The papers of sculptor José de Rivera date from 1930 to 1991 and measure 5.6 linear feet. Found within the papers are biographical materials, letters, scattered personal business records, commission files, art work including four sketchbooks, printed material, and photographs. One of the commission files includes a motion picture film.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of sculptor José de Rivera date from 1930 to 1991 and measure 5.6 linear feet. Found within the papers are biographical materials, letters, scattered personal business records, commission files, art work including four sketchbooks, printed material, and photographs. One of the commission files includes a motion picture film.
Biographical material consists of a biographical account, resumé, military service records, an interview transcript, certificates, addresses, and miscellaneous notes and writings.
Twenty-nine folders of letters are primarily from de Rivera's patron, attorney Howard Goldsmith, but also include single letters from Marcel Breuer, John Canaday, Emlen Etting, Dag Hammarskjold, and G. Vantongerloo.
Scattered personal business records include rental records, sculpture inventories, a contract, receipts, and miscellaneous records.
Commission files contain letters, contracts, receipts, clippings, blueprints, miscellaneous printed material, and photographs concerning several of de Rivera's commissions, including Brussels Construction for the Brussels Universal and International Exhibition, his sculpture for the 1964 New York World's Fair, and Infinity, commissioned for the Smithsonian. A file for Construction #73 completed for the American Iron and Steel Institute also contains a reel of 16mm motion picture film.
Art work consists of four sketchbooks, drawings, and geometric collages including detached cut out shapes.
Printed material includes primarily clippings and exhibition announcements and catalogs. There is also a copy of the book José de Rivera Constructions by Dore Ashton and Joan M. Marter. Photographs are of de Rivera, miscellaneous art-related events, his studio, his art works, and of miscellaneous exhibition installations. Commission files also contain photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 7 series:
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1942-1984 (Box 1; 11 folders)
Series 2: Letters, 1938-1988 (Box 1; 29 folders)
Series 3: Personal Business Records, 1947-1984 (Box 1; 11 folders)
Series 4: Commission Files, 1955-1977 (Box 1-2, 6-7, OVs 10-11, FC 13; 1.1 linear feet)
Series 5: Art Work, 1960-1984 (Box 2, 6, OV 8; 0.9 linear feet)
Series 6: Printed Material, 1931-1991 (Box 2-4, 6; 1.5 linear feet)
Series 7: Photographs, 1930-1985 (Box 4-7, OV 9-OV 10, 12; 1.7 linear feet)
Biographical Note:
José de Rivera (1904-1985) worked primarily in New York as an abstract expressionist sculptor known for twisting steel or bronze bands into space-defining three-dimensional shapes.
José A. Ruiz was born on September 18, 1904 in West Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the son of Joseph and Honorine Montamat Ruiz. He would later take the surname of his maternal grandmother, de Rivera. Early in his life his family moved to New Orleans where his father was a sugar mill engineer on a plantation. De Rivera became adept at repairing machinery and doing blacksmith work with his father. Shortly after completing high school in 1922, de Rivera moved to Chicago where he was employed in foundries and machine shops as a pipe fitter and tool and die maker. His 1926 marriage to Rose Covelli ended in divorce.
Beginning in 1928 de Rivera attended night drawing classes conducted at the Studio School by painter John W. Norton. De Rivera was impressed by the Egyptian collections at the Field Museum. The work of Mondrian, Brancusi, and Georges Vantongerloo also exerted a strong influence on him. In 1932, he traveled through southern Europe and North Africa visiting Spain, Italy, France, Greece, and Egypt. Upon his return to the United States he decided to become a sculptor.
From 1937-1938, de Rivera was employed by the Works Progress Administration-Federal Art Project and created the sculpture Flight for the Newark, New Jersey airport. During World War II, he first served in the U.S. Army Corps from 1942 to 1943. For the following three years, he designed and constructed ship models used as training aids in the U. S. Navy.
De Rivera's first solo exhibition was in 1946 in New York at the Mortimer Levitt Gallery. In 1953, de Rivera taught sculpture at Brooklyn College. For the following three years, he was a critic in sculpture at Yale University and taught at the School of Design at North Carolina State College from 1957 to 1960. De Rivera married Lita Jeronimo in 1955.
In 1961 de Rivera was given a retrospective exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. One of his most notable works Infinity was commissioned by the Smithsonian Institution for the front of its newly built Museum of History and Technology in 1963.
José de Rivera died on March 19, 1985 in New York City.
Separated Material:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reel N70-32) including biographical material, correspondence, writings, drawings, printed material, and photographs. Loaned material was returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
In 1970, José de Rivera loaned the Archives of Amrican Art material for microfilming. The artist and the Grace Borgenicht Gallery donated additional papers in 1982 and De Rivera's son, Joseph A. Ruiz II, gave more material in 1998.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival 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.
Commission files contain letters, contracts, receipts, clippings, blueprints, miscellaneous printed material, and photographs concerning de Rivera's projects including the Brussels Construction for the Brussels Universal and International Exhibition and his sculpture for the 1964 New York World's Fair. Of primary significance is the file concerning Infinity, commissioned for the plaza in front of the Smithsonian Museum of History and Technology, now the National Museum of American History. This file contains a detailed photographic record of the construction and installation of this work which, in 1967, was the largest abstract sculpture commissioned by the government. Also of note is the file for Construction #73 for the American Iron and Steel Institute which contains a reel of 16mm motion picture film showing the sculpture Homage to the World of Minkowski at the Grace Borgenicht Gallery.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
José de Rivera papers, 1930-1991. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Motion picture film stored separately in film can numbered FC 13
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
José de Rivera papers, 1930-1991. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
José de Rivera papers, 1930-1991. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm color composite optical track print, 575 ft. )
Container:
Reel OF 684.1
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
circa 1942
Scope and Contents:
How to behave on party lines. Animated with Bill Baird's Marionettes, probably shown in theaters before feature films. Also probably shot in 35mm Technicolor and transferred to 16mm Kodachrome.
Eddie Albert Productions, Western Electric Recording Systems.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm color composite optical track print, 365 ft. )
Container:
Reel OF 684.2
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
circa 1954
Scope and Contents:
Demonstrates the transfer from operator dialing to personal home dialing, includes party line instructions.
Charles E. Skinner Productions.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm color composite optical track print, 575 ft. )
Container:
Reel OF 684.3
Video RV 684.3
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
circa 1955
Scope and Contents:
How the telephone system works, with some animation for demonstration.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm black and white composite optical track print, 700 ft. )
Container:
Reel OF 684.4
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
circa 1955
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm color composite optical track print, 1,000 ft. )
Container:
Reel OF 684.5
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
1955
Scope and Contents:
Family calling each other on telephone. Some animation.
Western Electric Recording.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm black and white composite optical track print, 400 ft.)
Container:
Reel OF 684.6
Video RV 684.3
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
circa 1955
Scope and Contents:
Long distance telephone communications: microwave radio relay, beaming of microwaves across the U.S., building an "electronic skyway."
Caravel Films, New York, Western Electric Recording Systems.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm color composite optical track print, 800 ft. )
Container:
Reel OF 684.7
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
1956
Scope and Contents:
Presenting young women's vocations as telephone operators. Technicolor, Western Electric Recording Systems.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm color composite optical track print, 500 ft. )
Container:
Reel OF684.8
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
1956
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm color composite optical track print, 600 ft. )
Container:
Reel OF 684.9
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
1959
Scope and Contents:
Features (characters?) "Jim Cannon" and his wife, his work with telephones.
Jamieson Film Co., Dallas. Southwestern Bell Telephone Systems.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm color composite optical track print, 550 ft.)
Container:
Reel OF 684.11
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
1971
Scope and Contents:
Promotional film about computers, and soundtracks. YCM Labs, AT&T.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm color composite optical track print, 275 ft.)
Container:
Reel OF 684.12
Reel RF 684.1
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
circa 1976?
Scope and Contents:
Promotional film about the telephone and its uses, highlighting many clips from well known feature films starring James Cagney, Patricia Neal, Gene Kelly.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
American Telephone and Telegraph Company Search this
Information, Technology and Society, Div. of (NMAH, SI). Search this
Extent:
1 Motion picture film (16mm color composite optical track print, 550 ft.)
Container:
Reel OF 684.13
Reel RF 684.2-3
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images
Motion picture films
Date:
circa 1978
Scope and Contents:
Promotional film about the transition from silent to sound film.
Various clips from old movies (e.g. The Jazz Singer). NOTE" "The historic segments of this film have been made from the original picture and original disc and film soundtracks."
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must view videotape copies.
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:
AT&T/Bell Film Collection, 1942-1978, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
