the Walter Gropius Foundation contains letters and notes (1969). An autograph book kept by Ise Gropius (1924-1981) contains illustrations by Herbert Bayer, Gyorgy and Juliet Kepes, Joan Miro, Kurt Schwitters, and Phyllis Terry, as well as autographs, notes and photographs. Writings by Ise Gropius include lecture notes and printed essays (1935-1943).

REEL 2287a: Twenty-six letters (1932-1952) from Herbert Bayer, written in German and English, to Gropius. Thirteen excerpts from Bayer's letters (1932-1949) are translated into English.

REELS 2330-2331: Photographs (1883-1979) show Walter Gropius, family members, and colleagues including Alvar Aalto, Bela Bartok, Herbert Bayer, Marcel Breuer, Alexander Calder, Arcangelo Cascieri, Naum Gabo, Julian Huxley, Gyorgy Kepes, Paul Klee, Le Corbusier, I. M. Pei, Diego Rivera, Jose Luis Sert, Kenzo Tange, Frank Lloyd Wright, and members of Gropius' firm, The Architects Collaborative. Other photographs show a skit by students of the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Bauhaus (1979).

REEL 2393: English translations of correspondence between Ise and Walter Gropius (1931-1969) and Ise's 1928 letter to a journalist commenting on Walter Gropius' resignation from the Bauhaus. A handwritten German copy (with a typewritten English translation) of a section of Ise Gropius' unpublished memoir describes her first meeting with Gropius and their courtship and marriage (1923-1929). A German transcript was not filmed. A typewritten English translation of Ise Gropius' diary (1924-1928) describes activities at the Bauhaus and mentions Josef Albers, Herbert Bayer, Marcel Breuer, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Otto Klemperer, Alma Mahler, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Georg Muche, Kurt Schwitters, Igor Stravinsky, and Franz Werfel. A handwritten translation is filmed on reel 4130.

REEL 2764: One photograph album (1925-1930) contains photographs of Walter and Ise Gropius and colleagues including Josef Albers, Herbert Bayer, Marcel Breuer, Lyonel Feininger, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Georg Muche, Claude Petit, and Joost Schmidt; construction of the Bauhaus (1925-1926); and sights in Germany and Italy. Four albums on the United States contain Gropius' photographs of New York City architecture, the Brooklyn Bridge, Chicago, California housing and industry, the Grand Canyon, and American Indians.

UNMICROFILMED: 5 cassette tapes, untranscribed, including a lecture delivered by Walter Gropius as part of "The Heritage of Man" lecture series, Cleveland, Ohio, February 13, 1952; an interview of Ise conducted by the Canadian Broadcasting Company, October 28, 1977; and 3 of a monologue delivered by Ise, 1978, in which she speaks of her early childhood.

Biographical / Historical:

Architect, educator and founder of the Bauhaus school. Born in Berlin, Walter Gropius studied at the University of Charlottenburg-Berlin and Munich. Following European travel and apprenticeship with Peter Behrens in Berlin, he established his own practice in 1910. After military service in WWI, he became director of the School of Applied Arts and the Academy of Arts, united the two and named the new institute Bauhaus Dessau in 1925. Between 1934 and 1937, he had a private practice in London. From 1938 to 1952, Gropius was chairman of Harvard's Graduate School of Design and maintained a private practice with Marcel Breuer from 1938 to 1941. Gropius married Alma Schindler, Gustav Mahler's widow, in 1915. In 1923, he married Ise (or Ilse) Franck (1897-1983).

Related Materials:

Additional photographs of Alma (Schindler) Mahler Werfel located at Bauhaus Archiv, Berlin, Germany.

Provenance:

Lent for microfilming by Ise Gropius and her daughter, Beate Gropius Forberg Johansen, 1982-1983, except for selected items on reel 2393, the handwritten translation of Ise's diary on reel 4130 and cassette tapes, which were donated in 1981, 1983 and 1987, respectively. Some photographs from albums on reel 2764 which would not reproduce were not microfilmed.

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:

Architects  Search this

Educators  Search this

Painters  Search this

Photographers  Search this

Sculptors  Search this

Topic:

Architecture, Modern -- 20th century -- Germany  Search this

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

Design, Industrial -- Germany  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Identifier:

AAA.gropwalt

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-gropwalt

Creator:

Wiseman, Fred, 1875-1961  Search this

Names:

Early Birds of Aviation (Organization).  Search this

Wiseman-Peters (Fred Wiseman and J. W. Peters) (Aircraft manufacturer)  Search this

Extent:

0.59 Cubic feet (1 flatbox)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Tickets

Correspondence

Clippings

Date:

1909-1968

bulk [ca. 1910s, 1950s]

Summary:

Fred Wiseman, along with J. W. Peters and D.C. Prentiss, built a biplane named the Wiseman-Peters. During July 1910, both Peters and Wiseman flew the Wiseman-Peters and the following year Wiseman entered the 1911 Aviation Meet at Selfridge Field, Michigan. On February 17, 1911, Wiseman made the first airplane-carried mail flight officially sanctioned by any local U.S. post office and made available to the public when he carried mail, a bundle of newspapers and a sack of groceries from Petaluma, CA, to Santa Rosa, CA. After the 1911 season, Wiseman gave up flying.

This collection consists of a large scrapbook. Inside the scrapbook are newspaper clippings, correspondence, 1st Day Covers, race tickets, and photographs chronicling both Wiseman's automobile and aviation careers.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of a large scrapbook. Inside the scrapbook are newspaper clippings, correspondence, 1st Day Covers, race tickets, and photographs chronicling both Wiseman's automobile and aviation careers.

Note: The digital images in this finding aid were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product and may show irregular cropping and orientation in addition to color variations resulting from damage to and deterioration of the original objects.

Arrangement:

Materials are in the order the donor attached them to the scrapbook. Correspondence is often located within the envelope that is attached to the scrapbook. Some materials are loose and have been left in the arrangement in which they were found, unless a portion of a newspaper article could be matched to its other parts.

Biographical / Historical:

Fred Wiseman (1875-1961) was born in Santa Rosa, California, and after attending local schools he engaged in both the bicycle and automotive businesses. Wiseman won considerable fame racing Stoddard-Dayton cars on the West Coast as well as in the Chicago area. He became interested in aviation after attending the Wright brothers' homecoming celebration in 1909 and the first Los Angeles aviation meet at Dominguez Field in 1910.

After these two events, Wiseman was convinced he wanted to learn to fly and so he returned to his home in Santa Rosa and persuaded Ben Noonan to put up $10,000 to build a plane. Wiseman, along with J. W. Peters and D.C. Prentiss, built a biplane named the Wiseman-Peters. During July 1910, both Peters and Wiseman flew the Wiseman-Peters and the following year Wiseman entered the 1911 Aviation Meet at Selfridge Field, Michigan.

On February 17, 1911, Wiseman made the first airplane-carried mail flight officially sanctioned by any local U.S. post office and made available to the public when he carried mail, a bundle of newspapers and a sack of groceries from Petaluma, CA, to Santa Rosa, CA. (The first air mail flight sanctioned by the U.S. Post Office in Washington, D.C., took place on September 23, 1911, when Earle Ovington carried mail from Garden City, Long Island, to Mineola; and the first continuously scheduled U.S. air mail service began on May 15, 1918, with routes between Washington, Philadelphia, and New York.)

During 1911, Wiseman had an active season of exhibition work, including flying for one week at the California State Fair. However, after this season Wiseman gave up flying because he thought there was no future in it. He sold his plane and returned to the automobile business. He later worked for Standard Oil Company of California. Wiseman was a member of the Early Birds of Aviation, an organization of pilots who flew solo in an aircraft prior to December 17, 1916.

Weldon Cooke, another pioneer aviator from California, bought and modified the Wiseman-Peters aircraft, renaming it the Wiseman-Cooke. Cooke flew the Wiseman-Cooke for exhibition and air mail flights. The Wiseman-Cooke aircraft is currently part of the Smithsonian Institution's collections.

Provenance:

No donor information, Gift?, unknown, XXXX-0618, unknown

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Topic:

Automobile racing  Search this

Air mail service  Search this

Aeronautics, Commercial  Search this

Aeronautics -- Exhibitions  Search this

Airplane racing  Search this

Aeronautics -- Competitions  Search this

Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Air pilots  Search this

Wiseman-Peters #2 Biplane (1910)  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Tickets

Correspondence

Clippings

Citation:

Fred Wiseman Scrapbook, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0618, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0618

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0618