An interview of Reuben Kadish conducted 1992 Apr. 15, by Stephen Polcari, for the Archives of American Art. Kadish discusses designing murals for the WPA in the 1930s; working as an artist in the South Pacific for the U.S. Army during World War II; the N.Y. art scene in the 1940s; and his views on government support of the arts and on art censorship. He recalls Jackson Pollock.
Biographical / Historical:
Reuben Kadish (1913-1992) was a painter, sculptor, and mural painter from New York, N.Y.
Provenance:
These interviews are part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Topic:
Mural painting and decoration, American Search this
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Boardman Robinson : American muralist & illustrator, 1876-1952 : an exhibition / organized by the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and guest curated by Henry Adams
Correspondence, writings and notes, diaries, scrapbooks, extensive sketchbooks and sketches, photographs and printed materials.
Correspondence (1918-1981) to and from family members, Paul Manner, Penney's teacher Albert Bloch, and others concerns plans for murals and Penney's ideas on art, among other topics. Diaries concern a European trip (1952). Two scrapbooks contain clippings, photographs, letters and exhibition catalogs documenting Penney's career. Fifty-four sketchbooks (1925-1950) contain figure studies, portraits and caricatures, ideas for murals, and scenes in New York City, Kansas, Missouri and elsewhere. Photographs show Penney, family, friends and his works. Printed material includes clippings, newsletters and brochures, and exhibition announcements and catalogs. Other materials include writings, notes, price lists, contracts and other financial material, biographical materials, a journal (1933-1940), notebooks and ca. 300 loose sketches.
ADDITION: Two volumes of lecture notes from art history classes taught by Albert Bloch, University of Kansas (1929-31); research material compiled by Penney relative to Albert Bloch exhibition, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute, Utica, New York (1974); 53 volumes of sketchbooks and eighteen sketchbooks (1945-1976), which contain scenes of Nebraska, Italy, and Mexico; about 20 studies and sketches for federal government mural projects (1934-1942); loose sketches; slides of paintings, sketches, and mural studies for Flushing High School, the Nebraska Capitol, and Hamilton College mural projects; 52 oversize sketches and studies for federal and non-federal mural projects , including three rolled oil studies (1933-1970s);correspondence (1962-1984); exhibition announcements and catalogs (1930-1983); clippings (1962-1977); family photographs (1913-1982); photographs of works of art and negatives (n.d.) and a mural design show at Utica College (1972); three award medals; and diplomas (high school and university).
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, educator; Clinton, N.Y. Died in 1982.
Provenance:
Donated by James Penney, 1981, and subsequently by his widow, Rachel Penney, 1983-1998.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
3.8 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 3 reels))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1926-1965
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence, notes, photographs and printed materials concern Fiene's painting, publications and other art-related activities.
REELS 2353-2355: Correspondence (1926-1957) concerns art-related activities and the American Society of Painters, Sculptors and Engravers (1935-1936). A subject file on the Tupperware Art Fund contains applications (1953-1955) and photographs of Fiene painting. Printed material includes clippings (1930-1960) and exhibition catalogs for Paul Fiene (1933), Ernest Fiene (1926-1959) and the American Artists Council (1936). Three scrapbooks (1923-1961) contain clippings, exhibition catalogs and photographs of Fiene and his artworks. Other materials include a resume, an autobiographical account, a 1938 lecture, "Toward New Horizons", delivered at the Art Students League, and Alex Domonkos' (1954) notes on lectures by various artists, including Fiene's discussion of landscape painting.
UNMICROFILMED: Correspondence (1957-1964) concerns art-related activities. Photographs show Fiene, working on the mural in the High School for Fashion Industries, and works of art, including murals for the Interior Department and the council room of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. Other materials include a manuscript, a typescript and illustrations for Fiene's book COMPLETE GUIDE TO OIL PAINTING (1963-1964), clippings (1940-1964), exhibition catalogs (1964), 2 galley proofs and minutes (1957-1958) from 2 meetings at the National Academy of Design.
ADDITION: Letters from friends, including other artists, 1932-1965; passport and membership cards; financial records, consisting of banking records, invoices and receipts, insurance policies, and records of investments; and a few printed items and photographs.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, lithographer, etcher, illustrator and teacher. Died 1965.
Provenance:
Material on reels 2353-2355 lent by Maria Fiene, daughter of Ernest Fiene. Unfilmed material (0.8 ft.) donated by Syracuse University, 1984, and an additional 0.8 ft. donated by Maria Fiene, 1994.
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.
United States. Dept. of the Treasury. Section of Painting and Sculpture Search this
Extent:
2 Items ((on partial microfilm reel))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1936-1937
Scope and Contents:
Two contracts between the U.S. Treasury Department, Section of Painting and Sculpture, and French, in which he agrees to paint murals in the Parcel Post Building in Richmond, Virginia, and in the Post Office in Plymouth, Pennsylvania.
Biographical / Historical:
Mural painter, sculptor, etcher, and draftsman; New York, N.Y. Born in Ossining, N.Y. Studied at Amherst College and at the Art Students League.
Provenance:
Donated 1982 by Jared French.
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.
Biographical material; project files relating to Boston area murals; photographs of Kredenser and his work; sketches and studies; reference material; and documents relating to his education.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter; Boston, Mass. Kredenser's murals can be found in a variety of businesses and other sites in the Boston area. His murals are primarily interpretations of the Colonial era.
Provenance:
Donated 1997 by Diane Kredenser and Carol Goldmark, daughters.
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.
This small collection of letters to and from painter and arts administrator Olin Dows measures 0.2 linear feet and dates from 1938 to 1949. The letters primarily document his work as director of the Treasury Relief Art Project, as an admistrator for the American Federation of Arts, and his work as a war artist. Much of the correspondence is with arts administrators Edward Bruce and Forbes Watson.
Scope and Content Note:
This small collection of letters to and from painter and arts administrator Olin Dows measures 0.2 linear feet and dates from 1938 to 1949. The letters primarily document his work as director of the Treasury Relief Art Project, as an admistrator for the American Federation of Arts, and his work as a war artist. Much of the correspondence is with arts administrators Edward Bruce and Forbes Watson.
Much of the correspondence is from 1941. Also of note is correspondence relating to the controversy over one of Maurice Sterne's murals for the Justice Department in 1940 and efforts to form a "Corps of Pictorial War Correspondents" in 1942. Some letters include attached documents including exhibition lists, announcements, news clippings, and reports.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 1 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Olin Dows Letters, 1938-1949 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)
Biographical Note:
Olin Dows (1904-1981) was a painter and arts administrator; he primarily lived and worked in Rhinebeck, New York. Dows was born in Irvington-on-Hudson, NY. He graduated from Harvard University in 1926 and also studied at the Yale School of Fine Arts. In 1935 he was appointed director of the Treasury Relief Art Project, funded by the Works Progress Administration. In 1938 he painted a series of murals for the post office in Rhinebeck, NY, and in 1941 painted murals for the post office in Hyde Park, NY. From 1938 to 1941 Dows was on the Board of Directors of the American Federation of Arts. In 1942 he enlisted in the Army Engineers Corps and was commissioned as a war artist, covering the European Theater of Operations. An exhibit of works produced by this project was held in 1944, entitled "The Army at War." Dows was discharged from the army in 1945. A book of his watercolors, Franklin Roosevelt at Hyde Park, was published in 1949.
Related Material:
Also at the Archives of American Art is an interview of Olin Dows conducted on October 31, 1963, by Harlan Phillips.
Provenance:
Letters were donated in 1962 by Olin Dows; the provenance of one letter (on microfilm reel 2803) is unknown.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
3.4 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 1 reel))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Scrapbooks
Sketchbooks
Date:
circa 1920-1981
Scope and Contents:
The Louis Schanker papers measure 3.4 linear feet and date from circa 1920-1981. Included is personal and professional correspondence, printed material including exhibitions announcements, catalogs and newspaper clippings; 4 scrapbooks in three-ring binders; works of art including loose sketches and 2 sketchbooks; and photographs of Schanker, his friends, colleagues and family, works of art and exhibition installations; and miscellany relating to Schanker's teaching and painting careers.
Biographical / Historical:
Louis Schanker (1903-1981) was a printmaker and painter in Stamford, Connecticut. Between 1934 and 1939, Schanker completed 11 mural panels for the Neponsit Beach Hospital on Long Island, and murals for radio station WNYC and the Science and Health Building at the New York World's Fair. He later taught at the New School and Bard College.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reel N68-16) including correspondence (1934-1968), exhibition catalogs (1936-1966), clippings (1936-1966), and a scrapbook (1928-1944).
Provenance:
Material on microfilm reel N68-16 lent for microfilming by Louis Schanker in 1968. Original material donated in 1984 and 2020 by Lou Siegel, Louis Schanker's nephew.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
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:
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Topic:
Mural painting and decoration, American -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Wyeth, N. C. (Newell Convers), 1882-1945 Search this
Extent:
8.2 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Sketches
Diaries
Drawings
Christmas cards
Illustrated letters
Cartoons (working drawings)
Sketchbooks
Date:
1841-1987
Summary:
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers date from 1841 to 1987 and measure 8.2 linear feet. The collection presents a good overview of True's personal life and and his career as mural painter and illustrator specializing in Western themes.
Scope and Content Note:
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers date from 1841 to 1987 and measure 8.2 linear feet. The collection presents a good overview of True's personal life and and his career as mural painter and illustrator specializing in Western themes. Through art work, project files, photographs, and printed material, the collection offers a rich resource, both textually and visually of True's research and work on documenting early twentieth century Native Americans cultural traditions. The papers also document True's childhood and his relationship with his family through various family papers, such as correspondence, genealogies, subject files, photographs, and a scrapbook. The collection is a particularly rich resource for the study of Allen Tupper True's work, as well as original documentation of the American West and Native American culture.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into thirteen series according to material type. The contents of each series have been arranged chronologically. Glass plate negatives are housed separately and closed to researchers.
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1895-1964, undated (box 1, 7 folders)
Series 2: Subject Files, 1873-1955 (box 1, 23 folders)
Series 3: Correspondence, 1841-1956 (boxes 1-4, 3.5 linear ft.)
Series 4: Business Records, 1903-1951 (box 4, 4 folders)
Series 5: Notes, 1902-1920 (box 5, 10 folders)
Series 6: Writings, 1896-1926 (box 5, 5 folders)
Series 7: Artwork, 1897-1923 (boxes 5, 10, and OV 11, 0.5 linear ft.)
Series 8: Project Files, 1912-1987 (boxes 5-6 and 10, 0.75 linear ft.)
Series 9: Photographs, 1859-1950 (boxes 6-7, 1.5 linear ft.)
Series 10: Scrapbook, 1934 (box 7, 1 volume)
Series 11: Printed Material, 1875-1981 (box 7, 21 folders)
Series 12: Artifacts, ca. 1863 (boxes 7 and 10, 9 items)
Series 13: Glass Plate Negatives, undated (boxes 8-9, 0.8 linear ft.)
Biographical Note:
Allen Tupper True (1881-1955) was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1881. He was a student at the University of Denver, and studied at the Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D.C. between 1901 and 1902. In 1902, he was accepted into Howard Pyle's classes in Chadd's Ford, Pennsylvania, and studied there until 1908, befriending classmates George Harding, Gordon McCouch, Thornton Oakley, and N.C. Wyeth. Through Pyle, True began his career as a magazine illustrator.
From approximately 1913-1915, True worked with British muralist Frank Brangwyn, assisting Brangwyn in the execution of murals at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, California.
After marrying Emma Goodman Eaton in 1915 (divorced 1934), True launched his career as a mural painter. His most notable works include the mural decorations in the state capitol buildings of Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wyoming, as well as murals for the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company Building and the Civic Center in Denver, Colorado. True specialized in depicting Western and Native American themes.
From 1934-1945, True acted as consultant for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, in charge of and designing all decoration and color schemes for the Boulder Dam power plant, Grand Coulee Dam, and the Shasta Dam, among others.
True was a Unitarian Mason, and a member of the Mural Painters of America, Beta Theta Pi, Cactus Club of Denver, and the Author's Club, London. He died in 1955.
Provenance:
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers were donated in February and April 1988 by True's daughter Jane True Mueller and his son, Frank True.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Patrons must use microfilm copy.
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.
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Buildings, structures, etc
Date:
1994 September 1
Scope and Contents:
An interview with John Spencer conducted 1994 September 1, by Paul J. Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art.
Spencer discusses his work assisting Dean Cornwell on the Los Angeles Central Library murals between 1927-1933; his subsequent relationship with Cornwell; and his experience as a young artist in Southern California in the 1930s.
Biographical / Historical:
John Spencer was a painter from Pasadena, California.
General:
Originally recorded 2 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 3 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 23 min.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
Restrictions:
This transcript is open for research. Access to the entire audio recording is restricted. Contact Reference Services for more information.
United States. Dept. of the Treasury. Section of Fine Arts Search this
United States. Dept. of the Treasury. Section of Painting and Sculpture Search this
Extent:
1 Linear foot ((partially filmed on 1 reel))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1933-1978
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence, writings, clippings, photographs, and financial records.
Unmicrofilmed material: Correspondence regarding Palmer's commissions with the Federal Art Project, Public Works of Art Project, and the Treasury Relief Art Project; an essay by Palmer on gesso painting; financial records; contracts; clippings; photographs of Palmer's murals; and 9 panels entitled "Qualities that Developed the Middle West", submitted to the Section of Fine Arts as entries for the St. Louis Post Office competition, 1939.
Reel 290: Correspondence, financial records; contracts; and printed material emanating from Palmer's mural assignments for the FAP, PWAP, and the Section.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, muralist, educator; Clinton, New York Worked for the federal government on the Federal Art Project in Iowa, for the Public Works of Art Project in New York, and the Treasury Section of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. and Massachusetts. Artist-in-residence at Hamilton College, Clinton, New York.
Provenance:
Material on reel 290 lent for microfilming, lender unknown; unmicrofilmed material donated 1981 by Joseph C. Palmer.
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.
Wyeth, N. C. (Newell Convers), 1882-1945 Search this
Extent:
20.5 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
1896-2006
bulk 1970-2006
Summary:
The Richard Murray research material regarding mural painting in the United States measures 20.5 linear feet and dates from 1896 to 2006 with the bulk of the material dating from 1970 to 2006. The collection is comprised of Murray's extensive research files, scattered writings, and photographic materials for his life-long research on mural painting in the United States.
Scope and Contents:
The Richard Murray research material regarding mural painting in the United States measures 20.5 linear feet and dates from 1896 to 2006 with the bulk of the material dating from 1970 to 2006. The collection is comprised of Murray's extensive research files, scattered writings, and photographic materials documenting his life-long research on mural painting in the United States.
Mural research files are organized by city, state, artist, and general mural research. The files contain photocopies of printed material, notes, photographs, and correspondence. Artists with extensive documentation include John White Alexander, Edwin Blashfield, Kenyon Cox, John LaFarge, Will H. Low, H. Siddons Mowbray, John Warner Norton, Violet Oakley, Maxfield Parrish, John Singer Sargent, Eduard Steichen, and N.C. Wyeth. Other files consist of bibliographies, a mural catalog and index, hand-drawn statistical graphs, and files on murals in Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C.
Writings include drafts of articles "Painted Words: Murals in the Library of Congress" and "Progressive Era Murals in Chicago's Public Schools." There are also writings by others. Subject files consist of compiled notes, photographs, printed materials, and photocopies on general art related topics such as European art history and theory, art criticism, the life of an artist, the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, immigration, and decorative arts.
Photographic materials include photographs and negatives of the American Academy in Rome, the Hotel de Ville, and public and private murals throughout various cities. The series also includes two microfilm reels of the Kenyon Cox papers with an index, and a small amount of Murray's personal photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 4 series.
Missing Title
Series 1: Mural Research Files, 1896-2006 (15.2 linear feet; Boxes 1-16, OV 22)
Series 2: Writings, circa 1990s-2006 (0.4 linear feet; Box 16)
Series 3: Subject Files, 1967-2000 (1.0 linear feet; Boxes 16-17)
Series 4: Photographic Materials, 1916-2006 (3.9 linear feet; Boxes 17-21)
Biographical / Historical:
Richard Murray (1942-2006) was a curator, educator, and museum administrator in Washington, D.C.
Murray received a bachelor of arts from California State University in San Jose in 1968 and a M.A. in art history and theory from the University of Chicago in 1970. As a research fellow at the National Collection of Fine Arts (NCFA), now the Smithsonian American Art Museum, he began his dissertation research on mural paintings in the United States. Murray's research on American mural painting continued for decades. Although never officially published, the research project was titled "Hope and Memory: Mural Painting in the United States, 1876-1920." He authored numerous articles about mural painters and painting. Murray also conducted extensive research and organized exhibitions on painters Abbott Handerson Thayer and Elihu Vedder at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
In the 1970s, Murray worked as an assistant to the NCFA director and assisted in the preparation of the seminal bicentennial exhibition entitled America as Art. From 1979 to 1983, Murray was director of the Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama. In 1983, he returned to Washington, D.C. and served as director of the Smithsonian Institution Archives of American Art until 1987, when he accepted the position of chief curator and assistant director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. He remained in this position until his death in 2006.
Related Materials:
Also available at the Archives of American Art is Richard Murray research material regarding Abbott Handerson Thayer, 1948-2004, bulk 1994-2001.
Separated Materials:
Research files on Abbott Handerson Thayer found within this collection were separated and filed with the AAA collection, Richard Murray research materials on Abbott Handerson Thayer, 1948-2004, bulk 1994-2001.
Provenance:
The bulk of the Richard Murray research material regarding mural painting in the United States was donated in 2006 by Murray's wife Marciela Murray. Additional files were transferred from the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 2009 and 2014 via Rachel Kase in the curatorial office.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Washington, D.C. Research Center.
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.
Mural painting and decoration, American Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Citation:
Richard Murray research material regarding mural painting in the United States, 1896-2006, bulk 1970-2006. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Smithsonian Institution Collections Care and Preservation Fund
Photographs and printed materials relating to Magafan's painting career.
Reel 3134: Photograph, ca. 1950, of Ethel and Jenne Magafan taken by Konrad Cramer; and printed material, 1952-1982, including exhibition catalogs, announcements, a poster, and a newsletter.
Reel NDA 14: Invitations and notifications of various competitions for the Section of Fine Arts, included are photographs, specifications of areas to be decorated, and correspondence particularly from Edward Rowan.
Biographical / Historical:
Ethel Magafan (1915 or 6-1993) was a mural and landscape painter from Colorado. Painted murals for the WPA. Jenne Magafan was her twin sister.
Provenance:
Material on reel NDA 14 lent for microfilming 1964, material on reel 3134 donated 1982 all by Ethel Magafan.
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.
Apparently paged continuously with one of the editions of the author's The federal city.
Provenance:
Donated by the New York Public Library, Dec. 18, 1957.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Topic:
Mural painting and decoration, American -- Washington (D.C.) Search this
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.
An interview with Lewis and Erica Rubenstein conducted 1993 February 23, by Stephen Polcari, for the Archives of American Art.
Lewis Rubenstein discusses his early career as a fresco painter, including his training in Italy and friendship with Rico Lebrun. He talks specifically about commissioned murals at the Fogg Art Museum, the Busch-Reisinger Museum, and assisting Jose Clemente Orozco on "portable murals" for the Museum of Modern Art. He talks of his move away from realism and the themes that interested him in the 1950s and 1960s. He remembers spending summers in Provincetown and taking classes with Hans Hofmann, his work teaching studio art at Vassar College, and briefly about the visiting artists program he ran there. Erica Rubenstein talks about the significance of 1930s mural paintings, the WPA movement, and government support of the arts in general.
Biographical / Historical:
Lewis W. Rubentstein (1908-2003) was a painter, printmaker, and teacher and teacher at Vassar College. He lived in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Erica Beckh Rubenstein (1914-2014) was an art historian, whose Ph.D. thesis at Harvard, "Taxpayers Murals," related to New Deal murals.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 3 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 56 min.
Side B of Tape 1 is blank.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
Restrictions:
This transcript is open for research. Access to the entire audio recording is restricted. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Art historians -- New York (State) -- Poughkeepsie -- Interviews Search this
Topic:
Mural painting and decoration, American Search this
