Writings, art work, miscellaneous items, and photographs were received from the Estate of Sally Kent Gorton in 2001. Although not physically integrated with the main portion of the collection, this addition to the Rockwell Kent papers is described with the appropriate series in the online edition of the finding aid.
Writings consist of Kent's continuation of his autobiography It's Me, O Lord! (1995). The unpublished 185 page manuscript written between 1955 and 1971 recounts the artist's travels, exhibitions, and political activities during the 1950s and 1960s. Among the art work there are many drawings and sketches in pencil and ink, of miscellaneous subjects and various projects circa 1920-1939 including figure studies, landscapes and illustrations for various books by Kent. Also included are a color lithograph study for a war poster, circa 1941, and Kent's 1968 costume and set designs for Benjamin Britten's opera Peter Grimes, along with a recording of Peter Grimes and its libretto. Photographs of people include formal and informal portraits of Rockwell Kent, Kent with others, and each of his wives; other individuals portrayed are Ted R. Lambert and Eugene Vuchatich. Other subjects include views of Asgaard Farm, the rebuilt Kent house at AuSable Forks, NY, and Kent's grave.
Kent presented the manuscripts for most of his books to the USSR, along with the Kent Collection. Included in this series are drafts, notes, and completed manuscripts for monographs, articles, speeches, book reviews, catalog texts and introductory essays, and miscellaneous writings (often unidentified) by Kent. Manuscripts are arranged chronologically, with undated items arranged alphabetically by title. Also included at the end of the series are a small number of manuscripts by other authors.
The unpublished continuation of Kent's autobiography It's Me, O Lord! was received from the estate of his widow, Sally Kent Gorton, 2001.
See Appendix for an itemized list of writings from Series 2.
Arrangement note:
The bulk of this series has been scanned. Poems and political statements written by other authors have not been scanned.
Appendix: Writings from Series 2:
Writings by Rockwell Kent"Men as Animals," 1906-1912
"The False Life," 1906-1912
"True Life," 1906-1912
"A Tragedy of Newfoundland," 1914 (with 1961 revision)
"Alaska Drawings by Rockwell Kent, With a letter from Rockwell Kent to Christian Brinton, M. Knoedler & Co.," 1919
"Greenland for the Painters," 1919
"Art," 1919
"The Tierra del Fuego Journal of Rockwell Kent," 1922
"Voyaging," 1924
"Tristan and Iseult," 1927
"George W. Bellows: His Lithography," 1927
"A Social Evolutionist's View of the War," 1928
Introduction to book about Patagonia, 1931
"Alias Kent by Hogarth, Jr.." 1933
"Rockwellkentiana," 1933
Greenland journal in the form of letters to Frances, 1934-1935
"What Is an American?," 1936
"In the Name of the Great Jehovah," 1936
Van Loon Review, 1937
"What Is an American?" (revised version), 1938
"People's Platform," 1938
"Good Old Loyalty," 1938
"Original Etchings, Lithographs and Woodcuts by American Artists published by the American Artists Group, Inc." (review), 1938
"Introduction by Rockwell Kent to 'Story of the White Collar Worker' by Giacomo Patri," 1940
Introduction to "Portinari and His Art," 1940
"Rockwell Kent: A Short Autobiography," 1940
"Rockwell Kent at Bookshop," 1940
"Statement by Rockwell Kent," 1940
"Introduction to Book on the Work of Candido Portinari," 1940
"Louis Untermeyer," 1940
Love poem to Sally (untitled, illustrated), 1940
"Outline of Address Delivered by Rockwell Kent," 1940
"To Louis and Esther" (poem), 1940
"Christmas 1940" (poem), 1940
"Review of -- Kabloona -- by Gontran de Poncins," 1941
"Portion of Address for Delivery June 5th at National Conference of Social Work, by Rockwell Kent," 1941
"Radio Address, by Rockwell Kent, to Be Delivered at Progressive Librarians Council Broadcast, Sunday, June 22nd," 1941
"Statement on Nazi-Soviet War, by Rockwell Kent," 1941
" 'The Intent of the Artist,' reviewed by Rockwell Kent," 1941
"A Northern Christmas," 1941
"Outline of Address for Fourth American Writers Congress," 1941
"Editorial for -- Junior Guide -- of International Workers Order," 1941
"Introduction to Book-Plate Catalog," 1941
"Article for Adirondack Mountain Club, Inc. Year Book," 1941
"Introduction for Catalog of American Library of Color Slides," 1941
"Statement for American Council on Soviet Relations," 1941
"To Sally" (illustrated poem), 1941
"Article for UOPWA News," 1942
"Introduction to Catalog of Rockwell Kent Exhibition at the Wildenstein Galleries," 1942
"Tierra del Fuego," 1942
Article for -- Script -- , 1942
"Introduction to Democracy," 1942
"Statement for Use of Artists League of America," 1942
"Introduction by Rockwell Kent to 'Silk Screen Stenciling as a Fine Art,'" 1942
"On Earth Peace," 1942
"Foreword by Rockwell Kent to -- American Pioneer Arts & Artists -- by Carl Drepperd," 1942
"Article for Use of American Russian Cultural Association Inc. in -- Novosselye -- ," 1942
"WQXR Broadcast 'Other Peoples's Business Program,'" 1943
"Article for Use of the Alumni of the Columbia School of Architecture," 1943
"Art and the People," 1943
"Article for AAA News," 1943
"Statement to AP, UP, -- Herald Tribune, Times, Daily Worker -- on Death of Art Young," 1943
"To Sally" (poem), 1943
"Statement by Rockwell Kent, Famous Landscape and Figure Painter and Wood Engraver, on the Presentation of His Mural-- -- Airplane View of America at Peace-- -- to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce"
"Article on Art Young, For Use of -- New Masses -- Memorial Number," 1944
"Article for Use of the American Artists Group," 1944
"Memorandum on the Proposed Organization for the Publication of Reproductions of American Art," 1944
" -- Arctic Fish Story -- by Otto Wm. Geist" (book review), 1944
"Article for Use of -- Tomorrow -- ," 1944
"Review of -- Horizon Is Calling -- by Taro Yashima," 1944
"Opening Address, Seventh General Convention, IWO," 1944
Obituary of mother, Sarah Holgate Kent, 1944
"Statement for Use of Philadelphia Council of American-Soviet Friendship," 1944
"To Voters of the Thirty-Third New York Congressional District," 1944
"Introduction ALA Fourth Annual Exhibition Catalog," 1944
"Introduction by Rockwell Kent, -- Drawings by American Artists -- ," 1944
" -- Mathematical Basis of the Arts -- , by Joseph Schillinger, Reviewed by Rockwell Kent," 1944
"We Hold These Truths," 1944
"Review for the -- New Masses -- of Steffanson's -- Greenland -- ," 1944
"Synopsis: -- This Is My Own -- by Rockwell Kent," 1944
"Story for -- Readers Digest -- 'Life in America' Series," 1944
"Greetings to the Red Army & Navy," 1944
"Introduction for -- This Is Our War -- Catalog," 1944
"Art with a Little a," 1944
"Small Town War," 1944
"How Not to Get a Seeder," 1944
"Statement for use of International Workers Order," 1945
"Introduction for Exhibition Catalog," 1945
"Shadows of Evening," 1945
"Stories for -- Readers Digest -- 'Life in America' Series," 1945
"Article for Use of Vet," 1946
"Statement for Use of Artists for Action," 1946
"The Artist in America Today," 1946
"Rockwell Kent Biographical Sketch for Use of General Electric Company," 1946
"Statement for Use of International Workers Order," 1947
"John Trumbull" and "Frederick Remington," supplementary text for -- World Famous Paintings -- , 1947
"To Thee" (history of the Rahr Malting Co.), 1947
"We Hold These Truths" (articles for use of -- Fraternal Outlook -- ), 1948
" -- The Mathematical Basis of the Arts -- , by Joseph Schillinger, Reviewed by R.K. for -- Music News -- ," 1948
"Radio Script--O. John Rogge Program, Tuesday, July 12, 1948, Introduction by Rockwell Kent," 1948
"An Artist in Politics," 1948
"Text of Address to Be Given by Rockwell Kent at Meeting of Business and Professional Women's Club, Plattsburgh, N.Y.," 1948
"Radio Script, Rockwell Kent Address at Skidmore College Forum," 1948
"Radio Address to Be Given by Rockwell Kent, American Labor Party Candidate for Congress, 33d District, New York," 1948
"Radio Script, Christmas Greetings from Rockwell Kent for Arthur Gaeth Program," 1948
"Wallace Speech," 1948
"To Voters of the Thirty-Third New York Congressional District," 1948
"Rsum of Still-Born Address to World Congress for Peace, Paris, 1949," 1949
"Statement on Conviction of the Twelve by Rockwell Kent (for Use of the International Workers Order)," 1949
"We Hold These Truths" (articles for use by -- Fraternal Outlook -- ), 1949
"Introduction by Rockwell Kent to -- Southern Cross -- , by Lawrence O. Hyde," 1950
"We Hold These Truths" (article for use of the -- Fraternal Outlook -- ), 1950
"Article for Use of VOKS," 1950
"Copy for Sabattis Ranch Booklet (Rough Draft)," 1950
"Radio Address Delivered by Rockwell Kent Sunday, April 15, 1950, Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.," 1950
"Greetings from Rockwell Kent to the Congress of the Peoples for Peace," 1952
Article for Use of International Workers Order, 1952
"Stenographic Record of a Meeting of the VOKS Section of Fine Arts," 1953
"Statement by Rockwell Kent" (re: McCarthy hearings), 1953
"Christmas Record 1953," 1953
"Place Card Poems--New Year's Eve, 1953," 1953
"Silas Timberman -- , by Howard Fast, Reviewed by Rockwell Kent for Use of -- New World Review -- ," 1954
"Realism in Art by Sidney Finkelstein, Reviewed by Rockwell Kent for Use of -- Masses & Mainstream -- ," 1954
Unpublished continuation of autobiography, -- It's Me, O Lord! -- (1955), recounting the artist's travels, exhibitions and political activities during the 1950s and 1960s, circa 1955-1971
"Article for Publication in the USSR," 1957
"Article for Use of -- New World Review -- ," 1957
"Article for Use of -- New World Review -- ," 1958
Trip Book (diary detailing trip to USSR), 1958
"Article for Use of -- Standard Times -- (New Bedford, Mass.)," 1959
"Of Men and Mountains," 1959
"Remarks for Tolstoi Jubilee," 1960
"Gift of Peace--An Account of Rockwell Kent's Presentation of a Collection of His Works to the People of the Soviet Union," 1961
"Article for Use of -- New World Review -- ," 1962
"Statement for November 26th Meeting, NCASF, by Rockwell Kent," 1962
"To Major Gherman Titov, Greeting!" 1962
"World Conference on Disarmament and Peace--Statement by Rockwell Kent," 1962
"Message for November 28th Carnegie Hall Meeting of National Council of American-Soviet Friendship from Rockwell Kent," undated
"The Missing Lynx, New Light on Human Nature, Told by the Lynx. (`Might Is Right und Lynx Ist Rechts'.)," undated
"The Most Unforgettable Character I Have Ever Met," undated
"Notes by Rockwell Kent for Use of Miss Marie B. Ryan, Editor of the -- Sketch Book of Kappa pi -- in an Article Titled: `The Things I Wish They'd Taught Me'," undated
"Nuremberg--And After," undated
"On Being Famous," undated
"On the Writings of Rockwell Kent," undated
"Original Page of -- Salamina -- Manuscript," undated
"Preface," undated
"Preface to the Monhegan Edition," undated
"Proposal for the Solution of the Liquor Problem," undated
"Review, by Rockwell Kent, of -- The Game of Death -- ," undated
"Review of -- Eskimo -- , by Peter Freuchen," undated
"Rockwell Kent," undated
"Rockwell Kent Biographical Data," undated
" -- Salome -- , by Oscar Wilde. -- Inventions -- , by John Vassos. -- The Marriage of Heaven and Hell -- , by William Blake" (book review), undated
"A Second Preface--Eleven Years Later," undated
"Speech for Opening of Exhibition," undated
"Statement for November 26th Meeting, NCASF," undated
"Statement for Use of National Council for American-Soviet Friendship," undated
"Statement for Use of the Teachers Union," undated
"Statement on 'American Art Today,'" undated
"Statement on the Arrest of the Communist Leaders," undated
"Story for -- Reader's Digest -- 'Life in America' Series," undated
"Text for -- The Lovers -- , Wood Engraving by Rockwell Kent" undated
"Unpublished Manuscript," undated
"Vegetarianism," undated
"We Hold these Truths" (Article for Use of -- Fraternal Outlook -- , by Rockwell Kent), (2 separate articles), undated
"What Home Means to Me," undated
"When I Was a Teener," undated
"Winslow Homer at Prout's Neck" (draft of book review by Kent), undated
" -- Winslow Homer at Prout's Neck -- , by P. Beam," undated
Greenland Journal -- , undated
"A Voyager's Log, Part II," undated
Wilderness -- , undated
World Famous Paintings -- , undated
Untitled, undated
Poems, undated
Fragments and Miscellaneous Notes, undated
Writings by Sarah Holgate Kent [mother]"The Little I Know of My Ancestors. As Far Back As I Can Remember," 1941
Writings by Sally Kent (Gorton)"Monhegan Notebook," 1950
"Article for R.K. Memorial Booklet--First Rough Draft," 1971
"Article for Rockwell Kent Memorial Portfolio," 1971
" -- Bulgaria Today: The Land and the People -- , by William Cary" (review), 1971
"Greeting for World Peace Council Meeting, Budapest--First Rough," 1971
"Greeting in Memory of Rockwell Kent for World Peace Council, Meeting in Budapest--3d Best," 1971
"Greeting in Memory of Rockwell Kent for World Peace Council, Meeting in Budapest--2d Best," 1971
"The Happiest Day," 1971
Drafts of Memoir ("Introduction," "Living on and off--The Land!," "Memoirs," "Chapter I--Save, Use," "First Chapter--Passages to Add Perhaps," "Chapter 2," "1971 Later--31 Years Later," "Use," "July 3, 1972"), 1971
Memoir Notes ("Monhegan Notes," "Notes and Quotes for Use in Book--'Rockwell Kent--Some Fireside Reminiscences,' " "Possibly for Use," "Random Notes," "R.K. on Homes"), 1971
"Suggested Copy: -- New York Times -- Ad to Be Sponsored by Committee of Concerned Citizens" ("Rockwell Kent's Engagement with Life"--Draft), 1971
"Rockwell Kent's Engagement with Life for Use of -- American Dialogue -- ," 1971
"Rockwell Kent--Glimpses" (notes), 1971
"The Making of -- It's Me, O Lord -- , Draft," 1974
"The Making of -- It's Me, O Lord -- For Use in -- The Kent Collector -- ," 1974
"And Now Monhegan Again!," 1977
"The Jay Taxpayers Association in 1933: A Good Fight," 1977
"Muddling Through" (shorthand), 1978
"Dedication Words" (notes, some in shorthand), 1978
"Rockwell Kent Gallery Dedication Words," 1978
"Story" (shorthand), 1978
"Story 'In the Drawer' for Time Being," 1978
"The Happiest Day," undated
Poem, undated
Writings by Others About KentReviews of Books by Rockwell Kent, 1931-1941
Poems, undated
"The Beautiful American," undated
"Biographical Notes--Rockwell Kent," undated
" -- It's Me, O Lord -- , Introduction, On Rockwell Kent and His Autobiography," undated
"Kent--The Writer," undated
"Message by Y. A. Malik on the Occasion of the Opening of the Exhibition of Soviet and American Prints," undated
"Part One, Books Written and Illustrated by Rockwell Kent, by Dan Burne Jones," undated
Collection Restrictions:
The microfilm of this collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Use of material not microfilmed or digitized requires an appointment.
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:
Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
This series contains family correspondence and extensive professional letters from noted artists and art world figures including critics, writers, collectors, museums and other art institutions. Scattered letters from Pach can also be found here.
See Appendix for partial chronological list of letters from Series 2.
Arrangement note:
This series is arranged as two subseries.
Missing Title
2.1: Family Correspondence, 1883-1980
2.2. General Correspondence, 1903-1969
Appendix: Partial Chronological List of Letters from Series 2:
Missing Title
From J.B. Young [?], October 5, 1900: New York, N.Y. Eric Dell recovered from consumption; Terry also had it and was treated at an English sanitarium; entertained several actors; made a brief trip to the country. 2 pp., illustrated with drawing, "an interpretation of how you will look when you next visit New York."
From Franji Vaatsvoort, September 18, 1903: Haarlem, the Netherlands. Severe storm; received Pach's postcards. Picture postcard (Frans Hals, "Cordelia Voogt Claesd., vrouw van Nicolaes van der Meer"
From Theodore Roosevelt, Washington, D.C., March 5, 1904: President's autograph. Card with engraving of the White House.
From Frank R. Wadsworth, Chicago, Ill., [postmarked] March 2, 1905: Intends to go to Spain; advises Pach to write about art; recommends the Madrid gallery; discusses Chicago's new orchestra hall and the death of Thomas; opinions about the jury system; is sending pictures to Philadelphia, the one eastern city likely to accept them. 6 pp. + enclosures (silhouettes of monkey, 3 birds, and cat by a 10-year-old child).
From Luis E. de la Rochas, Madrid, Spain, December 24, 1905: thanks Pach for photographs of works of art; inquires about the progress of Pach's own painting; will send a picture of his latest painting, as he is interested in Pach's opinion; sends regards to Mr. Chase. 3 pp., in Spanish, illustrated with drawing of a bearded man.
From Edith Bell, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] December 24, 1905: Christmas greetings; thanks Pach for showing her the Goya sketch. 2 pp.
To Claude Monet, Giverny, France, June 3, 1906: advises that knowing how to use color is most important and should become a matter of habit; lists his palette. 1 p., in French, typescript copy.
From Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, N.Y., February 13, 1907: printed form letter with payment for "The Memoria of Velasquez."
From Moriye Ogihara, Vitry-sur-Seine, France, [postmarked] April 24, 1907: mentions Kenzan picture Pach is interested in; thanks Pach for showing sketch to Henri, Ogihara's former teacher; lists some exhibitors in the Salon, with opinions of their work; thinks Rodin's work is great; he met Rodin at his studio. 4 pp. + 1 p. enclosure (note to Yamanaka & Co., New York, about Kenzan picture), in Japanese.
From Piet van der Laan, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, May 11, 1907: likes portrait of Pach by Chase with its strong "Rembrandtic" shadow; reminisces about Chase; hopes to marry Annie in August. 4 pp.
From Moriye Ogihara, Vitry-sur-Seine, France, [postmarked] September 10, 1907: wonders if and when Pach is returning to Paris. Postal card.
From Moriye Ogihara, Vitry-sur-Seine, France, [postmarked] September 12, 1907: urges Pach to visit after his stay in Italy. Picture postcard ("Reine d'Egypte en Isis--Bronze antique").
From [signature illegible], Director, The Royal House, Florence, Italy, October 5, 1907: the king grants permission to copy the Catherine de Medici portrait at the Pitti Palace. 1 p., in Italian.
From Claude Monet, Giverny, France, November 4, 1907: Monet will receive Pach this week on Wednesday or Thursday afternoon. 1 p., in French.
From Lelebuss, New York, N.Y., November 21, 1907: thanks Pach for birthday greetings; several friends are now married.
From Edith Bell, New York, N.Y., November 25, 1907: visited Henri and saw 40 canvases; describes Henri's new studio at 135 E. 40th St.; Lawson and Stevenson called at the studio while she was there; recalls Pach's description of visits to Monet and Ogihara; "it is my belief that Mr. Henri is afraid of George Bellows. He praises him so." 5 pp. + enclosure (photograph of a portrait by Edith Bell).
From Moriye Ogihara, Florence, Italy, December 25, 1907: Christmas greetings; discusses travels in Italy and art seen. 4 pp.
From Moriye Ogihara, Florence, Italy, December 26, 1907: has been to the Academy; praises Miss Frohberg. Picture postcard ("Firenze Lung' Arno Corsine").
To Alice Klauber from Walter Pach, Paris, France, January 3, 1908: he is looking at art; received a picture from her cousin; asks if she saw the article on Matisse he wrote for the Hearst paper. Picture postcard ("Frans Hals, La Bohemienne"), in Japanese, with English postscript.
From Moriye Ogihara, Arezzo, Italy, January 5, 1908: leaving for Assisi soon; stayed too long in Florence sightseeing with Magdalene. Picture postcard ("Arezzo, La Catte drale").
From Moriye Ogihara, Rome, Italy, [postmarked] January 14, 1908: staying at the same pensione as Frost. Picture postcard ("Torso di Belvedere di Dietro").
From Moriye Ogihara, Athens, Greece, January 22, 1908: discusses sightseeing in Greece and his trip through Italy; observations about Frost; "I appreciate Rodin very much since I have been in Italy"; offers to correct Pach's written Japanese.
From Gerda Stein, [place unknown], January 29, 1908: "Dearest love to Lena and best wishes for a very happy Birthday." Greeting card.
From Roger Marx, Editor, -- Gazette des Beaux-Arts -- , Paris, France, February 12, 1908: wants to publish a comprehensive study of the state of painting in the United States; must choose between original engravings and photographic reproductions for illustrations. 2 pp., in French.
From Moriye Ogihara, Cairo, Egypt, February 13, 1908: steamer has been delayed two days but he can continue to work. Picture postcard ("Ramesseum at Thebes").
From [Rais?], Paris, France, [postmarked] March 19, 1908: invites Pach to visit on Friday. 1 p., in French.
From William Merritt Chase, Florence, Italy, July 16, 1908: is leaving for Paris tomorrow; invites Pach to meet him at Caffe [sic] Du Paix that evening. 1 p.
From Olga [de?], Paris, France, December 24, 1908: has completed 3 portrait commissions; wants to see the Velasquez, which is said to be "splendid." Picture postcard ("Paris, Eglise Saint-Augustin"), in French.
From Piet van der Laan, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, February 6, 1909: is looking for a new teaching position; their infant son is now healthier. 3 pp.
From Annie van der Laan, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, March 13, 1909: thanks Pach for the brush and birthday greetings; invites him to the Netherlands; tells about their baby. 1 p., in Dutch.
From Piet van der Laan, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, March 15, 1909: discusses Shaw's -- Candida -- and -- Man and Superman -- ; is studying Nietzsche. 2 pp.
From Arthur B. Davies, New York, N.Y., May 29, 1909: discusses Pach's essay about him. 1 p.
From Moriye Ogihara, Tokyo, Japan, May 30, 1909: "Devil came into my mind and I am suffering and suffering"; Saito visited with news of Pach and pictures to exhibit at the Taiheiyo Art Association. Sequence of 5 picture postcards (1, "Wisteria"; 2. "Peony Blossoms at Yotsame"; 3. [bridge--title in Japanese]; 4. "Iris"; 5. "Peony Blossoms at Yotsame").
From Arthur B. Davies, New York, N.Y., June 1 [10?], 1909: wishes to reschedule studio visit by Pach and Mr. Of. 2 pp.
From Arthur B. Davies, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] July 9, 1909: interested in Gauguin and how he compares with Degas. 1 p.
From Arthur B. Davies, New York, N.Y., April 8, 1910: sends clipping about Matisse; recommends article about the Venus de Milo. 1 p.
From K. Tohary, Tokyo, Japan, May 11, 1910: Moriye Ogihara died in Tokyo, April 22, following an attack of vomiting blood; Tohary plans to publish a book about him; requests that Pach send Ogihara's letters and any recollections he wants to contribute. Rice paper scroll.
From Arthur B. Davies, New York, N.Y., May 14, 1910: "I found your article on Matisse the most enlightening I have read so far." 1 p.
From Albert Pinkham Ryder, New York, N.Y., May 26, 1910: thanks Pach for "kindly interest" in his work. 1 p. + enclosure (reprint of a poem, "The Voice of the Forest").
From Henri Rouart, La Queue en Brie, France, September 17, 1910: sorry he was unavailable to welcome Pach and his friends. 1 p., in French.
From [unknown], New York, N.Y., [postmarked] October 5, 1910: empty envelope with no return address. Sketch of head on reverse.
From Clifton A. Wheeler, Mooresville, Ind., October 12, 1910: describes fellow passengers aboard ship; gives details of getting paintings through customs; advises Pach to start preparing necessary documents for bringing home his property. 5 pp. + enclosures (4 small etchings: 2 portraits, 2 landscapes).
From Julian Alden Weir, New York, N.Y., November 25, 1910: discusses his interest in etching, especially drypoint. 4 pp.
From Morton Livingston Schamberg, Philadelphia, Pa., December 27, 1910: met Stieglitz and "was well satisfied with his attitude. He hasn't the intelligence of a Leo Stein but he is sincerely interested and is getting into a position where he could do one lots of good"; met Hartley; visited Henri's studio; Stieglitz and Henri think "I am too cock-sure of myself. If they only knew"; completed 20 to 25 pictures in the last year; sends photographs of some. 3 pp. + enclosures (7 photographs of Schamberg's work: 6 figures, 1 exhibition installation).
From Adolph Werner, New York, N.Y., December 21, 1910: is teaching less at the university now that he is the "President's lieutenant." 2 pp.
From Auguste Renoir, Cagnes, France, March 28, 1911: thanks Pach for allowing him to review the article before publication; wants the interview portion withheld because it seems critical of Saint-Saens and Pillet-Will and suggests posthumous publication; feels flattered by Pach's review. 4 pp., in French.
From Eugène Leroy, Paris, France, March 27, 1911: is happy to have been of service; the Association Philotechnique enjoys meeting foreigners who appreciate its teachings and will take home pleasant memories of France. Note on calling card, in French.
From Auguste Rodin, Paris, France, June 1, 1911: is willing to meet with Pach to discuss Fujikawa's book on Ogihara. 2 pp., in French.
From E. D. Smyth, Côtes-du-Nord, France, August 31, 1911: will answer Pach's letter; apologizes for being fussy about the Stendahl etc." Picture postcard (Etables, Côtes-du-Nord, Les Grottoes.")
From E.D. Smyth, Côtes-du-Nord, France, September 5, 1911: is leaving soon for Saint-Malo; will return Pach's "Tuscan book" and send 2 others; recounts events of the summer; describes some hotel guests and the cottage where her family is staying; wants to see Daumier originals. 14 pp.
From Ruth A. Wilmot, Brooklyn, N.Y., October 7, 1911: is glad their misunderstanding is straightened out; someone on the boat unintentionally insulted her companion; homesick for Paris; working again; finds New York "invigorating." 5 pp.
From Joe Garvey, Alpine, N.J., November 21, 1911: is back From honeymoon; wants to go to Europe but first must sell property. 4 pp.
From Herman Reimers, Christiana, Norway, November 24, 1911: thanks Pach for the gift of an etching; will not be moving to Paris after all; was appointed director of political affairs at the ministry. 4 pp., in French.
From Tete, New York, N.Y., December 14, 1911: Christmas greetings; misses him; family news; has been in contact with Pach's parents. 4 pp., with sketches of busts on the envelope.
From Margherita Innocenti, Pensione Innocenti, Florence, Italy, December 22, 1911: thanks Pach for kind words about her and for recommending the pensione; 4 American women are there now. 3 pp., in Italian.
From Margherita Innocenti, Pensione Innocenti, Florence, Italy, February 9, 1912: -- Ladies -- . Will be happy to have friends of Pach stay at the pensione. 1 p., in Italian.
From E.D. Smyth, Florence, Italy, February 21, 1912: describes guests at Pensione Innocenti; met young Italian artist, Gino "Sensano or Sanseno [Severini]," who knows Stella and other mutual friends; recounts visits with Signorina A.B. and Mr. Loeser; returning by sea due to Helen's illness; will not see Pach again this trip. 6 pp.
From Louis Lombard, [place unknown], April 15, 1912: note of dedication, 1 p. + 2 pp. enclosure (copy of "Chants d'Amour," a poem by Henry Marx), in French.
From E.D. Smyth, [place unknown], Ireland, April 27, 1912: "Have made half my notes From the cahier" and will send them to H.M. soon. Postal card.
From Eugène, Paris, France, [postmarked] April 26, 1912: will come on Sunday at 9:00; is happy that Pach was not expelled because now he can work in peace for a few more days. 1 p., in French.
From Arthur Burdett Frost, Davos, Switzerland, May 5, 1912: has eye problems that doctors cannot treat; Jack is recovering; plans to spend summer in the Black Forest and return to Davos for the winter; Pach writes well; finds it "refeshing to read really honest stuff"; is working on a book of caricatures. 8 pp.
From Fujikawa, Paris, France, June 4, 1912: saw Mr. Molissa and is interested in his work; Pach should express Fujikawa's thanks to Molissa; is going to Florence where he hopes to see Pach; requests photographs of any new work Pach completes. 3 pp. + 5 enclosures (brief thank you notes From M. Lernait, Tererco?, L. Lombard, Louis Varday, and Romanet), in French.
From Georges Speirer, Paris, France, June 6, 1912: heard From friends that Pach is in Florence. 2 pp., in French.
From [signature illegible (L.L.?)], Levallois, France, July 1, 1912: hopes Pach will spend the winter in Paris; is glad Pach is pleased with his paintings of Arezzo. 4 pp., in French.
From Maurice Socard, Paris, France, July 19, 1912: thanks Pach for his letters; will send photographs taken at his country house; friends agree with Pach's assessment of Milan. 6 pp., in French.
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, July [30?], 1912: is not surprised that Pach received a discouraging letter From Floury, who has requested another translator; Faure wants Pach to do the job. 4 pp., in French.
From Egisto Fabbri, Paris, France, November 28, 1912: declines Pach's invitation, due to illness. 1 p.
From G.A. Bourdelle, [place unknown], December 4, 1912: the Toussaint sculpture can be installed with or without a socle; declined to participate in the New York exhibition before realizing Pach was the organizer; keep the photograph of Toussaint's work. 3 pp., in French.
From [unknown], Gambier, Ohio, [postmarked] December 4, 1912: empty envelope with no return address.
From Wilhelm Lehmbruck, Paris, France, December 6, 1912: Two sculptures, -- Woman Kneeling -- and -- Large Torso -- , and 2 drawings are being sent to Pach for his exhibition. 1 p., in French.
From Robert Henri, New York, N.Y., January 3, 1913: discusses photographs of Besnard's work; reminisces about discovering decorations by Besnard at the College of Pharmacie; compliments Pach's Winslow Homer article; "there is a growing state of expectancy about the 'armory' exhibition, and there is little doubt but that it will make a great stir, and do a great deal of good in a great variety of directions"; news of George Bellows, Guy Pène du Bois, Boss, Kent, Coleman, Sprinchorn, Sloan, Van Sloun, and Bohnen. 4 pp.
From Odilon Redon, [place unknown], France, January 6, 1913: he is flattered by Pach's article, which he believes will enhance his reputation in America; Pach should try to visit soon, as they plan to go south in a few days. 2 pp., in French.
From Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Paris, France, January 16, 1913: agrees with Pach that each generation of artists draws inspiration From undeveloped ideas found in the work of preceding generations; no French architectural style has emerged since the 18th century, confirming the idea that eras without defined aspirations produce no monuments; current politics and intellectual freedom presage hope for the 20th century; as Pach demonstrated, painting was the dominant 19th-century aesthetic, thus developments in other arts will come From painting; a new architecture is needed for modern life; in a time when money reigns supreme, artists should practice simplicity; machines are now a powerful presence in all of life. 4 pp., in French.
From Constantin Brancusi, Paris, France, [postmarked] January 24, 1913: his cousin has just finished a painting that Pach should see; invites Pach to dinner. 1 p., in French.
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, February 11, 1913: if he goes to England, he will contact Mr. Fry; wants to introduce a painter friend to the Steins; Pach is a rare friend and intellectual equal. 2 pp., in French.
From Jacqueline d'Argent, Chinon, France, March 1, 1913: has fond memories of their interesting conversations; present acquaintances are not intellectual and gossip too much; applied for a medical assignment in Algeria but is unsure about moving. 2 pp., in French.
From Constantin Brancusi, Paris, France, March 13, 1913: asks Pach to decide the price of the bronze; congratulations on the success of the exhibition. 3 pp., in French.
From Arthur B. Davies, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] April 5, 1913: borrowed works are being returned to Europe; Roman Bronze Co. could make a good cast of Brancusi's -- Mlle. Pogany -- owned by Belle Greene; "looking forward to a genuine recreation in Boston as to art interest"; doubts Chicago's appreciation, Mr. Eddy notwithstanding. 2 pp.
From Ary Le Bland, Paris, France, April 5, 1913: a copy of -- La Vie -- , featuring the information Pach provided about Redon, is being sent; asks Pach to write about art trends in America for -- La Vie -- and publicize the magazine. Postal card, in French.
From Jacques Villon, Paris, France, April 13, 1913: congratulates and thanks Pach for promoting the acceptance of modern art; extends appreciation to Davies and Kuhn. 3 pp., in French.
From Raymond Duchamp-Villon, [place unknown], France, April 18, 1913: received Pach's letter and check; the Duchamp brothers are embarrassed by their success and do not talk about it; wishes Gleizes were having his share of it; asks how the other artists fared; a commission agency requested cubist paintings for America; worried that cubism is becoming a commodity; the 4 copies of -- Noa, Noa -- he purchased at a good price have been shipped. 2 pp., in French.
From M. Lernait [Lemaitre?], Saigon, Indochina, May 25, 1913: thanks Pach for writing and for his friendship; the countryside near Saigon is beautiful; he misses Paris. 4 pp., in French.
From Jacques Villon, Versailles, France, June 19, 1913: thanks Pach for selling another painting; Salon d'Automne opens later than usual this year; Torrey called on him, Marcel, and Picabia; Raymond is going on vacation soon; sends regards to Davies and Kuhn. 4 pp., in French.
From Maurice Brazil Prendergast, Boston, Mass., June 25, 1913: is recovering From surgery; thanks Pach for sending postcards and showing interest in him. 3 pp.
From Jean Le Roy, Paris, France, [postmarked] July 1, 1913: comments on the success of Pach's exhibition; has a temporary job; finished college; might travel to Guinea; discusses his poetry published in -- Les Bandeaux d'Oro -- ; met de Verhaeren, whom he admires. 4 pp., in French.
From Marcel Duchamp, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, July 2, [1913?]: heard all about the American exhibition From his brothers; thanks Pach for "enthusiastically defending their work"; still awaiting payment; will spend August in England; Torrey called on them. 3 pp., in French.
From Maurice Brazil Prendergast, Boston, Mass., [postmarked] July 11, 1913: is recovering From his "hospital experience"; recounts trouble with studio lease; asks Pach to notify him of suitable space available in New York. 4 pp.
From Maurice Socard, Paris, France, August 1, 1913: Pach is a kindred spirit; Pach's competence and ability to elicit appreciation for modern painting made the show a success. 2 pp., in French.
From F. Wentscher, [place unknown], Hungary, August 24, 1913: is painting out of doors; won't return to Paris until November. Postal card, with original illustration of horse-drawn carriage, in German.
From Jacqueline d'Argent, Blida, Algeria, September 8, 1913: is now practicing medicine in Blida; describes the scenery and local people; congratulates Pach on his marriage. 6 pp., in French.
From Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, September 25, 1913: just received Pach's article and will comment on it in the next letter; thanks Pach for promoting his and friends' work; will see the Steins soon and try to learn more of the rumored American reaction against their ideas; the Salon d'Automne opening is delayed until November; Pach's mention of the Delaunay affair confirms rumors of discord; asks Pach to determine if and when unsold paintings and sculpture were returned. 2 pp., in French.
From Clifton A. Wheeler, Indianapolis, Ind., December 22, 1913: museum's schedule cannot accommodate Pach's exhibition; describes upcoming January show; the museum hopes to acquire a Davies painting; "the exhibition in Chicago (The International) did not strike me with overwhelming force, but I have enough respect for the opinions of Mr. Davies and yourself to admit that the fault may have been my own"; congratulations on engagement to Miss Frohberg. 7 pp. + 1 p. postscript from -- Hila Drake Wheeler -- wishing Pach and Miss Frohberg happiness.
From G. Villon, Paris, France, [1914]: congratulations on the birth of Pach's son; heard From her husband who is in the army; asks Pach's opinion of some drawings; is working with blind children in a hospital. 4 pp., in French.
From Constantin Brancusi, Paris, France, January 26, 1914: asks Pach to determine whether the owner of -- Muse Endormie -- wants the piece in marble; a reduced price is possible, but he must know soon; met Mrs. Stieglitz; asks Pach's advice about showing his marbles in New York. 4 pp., in French.
From Constantin Brancusi, Paris, France, February 19, 1914: received the check; distressed to be participating in a show that may prove harmful to Pach's cause; asks Pach not to be hurt by his unwitting mistake. 4 pp., in French.
From Walter Arensberg, Boston, Mass., March 1, 1914: "The exhibition was tremendously fresh and fine"; compliments Pach's work. 1 p.
From Jean Le Roy, Paris, France, [postmarked] March 4, 1914: congratulations on Pach's marriage; encourages him to continue painting; news of Lombard and Clapp. 2 pp., in French.
From Maurice Brazil Prendergast, Saint-Malo, France, June 12, 1914: thanks Pach for reproducing his work in -- Century -- magazine; is returning home sooner than planned; Renoir's new work is "way ahead of his former landscapes." 3 pp.
From Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Courbevoie, France, June 26, 1914: is impatient for news of a proposed project; Mrs. A. Roosevelt will be in touch with Pach; her work has shown progress; during the past year, modern art has begun to attract interest and generate discussion among some previously unreceptive people. 2 pp., in French.
From Odilon Redon, Bièvres, France, July 10, 1914: if Pach organizes another exhibition, he wants to participate. 3 pp., in French.
From Joseph Stella, Venice, Italy, July 20, 1914: discusses his travels in Europe; Greece reminded him of Davies's pictures; no reply From the futurists in Milan; recounts a meeting with Walkowitz in Patrai, Greece. 5 pp.
From Alexandre Mercereau, Paris, France, [postmarked] July 30, 1914: can secure work by interesting artists for exhibition; inquires whether foreign works and jewelry are acceptable; he organized an international exhibition of cubism with an accompanying symposium in Prague; offers to lecture in the United States if Pach can find a way to pay for the trip; is sending information about an organization he founded; wants to establish an American branch; needs an American editor for his books; Brancusi's participation is essential. 4 pp., in French.
From Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Paris, France, August 7, 1914: just received registered letter and invitations; continuing with exhibit plans is impossible, as all of their friends are mobilized; work of Gleizes, Villon, and Metzinger being exhibited in Berlin probably will be lost; a negative reply From Chapell ended long-held hopes; wholehearted thanks due to Pach for countless efforts and true friendship; the French are ready to die for peace and freedom; confident of the future, despite anxiety over friends now in danger. 4 pp., in French.
From Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, August 26, 1914: war conditions make collaboration impossible; is serving as a paramedic; no bad news concerning anyone Pach knows. 2 pp., in French.
From Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, September 11, 1914: will consult with friends about planning an exhibition in the United States; Gleizes is at Toul; Villon is with the British army at Rouen. 2 pp., in French.
From Albert Pinkham Ryder, New York, N.Y., September 13, 1914: is looking forward to having the Pachs and Mr. Wheeler visit his studio. 2 pp.
From Michael Stein, Agay, France, October 19, 1914: requests details about the exhibition Pach is organizing; Pach should tell Matisse "he must now look to America for a market for his art for some time to come"; "it is about time he [Matisse] were ranked among the accepted classics and bought freely." 3 pp.
From Jean Le Roy, Brest, France, [postmarked] November 10, 1914: plans to enlist soon; is worried about Kohler at the front. 4 pp., in French.
From Jacques Villon, [place unknown], France, November 23, 1914: comments on the war and his painting; congratulates Pach on his New York exhibition. 1 p., in French.
From Piet van der Laan, Zutphen, the Netherlands, January 24 and February 8, 1915: Congratulations on the birth of Raymond; cannot visit Pach in Paris because of the war. 4 pp. + 3 pp. enclosure (copy of a poem by Dante), in Italian.
From Raoul Dufy, Le Havre, France, January 29, 1915: sent 2 copies of his Bestiarie; wants Pach to choose a drawing, watercolor, or Bestiarie as a gift of thanks; heard From Derain, Apollinaire, and Gleizes, all in the army; de la Fresnaye was wounded; asks if Basler, Brummer, and Kahnweiler are art dealers now that they have settled in New York; considers Basler an honest man. 4 pp., in French.
From Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Acheux, France, February 26, 1915: still in Saint-Germain where his wife continues her work at the military hospital; Villon spent the entire winter in the trenches but bears it well; glad Quinn bought Cat and Parrot; thinks Quinn should have the final versions in wood rather than cast reproductions and instructs Pach to discuss it with him; received Marcel's articles and reproductions; understands the change that has affected Pach's desire for new means of artistic expression. 2 pp., in French.
From Raoul Dufy, Le Havre, France, March 3, 1915: lists the 4 paintings he is sending; accepts and reiterates the payment schedule; Pach should select a painting for himself; will send some paintings on silk; promises to write about decorative art in his next letter. 4 pp., in French.
From Marcel Duchamp, Paris, France, March 12, [1915?]: received the Matisse catalog and remembers the goldfish painting; Villon is in good health and good spirits; is optimistic about prospects for peace by summer; after a family vacation in Rouen, he finished glass and other projects; Raymond is happy in Saint-Germain, where his wife is a hospital nurse; does Pach know if Delaunay is in America; wants to visit Brancusi; has no news of Picasso, Braque, or Derain. 4 pp., in French.
From Marcel Duchamp, Paris, France, April 2, [1915?]: is preparing for an exhibition; describes arrangements for sending Raymond's works to Pottier; 2 paintings, a drawing, and papers are being sent to Pach; reports on the work and conditions of Raymond, Rifemont-Dessaisner, and Villon; has decided to leave France and go to New York; wants to know when he should come and if securing employment as a librarian will be difficult; does not want his family to know of these plans for a while; includes price list for paintings. 3 pp., in French.
From Jacques Villon, Acheux, France, April 13, 1915: glad to learn that his paintings and engravings have sold; is looking forward to returning to normal life and working with greater intensity; being welcomed in New York should boost his self-confidence and provide some peace of mind regarding financial security; the matter of Dr. Stum's paintings cannot be settled until the war ends; is sending Pach engravings and drawings; a shipment of sketches made during the war can be published as documentaries; after being away From home for 8 months, he envies Pach's happy family life; emerging spring contrasts sharply with human evil. 3 pp., in French.
From Marcel Duchamp, Paris, France, April 27, [1915?]: is displeased by the reply received; understands that Pach misses Paris and the artist's life he led there; he is increasingly dissatisfied and the point is to leave Paris rather than to go to New York; asks help in finding a library job in New York so he will not have to depend on selling paintings; does not want his family to know yet. 7 pp., in French.
From Marcel Duchamp, Paris, France, May 21, 1915: has decided to depart on June 5, despite family and sentimental reasons for rescheduling; spoke to Raymond about Arensberg's magazine; Mme. Picon probably has articles by Mercereau, Gleizes may have articles, and other friends could contribute poems and prose; has decided on a job for the duration of his stay in America, but it will prevent him From painting. 3 pp., in French
From Theodore Duret, Paris, France, May 22, 1915: hopes Pach's efforts at promoting the latest in modern art, especially Van Gogh and Lautrec, have been successful; has written a comprehensive book on Van Gogh, which is to be published when the war ends; asks if the Van Gogh painting he loaned to the exhibition has been sold. 4 pp., in French
From Alice Derain, Paris, France, May 28, 1915: thanks Pach for sending a check and for handling her affairs; the paintings From Mme. Lebas were not shipped because Derain is not satisfied with them and decided not to sell; some landscapes may be available soon because Derain has spare time and can try to work; a recent portrait of the couturier Monsieur Poiret may be his best painting yet. 2 pp., in French
From Georges Rouault, Versailles, France, [postmarked] June 1, 1915: (1) Discusses works in progress that may be suitable for the exhibition Pach is organizing; the shipment will also include a ceramic plaque for Quinn; Quinn persists in asking about Rouault's military status; 6 times already he has been disqualified due to a weak heart; academies, medals, and awards are not about art; nature and other artists are more inspiring than unimaginative teachers. (2) Pach should keep a Rouault piece unless he prefers to select one when in France; his simplified ceramics are real faiences; his paintings are lighter and more fluid; his show after the war will include German types and landscape and religious paintings. (3) Perhaps Quinn will be interested in the paintings shipped; within the year, a larger selection of ceramics will be available for Quinn, but at the moment his focus is on painting. 4 pp. (3 separate notes), in French
From Jean Le Roy, [place unknown], France, June 12, 1915: describes his flower-decorated trench and the surrounding countryside; started a magazine called Les Imberbes with an editor and typographer friend; intends to send poems to Pach's American publication. 5 pp. + 1 p. enclosure (poem, "Printemps"), in French
From Maurice Brazil Prendergast, Boston, Mass., July 7, 1915: thanks Pach for Dufy's book; "tell Monsieur Dufy when you write him I felt more pleased than if I got a gold medal"; he and Charlie will leave soon for Maine. 4 pp
From Marcel Duchamp, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] July 28, 1915: inquires whether Pach received the palette he sent; spent the evening with Quinn, Gregg, and Kuhn; Gregg was likable and Kuhn fascinating; thinks Quinn could be supportive; Quinn was anxious to know if cubism has been killed by the war; once his English improves, he wants to convince Quinn to discard his ideas about the politics of art. 2 pp., in French
From Alice Derain, Paris, France, August 7, 1915: sends receipt for payment in full; her husband is in the service; Braque was seriously wounded; Doucet died; Picasso is in Paris; her husband hopes to meet Pach. 2 pp., in French
From Raoul Dufy, Paris, France, September 18, 1915: has received a payment toward Quinn's account; Quinn has purchased additional works; credits many sales to his association with Pach; is able to paint while in the military; after the war, he hopes the French can become better acquainted with American painters; is pleased to hear that Prendergast liked his gift; wants to see photographs of Prendergast's work; requests catalogs with reproductions of American furniture. 4 pp., in French
From Raymond Duchamp-Villon, [place unknown], October 17, 1915: feels renewed interest in his work; continues his research; observations about the war; Villon has suffered and was awarded a Military Cross; requests news of Pach and mutual friends; Pach should determine Quinn's intentions. 3 pp., in French
From Henri Matisse, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, November 20 and 29, 1915: is delighted by the prospect of an exhibition of French art; will do what he can to help obtain the Seurat painting for exhibition; thanks Pach for selecting his work for the exhibition at Bourgeois and agrees to send additional pieces; lists etchings sent to Miss Bryant via Pottier; the photographs showed great improvement in Pach's portraits; advises a warmer palette; will offer additional frank comments after seeing new pictures; is working hard and just finished an important painting, which already has been sold; is still recovering From bronchitis. 12 pp., in French
From Louis Lombard, [place unknown], France, December 28, 1915: best wishes for the coming year. Postal card, in French
From Theodore Duret, Paris, France, December 29, 1915: read a favorable review of the Van Gogh exhibition; asks if Pach was able to sell Duret's Van Gogh still life; his book about Van Gogh will be printed after the war. 4 pp., in French
From Mary Socard, Paris, France, December 31, 1915: greetings and good wishes; believes the war will be followed by much misery and great changes. 2 pp., in French
From Jean Le Roy, [place unknown], France, [postmarked] [?,?] 1916: his commanding officer knows Picasso, Marie Laurencin, and Derain; Lafitte was killed; wants news of Pach; thank the magazine Others if his poem "Spring" is accepted. 5 pp., in French
From Georges Rouault, [place unknown], France, [undated] [1916?]: received the catalog and Pach's review with the reproduction of his painting; his grandchild is sick; they are going to the seashore; is working on an exhibit; thanks Pach for helping sell a painting; though in poor health, he may have to join the army; suggests an album of reproductions. 10 pp., in French
From Jacques Villon, Paris, France, January 5, [1916]: he is assigned to the central atelier for camouflage; works with other artists, not all of whom share his outlook; has many ideas for new work; no news From Marcel or Picabia. 4 pp., in French
From Georges Rouault, [place unknown], France, [postmarked] January 22, 1916: personally delivered the paintings to Pottier for shipment; worries that the large works will not have the style and the color of the small ones; wants to have his exhibition ready before going to Italy; has not seen Villon recently. 2 pp., in French
From Piet van der Laan, Zutphen, the Netherlands, February 7, 1916: thanks Pach for the "ex-libris"; he is busy translating a lengthy book on medieval Italy; discusses Dante. 4 pp
From Jacques Villon, [place unknown], February 10, 1916: speculates that an art form may develop From the war. 1 p., in French
From Maurice Brazil Prendergast, New York, N.Y., March 23, 1916: confirms 5 titles for inclusion in the exhibition catalog; has a good photograph for Pach's book. 2 pp
From Maurice Socard, Paris, France, April 2, 1916: remembers Pach as one of his best students; one of the many reasons for their friendship is Pach's love for France; quotes Descartes; compares the French ideal of liberty with the German interpretation; comments on French and German science. 4 pp., in French
From Ruth Wilmot, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] April 9, 1916: compliments Pach on the lectures he presented to her group; encloses payment. 2 pp
From Henri Matisse, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, April 28, 1916: extends best wishes for the success of the exhibition; asks Pach not to reveal the extremely reduced price of the painting Arensberg bought; asks if Max Weber has a large gallery; wants to obtain sound recordings of typical exotic chants. 4 pp., in French
From Mme. Victor Le Roy, Paris, France, May 30, 1916: belatedly acknowledges receipt of Jean's poems; [UNK] husband, Victor, died near Verdun; Jean may come home on leave. 1 p., in French
From Jean Le Roy, [place unknown], [postmarked] June 2, 1916: thanks Pach for forwarding his poems to American publications; believes poets are well treated in the United States; uncle Victor died in the war; Carreau was wounded. 4 pp., in French
From Raoul Dufy, Paris, France, June 3, 1916: thanks Pach for writing an article defending the ideas of modern French art, which had come under attack by a young American critic; wants to know if there are opponents of French modern art in New York; exhibitions are returning to Paris; Quinn purchased -- The Yellow Hat -- ; is sending a thank-you gift and an etching. 1 p., in French
From Emil Gay, Watkins Glen, N.Y., June 12, 1916: enjoyed Pach's lectures. 6 pp
From E.D. Smyth, [place unknown], England, June 16, 1916: news of a mutual friend killed in the war; discusses Jean Le Roy. 4 pp
From Camille Redon, Cannes, France, [July 1916?]: Redon is recuperating in Cannes; asks for the return of their pictures, when feasible. 2 pp., in French
From Camille Redon, [place unknown], July 4, 1916: Redon is gravely ill with pulmonary congestion; the doctors are concerned. 1 p., in French
From Jacques Villon, Puteaux, France, [postmarked] July 12, 1916: Miss Bryant's purchase boosted his morale and was welcome financially; Marcel is delighted with America; speculates that Marcel may eventually settle in America. 3 pp., in French
From Camille Redon, Bièvres, France, August 6, 1916: Redon was buried several days ago; a gallery in the Petit Palais will be devoted to him and there will be an exhibition at the Beaux-Arts in the spring; reflects on the solitude and anonymity of many great artists during their lifetimes. 4 pp., in French
From Georges Rouault, Paris, France, [postmarked] August 14, 1916: Pach should return all paintings and drawings when he can; thanks Pach for his help; his wife and infant daughter are unwell; bought a new house; will be able to work when the family leaves Paris; received the item Pach sent him From Quinn much sooner than anticipated. 2 pp., in French
From Souza Cardoso, [place unknown], Portugal, [postmarked] September 25, 1916: comments on the picture shown on the card. Picture postcard (photograph of a woman and child in costume), in French
From Henri Matisse, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, October 14, 1916: the information Pach sent about Bourgeois raises hopes for a good exhibition at his gallery; in reply to the question about a frame for the portrait of Arensberg, insists that modern paintings do not need frames, especially gold ones that contain a picture by stopping its extension; will look at Pach's paintings any time; Mrs. Havemeyer parted with the Ingres as a condition for another purchase; From photographs, gives his opinion of the authenticity and condition of 12 paintings. 11 pp., in French
From Henri Matisse, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, November 6, 1916: sends description and opinion of a picture he omitted From a previous letter; art is selling well in Paris. 4 pp., in French
From Paul Signac, Saint-Tropez, France, November 18, 1916: illness prevents him from complying with Pach's request to select works for exhibition; suggests sources From which to borrow Seurat paintings. 3 pp., in French
From Florence Bing, New York, N.Y., [undated (1917)]: condolences on the death of Pach's mother. 1 p
From Albert Gabriel, [place unknown], [undated (1917)]: "Accept my sincere sympathy." Note on calling card
From Leigh Hunt, [place unknown], [undated (1917)]: "Heartfelt sympathy." Note on calling card
From Professor Adolph Werner, [place unknown], [undated (1917)]: "Condolence." Note on calling card
From Ruth Wilmot, [place unknown], [undated (1917)]: condolences on the death of Pach's mother. 2 pp
From Mme. Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Compiègne, France, [postmarked] January 6, 1917: her husband is hospitalized with multiple ailments, including typhoid; condolences on the death of Pach's mother. 2 pp., in French
From Constantin Brancusi, Paris, France, January 19, 1917: thanks for check From Quinn; is pleased that he was satisfied with the sculptures, despite difficulty in assembly; plans to visit the United States after the war. 3 pp., in French
From Gino Severini, Paris, France, February 7, 1917: has written a preface explaining the ideas of the avant-garde; wants Pach to oversee the translation; asks that the three fragile pastels be framed inexpensively by Stieglitz. 2 pp., in French
From Childe Hassam, New York, N.Y., March 30, 1917: thanks Pach for help in determining latest possible date to submit work for exhibition. Note on the reverse of printed announcement of a show of Hassam's etchings and drawings at Frederick Keppel & Co., November 16- December 2
From Gino Severini, Paris, France, April 28, 1917: expresses appreciation for the success of his exhibition; his paintings should be returned at a more favorable time; a longer version of his preface on modern art will appear in -- Le Mercure de France -- ; asks to be remembered to his friends and for news of sales and reviews of his show. 4 pp., in French
From [signature illegible], New York, NY., May 14, 1917
From [signature illegible], New York, NY., May 16, 1917
From Charles Sheeler, Philadelphia, PA., May 17, [1917?]
From Charles Cooper, New York, NY., May 19, 1917
From [signature illegible], [Vienna, Austria?], July 22, 1917
From Alexandre Mercereau, [place unknown (at the front)], July 26, 1917: is sending Pach a selection of his writings, which he hopes can be published in the United States; is anxious for a good translation; believes the book he just wrote is his best and is willing to offer it to an American publisher before it appears in France. 4 pp., in French
From Gino Severini, Paris, France, September 6, 1917: discusses work in progress; offers congratulations on the first Independents show; praises Pach's selfless efforts; authorizes use of any remaining works for other exhibitions; thanks Pach for arranging sales and sending reviews. 4 pp., in French
From [signature illegible], [place unknown], October 26, 1917
From Louis Lombard, [place unknown], France, October 26, 1917: reminisces about good times together; has less desire to write poetry now; is learning German and Italian. 2 pp., in French
From Maurice Socard, Paris, France, November 3, 1917: describes superb Renoirs seen in the Rue de la Boetie; hopes Pach's remarkable efforts on behalf of modern art will be fruitful; notes qualities needed for portrait and landscape painting. 4 pp., in French
From Louis Lombard, Ingolstadt, Germany, [postmarked] November 26, 1917: boredom and solitude are his routine; thanks Pach for gifts of books and tobacco; sends holiday greetings. Postal card, in French
From Camille Redon, Paris, France, December 8, 1917: if it remains unsold, Pach should keep the Redon painting until the war is over; American troops are arriving; she follows the exhibitions; likes Matisse; Mr. Quinn is behind in his payments. 4 pp., in French
From Arthur Burdett Frost, Madison, N.J., January 5, 1918: thanks Pach for condolences upon the death of his son; wants Pach to look at his son's work and consider writing an article. 4 pp
From Georges Rouault, Versailles, France, [postmarked] January 15, 1918: discusses titles of 2 pieces; general terms are more suitable titles for his subjects; Matisse was ridiculed by many because for a year he numbered all canvases; Rouault's albums will be numbered rather than titled; suggests framing and matting techniques for the double-sided piece; his new paintings won't need glass; he has always been lonely, but now is isolated as well; has a new daughter. 4 pp., in French
From Arthur Burdett Frost, [place unknown], February 1, 1918: thanks Pach for his interest in his son Arthur; offers a photograph of Arthur to illustrate Pach's forthcoming article. 4 pp
From Arthur Burdett Frost, [place unknown], [between February 1 and March 12, 1918]: thanks Pach for the manuscript; plans to send additional photographs of Arthur. 4 pp
From Arthur Burdett Frost, [place unknown], [between February 1 and March 12, 1918]: returning Pach's manuscript; requests a copy. 2 pp
From Maurice Socard, Paris, France, February 20, 1918: letter of gratitude for Pach's friendship and efforts on behalf of modern art; discusses idealism, imagination, art, and the search for truth. 3 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, March 12, 1918: is sending copies of his last 3 books; thinks -- The Holy Face -- is his most important book; it is about war in general and includes personal experiences From the present war. 4 pp., in French
From Mme. Le Roy, Paris, France., May 19, 1918: Jean died while a prisoner of war. 3 pp., in French
From Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Cannes, France, May 20, 1918: is sending Quinn a drawing and photograph that relate to his rooster sculpture and show the original architectural setting for the piece; will send the script of a comedy written with a friend for performance at a military hospital, which Pach may translate and publish in America; glad that the rift between Pach and Marcel is mended; recently saw Matisse hard at work; Villon is in the army and has no time for work. 4 pp., in French
From Gaby Duchamp, [place unknown], France, May 23, 1918: thanks Pach for arranging sales to Quinn; her husband is well, doing research, and will resume his art when the war ends; Raymond is in the hospital in Cannes; there were interesting Matisse and Picasso exhibitions in Paris. 2 pp., in French
From French Army, [place unknown], July [?], 1918: confirms the death of Jean Le Roy on April 26; sends details of the battle, as Pach requested, and text of citation. 4 pp., in French
From Mme. Le Roy, Paris, France, August 19, 1918: thanks Pach for the touching gesture of dedicating his University of California course to Jean's memory; sends a copy of the citation Jean received the day he died. 3 pp., in French
From J. Van Gogh Bonger, Far Rockaway, N.Y., August 20, 1918: sons wrote of good times with Pach in Berkeley; they were in Honolulu and now should be in Japan; first volume of the "Letters" has been translated; discusses her brother's friendship with Redon. 4 pp
From Camille Redon, Bièvres, France, September 23, 1918: thanks Pach for lecturing on Redon and his work; has a full set of engravings and lithographs; litho stones were erased, but copper plates are at the museum in Amsterdam; plans to sell prints after the war and will offer Pach some he lacks; comments on arrival of American forces, with whom her son-in-law is an officer. 4 pp., in French
From Morton Livingston Schamberg, Philadelphia, Pa., September 30, 1918: belated thanks for the two Indian tiles; he and Sheeler readily agreed who should have which tile. 2 pp
From Frederic C. Torrey, San Francisco, Calif., October 8, 1918: is glad Pach is in California; anticipating the end of the war; tell Mme. Van Gogh he regrets not meeting her. 4 pp
From Mme. Duchamp-Villon, Paris, France, October 11, 1918: Raymond died of uremia; she plans to return to work at the front; will send Raymond's design for a chess set; wonders if Quinn purchased the rooster drawing. 2 pp., in French
From Vincent Van Gogh Bonger, Kobe, Japan, October 27, 1918: "Best regards From Vincent." Picture postcard ("Joie de Vivre")
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], October 30, 1918: thanks Pach for sincere appreciation of The Holy Face; the book received mixed reviews; if there is an English edition, Pach should be the translator; agrees to contribute to the magazine; suggests an article on "America in the War"; the final volume of History of Art will not be published until after the war due to paper shortages; maybe Pach can obtain appropriate paper. 2 pp., in French
From Maurice Socard, Paris, France, November 12, 1918: finally met with Pach's friend for a discussion of Pach's aesthetic preferences and the relationship between philosophy and art; read about Pach's University of California lectures; Paris is celebrating the end of the war. 7 pp., in French
From Jacques Villon, Paris, France, November 13, 1918: Raymond died following a second operation; is determined not to leave Raymond's work unfinished. 2 pp., in French
From Marcel Duchamp, Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 15, [1918?]: as a close friend and admirer of Raymond, Pach must be grieving his death; although provincial, Buenos Aires is calm and conducive to work; brought notes for the glass and plans to continue drawings for it; Argentines are aware of cubism but do not understand it; is planning an exhibition for Buenos Aires in May or June; asks Pach to help H.M. Barzun, who will be contacting him about the show; outlines his schedule for the coming year; anticipates readjusting to peacetime. 3 pp., in French
From Jean Le Roy, [place unknown], [postmarked] December 15, 1918: thanks Pach for bringing his pamphlet to Arensberg's attention; discusses his interest in rhythm in poetry. 4 pp., in French
From Frederic C. Torrey, San Francisco, Calif., December 19, 1918: holiday greetings; compliments Pach's writing, specifically his latest article in the Dial; discusses the Dana prize awarded in Philadelphia to McComas. 5 pp
From the Butlers, New York, NY., [postmarked] December 23, 1918: Christmas card, "Victory Christmas"
From Mabel Torrance, New York, N.Y., January 12, 1919: just learned the classes will be discontinued. 3 pp
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], January 21, 1919: thanks Pach for efforts with American publishers on his behalf; before the war only Germany had a culture large enough to take immediate interest in his kind of intellectual endeavors; awaiting instructions From Johnson concerning the articles he is writing; comments on diplomats of the Entente and political matters; compliments -- Modern School -- ; is sending a brochure about a restored castle his brother is attempting to sell. 4 pp., in French
From Frederic C. Torrey, San Francisco, Calif., February 3, 1919: nude is on the way to Arensberg a day late; his wife will be very happy to sell Un Descendant; "I want the Russian experiment to be given a fair chance"; comments on "Russian 'refugees"'; thanks Pach for assistance in the "Arensberg matter." 7 pp
From Frederic C. Torrey, San Francisco, Calif., February 7, 1919: received Arensberg's check; painting was shipped late, with a lesser valuation, due to changes in regulations; discusses new tax bill. 3 pp
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], May 4, 1919: notes the poor reception of his book in France and the United States; discusses his current work; opinions of world politics. 4 pp., in French
From Maurice Socard, [place unknown], May 12, 1919: much disagreement about the terms of the peace treaty; feels that Germany must serve a term in purgatory. 3 pp., in French [filmed with the wrong envelope]
From Marcel Duchamp, Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 6, 1919: regrets having abandoned plans for an exhibition there; Buenos Aires is ready for new art. 2 pp., in French
From Xavier Martinez, Piedmont, Calif., June 16, 1919: received Courbet, Society of Independent Artists, and Redon catalogs; congratulates Pach. 2 pp., in Spanish
From Ismael Smith, New York, N.Y., June 25, 1919: Margarita Cordoba From Cuba, representing the Independents, is sending a picture of la Mazantinita, a famous Spanish ballerina. 1 p., in Spanish, +8 pp. enclosure (11 designs for bookplates)
From Jacques Villon, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, June 26, 1919: thanks Pach for check, letter, and catalog; writes of his work plans for the coming year, when he expects to make up for lost time; comments favorably on Pach's painting; notes activities of his friends, including Gleizes, Picabia, and Marcel. 2 pp., in French
From Marion L. Chamberlain, Santa Barbara, Calif., August 10, 1919: she and Miss Phillips enjoyed Pach's lectures at the Berkeley Summer School; they purchased 2 Renoir lithographs From Mr. Torrey. 4 pp
From Marcel Duchamp, Paris, France, [postmarked] September 3, 1919: his friends and their lives seem little changed since the war; other than the work of his brother and Picabia, he sees little of artistic interest; will be in New York in December; saw Yvonne Duchamp-Villon. 3 pp., in French
From Sybil Kent Kane, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] November 26, 1919: thanks Pach for etchings of "my beloved Chapel." 1 p
From Pietro Brunelleschi, Florence, Italy, [postmarked] December 5, 1919: accepts Pach's invitation for the following day. Note on business card, in Italian
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, January 11, 1920: economic conditions preclude publication of his fourth volume at this time; saw Redon a month before he died, when he spoke of indifference to the opinions of others and concern with expressing himself; discusses the masterpieces in his personal collection, among them Redon, Delacroix, Daumier, and Van Gogh. 8 pp., in French
From Edgar L. Hewett, Archaeological Institute of America, San Diego, Calif., February 2, 1920: met with Sloan and Henri to make arrangements for the "Indian art exhibition"; thanks Pach for encouragement with the exhibition plan; compliments Pach's article in the Dial. 1 p
From Xavier Martinez, Piedmont, Calif., March 12, 1920: thanks for the Dial and the invitation; compliments Pach's article on American Indian art; thinks Pach writes just as well as he paints; is enthusiastic about plans for an American Indian exhibition. 2 pp., in Spanish, + enclosure (sketch of American Indian head)
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, April 20, 1920: is happy about what Pach tells him of Delacroix; he owns 3 works by Delacroix and considers him one of the greatest painters; paper shortages have delayed publication of volume 4; asks if Pach is willing to undertake more translation work; someone else has offered, but Pach is preferred; -- The Dance on Fire and Water -- is being sent for Pach's opinion; the book best condenses Faure's ideas on the aesthetic interpretation of history; like Pach, he organizes exhibits around topics. 4 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, April 23, 1920: Pach must let him know right away if he can do the translation; discusses publishers' contracts; Faure will furnish all photographs for illustration at prewar prices; Pach's other Faure translations have drawn high praise. 2 pp., in French
From J. Metzinger, [place unknown], May 15, 1920: thanks Pach for the check and efforts on his behalf in New York; Pach should keep an unsold painting and dispose of the others as he wishes; people no longer laugh at cubism, but they don't yet understand it; despite war and the hard times that followed, cubism survives; offers his help if Pach wants to exhibit there. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, May 23, 1920: discusses the details of his 4-volume -- History of Art -- now being published; a copy of volume 1 is being sent to Pach. 2 pp., in French
From John Sloan, Santa Fe, N.M., June 9, 1920: began painting the week after arriving in Santa Fe; a Corpus Christi procession provided subject matter; had work accepted for the "Metropolitan Anniversary Ex."; comments on "Art and Craftsmanship" article in the Dial. 2 pp., illustrated with a drawing of Sloan in his studio
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, June 20, 1920: discusses the publication of his book, especially the quality and cost of illustrations for the English edition; judging any work of art requires distance in time and space. 4 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], July 3, 1920: discusses costs for engraved plates and cheaper electrotype plates; asks Pach to select photographs of Peruvian and Mexican monuments, Mexican sculpture, and an American Indian decorated tent or other appropriate images for use in Mediaeval Art; this second volume will contain new illustrations of the art of India and Gothic art. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, July 11, 1920: thanks Pach for writing an article about him; comments favorably on Pach's paintings; is considering adding a section on modernist painting, which would mention Pach, to the third edition of -- History of Modern Art -- . 2 pp., in French
From Jacques Villon, Puteaux, France, July 25, 1920: he recently read the notes found among Raymond's papers, but the haphazard and often obscure ideas would reveal nothing new to Pach; is sending pictures of the horse, some showing the prewar plaster version and others the beginning of the final verson; Raymond's experience in the cavalry made him an expert horseman, and many sketches of horses made during the war show he continued to think of the sculpture he had started; is also sending photographs of sketches, a bust of Professor Gosset, plans for a chess set, and other works; some of Raymond's notes pertain to the design of a surgical center; is certain that Raymond would have continued the research that led him From literal representation to mechanical aspects; thanks Pach for preserving the memory and work of the late artist. 5 pp., in French
From Jacques Villon, [place unknown], August 1, 1920: is sending Pach several photographs and 2 drawings; gives installation instructions for Raymond Duchamp-Villon's last sculpture, Dr. Gosset, with sketches of front and side views of the piece [large portions illegible]. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, August 13, 1920: discusses illustrations for his book; Marcel Duchamp will not be included; mentions other artists he has omitted or included and the relative value assigned to each, perhaps mistakenly; discusses those classified as impressionists and neoimpressionists; mentions new directions in art, among them scientific ones. 8 pp., in French
From L.L. Kane, Long Lake, N.Y., August 26, 1920: Pach's pictures are "quite safe at 47th St. until your return"; he especially appreciates Mme. Derain, which hangs with 2 Copley portraits in the breakfast room. 4 pp
September 12, 1920: note indicating Samuel Ramos is with the Comision Mexicana de Cooperacion Intelectual
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, September 28, 1920: provides correct spellings for works of art, as requested; will send proof sheets of printed photographs with placement instructions; still waiting for the promised photographs of American Indian art. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, November 10, 1920: discusses in detail the illustrations for his book, their placement and captions; an article about cinema in the -- Freeman -- expresses ideas very close to his own; reflects on current politics. 6 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, November 26, 1920: thanks Pach for the photographs; hopes instructions regarding illustrations and page-setting were received; requests a signed copy of the contract with -- Harpers -- ; is still thinking about writing an article for the -- Freeman -- ; is enclosing an advertising circular designed for his book and suggests something similar for the American edition. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, December 22, 1920: the photograph of Herculeum arrived; his editors are pleased; volume 4 will be ready in a few days and a copy will be sent to Pach; the American edition contains stupid mistakes; plans to write an article for the Freeman; will send Pach his article on cinema. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, January 17, 1921: describes his visit to London, emphasizing the British Museum; likes little of British art; considers Bonnard, Matisse, Picasso, and Derain in the forefront of modern art; he appreciates Pach's opinions on art, even when in disagreement; because Pach is younger, his views are an excellent indicator of current taste. 4 pp., in French
From Piet van der Laan, Utrecht, the Netherlands, January 21, 1921: thanks for the bookplate Pach designed; compliments his article in the Freeman; is attempting to sell paintings by a young Dutch artist friend. 3 pp
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, February 3, 1921: hopes to rewrite volume 1, as he is unhappy with it; Spanish translation is delayed due to paper shortages; his brother's chateau is to be sold; wrote an article on Charlot. 3 pp., in French
From Maurice Brazil Prendergast, New York, N.Y., February 28, 1921: thanks Pach for introducing him and Charlie to Mr. and Mrs. Brummer; their work will be exhibited at Brummer's March 15-April 1; read Pach's article on Matisse; will try to see the exhibition. 3 pp
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, March 1, 1921: discusses changes to the title of his 4-volume -- History of Art -- ; volume 1 is being shipped to Pach soon; believes French academics slander France. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, March 4, 1921: Is still trying to find a place for the Pachs to stay; his own apartment will not be available until August; discusses the title of his book and asks Pach to write the introduction; the article on Charlot was not published. 2 pp., in French
From Clara La Follette, -- Freeman -- , New York, N.Y., [postmarked] March 7, 1921: sends letter received by the -- Freeman -- that she thinks will amuse Pach. 1 p., + 2 pp. enclosure (letter rubber stamped February 23, 1921 [date of receipt?] to Mr. Huebsch From Alfred Stieglitz, New York, N.Y. [of an exhibition review by Pach published in the -- Freeman -- ]: "Mr. Pach undoubtedly did his best--but I fear that the real significance of the work was beyond him.--I regret it")
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, March 14, 1921: will send proofs of Napoleon; desires advice From Pach concerning whether it should be translated; thinks the subject will be of interest in America. 2 pp., in French
From Camille Redon, Paris, France, [postmarked] August 1, 1921: thanks Pach for translating an article about Redon; offers a Redon work to Mrs. Pach. 1 p., in French
From Elie Faure, Dordogne, France, August 15, 1921: 4 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, March 16, 1921: has sent Pach his article on Charlot, which will be published soon by -- L'Esprit Nouveau -- ; discusses his work, including an article on cinema and -- Napoleon -- ; inquires about payment and translation rights for articles appearing in the -- Freeman -- . 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, April 16, 1921: the translation of his Charlot article must mention it is excerpted from -- L'Esprit Nouveau -- ; the French are boycotting American films, especially Charlie Chaplin's; compliments Pach's translations; -- History of Art -- has been an unexpected success; Napoleon promises to do well and is being serialized in -- Grande Revue -- ; he and Pach will divide the profits; may have found a convenient place for the Pachs to stay. 2 pp., in French
From [Mme.] Duchamp-Villon, Paris, France, April 20, 1921: offers to help Pach find lodging when he visits; asks if Quinn has received the sculpture. 1 p., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, June 29, 1921: unable to find a place for Pach to stay; -- History of Art -- is selling well; reprints and new volumes will require translation; asks if Pach could bring his daughter a statuette of Charlot to put on their car, as is now the fad. 2 pp., in French
From Jean Le Roy, Nièvre, France, [postmarked] December 29, 1914: wants Pach's opinion of his poems; is in the army; heard Pach is organizing an exhibition; asks for news of the Duchamp brothers. 4 pp., in French.
From Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, January 19, 1915: advises patience until the world of art returns; a weak heart disqualified Marcel From military duty; congratulates Pach on the exhibition; is invited to San Francisco but doubts cubist works will be accepted; discusses prices of his medallions. 2 pp., in French.
From Camille Redon, Paris, France, [postmarked] August 1, 1921: thanks Pach for translating an article about Redon; offers a Redon work to Mrs. Pach. 1 p., in French
From Elie Faure, Dordogne, France, August 15, 1921: 4 pp., in French
From Clara La Follette, Freeman, New York, N.Y., August 16, 1921: opinions of French government; comments on Faure's article on the cinema; urges Pach to send the article he mentioned; is looking for a studio. 4 pp
From Henri Matisse, Nice, France, September 7, 1921: agrees to Pach's terms concerning the Redon paintings, but there is no one available who is capable of separating the torn papers of -- Radiant Flower -- ; after 3 weeks of laziness, he is painting again and it is like starting over at the beginning. 2 pp., in French
From [Mme.] Duchamp-Villon, Puteaux, France, September 18, 1921: [Illegible]. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, September 29, 1921: 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, October 27, 1921: thanks Pach for checks received; discusses advantages and disadvantages of using a picture for promoting his works; his daughter is most disappointed that there are no more Charlot statuettes; asks Pach to sell lottery tickets for charity. 4 pp., in French
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, November 9, 1921: thanks Pach for catalog; photograph of "St. Francis at Brooklyn" reminds him of "the naive art of all the eccentric regions of Europe." 4 pp
From Jacques Villon, [place unknown], France, November 9, 1921: is glad to have met Mrs. Pach; Matisse engraving is not yet ready due to printing problems. 4 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, November 13, 1921: discusses the details of his contract with -- Harpers -- , which he considers unjust; his father-in-law died; reports on the sick painter friend for whom the benefit raffle was held. 6 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, November 28, 1921: if the misunderstanding concerning the -- Harpers -- contract is not corrected, it will be a disaster; their artist friend needs further surgery; hopes Pach can sell more tickets for the raffle, which will precede an exhibit in February or March; lists artists--among them Bonnard, Dufy, Matisse, Signac, and Braque--who have donated works for the raffle; regrets that his last book devoted so little space to Derain. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, December 19, 1921: thanks Pach for help in clearing up a misunderstanding with his American publisher; discusses his 4-volume work, including opinions of the layouts and illustrations of each; Pach should decide whether to attribute a painting to de Pietro or Sassetta; plans to write about Derain; an exhibition, organized for an artist friend in need, includes a lottery with contributions From Matisse, Derain, and Picasso; will send Pach 250 lottery tickets; announces the upcoming marriage of François, a talented decorator, and asks if work could be found for him in New York or if his projects could be reproduced in an American publication. 4 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], December 23, 1921: received a letter From Briggs and praises the loyalty and honesty of American publishers; thanks Pach for perseverance in bringing to publication, in English translation, -- History of Art -- ; lottery tickets are being sent, many going to Mrs. Whitney; asks if Pach could help to interest American publisher Nelson in the collections of an expanding French publishing firm looking for capital; is sending -- Mediaeval Art -- and François' furnishing projects. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, December 31, 1921: considers volume 1 "our" -- History of Art -- out of gratitude for Pach's excellent translation; discusses the illustrations and general appearance of the book; -- Mediaeval Art -- and lottery tickets will be sent soon; has 2 paintings he wants Pach to sell in the United States, a Venetian school Crucifixion and a version of Gros's -- Murat a la Bataille d'Aboukir -- ; describes the paintings, discusses prices and Pach's commission. 3 pp., in French
From Maurice Brazil Prendergast. New York, N.Y., January 26, 1922: Discusses quality of reproductions for Shadowland; wants to assist, should Pach decide to write an article; compliments Pach's writing. 3 pp
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, March 30, 1922: Americans have won 8 of the lottery prizes (most of them with Mrs. Whitney's tickets) consisting of 6 etchings and 2 paintings; what to do with the artworks is a problem in view of customs requirements. 2 pp., in French
From Camille Redon, Paris, France, April 7, 1922: mailed 2 etchings and 30 proofs made of each of Redon's copper engravings; the plates went to the Print Museum; thanks Pach for the beautiful etching and photographs he sent. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, April 10, 1922: received the -- Freeman -- article; just completed a response to the review of his book, which he prefers to send to the -- Dial -- rather than the -- Freeman -- ; wrote a new introduction to Greek Art for future editions; hopes Pach has sold paintings; thinks one of the paintings could pass as a fake for customs purposes. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris. France, April 11, 1922: the attribution of his Baron Gros is certain, but its condition is not perfect; discusses articles being translated by Pach; discusses the French language in Canada; he and Pach agree on important points; Pach is unfair to Bonnard, who eventually will be regarded as a minor master; Derain is a great painter who overshadows Matisse. 2 pp., in French, labeled "second letter" (enclosed with letter of April 10, 1922)
From Pedro HenrÃquez Ureña, Universidad Nacional de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico, May 31, 1922: discusses Pach's remuneration and class schedule for the summer session. 1 p
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, June 17, 1922: regrets not being able to meet Pach in Mexico and wishes Rivera had invited him, too; will try to delay French publication of his article so the -- Dial -- can print it first; another piece on the aesthetics of machinism has already been published in France; finished a long chapter of -- The Spirit of the Forms -- and wants Harper's to consider it completed; after going to Vichy for his health, he will take a vacation; wants to know all about Pach's archaeological discovery in Mexico. 2 pp., in French
From John Sloan, Santa Fe, N.M., [postmarked] August 4, 1922: has a car for summer travels; the Henris are there; has been painting. 2 pp., illustrated with drawing of a car on a winding mountain road ("Climbing the Bahada [no exaggeration!]")
From L.L. Kane, Long Lake, N.Y., August 12, 1922: wants to read Pach's article in the Freeman; admires his ability to present lectures in other languages; describes his Adirondack camp. 2 pp
From Henri Matisse, Nice, France, September 2, 1922: mailed copies of all the engravings he made during the summer; asks Pach's advice on lowering the price of Redon's pastels; he is now back at work in Nice after 2 months in Paris. 2 pp., in French
From Jacques Villon, Soissons, France, September 6, 1922: the estimate for publishing was higher than anticipated; asks Pach to intercede; inquires about Pach's trip to Mexico; news of various friends; discusses summer plans. 2 pp., in French
From Sybil Kent Kane, Long Lake, N.Y., September 7, 1922: thanks Pach for sending the picture of a jug; her book is about the life of Blessed Margaret Mary. 4 pp
To Professor D. Ramon Mena From Walter Pach, Mexico City, Mexico, October 4, 1922: the mosaic mask discovered by Professor Aguierre and displayed in the National Museum is an object of great interest; it presents important problems to American antiquities experts and to those studying aesthetics; an important detail is the way in which material is handled; discusses fundamental difference in the work of the imitator and the mosaic mask; the technical question and expressive question are inseparable; appreciates the compliment of being asked his opinion. 3 pp., in Spanish
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, October 22, 1922: received payment for photographs and book royalties; discusses Rivera's talent, disagreeing with Pach's view of his originality; Rivera has remarried; shares Pach's admiration for Mexican art; now that his article has appeared in the -- Dial -- , he has nothing further to publish in America other than History of Art; since Pach is now devoting more time to painting and etching, he will need to find Faure a new translator; asks Pach if chapters From The Spirit of the Forms and essays on great literary figures could appear in American publications; discusses some of his theories of art and the structural aspect of his own writings. 6 pp., in French
From Jean Charlot, [place unknown], Mexico, November 5, 1922: Pach's article appeared in -- Mexico Moderno -- ; Orozco will be exhibiting watercolors; the fresco Accion del Artes is almost finished; is becoming interested in religious painting. 4 pp., in French
From Diego Rivera, [place unknown], Mexico, December 7, 1922: thanks Pach for his valuable friendship; the Mexican Independents, now formally organized, are invited to show with the Society of Independents in New York; Orozco, Charlot, Revueltas, Figueiros, Leal, Alba, Cahero, Bolanos, Ugarte, Cano, Nahui, Ate, Rivera, and children will represent Mexico; discusses space needs and suggests possible hanging arrangements; needs to find a way to pay for transportation; please convey their appreciation to the Society; Pach should tell Miss Porter that although there was a mix-up in communications, Rivera is still interested in the small exposition. 4 pp., in Spanish
From Jacques Villon, [place unknown], France, December 21, 1922: [Illegible]. 8 pp., in French
to Magda Pach From Gaby [Mme. Jacques Villon?], [place unknown], December 27, 1922: wishes the Pach family would visit them for several months; Villon is working hard, as always; except for a vacation in Brittany, they rarely go anywhere; engravings are time consuming but right now sell better than paintings; asks about Pach's stay in Mexico. 2 pp., in French
From Carlo Lemba, Florence, Italy., [?,?] 1923: thanks Pach for remembering him and for the very beautiful Rembrandt; requests a catalog or photograph. Picture postcard ("Firenze--Palazzo Vecchia--Il Cortile"), in Italian
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, January 21, 1923: thanks Pach for his translation; discusses modifications to be made in the first volume; details plans for future publications; lists illustrations for the last chapter of History of Art. 10 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, March 4, 1923: at last, publication of -- Mediaeval Art -- has been announced; the definitive edition of his work is currently in progress; discusses new prefaces for all 5 volumes; rewrote the last chapter of volume 4, which does not mention Bonnard but expands discussion of Matisse, Picasso, and Derain, whom he considers the greatest contemporary painter. 2 pp., in French
From Jean Charlot, [place unknown], Mexico, [postmarked] March 31, 1923: was happy to receive Pach's illustrated article about Seurat; the enclosed flier rebuts another slanderous article about the exhibit; the catalog reproduction of the painting Pach started in Mexico was recognized by everyone; Diego called it more Mexican than their own contributions; Diego finished his first panel for the ministry frescoes; Diego's brother-in-law executed a successful encaustic mural in Guadalajara; Diego sends thanks to Pach, but cannot write because he works From 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.--without eating--which is hard on his aides who must do likewise. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, April 24, 1923: an American definitive edition is under consideration; will send Pach copies of work by Spain's best artist since Goya; still thinks Derain is the best painter; Matisse's exhibition lacks humanity; discusses European political problems. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, May 10, 1923: is now writing a book about the mechanism regulating the life cycles of societies; did not see all the exhibits because he is now drawn more to social psychology, which helps him understand painting; life takes precedence over painting; his article was misunderstood in America and France by supporters and opponents alike; painting, no longer the dominant art form as it was in the previous century, is being overtaken by cinema; assures Pach of his friendship and trust; understands that his ideas provoke resistance even among the best of friends. 6 pp., in French
From Suzanne La Follette, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] June 23, 1923: thanks Pach for article; sends proofs of first article; was advised not to go to Germany; will visit England, France, and Italy. 4 pp
From J. Van Gogh Bonger, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, June 27, 1923: read that the Pachs were cited as among the best of the Independents; the pictures are back, and she is glad they were exhibited in the United States; is anxious to publish Van Gogh's letters in English; opinions of Meier-Graefe's book; opinions of recent articles in the -- Times -- and the -- Freeman -- ; "What I never forgive Meyer-Greafe [ sic] is his suggestion that Theo, after his marriage could not provide for Vincent any longer"; is sending a Van Gogh drawing to Pach in appreciation for his help. 3 pp
From Diego Rivera, [place unknown], Mexico, July 3, 1923: introduces Covarrubias; on behalf of the group, thanks Pach and the Independents in New York; Pach's Mexican street scene showed intimate and strong character; hopes for even better representation next year; describes current projects of several Mexican artists; Covarrubias has photographs of murals in progress. 2 pp., in Spanish
From Lewis Mumford, Brooklyn, N.Y., July 5, 1923: congratulates Pach on Modern Art; "it is far and away the best piece of criticism we've had in America, to my knowledge." 1 p
From Alfred Stieglitz, Lake George, N.Y., July 21, 1923: he and O'Keeffe are enjoying Pach's translation of Faure; Stieglitz has read it in the original; O'Keeffe doesn't know French. 1 p
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], October 8, 1923: if Harper's cannot locate the photograph Faure sent of a Picasso painting, Pach should select a substitute; requests assistance in coilecting a fee owed by a publisher; complains about the usual reluctance of museums to accept paintings; suggests that Boston or the Barnes Foundation might be interested in the Gros, Delacroix, and Venetian school paintings he wants to sell; -- History of Art -- will be translated into Spanish and possibly German; hopes for more contacts with the United States. 2 pp., in French
From J. Van Gogh Bonger, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, October 18, 1923: could not find anyone to deliver the drawing to Pach, so she mailed it; is working on an exhibition to be held in London; Zigrosser visited. 1 p., negative photostat
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, December 1, 1923: has mailed the photographs Pach requested; believes he has told Pach of all the proposals received From America and still awaits answers relating to some; Waldo Frank visited; found Miss La Follette most congenial; the package of photographs also contains a small drawing as a memento of their collaboration. 2 pp., in French
From Ariella Brunelleschi, Florence, Italy, [postmarked] December 12, 1923: her entire family sends thanks; best wishes for a good trip. Picture postcard ("Firenze--Galleria Uffizi La Nativita de Gesu dett.--Van Der Goes Ugo"), in Italian
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], January 24, 1924: approves of the way in which Pach used his Renoir to illustrate an article; still trying to sell the Gros painting abroad; the Venetian painting was shipped today, and he awaits Pach's impression of it; Faure is convinced the landscape, most likely of Toledo, and at least one figure were painted by El Greco in his youth; awaits photographs of Pach's paintings and etchings; is delighted to learn of Pach's lecture series in Kansas, which includes one on Faure's fourth volume. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], January 31, 1924: praises solidity, intelligent composition, and exceptional synthetic quality of Pach's portrait of his son; the portrait of Pach's wife is less successful; praises the harmony in Pach's mythological painting but its composition is less than perfect; Pach shows great progress; is sending a photograph of a first-class Corot that is for sale; discusses the price and how they would share the profit. 2 pp., in French
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, February 6, 1924: read Pach's article in -- Harper's -- "with interest, with zest and with envy." 4 pp
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], March 11, 1924: the news contained in Pach's cable frees him From current financial worries; he is sending the painting immediately and warns Pach about mislabeling on the back of the picture; insists that Pach take a substantial commission; though it makes him sad to part with the painting, he now can provide a secure future for his family. 2 pp., in French
From Suzanne La Follette, Plymouth, England, March 11, 1924: the voyage has been "rough and dull." 2 pp
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], March 19, 1924: received the fourth volume in translation and finds the illustrations much better than those in the first 3 volumes; expresses gratitute to Pach; is sending a gift of a Rodin etching; just saw Derain and is certain the artist is evolving, despite his somewhat disoriented state; Matisse's last exhibit was disappointing and lacked human qualities. 2 pp., in French
From Arthur Burdett Frost, Pasadena, Calif., March 30, 1924: thanks Pach for his exhibition idea; cannot participate because he has no suitable work available; "I used to be very careless about my original drawings"; Jack moved to California for health reasons; Jack paints desert landscapes that sell well. 4 pp
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, April 1, 1924: the Gros painting has been in transit for 3 weeks; deplores the exchange rate and discusses Pach's commission; is pleased that Pach will be the translator for -- The Gods -- and hopes he will do -- The Spirit of the Forms -- , even though this work will take him away From painting; wants to see Pach's pamphlet on Seurat, whom he likes more and more; Faure has added to his collection paintings by Corot, Courbet, Delacroix, Bonnington, and others he discovered in the attic of a secondhand shop; Miss La Follette visited; asks Pach to inquire about the fate of his Shakespeare essay. 4 pp., in French
From Jacques Villon, [place unknown], France, April 6, 1924: agrees wholeheartedly to the proposed exchange; thanks Pach for a check; wants him to accept, as a gift, any Villon painting still in Pach's hands; will follow Pach's instructions concerning the book; is painting but cannot find himself in that medium; his next engraving will be a Rousseau. 2 pp., in French
From E.H. Anderson, Director, New York Public Library, New York, N.Y., April 9, 1924: acknowledges gift of etchings. 1 p
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, May 2, 1924: sends a check for Pach's commission on the sale of the Murat painting; is glad Pach liked his gift of a Rodin etching; discusses changes to volume 3 and wonders why a particular reproduction was omitted From the American edition; -- The Spirit of the Forms -- is still under revision, and he has been busy writing -- Cervantes -- ; like Pach, he admires Matisse's lithographs but feels uneasy about the virtuoso element apparent in his annual painting exhibits; Despiau's portraits are more and more admirable; met Braque, whose work now interests him more; since Braque has renounced cubism, only Picasso remains; Picasso's last noncubist exhibit was curious and somewhat disturbing. 2 pp., in French
From Leigh Mitchell Hodges, Doylestown, Pa., May 4, 1924: sends sonnet inspired by a Pach etching. 1 p. + enclosure ("Sonnet--To Walter Pach's etching of Miss M-----")
From Julius Meier-Graefe, Berlin, Germany, July 22, 1924: Pach is the first American to attempt and succeed at serious examination of art From Corot to the present; is sending a copy of volume 3 of -- Modern Art -- , which discusses some of the same issues addressed in Pach's book; believes cubism, expressionism, and impressionism to be manifestations of decadence; in his book, Pach failed to cite German contributions. 3 pp., in German
From Elie Faure, Dordogne, France, July 31, 1924: hopes to see Pach in Dordogne during August; the article on illustrious men he has known will need to be twice as long, so Pach should make arrangements; discusses a remarkable book about sport by his Frenchified Brazilian friend Braga and suggests a translation would be of interest to Americans; Braga wrote the most intelligent articles ever published about Faure in French and plans a history of world literature that would mirror -- History of Art -- . 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Dordogne, France, August 2, 1924: Pach should tell Wells that Faure accepts the 5,000-word limitation; the article consists of a series of portraits of famous men and concludes with a sincere tribute to America. 1 p., in French
From Julius Meier-Graefe, Schlaghtensee, Germany, [postmarked] August 5, 1924: advises Pach not to judge the paintings of [von Marees?] on the basis of his early Dresden period, but look at the Munich work. Postal card, in German
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, August 11, 1924: read -- Masters of Modern Art -- ; "I wish I could give you the support you ask for. And I have found yr. book informing, stimulating, provoking and sincere. But I cannot even begin to see what you do in cubism"; advises Pach to choose writing over painting, as it is impossible to do both. 8 pp
From Elie Faure, Dordogne, France, August 24, 1924: regrets that Pach did not visit him; plans to go to Italy in September but hopes to see Pach in Paris afterward; hesitates to accept a long lecture tour in America. 2 pp., in French
From James Oppenheim, New York, N.Y., August 24, 1924: Gertrude is seriously ill; Oppenheim's son has faith in his work; Oppenheim's book was reviewed; is delighted with the book on Matisse. 2 pp
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, September 13, 1924: expresses his opinion of modern art and artists; "I did not mean what the Ku-Kluxers or Coolidgeites mean when they speak of the latest phenomena in painting as Bolshevik. But in a prophetic, devastatingly deep way that's what they are. And they may serve a kindred purpose, namely to bury the dead form. But they are undertakers, grave-diggers, and at best manure makers only. Artists they are not and Picasso not at all;" Pach "overestimates" Delacroix's ability as an artist. 4 pp
From John Gould Fletcher, London, England, October 7, 1924: thanks Pach for the book on Duchamp-Villon; compliments the "excellent" introduction; agrees that "Duchamp-Villon was the true descendant of the stonecutters of Chartres"; Faure's -- History of Art -- is "remarkable"; he is trying to publish a rebuttal to the concluding chapter; the -- Freeman -- failed. 3 pp
From Arthur Burdett Frost, Pasadena, Calif., October 26, 1924: thanks for the brushes, which he will share with Jack; requests recommendations for directing Jack's art reading; Frost now reads mainly on palentology and natural history; if his eyesight permitted, he would paint his concept of earliest man; recalls a terrible summer spent in Rhode Island; contrasts California with the East; recalls the Dresden Gallery; Butler's stay in New York was a "dreadful experience." 5 pp
From Jacques Villon, Paris, France, October 27, 1924: just received Pach's book on painting and thinks his ideas about evolution of painting are admirable; has not yet seen the Salon d'Automne; sales were good, and even those opposed to abstract painting smiled. 3 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, November 1, 1924: has shipped a magnificent painting; is surprised that it is possible to sell paintings in America since the Paris art market is at a standstill; the last good show was the Renoir exhibit at Rosenberg's; books are not selling, and he could not find a publisher for his latest work; publishing houses are closing; prewar politicians and prewar methods are responsible for the disaster; the general economy and his personal situation are grim; melancholy family news. 4 pp., in French
From Henri Matisse, Nice, France, November 18 and December 5, 1924: his son, Pierre, is moving to New York; Pierre wants to work at a gallery specializing in modern art; he and the Steins agree this is a good plan; asks Pach to advise and assist Pierre, and he will request the same of Brummer; Michael Stein suggests Pach meet Pierre at the ship. 4 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, December 1, 1924: is housebound after a small accident, and catching up with work; both the -- Dial -- and -- Harper's -- sent checks; comments on current exhibitions and sales; Pach is his closest American friend; wants to establish closer ties in the United States; France now depends upon American patronage; Mrs. Dillard is sending a Corot to Pach; she might be helpful to Brummer; sometimes she has Renoirs and Derains at reasonable prices. 2 pp., in French
From Xavier Martinez, Piedmont, Calif., December 3, 1924: compliments -- Masters of Modern Art -- and Pach's translation of Faure; disagrees with Faure's chapters on Greece and Mexico; Pach understands the art of Mexico; encloses 2 drawings of Indian madonnas. 1 p., partly in Spanish
From Lewis Mumford, Brooklyn, N.Y., December 15, 1924: thanks Pach for grasping the essence of his book; agrees with Duchamp-Villon's views on architecture. 2 pp
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], January 9, 1925: commiserates with Pach over his rejection by -- Harper's -- ; comments on subjects that appeal to editors of popular magazines; Pach should continue trying to sell the Corot; the owner also has paintings by Renoir and Derain and a Seurat drawing; inquires about the status of translations now at -- Harper's -- ; comments on the superiority of American cinema. 3 pp., in French
From Pedro HenrÃquez Ureña, La Plata, Argentina, January 13, 1925: hopes Pach will be interested in the work of his friend, Emilio Pettoniti, an advanced Argentine painter; asks where Pettoniti might exhibit in New York. 2 pp., in Spanish
From Diego Rivera, [place unknown], Mexico, January 13, 1925: requests photographs of the work Pach accomplished in France; wants news of Elie Faure; mentions several commissions he is now working on; comments on Charlot; has waited more than a year for word from Aleman; is considering going abroad when through with the Chapingo chapel. 3 pp., in Spanish
to Elie Faure From William H. Briggs, [place unknown], March 3, 1925: not financially feasible to bring out the definitive edition of -- History of Art -- for at least 3 years; wants -- The Spirit of the Forms -- to be volume 5; agrees to publish an English edition of -- The Spirit of the Forms -- and -- The Dance on Fire and Water -- ; -- The Constructors -- , -- The Holy Face -- , and future books are not to be offered to other publishers. 3 pp
From Diego Rivera, [place unknown], Mexico, March 13, 1925: would send photographs of his work but in Mexico it takes too long to get prints; Pach's book fully deserves Faure's praise; Rivera finds Pach's paintings appealing; is grateful for the high esteem with which Pach wrote of his work; work on Chapingo chapel continues; despite serious financial problems, Charlot is constantly progressing; asks Pach's opinions and advice about a Spanish edition of his book; Ravenna Mosaic requested a sample piece of -- The Antilles -- . 7 pp., in Spanish
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, March 28, 1925: is hurt not to have heard From Pach; Mr. Briggs wrote about translation and publication plans; wants Pach to translate -- The Spirit of the Forms -- ; thanks for getting his autobiography published in the -- Dial -- ; his friend, Mrs. Fougeirol, and daughter, will call on Pach; hopes Pach and Brummer can assist Mrs. Dillard with the sale of her Corot; the Gaugnat sale is unaffordable; Mrs. Dillard also has Renoirs to sell. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], March 29, 1925: is happy that Briggs wants to do the album and will talk to Crès about sales; thanks to Madame B. for the Corot; his version of Delacroix's journal will be published; compliments Pach's painting; asks Pach to speak to Harper's about not using the number of his last volume of -- History of Art -- so the public will buy it without having the earlier volumes. 4 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, May 9, 1925: tells of his voyage to Marrakech; saw Fletcher; Pach will receive the Gaugnat sale catalog; Madame Gaugnat died 6 months after her husband, leaving their son harassed by dealers; a small Renoir may be available; asks Pach to intervene on his behalf with Harper's regarding income tax withholding; discusses Delacroix and impressionist exhibits; discusses the realism of Delacroix's Moroccan paintings. 6 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], May 17, 1925: condolences on the death of Pach's father; is surprised by what Pach told him of the Corot; discusses a French landscape exhibit at the Petit Palais containing too many paintings; Corot reigns. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], May 20, 1925: invites Pach to visit him in Dordogne during the summer; describes a Corot that should go to an American museum. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], May 30, 1925: gives instructions for translation revisions; bought 2 magnificent Derains; suggests that consignments be sent to Mrs. Payne Whitney; -- History of Art -- received mixed reviews. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], June 5, 1925: galleys are still incomplete as there are problems with illustrations and captions; his Baron Gros painting is at the French exhibit in Prague; will send a photograph later; asks Pach to help sell the Gros picture and a Daumier. 3 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], August 11, 1925: asks if volume 3 has been published; thinks volume 4 is his best; hopes that the new prefaces added to each volume will make Pach like the whole work better; Rosenberg met with Mrs. Whitney; discusses the quality of reproductions in his book on Derain; describes John Lane's indirect attack on his chapter about English art; was not charmed by Blake; Constable is the only English painter he likes; look for his Shakespeare article in the -- Dial -- . 6 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, September 7, 1925: bought a house at Dordogne; volume 4 is still incomplete; lists photographs he will send soon; this may be a good time to sell his 2 paintings; discusses the sales commission; mentions favorable points of the Gros painting; the other painting may be harder to sell; is considering selling a Daumier and a Delacroix to help pay for his new house. 4 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], September 9, 1925: promises to send the photographs for his book; even the best translation cannot be completely faithful to the original; discusses specific changes to be made; discusses a chapter on Europe being added to volume 4. 6 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], September 21, 1925: is sending 5 photographs; 1 is for -- Harper's -- to include in volume 4, and the remainder are of works he hopes can be sold in the United States; needs money for his new house. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], September 26, 1925: is still waiting for a contract with Criterion; the painting consigned to Ehrich has not sold; maybe Pach could sell it or suggest another dealer; Pach should send instructions to Ehrich; -- Harper's -- will publish -- The Spirit of the Forms -- as volume 5; wants Pach to be the translator but will understand if he declines. 4 pp., in French
From F.P. Keppel, New York, N.Y., October 21, 1925: has received Pach's letter with proofs and suggestions. 1 p
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], October 22, 1925: has received volume 3 and congratulated Mr. Briggs; still thinks the plates should have been produced in France; bills for photographs remain unpaid; thanks Pach for his energy and perseverance; Spanish and German editions are planned; Knopf will publish an English edition of Napoleon; came close to selling the Daumier; comments on the condition of Marat by Gros; inquires about Pach's painting and the possibility of an exhibition in Paris. 4 pp., in French
From Jean Charlot, [place unknown], October 27, 1925: his present work is totally different From the 12 paintings being sent; Pach is one of the few friends abroad who might be interested; Pach should keep one for himself and try to sell the rest; is sending 4 photographs of recent work; he and Diego want to see reproductions of Pach's latest paintings; inventory of works being sent; had problems with his exhibition in Los Angeles. 4 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, November 21, 1925: there will be a delay in sending photographs; thanks Pach for introducing Miss La Follette; -- Harper's -- paid more than expected; Briggs reproached him for choosing Knopf to publish Napoleon. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, November 27, 1925: thanks Pach for introducing Speyer; congratulates Pach on his new job; likes Pach's engravings; wants Pach to translate The Spirit of the Forms; is sending another manuscript for which he hopes Pach can help find a publisher; he owns the picture incorrectly captioned in his last book and it is for sale. 4 pp., in French
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., January 7, 1926: she has written about her husband; is happy to be of service to Pach; can furnish more information. 1 p. + 3 pp. enclosure, (manuscripts by Susan M. Eakins of biographical notes on Thomas Eakins, including excerpts From letters to his father written while studying in France; list of paintings completed between 1870 and 1876; teaching methods; notes From Charles Bregler's transcript of Eakins's comments to students)
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, January 19, 1926: Mrs. Dillard sold his English painting to Mr. Speyer; introductions made by Pach facilitated the transaction; no one is to know Faure was the owner; since he cannot pay the duty if the piece at Ehrich is returned to France, Pach should keep it or put it in storage until later; asks if the Metropolitan might be interested in Mrs. Dillard's large Corot; content with Montaigne; still reworking -- The Spirit of the Forms; -- Soutine has become more important; believes Derain shows progress; Matisse's astonishing virtuosity continues to increase; saw admirable work by Picasso; Braque is a beautiful but monotonous painter; considers Charlie Chaplin the great man of America. 4 pp., in French
From Harold O. Voorhis, Secretary, New York University, New York, N.Y., February 23, 1926: confirms Pach's appointment as assistant professor of fine arts. 1 p
From Harold O. Voorhis, Secretary, New York University, New York, N.Y., March 5, 1926: received Pach's acceptance of faculty appointment. 1 p
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, March 24, 1926: has seen Pach's friends; is looking forward to Pach's visit in the summer; he and his wife are caring for an African-Arab baby; The Spirit of the Forms is almost finished; gives instructions about selling the unfortunate Spanish painting; is sending a drawing as a gift; Mrs. Dillard needs a list of dealers and their specialties. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, April 22, 1926: is pleased to learn the Delacroix drawing was well received; believes Delacroix is becoming greater by the day; is not eager for further lecture tours; his latest book was ignored; foreigners understand him better than the French; regrets that Pach will not be able to visit him in Dordogne; discusses price of the crucifixion painting. 2 pp., in French
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, June 8, 1926: goals for studying art of the past are aesthetic or humanistic; it is a "triumph" that Pach's "anti-Rotarian protest" was published in -- Harper's -- Magazine; "glad to hear yr. painting is taking on, altho' I deplore yr. giving to it the time you should dedicate to writing"; urges him to write about the Gardner collection. 12 pp
From Elie Faure, Dordogne, France, August 10, 1926: the entire family is at Dordogne and sorry Pach cannot join them; discusses exchange rate; Briggs trusts Pach to translate -- The Spirit of the Forms -- , which will be volume 5 of -- History of Art -- ; asks Pach to consider undertaking the job. 2 pp., in French
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, August 19, 1926: wishes there had been an opportunity for them to visit and have a serious talk during Pach's recent lecture tour; "I fear you will never take the place yr. gifts as a writer could lead you to if you cannot detach yr. self fr. painting itself. It is a pity. For critics are ever so much rarer." 4 pp
From Diego Rivera, [place unknown], Mexico, October 4, 1926: the package Lupe sent to the Pachs was lost when the boat capsized; wants copies of the magazine -- L'Amour de l'Art -- ; Derain's work is better; shares Pach's opinion of Picasso; wants to see Matisse's work; Faure will try to include more Rivera reproductions in the new edition; asks Pach to check on the status of Rudolf Tesch's project for Carnegie Corp.; requests the Charlot exhibition catalog. 4 pp., in Spanish
To Mrs. Pach From Lupe de Rivera, [place unknown], October 6, 1926: thanks for the baby sweater; her daughter, Guadalupe, called Pico, was tiny and ill at birth but now thrives. 2 pp., in Spanish
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], November 3, 1926: Mrs. Dillard has a Fragonard worthy of a museum or a fine collection; asks about hotel rates in New York City. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, November 12, 1926: is grateful that Pach will be translating -- The Spirit of the Forms; -- Pach should persuade Mr. Briggs to expedite the publisher's contract; saw Seurat's exhibition of more than 200 luminous drawings and a Bonnard show of rich and subtle still-lifes; 2 paintings by Matisse were highlights in an otherwise indifferent Salon d'Automne; Miss La Follette and her brother visited; the Baron Gros painting, which Mme. Dillard will handle, is a masterwork that the Metropolitan Museum [of Art] could be proud of; still believes in Soutine; would like to meet Barnes though a ruse might be needed. 4 pp., in French
From Suzanne La Follette, Choisy, France, November 19, 1926: visited Elie Faure and hopes to see him again; a review of her book will appear in -- Saturday Review -- . 6 pp
From Pedro Henriquez Ureña, Miramar, Argentina, January [?], 1927: Valovaciones cannot pay for contributions or translations; Pach should publish a translation of his book in the magazine so that Argentines will be familiar with him and his ideas. 2 pp
From Suzanne La Follette, [place unknown], January 9, 1927: the publisher is not promoting her book well; thinks Lewis Mumford is "gifted." 3 pp
From Suzanne La Follette, Paris, France, January 13, 1927: asks about resorts on the Mediterranean; Chester wrote enthusiastically of his travels in Italy. 3 pp
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, February 22, 1927: has had no reply From Mexico; "Art and Morals," which appeared in the Dial, should be retranslated; -- History of Art -- is being translated into Czech and possibly Japanese; artistic life in Paris is boring; Matisse is definitely the most tolerated; Soutine is not doing much; Pach should try to sell the Gros painting for Mrs. Dillard. 2 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, March 8, 1927: a safe-deposit box was transferred, with difficulty, from Pach's name to his; saw a beautiful Renoir exhibition; prices are high and only Delacroix and Corot are affordable now; Derain should protect himself From dealers. 2 pp., in French
From Bernard Berenson, Fabriano, Italy, May 10, 1927: review of his book missed its "contribution... to a criticism that is based on a question of design"; invites Pach to consider this issue in a review. 4 pp
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], June 8, 1927: Delacroix is becoming popular; at the sale of the Bureau collection ordinary Daumier watercolors brought high prices and wonderful Corot drawings sold cheaply; is unhappy with the captions for the plates in his last edition; witnessed Lindbergh's landing. 4 pp., in French
From Marcel Duchamp, Paris, France, June 24, 1927: announces his recent marriage; describes a Redon watercolor that Pach might sell to the Bings; Mrs. Bing expressed interest in the Brancusi bust now stored at Brummer, King, and Parker. 2 pp., in French
From Bernard Berenson, Stockholm, Sweden, July 25, 1927: Pach's review showed "intelligent and friendly comprehension"; "my Three Essays is an ironied and veiled attempt to demonstrate that there is a big part of the job that any well trained mediocrity can achieve"; "great artists like Antonello are not prophets but fulfillers of prophecy." 2 pp
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, October 3, 1927: spent his vacation traveling in Provence; has abandoned a project that attracted amateur attention; intends to study Chagall; -- History of Art -- will be translated into Japanese. 2 pp., in French
From Bernard Berenson, London, England, October 7, 1927: -- Harper's -- will ask Pach to write about the Gardner collection; urges him to accept the offer. 4 pp
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], December 19, 1927: Gagnon has reappeared; Faure purchased a Barye painting at a junk shop; agrees to write a preface to Pach's book. 4 pp., in French
From Leo Stein, Paris, France, February 7, 1928: Read Pach's review of his book in the -- Architectural Record -- ; "when you realize your incompetence for a job because of ignorance you had better keep out, because that very ignorance will prevent you From realizing how big a fool you are making of yourself." 1 p
From Elie Faure, [place unknown],1 April 22, 1928: Had a heart attack; is now working on a book about folk psychology; will lecture in Germany; museums prefer a perfect modern canvas to a masterpiece with slight damage; asks if Pach has tried to find a buyer for Christ; though his books sell, Faure has not prospered; describes several paintings in his collection; he may inherit Mme. Thelaphite's paintings; Mrs. Dillard has a Ribera for sale. 4 pp., in French
From [ signature illegible (Canaan L. Morris?)], Hartford, Conn., May 4, 1928: compliments Pach's lecture of the previous evening; critiques its structure. 2 pp
From Harold O. Voorhis, Secretary, New York University, New York, N.Y., June 15, 1928: confirms Pach's appointment as assistant professor of fine arts. 1 p
From Elie Faure, Dordogne, France, August 11, 1928: is glad to be away From Paris; is very happy about the French translation of Ananias [large portions illegible]. 2 pp
From Jose Clemente Orozco, New York, N.Y., September 1, 1928: -- Form -- magazine deserves attention; offers to write to the editor on Pach's behalf; as Pach suggested, he met with Kraushaar, who didn't seem to like the revolutionary drawings but showed interest in the Art Center Exhibit paintings; speculates that Kraushaar found the Mexican pieces too strange; asks Pach to arrange another meeting; recommends GarcÃa Maroto's article in -- Contemporaries -- about Rivera and his disgusting commercialism. 4 pp., in Spanish
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, September 22, 1928: received Ananias, but cannot read it without a translator [large portions illegible]. 2 pp., in French
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., October 10, 1928: received his letter and book; "whether it is the desire to purchase or not, I am always pleased to show my husband's pictures"; wishes to keep the Rush pictures and studies in Philadelphia. 3 pp
From Arthur B. Springarn, New York, N.Y., November 1, 1928: thanks Pach for dedicating the book to him; best wishes for the volume's success. 1 p
From Eleanor S. Brooks, Westport, Conn., November 14, 1928: five hundred dollars is a satisfactory amount for the manuscript. 1 p
From Lee Simonson, Editor, Creative Art, New York, N.Y., December 18, 1928: thanks Pach for making changes to his Rivera article; his review of Pach's book is "extremely hard-hitting"; offers opportunity for rebuttal in the next issue; "let us keep the thing above personalities"; Alfred Stieglitz and Leo Stein support Simonson's views. 2 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., January 8, 1929: will send chapters for revision; payment can be handled however Pach prefers. 2 pp
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, January 11, 1929: has not finished reading Pach's book because he is unusually busy; his wife is ill; had to put aside projects to complete a book on the Italian Renaissance; with the exception of Sargent, "official" American painters are not known in France; impressionism and its aftermath have not produced any positive result; would like to see Pach's paintings, not just photographs of them; compliments Pach's etchings; a new edition of his work is in preparation; there may be a Serb translation. 4 pp., in French
From Eleanor S. Brooks, Westport, Conn., January 15, 1929: requests a month's extension for their translation work. 2 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., February 14, 1929: chapter I and the introduction are being sent today. 1 p
From Eleanor S. Brooks, Westport, Conn., March 18, 1929: describes working methods; explains problems in translating Faure's writing. 2 pp
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, April 1, 1929: when Pach visits they will look at art and go to Dordogne; discussed Pach's book with his publisher; recommends not using American examples other than Sargent and possibly Alexander and Frieseke in the French edition; will find an apartment for Pach; Miss Mary Morris has not yet called on him; requests books on the psychology of Americans. 2 pp., in French
From Eleanor S. Brooks, Westport, Conn., May 12, 1929: translation work proceeds slowly; Van Wyck is in the hospital; she doesn't want it publicized. 2 pp
From Eleanor S. Brooks, Westport, Conn., May 26, 1929: Van Wyck's health has not improved. 2 pp
From Eleanor S. Brooks, Westport, Conn., July 10, 1929: thanks Pach for his patience; Van Wyck is now in a private sanitarium; she continues to work on the translation. 1 p
From Eleanor S. Brooks, Westport Conn., August 28, 1929: is sending next chapter soon; Van Wyck's condition has not changed. 1 p
From Elie Faure, Dordogne, France, August 28, 1929: his short review of Pach's book has been accepted for publication in the Dial. 2 pp., in French
From Eleanor S. Brooks, [place unknown], August 30, 1929: another chapter is ready. 1 p
From Elie Faure, Dordogne, France, September 13, 1929: went to Basque country with Soutine; had a good rest and thought about the psychology book he is writing; -- The Italian Renaissance -- appears to be a success; is anxious to see Pach's painting and hear about his time in Paris; hopes to interest Pach in Soutine; when working, Soutine hides like a dog gnawing a bone. 2 pp., in French
From Lewis Mumford, Long Island City, N.Y., October 23, 1929: recounts summer travels; is starting a book about the arts in America since 1870; asks for news of Van Wyck Brooks's condition and how Eleanor is coping; he worries about Eleanor's reaction to the proposal that he edit the Emerson book. 2 pp
From Harold M. Tovell, Toronto, Canada, October 25, 1929: "I do think that as a result of patience and education plus your lectures here, that the tide is turning in favor of our Toronto friends"; inquires about Marcel Duchamp; "the house here would be rather bare if it weren't for the Duchamp family. I hope you will tell him how greatly we prize their works." 4 pp
From Jacques Villon, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, November 23, 1929: Verne wrote on behalf of the Committee of the National Museums accepting Raymond's sculptures; sends text of the Committee's flattering letter; thanks Pach for his continued support of Raymond. 4 pp., in French
From Childe Hassam, New York, N.Y., November 30, 1929: n -- Art in America -- , Pach confuses Horatio and Henry Oliver; Marie Sterner "has gotten together some of the worst things I have ever seen"; "verily art in America is run by old women! but most of them wear trousers." 2 pp
From Leo Stein, Paris, France, December 1, 1929: wants Pach to know the facts regarding his alleged endorsement of Clivette; "I supposed that Hellman was a gentleman and did not suspect a plant." 1 p
From Art Young, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] December 5, 1929: holiday greetings; news of James Opp [ sic], Springarn, Suzanne La Follette, and Glintenkamp; is working on a book and exhibition. 1 p. + 4 pp. enclosure (printed circular, undated, advertising books by Art Young, -- On My Way -- and -- Trees at Night -- , with excerpts from reviews and order form)
From Leo Stein, Paris, France 4218 265-267 [postmarked] January 8, 1930: "There is no artist that I value highly whom you do not also value but... you value many whom I don't"; diagram illustrates Stein's explanation of how their artistic tastes differ. 3 pp
From Elie Faure, Dordogne, France, March 12, 1930: Joubib's [?] awful reputation should be a comfort to Pach's friend who was so badly treated; plans to seek legal advice about suing De la Faille. 2 pp., in French
From Lewis Mumford, Long Island City, N.Y., March 12, 1930: is pleased with his lectures at Dartmouth College; his next book will be "a modern philosophy of life"; compliments Suzanne La Follette's book; he has an article in the first issue of the New Freeman; comments on policies and politics of the "Modern Museum." 4 pp
From Harold M. Tovell, [place unknown], May 16, 1930: "This is about the most perfect thing I have seen for a long time. A truly great work." Picture postcard ("Leonardo da Vinci Bronzlovas. Reiterfigur aus Bronze. Figure a cheval en bronze")
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., July 10, 1930: received Pach's picture postcard of a Millet portrait; the "exhibition of Homer, Ryder, and Eakins at the Modern Museum seems to have pleased universally." 1 p
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, August 22, 1930: "I would rather not see the entire output of a master," even Delacroix; after finishing "the lists of Italian Painters" he will revise Drawings of Florentine Painters; then he plans a book on "The Decline and Revival of Form in the Figure Arts." 8 pp
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., September 25, 1930: continues to enjoy the postcards Pach sent, especially the Millet; has found the painting he wants; there will be an exhibition in New York City in December; her good friend Charles Bregler, a pupil of Eakins's, has restored several of the pictures. 2 pp
From Al [Bing?], New York, N.Y., October 19, 1930: "Museum accepts pictures." Telegram
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., October 21, 1930: received Barye copy and photos of Millet picture; details of upcoming Eakins show in New York City are uncertain; Charles Bregler has discovered retouching on some pictures; they will be cleaned before the exhibition; some may be placed behind glass to prevent future overpainting done in "ignorance"; enclosed sketch describes a study Eakins did while a student in Paris; wonders where other pieces from that period are, since he did many and returned with few. 2 pp
From Bryson Burroughs, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y., October 23, 1930: through oversight, Pach's watercolors were not presented at the October meeting; "I forsee no trouble in their reception. The modern style has not the bitter enemies it used to have." 1 p
From Ida E. Guggenheimer, New York, N.Y., November 9, 1930: saw a good exhibition of modern French art at Harriman Gallery and a "gem" at Knoedler; is enthusiastic about Villon's colors; subsequent visits to Brummer's confirmed that her collection is superior; Mr. Kraushaar likes Pach's work and promised to see more; "you are right when you say I cannot expect to compete with the hawks of picture dealers"; comments on Ananias; economic conditions depress Mr. Guggenheimer and may prevent them From traveling. 3 pp
From B. Stein, New York, N.Y., November 17, 1930: thanks Pach for his book; saw Villon's "smashing" show; Gretchen purchased The (Rose) Haulers; financial conditions in the United States are "depressing"; is sorry Pach is "impatient" with writing, as he is gifted; is glad Pach is enjoying painting in Paris; describes ideas about modern furniture, which she wants to buy. 5 pp
From Ida E. Guggenheimer, New York, N.Y., December 1, 1930: "sympathetic" to Pach's "natural gratification at the Metropolitan's action;" Kraushaar will look at Pach's work in her apartment; mentions art seen at Reinhardt's and Brummer's galleries; received a letter From Villon. 2 pp
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., December 12, 1930: Miss Pendleton took the painting Pach wants and will arrange delivery to him; Miss Pendleton would be a good subject to paint; holiday greetings. 1 p
From Ida E. Guggenheimer, New York, N.Y., December 17, 1930: saw Pach's drawings at Kraushaar's; saw work by Houdon at Anderson Galleries; Pach would enjoy Proust's remarks on music and art. 2 pp
From Allen Tucker, New York, N.Y., January 2, 1931: opinions of Corot-Daumier show at the Modern; Tucker had an exhibition. 4 pp
From Leo Stein, Paris, France, [postmarked] January 19, 1931: discusses "analytic" and "non analytic" approaches to a "nonverifiable subject"; "don't regard this letter as an argument. I never argue about art, but simply attempt to explain an attitude." 5 pp
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., January 25, 1931: thanks Pach for bringing Eakins's work to the attention of the Louvre; Charles Linford is a possible choice; "I would prefer to present a picture, rather than sell, so we will not worry about prices"; Riccardo Bertelli's new gallery on 56th is exhibiting Thomas Eakins and Samuel Murray; there is an Eakins show at Babcock Galleries; the national economic situation is too bad to expect painting sales; articles on Eakins mistakenly "report that the little seated figure of Thomas Eakins was his favorite attitude while painting"; pictures shown at Babcock were cleaned by Charles Bregler; glazing was recommended for protection From air pollution; Pach's choice of frame for his Eakins painting is "fine." 4 pp
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., February 19, 1931: sends photographs of paintings available for presentation to the Louvre; her choice of the Hamilton portrait is supported by Samuel Murray, Mr. Cranmer, and David Wilson Jordan; the Barker and Wallace portraits are possibilities; her sister-in-law offers the portrait of Susan Eakins' father; sends photographs of Thomas Eakins dating From student days in Paris; she has not seen the Eakins exhibition in New York. 2 pp
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., February 21, 1931: Bertelli sold John McClure Hamilton, not understanding that it might go to the Louvre; the Barker and Wallace portraits will not be sold. 1 p
From Morris Kantor, New York, N.Y., March 16, 1931: is busy making frames; saw Pach's exhibition at Kraushaar's; "Paris did you a lot of good because your work has changed.... It has more freedom and a better painting quality"; sympathizes with "Baylie's" misfortune; Kraushaar will give "Baylie" a show; Sloan arranged for him to teach at the League. 3 pp
From Bryson Burroughs, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y., March 17, 1931: "The Museum is much beholden to you however the David matter turns out"; the decision reached at yesterday's meeting will be announced after the painting is unpacked; compliments Pach's show at Kraushaar's; comments on the installation and specific pieces; "as to the Eakins matter I should be honored to cooperate." 2 pp
From A.S. Baylinson, New York, N.Y., March 19, 1931: complimentary comments on Pach's show at Kraushaar's; is moving to a new, fireproof studio at 54 West 74th Street; "I will have the group work there with me evenings as before, and before long we shall forget the fire"; will teach at the Art Students League in the coming year. 2 pp
From Childe Hassam, New York, N.Y., March 27, 1931: Pach's exhibition, which Hassam viewed twice, includes "the best things I have seen of yours"; spoke with John Sloan and Miss Kraushaar at the gallery; describes his etching of Helen Wells and promises to send a photograph of it. 2 pp
From Bryson Burroughs, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y., March 28, 1931: the painting arrived and is "even grander than I had imagined.... It will be one of the masterpieces here"; has been in contact with Mrs. Eakins; thanks Pach for his "beneficent labors." 3 pp
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., March 28, 1931: Burroughs and Brummer were consulted in the search for photographs of Eakins paintings; lists sizes of paintings under consideration; J. Carroll Beckwith might interest the Louvre. 2 pp
From Bryson Burroughs, New York, N.Y., March 31, 1931: "David Bought Hooray." Telegram + 1 p. enclosure (April 1, 1931 From Morgan & Cie., Paris, France: debit notice for collect telegram received From New York the previous day)
From Bryson Burroughs, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y., April 14, 1931: Museum is pleased with the David painting; thanks Pach for his role in the transaction; "waiting for the Eakins matter to crystallize"; wants the Pennsylvania Museum to offer Clara or The Bohemian; the Louvre should have an example of Eakins' "very best"; will propose the idea to Kimball. 2 pp
From Arthur B. Springarn, New York, N.Y., April 21, 1931: is "profoundly impressed" by Pach's exhibition; his work shows a new "lack of inhibition"; "I resent the conspiracy of silence of the critics tho' I suppose that is the price you pay for being the author of Ananias"; gives recommendations for Raymond's schooling. 6 pp
From Bryson Burroughs, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y., May 3, 1931: "The Penn. Mus. Eakins project takes shape gradually"; Clara may be "suitable"; the "exchange" proposed is complicated and requires "committee actions"; maybe they could give Clara to the Louvre; Kimball will "come round." 3 pp
From Bryson Burroughs, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y., May 11, 1931: sends copy of a letter From Fiske Kimball and a reproduction of Clara; upon seeing the painting again "my previous judgement was amply confirmed." 1 p. + 1 p. enclosure (May 8, 1931, to Bryson Burroughs From Fiske Kimball, Director, Pennsylvania Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pa.: "I shall recommend to my Board that a gift be made to the Louvre"; instructs Burroughs to ask Guiffrey whether the Louvre will accept Clara; discusses framing and Eakins's ideas on the subject)
From Jean Guiffrey, Louvre Museum, Paris, France, June 2, 1931: thanks for the Eakins painting; when informed of the gift, his colleagues will be grateful. 1 p., in French
From Henri Verne, Director, Louvre Museum, Paris, France, June 18, 1931: thanks Pach for his role as intermediary in the Louvre's acquisition of a Thomas Eakins painting. 1 p., in French
From Bryson Burroughs, [place illegible], France, June 24, 1931: Is arriving in Paris in July; wants to see David-Weill collection; "it is a great comfort the way the Eakins matter turned out and I am really glad to be out of its final arrangement"; is going to Milan to see the -- Très Belles Heures -- . 2 pp
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., June 27, 1931: Is pleased with the choice of painting for the Louvre; thanks Pach for his efforts. 2 pp
From Bryson Burroughs, aboard SS De Grasse, July 19, 1931: Guiffrey "is delighted about the Eakins and well appreciative of your efforts in regard to it"; Metropolitan Museum of Art may participate in the French exhibition in London next year; "a new era of liberalism and cooperation is about due with the passing of so many ancient trustees"; describes the excellent condition of the -- Très Belles Heures -- . 3 pp
From Caroline Pratt, Chilmark, Mass., August 14, 1931: Discusses Raymond's academic progress and challenges; gives recommendations for the future. 5 pp
From Elie Faure, Peking, China, October 7, 1931: Received a warm welcome in the United States; the end of his trip and the end of his life are darkened by catastrophe. Picture postcard ("Great Wall of China"), in French
From Beatrice [?], New York, N.Y., October 10, 1931: " Simone is ours." Telegram
From Elie Faure, Angkor, Cambodia, November 14, 1931: Expresses love for America and Americans; thinks the hope of the world is in the United States and also between the Urals and Vistula. Picture postcard ("Ruines D'Angkor"), in French
From Ida E. Guggenheimer, New York, N.Y., November 15, 1931: Etta Cone bought a Pach painting and is "enthusiastic" about Duchamp-Villon; "saw the Mouillots at Brummer's and I must confess to being very disappointed"; she "positively rejoice[s]" in her own piece by Duchamp-Villon; many praise Pach's work in her collection; art prices are down; news of various friends, especially musicians. 4 pp
From Jean Crotti, Paris, France, November 18, 1931: "I have always declined to write prefaces for contemporaries (the cases of Villon and Duchamp-Villon being exceptions which I intend shall remain exceptions); it is a job for a professional critic, and not for a man who is himself engaged in painting." 2 pp
From Bryson Burroughs, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y., November 24, 1931: Gift of 2 etchings by Pach was received by the Museum. 2 pp
From Elie Faure, Colombo, Ceylon, November 25, 1931: Everyone says his wife and daughter were courageous and that helps him tolerate the loneliness; is anxious to see the Corot book, especially the reproductions; will continue writing for -- Petit Parisien -- ; now believes one must write for the masses. 2 pp., in French
From Henri Verne, Director, Louvre Museum, Paris, France, December 22, 1931: Thanks Pach for his gift of an engraving of New York. 1 p., in French
From Al Bing, New York, N.Y., December 23, 1931: Socrates by David and the Havemeyer collection are now hanging at the Metropolitan; Whitney Museum, Frick Gallery, and the Modern Gallery will all be open when Pach returns; Coffin, "a man of great ability and sterling character," has been elected Museum president; is interested in the Bonaparte exhibition; asks Pach to help sell his Renoir. 12 pp
From Albert Morance, La Chef des Services Commerciause et Techniques, Louvre Museum, Paris, France, January 11, 1932: Is returning to Pach the contract concerning his engraving. 1 p. + 2 pp. printed form (Louvre Print Department acquisition form for The Telephone and Telegraph Building, New York, and rules for transfer of works to the Print Department), in French
From Leo Stein, Paris, France, [postmarked] January 12, 1932: Discusses "two questions that always arise in respect to art... (1) What qualities does one note in a work of art. (2) What value has that which one sees." 6 pp
From Allen Tucker, New York, N.Y., January 18, 1932: Pach's stay in Morocco seems to have been beneficial; 1931 was a difficult year; hopeful for the future; "the Whitney has shaken the whole thing up and American shows past and present and I daresay future are everywhere"; "Rivera having a grand time in a pas de deux with Mrs. Rockefeller at the Museum of 'Foreign' Art." 3 pp
From Henri Verne, Director, Louvre Museum, Paris, France, January 26, 1932: Thanks Pach for his role in the Louvre's acquisition of the Eakins painting; it arrived in good shape and was readily accepted; is still considering the Barye castings. 1 p., in French
From Leo Hartman, Harper's Magazine, New York, N.Y., February 1, 1932: The artists mentioned in Pach's article are too obscure for Harper's readers. 1 p
From Al Bing, New York, N.Y., February 7, 1932: Thanks Pach for helping him find a potential buyer for his Renoir; discusses the Furdson and Havemeyer collections at the Metropolitan; family news; is anxious for Pach's return. 7 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., February 8, 1932: "The Depression is not to be underestimated" and could change the social order; discusses colleges for Raymond; Life of Emerson and a volume of his essays reprinted From the Freeman will be out soon; the Prendergasts live nearby; "Charlie P. is surely a true primitive old master to whom only Vasari could do justice in the way of antecedents"; "I kept thinking as I read your book, what new books must logically follow From your mind"; suggests Pach write histories of art criticism and American art. 10 pp
From Henri Verne, Director, Louvre Museum, Paris, France, March 5, 1932: Because Barye's -- Apollon -- is a fragile plaster, the curator cannot risk making castings. 1 p., in French
From Childe Hassam, New York, N.Y., March 8, 1932: Has a print of Helen Wells for Pach; the Metropolitan Museum filmed him at work and play in East Hampton last summer; the Boston Museum commissioned a similar film of Benson. 3 pp
From Ida E. Guggenheimer, New York, N.Y., March 25, 1932: Sent another payment for City of Mexico to Pach's bank; several people have shown interest in Simone; she and the Steins purchased work From Baylinson's Kraushaar show. 3 pp
From Allen Tucker, New York, N.Y., April 10, 1932: Congratulates Pach on his show and catalog; compliments the Morse exhibition at the Metropolitan; "the Whitney gallery has shaken up the attention of people to the present Americans." 2 pp
From D.T. Sieveking, Director, Antikensammlungen, Munich, Germany, April 27, 1932: Returns the completed questionnaire. 1 p. + 1 p. enclosure (questionnaire about Greek figure known as -- Naked Girl with Cap -- ), in German
From John Sloan, New York, N.Y., April 30, 1932: Recounts the politics of the League's presidential election that he lost; Schnakenberg will be an "inactive president"; when the Board turned down Geo. Grosz, Sloan resigned; Jonas Lie threatened to resign if Pach lectures there; Sloan will teach at Archipenko's school next season; Dolly is a manager for the touring Exhibition of Indian Tribal Arts; Baylinson supported Sloan in the "fight"; financial details of the Sixteenth Annual Independent Exhibition. 2 pp
From Charles Bourgeat, Galerie Dru, Paris, France., May 7, 1932: Received payment for Pach's exhibition there; cannot locate the Sisley and Pissarro photographs Pach sent; their aim to show fine and beautiful painting was accomplished with Pach's exhibition; difficult times account for compliments and no sales. 2 pp., in French
From Ida E. Guggenheimer, New York, N.Y., May 10, 1932: Her opinion of photography remains "good, but not art, and deadly after a certain length of time." 1 p
From Ida E. Guggenheimer, New York, N.Y., May 22, 1932: Hopes Pach's article, "Owning Pictures," will be published; the museum's rehung galleries present interesting new comparisons; asks his opinion of the Art Students League controversy; saw Baylinson at the Independent show; purchased a Baylinson drawing From Kraushaar. 3 pp
From the -- Atlantic Monthly -- , Boston, Mass., May 31, 1932: Pach's article is of limited interest to Atlantic Monthly readers. 1 p
From M.L. Allen, -- Harper's -- Magazine, New York, N.Y., June 2, 1932: Pach's article, "American Art in the Louvre," is not appropriate for a general audience. 1 p
From Gino Severini, Fribourg, Switzerland, June 16, 1932: His schedule will not permit another meeting before Pach's departure; the art market will improve; is interested in the prospect of a show at Brummer's; "decoration work" for Weyhe may end in September; thanks Pach for his help. 2 pp., in French
From P. Dubaut, Paris, France, July 19, 1932: Thanks Pach for sending clippings; the gallery behaved professionally but was not overly kind; was generally pleased with the show; is happy to know Pach. 2 pp., in French
From Alfred Vance Churchill, Rockport, Mass., July 25, 1932: Pach was the first to write of the Smith College Museum as "one of the choicest and best directed collections of art in America"; has received many commendations and is putting together extracts "for certain personal uses"; requests additional thoughts From Pach on the collection. 3 pp
From Alfred Vance Churchill, Rockport, Mass., July 25, 1932: Is trying to arrange a lecture for Pach at Smith College and perhaps at Mount Holyoke College; Jere Abbott will succeed him as museum director; thinks his retirement was forced on the trustees by Paul J. Sachs. 4 pp
From Elie Faure, Paris, France., January 7, 1933: France is declining; sends family news; Paul Morand gave his book a favorable review; inquires whether Pach has found work; there are fewer exhibits in Paris; good paintings are now seen only at the big sales such as Strauss. 2 pp., in French
From Marjorie Carpenter, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, January 9, 1933: Confirms lecture date at McMaster University. Telegram
From Gertrude Wolf, Executive Secretary, New York University, New York, N.Y., January 9, 1933: Requests syllabus for last 2 lectures of Pach's course and the examination questions. 1 p
From Susan Macdowell Eakins, Philadelphia, Pa., [postmarked] January 19, 1933: Informs Pach of prices of two Eakins portraits; many Eakins paintings were damaged by restorers; others are in "splendid condition" due to the efforts of Charles Bregler; comments on Mrs. Whitney's plans to aid painters. 1 p
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, December 9, 1933: A Courbet, which Faure believes is his most beautiful, is for sale; indicates price, size, and citation of a reproduction; inquires about the financial crisis in the United States; comments on economic problems, political events, and inertia of the French people; is writing a preface for Rosenberg's Renoir exhibit; asks about Pach's painting and printmaking; requests news of Rivera about whom he wrote an article; Harper's sent money and will reprint The Spirit of the Forms. 4 pp., in French
From Clifton A. Wheeler, Indianapolis, Ind., February 2, 1934: Discusses fellow board members of the Indianapolis Art Association and acquisitions; "modernization" was the response to declining school enrollment; 9 instructors, including Wheeler, were fired; describes life on the top of La Conte Mountain, Tenn., where he painted the previous fall; has mural and portrait commissions, "so long as I can make a living I don't care if I don't teach." 8 pp
From E.D. Smyth, Tangier, Morocco, September 19, 1934: Thanks Pach for sending a painting of Helen; is staying in Helen's house; Gertrude Stein's book about Alice Toklas is "an overwhelmingly cheeky work" that failed to mention Pach; news of mutual friends; reminiscences of visits with the Pachs; James McBey, a Scottish painter and etcher, has settled nearby. 3 pp
From Marcel Duchamp, Paris, France, October 17, 1934: Feels animosity toward Barr, whom he calls narrow-minded; will handle in his own way any resulting confrontation or unpleasantness; told Arensberg, owner of -- Un Descendant -- , not to lend to Barr; asks Pach to find an excuse for refusing Barr; Barr shall reap what he has sown; American collectors are now speculators; sends order forms for his new book. 5 pp., in French
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, December 4, 1934: The owners of the Courbet are impatient; asks if it has arrived in New York; suggests that a collector, Barnes, or the Metropolitan Museum of Art may be interested; his book is being ignored in France; if Pach has money, now is a good time to buy art; tells of works that are selling at reduced prices. 2 pp., in French
From Simonne Maubert, Paris, France, December 22, 1934: Miss Stein wrote with good news of Pach; posed for Miss Stein during the autumn and hopes for similar work next year. 2 pp. + picture postcard ("Palais de Fontainebleau, La Cour Ovale et le Baptistère"), in French
From A. Frohberg and Johanna, Dresden, Germany, December 31, 1934: Thanks Pach for letter and for holiday greetings; the news of Pach's selection for an important commission brings them great joy; news of a family friend who has made progress and overcome obstacles. 2 pp., in German
From Karl Lilienfield, New York, N.Y., May 13, 1935: Confirms the commission Pach will receive if he sells paintings for Alexander M. Bing. 1 p., in German
From Henri Focillon, New Haven, Conn., May 21, 1935: Thanks Pach for sending the fine article he wrote on -- La Patelliere -- , which he saw in Bucharest; when visiting the Politzers, he failed to recognize Pach's name, thus missing the opportunity to express his admiration and respect. 2 pp., in French
From Father [Frohberg] and Johanna, Dresden, Germany, July 2, 1935: Birthday greetings. Picture postcard ("Herzlichen Gluckwunsch zum Geburtstage"), in German
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, September 13, 1935: Opposes exhibitions such as the current one at the Petit Palais; is revising his work on drawings of Florentine painters; "foulness piled over Michelangelo by a lot of German animals, the worst of whom is a biped named Panofsky." 12 pp
From Clifton A. Wheeler, Indianapolis, Ind., October 20, 1935: Pach should notify the director of the John Herron Art Institute of his schedule and lecture fees; is teaching at a high school; the art school is now "purely Yale, Beaux Arts competition, and American Academy in Rome." 2 pp
From Edna Strasser, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, October 26, 1935: Called on friends of Pach, the Brinkman family of Haarlem; saw the portrait Pach painted of their brother in 1906. 3 pp
From Arthur Strasser, Seville, Spain, November 18, 1935: Recounts visit with Brinkmans in Haarlem; is impressed by the Prado, Rubens, and El Greco; at Pach's suggestion, they have attended several performances of gypsy music and dancing. 4 pp
From Elie Faure, [place unknown], November 29, 1935: Is enchanted by and praises the most successful part of Pach's triptych; discusses the economy and prospects for work in France; continues to be pessimistic about painting in France; architecture is what is needed now and cinema may become more important than painting; mentions a Flemish exhibition; congratulates Pach on his portrait of a young man, possibly Raymond; the critics who denounced what Faure wrote on the agony of painting now admit he was right. 4 pp., in French
From A. Frohberg and Johanna, Dresden, Germany, March 2, 1936: Belated birthday greetings; tell Magda everything has been done for Zittau [?]. Picture postcard (untitled), in German
From Gerda Stein, New York, N.Y., March 10, 1936: Thanks Pach for his friendship; "accept this simple expression of my appreciation for what you have given me and the earnest hope that it will bring you an answer to some of the problems that perplex you." 4 pp
From Ida E. Guggenheimer, Ontario, Canada, August 4, 1936: Read his review in the -- Nation -- and wants to see the exhibition; the watercolor of Magda acquired by the Brooklyn Museum is one of Pach's best. 1 p
From Bernard Berenson, Grusbach, Czechoslovakia, August 26, 1936: "You are one of the last surviving acquaintances who, in the study of art, have not gone over to irrelevant promiscuity"; discusses attribution of Goldman's Madonna; has begun writing "The Decline and Recovery of Form"; spent 6 weeks in Yugoslavia studying Roman remains and Byzantine frescoes. 4 pp
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, November 30, 1936: Read his article in the -- Virginia Quarterly -- ; he liked the photograph of Pach's fresco more than the article; tell Van Wyck Brooks he is welcome to visit when next in Florence; spent 5 weeks in Paris. 4 pp
From Elie Faure, Paris, France, December 28, 1936: Eight months ago Lizou married a man who died of cancer a few days later; his books are not selling well; History of Art is unavailable and financing cannot be found for a new edition; saw an exhibit of Bonnard and Vuillard; considers mural work the only important current painting; recounts a visit to Spain; Rivera was wounded in Mexico; Rivera's recent silence may be the result of Faure's article. 4 pp., in French
From Herbert Eustis Winlock, Director, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y., February 13, 1937: Winthrop will not loan his collection. 1 p
From Allen Tucker, Castine, Maine, May 30, 1937: "I wonder if Museums and concerts haven't stopped rather than helped our creative efforts"; is glad to be back in America; wrote to Moe; "the foundation likes to bet on the unknown instead of helping anyone who has shown they HAVE ability and have done the work"; congratulates Pach on continuing to paint despite other responsibilities; sorry to hear Sloan is unwell. 1 p
From Ernestine Ludolf, Florence, Italy, June 22, 1937: Pach is "a good and faithful friend"; his kind words about Egisto are like "a flower of remembrance on his grave"; wants to give him a small painting by Egisto, showing a corner of the Montmartre studio where he and Pach first met. 6 pp
From Ida E. Guggenheimer, Paris, France, September 13, 1937: Attended a conference in Paris; visited the Fountain of the Innocents; made a thorough tour of the exhibition with Villon. 3 pp
From Marcel Duchamp, Paris, France, September 28, 1937: Would like to see his painting -- Sad Young Man on a Train -- join related paintings in California and believes Arensberg would agree; requests a photograph of the painting to reproduce in an album he is compiling. 2 pp., in French
From Allen Tucker, New York, N.Y., November 1, 1937: Thanks Pach for the Delacroix book; congratulations on "another great contribution to civilization"; completed a "pretty good summer's work" before his illness. 2 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., November 18, 1937: Thanks Pach for the book on Delacroix; the introduction is "wholly satisfying." 2 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, New York, N.Y., November 23, 1937: Reads some of Delacroix each day; "I'm beginning to understand your feeling about him." Picture postcard ("Self Portrait by Francesco Goya. Frontispiece to Los Caprichos. Madrid, circa 1803")
From L. (Mme. Elie) Faure, Paris, France, November 30, 1937: Thanks Pach for writing to her; wants to carry out her husband's wishes to make his work publicly accessible; sends a list of Faure's unpublished articles; discusses financial matters relating to the Harper's contract. 4 pp., in French
From Royal Cortissoz, New York, N.Y., January 2, 1938: Thanks Pach for his book on Delacroix, "the work of an artist and man of letters." 3 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., November 2, 1938: "I'm glad to stand by that statement." Picture postcard ("Mountain landscape. Chinese, Ming Period, 15th century, after a design attributed to Ma Yiian (flourished 1190-1221)")
From Henry Watson Kent, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y., November 3, 1938: Thanks Pach for the "kind letter about the Morgan exhibition." 1 p. (frame 589) and envelope
From Henry Watson Kent, New York, N.Y., November 8, 1938: Thanks Pach for the inscribed copy of his book; is proud to be associated with the book and to have Pach say kind things about him. 1 p
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., November 9 and 11, 1938: Read -- Queer Thing, Painting -- ; "I had better begin now by telling my few objections, in order to hand you later my full bouquet"; "you exaggerate the Villon connection"; "you exaggerate the ignorance of Italian art on the part of our forbears"; "you praise some collectors too highly," especially Morgan and John Quinn; "your memory of Yeats is suspect"; Pach has created a "permanent record and source-book" full of "wisdom." 14 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., November 15, 1938: Grants permission to quote From his previous letter; Pach's book is "tremendously important." 2 pp
From Kenneth Hayes Miller, New York, N.Y., November 15, 1938: Congratulations on -- Queer Thing, Painting -- ; the book has "permanent value." 1 p
From Louis Lombard, [place unknown], France, November 23, 1938: Thanks Pach for his letters; describes the horrors of life as a soldier; he reads Whitman to maintain good spirits. 4 pp., in French
From Henry Watson Kent, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y., December 9, 1938: Advises Pach to distribute new cards to schools. 1 p. + 1 p. enclosure (suggested text for announcement of Pach's availability as a lecturer)
From W.S. Rusk, Wells College, Aurora-on-Cayuga, N.Y., December 21, 1938: "Thank you for the conference the other day in which we discussed the artist and the art critic." 1 p
From G. Masolle, Evian, France, December 31, 1938: Thanks Pach for the extract From his book, which she translated immediately; it showed perfect understanding of Jean's character; -- The Prisoners of the World -- is impossible to find; Jean Cocteau has not published Jean's first essays or poems. 2 pp., in French
From Simonne Maubert, Paris, France, April 5, 1939: Thanks Pach for sending his book; she was happy to recognize herself in one of the chapters; her English is improving and one day she may be able to read the entire book. 4 pp., in French.
To Magdalene Pach From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., July 8, 1939: Is looking forward to the Pachs' visit. 2 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., December 29, 1939: The book is a "glorious achievement... by far your best book"; it "brought back all my gratitude to you for all that you have taught me about art." 4 pp
From Daniel Gregory Mason, New York, N.Y., March 15, 1940: Thanks Pach for the "great pleasure and stimulus" of Ingres; "one grows to feel something of the affection, respect, and admiration for Ingres that you show the way to." 1 p
From Don F. Dickson, Director, Dickson Mound Museum, Lewistown, Ill., March 28, 1940: Sends photographs of pipes that Pach found interesting. 1 p. + enclosures (4 photographs of ceremonial pipes: "Front view of a human effigy tobacco pipe From the Great Temple Mound in Oklahoma, Ceremonial type"; "Front view. Ceremonial type"; "Side view. Ceremonial type"; and "Back view of human effigy tobacco pipe From the Great Temple Mound in Oklahoma, Ceremonial type")
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, March 30, 1940: Was interested in the Ohio mound builders in his youth; "my writing days are over I fear, for one thing I feel afraid I have nothing to say that would not sound commonplace"; "too much absorbed" in what is going on in this part of the world." 8 pp
From Ernestine Ludolf, Florence, Italy, April 18, 1940: Ingres is "splendid"; sympathizes with the "difficulties" Pach encountered when organizing the World's Fair art exhibition. 6 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Boothbay Harbor, Maine, September 2, 1940: Pach has found "the only paragraph in the whole book (which after a dozen rewritings) left me unsatisfied." Postal card
From G. Masolle, Evian, France, October 14, 1940: Is happy that Jean's memoirs are in Pach's hands; awaits English victory; the French are suffering, but she is confident the country will survive. 2 pp., in French
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., April 9, 1941: "We missed you at the John Sloan dinner"; he won't write any more about expatriates. 3 pp
From Alfred Vance Churchill, Northampton, Mass., April 21, 1941: Congratulations on Ingres; recalls Pach's help in acquiring important paintings for the Smith College Museum of Art. 3 pp
From Art Young, New York, N.Y., May 9, 1941: Congratulations on -- Masterpieces of Art -- . 1 p., illustrated with drawing of a stooped man walking with a cane
From Hugo Robus, New York, N.Y., June 13, 1941: Was pleased by Pach's letter praising his marble at the Museum of Modern Art; Alfred Barr was "delighted" by Pach's comments; there is also a Robus bronze at the Museum of Modern Art; "I never dated my work and so the actual year of production is a pretty hazy matter." 2 pp
From Ruth A. Wilmot, Oak Bluffs, Mass., [postmarked] August 2, 1941: She and Donald are enjoying their vacation. Picture postcard ("Yacht Club and Harbor, Edgartown, Mass.")
From Kenneth Hayes Miller, New York, N.Y., August 7, 1941: Comments on paintings From the Louvre shown at the M[etropolitan] M[useum of Art]; he doesn't enjoy the country as Pach seems to. 2 pp
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, August 30, 1941: "I believe the entire Mississippi basin to its utmost reaches was flooded with Aztec influences"; requests photograph of a piece Pach mentioned seeing in Columbus, Ohio; "French art will rise again"; recalls his first acquaintance with Poussin's work. 2 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., September 4, 1941: "I am reacting against this whole conception of 'mankind' as 'rabble' "; his new book will expound on this. 2 pp
From Charles Cunningham, Assistant Curator of Paintings, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Mass., September 11, 1941: Requests additional information about Pach's Delacroix painting; shares information on works in the collection of George Reinhardt, Winterthur, and the Metropolitan. 2 pp
From Charles Cunningham, Assistant Curator of Paintings, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Mass., October 15, 1941: Sends summary of information compiled when cataloging the Museum's version of Delacroix's -- Christ on the Sea of Genesareth -- . 1 p. + 4 pp. enclosure (notes on 6 versions of the painting)
From William Mills Ivins, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] January 27, 1942: Thanks for his "warm approval of the Bulletin article." 1 p
From Van Wyck Brooks, Norwalk, Conn., [postmarked] February 3, 1942: Thanks for sending the brochure about Quidor. Picture postcard ("The Dance of Death. The Ploughman Woodcut by Hans Holbein the Younger. German, 1497-1543")
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., [postmarked] February 19, 1942: Thanks for the Quidor catalog; saw the show yesterday; "he's really a discovery." Picture postcard ("Saint George and the Dragon. Woodcut by Lucas Cranach the Elder. German, 1472-1553")
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., [postmarked] February 27, 1942: "What you say about the book makes me regret all the more that it has to be postponed." Picture postcard ("Rembrandt, Dutch, 1606-1669. Portrait of the Artist"), with annotation by Pach: "Book on American Art proposed to the American Philosophical Society."
From Fred M. Stein and Arthur Strasser, New York, N.Y., March 21, 1942: In "recognition of what you have meant to the [Schilling] Fund... [we] take great pleasure in sending you the enclosed." 2 pp
From M.M. Pochapin, Music Appreciation Record Corporation, New York, N.Y., May 6, 1942: Please sign and return a copy of the agreement. 1 p. + 1 p. enclosure (May 6, 1942, From M.M. Pochapin, New York, N.Y. Pach has been selected a Judge for the "Art Appreciation Movement. In this capacity you are to pass on the true value of paintings submitted.").
to Magdalene Pach From M.M. Pochapin, Managing Director, Art Appreciation Movement, New York, N.Y., May 13, 1942: Requests that she read the organization's pamphlet about the Art Appreciation Movement and complete the "lengthy Qualification Form"; "great artists will make their paintings available at these small Public Service prices." 2 pp
From M.I. Block, Art Appreciation Movement, New York, N.Y., May 27, 1942: Receipt for 5 oil paintings consigned. 1 p
From Reginald Poland, Director, Fine Arts Gallery, San Diego, Calif., 5 June 25, 1942: "We realize increasingly that, in the Caravaggio, we have a magnificent work of art"; "we have just acquired a glorious Titian Madonna, painted about 1514-- very strongly Giorgionesque." 1 p
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., [postmarked] July 8, 1942: "What happens to them [artists] when they are 'above' politics? Don't they in the end lead themselves to the politics that destroy them?" Postal card + clipping ("Guest Artists," Time)
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., July 15, 1942: "I won't agree with you about artists and politics"; "a certain breadth of interests and sympathy does not drain one's energy." 2 pp
From Raymond B. Humphrey, Brown, Crosby & Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., July 17, 1942: Discusses insurance and storage arrangements for Pach's property while he is in Mexico. 2 pp
From Jean Lipman, Editor, -- Art in America -- , Cannondale, Conn., July 17, 1942: Agrees to publish his article on Ingres. 1 p
From Raymond B. Humphrey, Brown, Crosby & Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., July 20, 1942: Sends "lost policy releases" and policy numbers. 1 p
From Jean Lipman, Editor, -- Art in America -- , Cannondale, Conn., August 4, 1942: Pach's article on Ingres will appear in the October issue. 1 p
From Gilbert R. Gabriel, Schneider-Gabriel Galleries, Inc., New York, N.Y., August 10, 1942: "Your article on the Ingres is a masterpiece"; discusses the price of a painting of Trinity Church. 2 pp. + enclosures (12 business cards and 4 handwriten notes containing names, addresses, and telephone numbers of Mexican acquaintances)
From Jean Lipman, Editor, -- Art in America -- , Cannondale, Conn., August 19, 1942: Pach's piece on Ingres will be the lead article; accepts his proposal for an article on the "Mexican primitive Bustos." 1 p
From Raymond B. Humphrey, Brown, Crosby & Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., September 3, 1942: Discusses overpayment of insurance premium. 1 p. + 4 enclosures (3 invoices and inventory of artwork in storage). [postmarked September 3, 1942] From John Strasser, New York, N.Y. 4218 703-705 September 4, 1942: Discusses "early Hispano-Mexican" Madonna; "Rosenberg has an attractive show." 3 pp
From John Sloan, Santa Fe, N.Mex., September 8, 1942: Is home From the hospital; his exhibition was in Chicago, Denver, and Santa Fe, and will go to Albuquerque next and then Fort Worth; received "enthusiastic notices"; sold 2 pieces. 2 pp
From Jacob M. Heimann, Beverly Hills, Calif., September 14, 1942: "I greatly appreciate the idea of making an exhibition in Mexico"; inquires about lighting and dimensions of the galleries; "the lack of interest and the ignorance as far as art is concerned here, is unbelievable." 1 p. + 1 p. enclosure (lists of numbers)
From Lasar Kipnis, New York, N.Y., September 18, 1942: "Considering risk expenses at present offer seven and half percent for next three years." 1 p
From Lasar Kipnis, New York, N.Y., September 21, 1942: Expenses will be high; recommends he establish a relationship with Mizracchi [ sic] before arriving in New York; show him some "really valuable" paintings as well as "less expensive works on the sale of which we may really count"; suggests a selection of "object d'art" From A la Vieille Russie; November is the best time for an exhibition in Mexico. 3 pp
From John Strasser, New York, N.Y., September 25, 1942: Pyramid of the Sun, as it appears in the photograph, is "dazzling"; discusses his search for a job. 2 pp
From Lasar Kipnis, New York, N.Y., September 29, 1942: Proposed exhibition may receive the cooperation of the president of Mexico and the king of Rumania; "we must and shall have a first class show"; mentions several works he intends to include. 1 p
From Jean Lipman, Editor, -- Art in America -- , Cannondale, Conn., October 5, 1942: The editor of Cuadernos must insert a notice stating the article was written for publication in Art in America and appears simultaneously in translation. 1 p
From M.M. Pochapin, President, Art Movement, Inc., New York, N.Y., October 8, 1942: Is deciding whether to continue the Art Movement; Marsh resigned; "my enthusiasm has never waned"; Sloan remains involved; plans to market paintings through department stores; work by Walter and Magda Pach is being shown in Philadelphia and Atlanta. 2 pp
From Diego Rivera, [place unknown], October 13, 1942: He and the editors extend thanks and enclose payment. 1 p., in Spanish
From Adrian Bourcart, [place unknown], Mexico, October 21, 1942: Had the pleasure of attending Pach's lectures on art; requests clarification of true art versus false art and live art versus dead art. 4 pp., in French
From Jean Lipman, Editor, -- Art in America -- , Cannondale, Conn., October 22, 1942: "I was delighted with your article on Bustos"; "unless the article appears in Art in America prior to publication elsewhere, we cannot print it." 2 pp
From John Strasser, New York, N.Y., November 13, 1942: Comments on Mexico painted by Velasco. 2 pp
From Marjorie D. Mathias, College Art Association of America, New York, N.Y., November 14, 1942: The State University at Bowling Green, Ohio, has inquired about engaging Pach for a lecture. 1 p
From Henry Allen Moe, Committee for Inter-American Artistic and Intellectual Relations, New York, N.Y., November 16, 1942: "We want our grantees to be able to do what they ought to do and live as they ought to live"; Pach should let them know his anticipated expenses and how much time he needs in Mexico. 1 p
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., November 18, 1942: With the help of Eleanor and Kenyon, he has managed to read some of the Cuadernos Americanos Pach sent; "I like immensely its tone and elevated feeling"; "I envy your meetings with Diego Rivera, who has always seemed to me a very great painter"; is "shocked" that Lionello Venturi and William G. Constable don't share his opinion of Rivera; a "complicated family problem" keeps them From traveling; is working on -- The Age of Washington Irving -- . 4 pp
From Stephen Duggan, Director, Institute of International Education, New York, N.Y., November 30, 1942: Is glad that Pach's lectures were well received; hopes Pach can remain in Mexico. 1 p
From Alfonso Reyes, Colegio de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico, December 3, 1942: He is honored by Van Wyck Brooks's words and wants to correspond with him. 1 p., in Spanish
From Stephen Duggan, Director, Institute of International Education, New York, N.Y., December 7, 1942: Is "delighted to learn that Pach will receive a grant through Mr. Moe and 'his Committee.' " 1 p
From Lasar Kipnis, New York, N.Y., December 8, 1942: "Just returned From Johns Hopkins Hospital." Telegram
From Henry Allen Moe, New York, N.Y., December 11, 1942: "Your letter received but no word From the university." Telegram
From A.S. Baylinson, New York, N.Y., December 18, 1942: He and Constant were rejected by the jury of the "so called Victory exhibition"; reports the death of Michael Rosenthal. 2 pp
From George Constant, New York, N.Y., December 20, 1942: Is glad that Pach, a "fine painter," now has time to paint; the Artists for Victory exhibition at the Metropolitan is "lousy." 2 pp
From Henry Allen Moe, Committee for Inter-American Artistic and Intellectual Relations, New York, N.Y., December 21, 1942: Confirms that Pach is to receive a grant; a final report is due upon return. 1 p. + 2 enclosures (1 sheet of figures titled "Mex--New York" and copy of 1 p. letter to Rodulfo Brito Foucher, Rector, National University of Mexico, From Henry Allen Moe, New York, N.Y., announcing grant to the University for Pach's lectures)
From Pedro HenrÃquez Ureña, Buenos Aires, Argentina 4218 764-765 December 22, 1942: Sent photographs of the work of Attilio Rossi; Argentine critic, Julio Rinaldini, will send books. 1 p
From Lasar Kipnis, New York, N.Y., December 29, 1942: Asks Pach to write an article on new acquisitions by Mr. Poland's Museum; wants Pach lecture in San Diego; when a new catalog of the permanent collection is published, "we are sure the work will be entrusted to you." 2 pp
From Jean Lipman, Editor, -- Art in America -- , Cannondale, Conn., December 29, 1942: Robert Montenegro's book impressed him; hopes Montenegro will write on Estrada for Art in America; requests Pach's help in arranging it. 1 p
From Harry Miller Lydenberg, [place unknown], Mexico, December 29, 1942: Discusses origin of the phrase "biblia a-biblia." 1 p
From Marcel Duchamp, New York, N.Y., January 3, 1943: Fearing visa problems, he has decided not to go to Mexico; made several "suitcases"; the opening at Peggy's gallery was a big success; plans a surrealist show with Schiaparelli and Breton; Reynolds, just arrived in Madrid, requested that Pach extend greetings to Frida and Diego. 2 pp., in French
From Arthur Strasser, New York, N.Y., January 7, 1943: Congratulations on receiving a grant; "it is not to the Schilling Fund but to you personally, Walter, that our gift to the Metropolitan was the beginning of the belated recognition of Flannagan's genius"; Fred Stein would appreciate suggestions for the Schilling Fund award. 2 pp
From John Rewald, Weyhe Gallery, New York, N.Y., January 13, 1943: Is glad Pach liked his article on Bonnard; will send Pach a copy of his new book on Seurat. 2 pp., with postscript From Laura Canade: New York Public Library has purchased Pach's Self-Portrait
From John Strasser, New York, N.Y., January 16, 1943: "People who might have enjoyed the 'Victory' show 25 or 30 years back now unanimously dislike that accumulation of junk"; "read of your and Rivera's project for spreading Flannagan's reputation." 3 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, New York, N.Y., January 17, 1943: Saw Jacques Villon's "grand portrait" of Pach at the "Modern Museum." Picture postcard ("Illuminated initial From a South Italian ms. Valerius Maximus written about 1450")
From M.L. Stafford, American Consul, American Embassy, Mexico, January 22, 1943: Pach's registration of American citizenship was approved. 1 p
From Harry Miller Lydenberg, Biblioteca Benjamin Franklin, [place unknown], Mexico, January 23, 1943: Is sending a check in appreciation of the time and interest Pach contributed to their exhibition; wants to publish Pach's tribute to Bustos. 1 p
From Stephen Duggan, Director, Institute of International Education, New York, N.Y., February 3, 1943: Pach's observation about Mexican education interested him; he is "well informed concerning the anti-American attitude" in Mexico. 1 p
From Jean Lipman, Editor, -- Art in America -- , Cannondale, Conn., February 15, 1943: Thanks Pach for arranging to have Fernando Gambo write an article on Estrada; Pach's writings have stimulated interest in Mexican art; his review will not be published due to "paper restrictions." 1 p
From Van Wyck Brooks, New York, N.Y., March 9, 1943: Has "rediscovered" New York by living in the city temporarily; "I am especially happy to have got to know some of the new young writers"; wants more news of Diego Rivera. 3 pp
From Georges Wildenstein, Director, Gazette des Beaux-Arts, [filmed twice] New York, N.Y., March 26, 1943: Wants to publish Pach's article; hopes he will agree to some minor changes. 1 p., in French
From Lyman Bryson, Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion, New York, N.Y., March 26, 1943: Requests comments on a paper by Professor William Scott, Randolph-Macon Women's College. 1 p. + 2 pp. enclosure ("Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion, Reply to Questionnaire of December 7, 1942 by Walter Pach")
From Paul J. Sachs, Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., April 8, 1943: Grenville L. Winthrop collection has been bequeathed to the Fogg Museum; wartime conditions have caused universities to curtail their art departments; "it is extremely important that able and understanding North Americans, such as yourself... should be our cultural ambassadors in Latin America"; suggests summer programs in the United States where Pach might teach; tells Pach to add his name to the speakers list maintained by the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. 2 pp
From William N. Eisendrath Jr., Chairman, Exhibition Committee, Arts Club of Chicago, Chicago, Ill., April 26, 1943: Requests assistance in selecting works for a Rivera retrospective planned for February 1944. 1 p. + 1 p. enclosure (list of works by Rivera, "suggested by Mrs. Goodspeed, April 26, 1943," with notes by Walter Pach)
From Annette B. Cottrell, Director, Speakers Service Section, Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs, Washington, D.C., April 28, 1943: Thanks Pach for his "interest in inter-American affairs and desire to collaborate with the work of this office as a speaker." 1 p
From Robert Chester Smith, Director, Hispanic Foundation, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., April 30, 1943: Considers Pach "an historic figure, one of the first to call attention to the development of Mexican art"; this is not the right time for Pach's proposed publications and translations. 1 p
From Harry Miller Lydenberg, [place unknown], Mexico, May 8, 1943: Pach's "review of the Low study on the place of the Museum in our world today" is "admirable"; politically or economically motivated explanations of art will "fail"; he is less "pessimistic" than Pach on the role of public funding; public libraries are a good example. 2 pp
From Annette B. Cottrell, Director, Speakers Service Section, Coordinater of Inter-American Affairs, Washington, D.C., May 25, 1943: Pach will be included among the organization's available speakers. 1 p
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., May 28, 1943: El Hijo Prodigo and Cuadernos are "typographically delightful"; wishes he knew Spanish; would like to be able to contribute articles to Mexican periodicals; John Sloan is reported to be "very frail." 4 pp
From William N. Eisendrath Jr., Chairman, Exhibition Committee, Arts Club of Chicago, Chicago, Ill., June 4, 1943: Need to figure costs for Rivera exhibition before continuing negotiations for loans; Pach must supply further information. 1 p. + 2 pp. enclosure ("List of Rivera Paintings," June 3, 1943)
From Elias Lieberman, Associate Superintendent, Board of Education of the City of New York, Brooklyn, N.Y., June 7, 1943: Pach will be granted a "substitute license" to teach Spanish in the New York public schools. 1 p
From Raymond B. Humphrey, Director, Brown, Crosby & Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., June 18, 1943: Instructions for renewing war damage and fire insurance policies. 1 p
From James A. Porter, Washington, D.C., June 19, 1943: Thanks Pach for the "remarkable" introduction and subtitle suggestions for his book. 1 p.
to Maurice Block, Curator, Henry E. Huntington Art Gallery, San Marino, Calif., From Marjorie S. (Mrs. A.R.) Waybur, Kingsley Art Club, Sacramento, Calif.,June 20, 1943: Inquires about Pach's availability to lecture. 2 pp
From Ignacio Marquina, National Institute of Archaeology and History, Mexico City, Mexico., June 26, 1943: Gives Pach permission to export the 5 archaeological objects specified on the list attached. 1 p. + 1 p. enclosure (copy of form completed by Pach), in Spanish
From Frederick Lewis Allen, -- Harper's -- Magazine, New York, N.Y., August 27, 1943: Rejects 2 articles, "The Negro's Place" and "Your Ancestors of the Soil." 2 pp
From John Sloan, Santa Fe, N.Mex., August 31, 1943: Is recovering From surgery; feeling better, but still unable to travel. 1 p
From Charles A. Thompson, Department of State, Washington, D.C., September 7, 1943: Dr. Moe will contact Pach about writing a book, in Spanish, about "art resources of the United States." 1 p
From Ernst E. Clad, New York, N.Y., September 9, 1943: Outlines Pach's finances; advises specific investments. 3 pp. + 1 p. enclosure (copy of September 9, 1943 letter From Walter Pach to H.C. Wainwright & Co. authorizing sale of stocks)
From Laurence Duggan, Adviser on Political Relations, Department of State, Washington, D.C., September 17, 1943: Cannot assist with funding or promise to purchase his book; Dr. Moe is attempting to finance the project; "I think the preparation of the book would be a far more useful contribution to inter-American understanding than your acting as an unofficial Mexican cultural representative in the United States." 1 p
From Charles A. Thompson, Department of State, Washington, D.C. October 4, 1943: Is returning "Ancestors of the Soil"; "Mr. d'Harnoncourt expresses great interest." 1 p
To Springmeier Shipping Co from J.O. Ellis, New York, N.Y., October 14, 1943: Notification of claim for items missing From shipment of Pach's possessions. 2 pp
From Houston Peterson, Head, Division of Social Philosophy, Cooper Union, New York, N.Y., October 15, 1943: Pach is "definitely on our list of favored speakers" for the second semester. 1 p. + enclosure (brochure for "Cooper Union Forum, first half 1943-1944")
From John Sloan, Santa Fe, N.Mex., December 30, 1943: Went out to his old house, "Sinagua," which reminds him of Dolly; still recuperating From surgery; needs to clean up his Chelsea studio; it is unlikely he can get to New York; read Pach's article on the "Eight"; the name was invented by an Evening Sun writer; "the 'chosen' of Robert Henri we were, not at all a mutual admiration group as I recall the time." 3 pp
From Art Young, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] December 30, 1943: New Year's greetings. Picture postcard ("28th Issue--Art Young's Annual Hello")
From Donald Carlisle Greason, Deerfield, Mass., April 8, 1944: The enclosed letter was sent in a "weak moment"; "is it not time you took up the mightier sword again; or have your ideas changed?" 1 p. + 1 p. enclosure (letter, April 6, 1944, to Hugo Gellert and Gentlemen of the [Exhibition and Competition] Committee, Artists for Victory, Inc., From Donald Carlisle Greason, Deerfield, Mass.: declines invitation to participate in the Artists for Victory exhibition; "I shyly deplore this undignified business of artists thumbing rides of the troop trains, of Patriotism for Publicity--and prizes!"; "did not Pach write the obituary of this [prizes] in his Ananias?")
From Henry Watson Kent, New York, N.Y., November 30, 1944: Hopes his notes on Pach's manuscript will be of use and interest. 1 p. + 7 pp. enclosure (notes, comments, and suggestions relating to Pach's manuscript)
From Ernst E. Clad, New York, N.Y., December 11, 1944: Information about Pach's 1944 taxes. 1 p. + enclosures (completed "Form for Computing Capital Gains and Losses," 1 p., and printed instructions, 5 pp.)
From George Ferdinand Of, [place unknown] Read both of Pach's articles and is returning one; "you must take me to see that charming Miss Roger's paintings."
From George Ferdinand Of, [place unknown], December 28, 1944: Read both of Pach's articles and is returning one; "you must take me to see that charming Miss Roger's paintings." Picture postcard ("'Chapeau de Faille' by Rubens")
From Donald Carlisle Greason, Deerfield, Mass., February 9, 1945: "I thought my annual letter of 'regrets' to the 'Artists for Defeat' might amuse you"; quotes remarks by Sinclair Lewis made when declining the Pulitzer Prize. 1 p
From Rufus E. Clement, Atlanta University, Atlanta, Ga., April 11, 1945: Sends photographs taken at the "art show"; mentions recent reviews of their exhibition. 1 p. + 2 photographs (Pach viewing the exhibition, and Pach speaking in the gallery)
From Viking Press, New York, N.Y., April 30, 1945: Royalty statement for Masters of Modern Art. 1 p
From Harper & Brothers Publishers, New York, N.Y., June 30, 1945: Royalty statement for Ingres and -- Queer Thing, Painting -- . 1 p
From Jacques Lipchitz, Paris, France, July 31, 1945: [Illegible due to show-through]. 2 pp., in French
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, November 29, 1945: May continue work begun several years earlier on "Aesthetics and History"; working on "Decline and Recovery in the Figure Arts"; when in "hiding" he kept a diary, which he may publish. 2 pp
From Fred M. Stein and Arthur Strasser, Trustees of the Schilling Fund, New York, N.Y., February 8, 1946: Thank Pach for his work on behalf of the Schilling Fund; offer him a salary to continue as an adviser. 1 p., with annotation by Pach (on reverse), February 10, 1946, draft letter of acceptance, 1 p
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., June 23, 1946: Eleanor's leg had to be amputated; they will move to an apartment in New York in October. 2 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Westport, Conn., August 26, 1946: "Eleanor's condition has taken a serious turn for the worse, and I fear it is only a question now of a very few weeks." 1 p
From Jacques Lipchitz, Paris, France, November 19, 1946: New York trip was postponed; describes a wonderful exhibit at Delacroix's studio; occasionally sees Jacques Villon, who has a painting in the Salon d'Automne. 2 pp., in French
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, January 10, 1947: Pach's son and daughter-in-law visited him; publishers are not interested in his diary; Aesthetics and History will have to go to a university press. 2 pp
From Irma L. Richter, New York, N.Y., March 27, 1947: Is returning Pach's copy of ABC on Painting by Severini; "I wonder whether you have tried to follow his advice regarding technique." 1 p
From James Daugherty, Westport, Conn. [postmarked, March April 22, 1947]: Saw Pach's exhibition at Laurel Gallery; "your work has grown simpler and broader and more unified." 1 p
From Octavio G. Barreda, [place unknown], Mexico, October 9, 1947: Thought of Pach when visiting galleries in Italy and Paris; Paris, Rome, and Florence seem to have recovered From the war, but it wasn't the same without the old faces; in both art and literature it is the end of an era; young artists and writers do not know their message; family news; will visit New York and Havana. 4 pp., in Spanish
From Kurt Wolff, Pantheon Books, New York, N.Y., November 5, 1947: Asks Pach to accept all changes made by the editor. 1 p
From Kurt Wolff, Pantheon Books, New York, N.Y., December 4, 1947: Needs to clarify certain points; Pach must bear the cost of retyping. 1 p
From Kurt Wolff, Pantheon Books, New York, N.Y., January 29, 1948: The final pages of his manuscript must be condensed. 1 p.
To Kurt Wolff From Walter Pach, New York, N.Y., January 30, 1948: They never discussed, nor did he authorize, changes to the final pages of his book. 1 p
From Henry Watson Kent, New York, N.Y., February 21, 1948: Remarks on Pach's complimentary statement about him. 1 p
From Margarita Nelkin, Paris, France, September 1, 1948: Has heard From Pach through letters to Mlle. Burchardt; thanks Pach for supporting Spanish Republicans; is going to Rome for the Congres Interparlementaire and then to Brussels and Amsterdam to give a conference on Mexican art; in November she will leave for Mexico. 1 p., in French
From George Ferdinand Of, New York, N.Y., September 5, 1948: Thanks Pach for bringing pictures of his collection and explaining it personally; Pach has "persuaded" him to paint again. 3 pp
From Francis Hackett, Bethel, Conn., November 8, 1948: Pach is one of the "Old Guard"; his book, -- American Rainbow -- , will include "a lot in it about John Quinn"; his wife recently published a volume on Swedenborg. 2 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Cornwell, Conn., December 2, 1948: Thanks for the inscribed copy of his "enchanting" new book; glad Pach met Francis Hackett. 3 pp
From Pantheon Books, Inc., New York, N.Y., February 1, 1949: Royalty statement. 1 p
From Pantheon Books, Inc., New York, N.Y., July 1, 1949: Royalty statement. 1 p
From Pantheon Books, Inc., New York, N.Y., August 1, 1949: Royalty statement for The Art Museum in America. 1 p
From Anne Chase (Mrs. Arthur White) Sullivan, Glen Head, N.Y., November 3, 1949: Pach's lecture was "just right as a preliminary to the exhibition"; her father would have approved. 2 pp
From Mary Socard, Paris, France, December 13, 1949: Pach's young friend is making good progress learning French; discusses the student's appreciation of art and philosophy. 4 pp., in French
From Jimmy Stern, New York, N.Y., December 23, 1949: Even with "favorable 'press'," his book has not sold well; is "discouraged"; appreciated Pach's note. 1 p
From Pantheon Books, Inc., New York, N.Y., February 1, 1950: Royalty statement. 1 p
From François Puaux, Acting Consul General of France, New York, N.Y., March 7, 1950: Congratulates Pach on being awarded the cross of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor "for the services you have always rendered to the French cause." 1 p
to John Collier From Walter Pach, New York, N.Y., March 11, 1950: Hopes Professor Collier will want the thoughts expressed in Pach's manuscript "given to a wider audience." 1 p., annotated with reply, May 30, 1950: "This has been good reading for me!"
From Meyer Schapiro, Columbia University, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] March 27, 1950: "Comments on the first draft of W. P., Renoir." 3 pp
to Meyer Schapiro From Walter Pach, New York, N.Y., March 27, 1950: Responses to "Comments on the first draft of W.P., Renoir." 4 pp. draft + 4 pp. final copy
From Charles E. Slatkin, Art Book Guild of America, Inc., New York, N.Y., March 28, 1950: Invites Pach to become a member of the Art Book Guild's Advisory Board. 1 p
From Charles E. Slatkin, Art Book Guild of America, Inc., New York, N.Y., April 17, 1950: Acknowledges Pach's acceptance of appointment to the Advisory Board. 1 p
From Atlantic Monthly Company, Boston, Mass., April 20, 1950: "Assignment of Copyright" to Atlantic Monthly Corporation of Pach's article, "Art Must Be Modern." 1 p
From W.G. Constable, Department of Paintings, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Mass., May 30, 1950: Thanks Pach for assistance in securing the Portrait of Madame Villchelis for the museum; agrees that attribution to Gros is most likely; reports the death of Ned Holmes. 2 pp
From Mary Socard, Paris, France, June 20, 1950: The young student has left; he would have benefited From a longer stay but at least had an introduction to European culture; sympathizes with Pach's disappointment over having his prologue replaced by an analysis of painting construction. 3 pp., in French
From Pantheon Books, Inc., New York, N.Y., August 1, 1950: Royalty statement for -- The Art Museum in America -- . 2 pp
From Nanny (Mrs. Sigmund) Pollitzer, New York, N.Y., November 8, 1950: Sorry to learn of Magda's illness. 2 pp
From Nanny (Mrs. Sigmund) Pollitzer, New York, N.Y., November 11, 1950: Extends her sympathy; will try to attend the service. 2 pp
From Eufrosia A.W. Tucker, New York, N.Y., November 11, 1950: Sympathy on the death of Mrs. Pach. 2 pp
From Sarah d'Harnoncourt, New York, N.Y., November 13, 1950: Sympathy on the death of Mrs. Pach. 1 p
From Edith R. Abbot, New York, N.Y., November 13, 1950: Sympathy on the death of Mrs. Pach. 2 pp
From Fanny and Ralph Ellison, New York, N.Y., November 14, 1950: Sympathy on the death of Mrs. Pach. 1 p
From Robert L. Duffus, Westport, Conn., November 15, 1950: Sympathy on the death of Mrs. Pach. 1 p
From Roland Balay, New York, N.Y., November 20, 1950: Offers condolences on the death of Mrs. Pach. 1 p., in French
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, September 23, 1951: Congratulates Pach on his recent marriage. 2 pp
From Mutual Benefit Health and Accident Association, New York, N.Y., [postmarked] November 23, 1951: "Official Receipt for Premium Due." Postal card
From [signature illegible], Athens, Greece, December 24, 1951: Carouzos will select photographs of the subjects that interest Pach; wants to see photographs of Pach's latest paintings. 4 pp
From Jacques Lipchitz, New York, N.Y., January 12, 1952: Pach is right that endings offer new beginnings; predicts that Pach will resume work soon. 1 p., in French
From Rufino Tamayo, [place unknown], Mexico, January 22, 1952: Appreciates Pach's stimulating critique; expects to spend the next year on a mural for the Palace of Fine Arts; congratulates Pach on his marriage. 2 pp., in Spanish
From Bernard Berenson, Ischia, Italy, May 29, 1952: "My indignation over distorted, abstract, non-representational art is that it can lead nowhere." 2 pp
From U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, New York, N.Y., August 8, 1952: "Adjustment of tax liability" and audit for calendar year 1950. 1 p. + enclosures (1 p. "Statement of Income Tax Due," and 4 pp. report)
From Bernard Berenson, [place illegible], September 23, 1952: Agrees with most of Pach's letter to the New York Times; "feeling for art is of the few and understanding for even fewer." 2 pp
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, March 17, 1954: Comments on Pach's "poem to Greek art"; is working on a new edition of Italian Paintings; sends an article he wrote on Picasso. 2 pp
From George Ferdinand Of, Rome, Italy. Is in Rome; heading for Naples, [undated (prior to April 18, 1954)]: Picture postcard ("Roma-Foro Romano, veduto del Campidoglio")
From George Ferdinand Of, Padua, Italy, April 18, 1954: Saw Giottos; visited Ravenna, Naples, and Pompeii. Picture postcard ("Padova-Monumento al Generale Gattamelata")
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, April 25, 1954: He still does not accept the Metropolitan Museum's Madonna as an Antonello; "I remain an optimist" that culture will once again become "genial, creative and human." 2 pp
From Hendrik Willem van Loon, Riverside, Conn., [1955]: He is much better; they have a house near the water where friends are welcome. 1 p., in Dutch
From Bernard Berenson, Florence, Italy, April 21, 1955: "I agree with all you write about the present state of art appreciation"; read the book about Sloan by Van Wyck Brooks; not impressed by Sloan's work; wonders how much Pach influenced Brooks. 2 pp
From William Mills Ivins, Woodbury, Conn., July 17, 1955: Was disappointed to have missed a visit by Pach and Brooks; is living a solitary and quiet life. 2 pp
From Jacques Lipchitz, Beach Haven, N.J., August 7, 1955: After reading Pach's article, he wants to read the book; he no longer appreciates Maillol's sculpture; discusses Renoir's strong judgments of other artists; although Epstein has reached a dead end in Paris, he is a good artist. 3 pp., in French
From Jacques Lipchitz, Beach Haven, N.J., August 15, 1955: Thanks Pach for sending Epstein's book; considers Epstein a good portrait painter but not such a good sculptor; discusses his theory that Jews need to assert their identity. 1 p., in French
From Alfred Russell, Paris, France, September 27, 1955: Thanks Pach for the award; the modern Italian painters he once admired no longer interest him; he finds the sculptors a "revelation"; his exhibition drew "brutal and barbaric insults"; Paris is "the pivot of the universe." 2 pp
From Hendrik Willem van Loon, Riverside, Conn., October 17, [1955?]: "My sincere congratulations upon having finished these miles of paint." 1 p., with illustrated envelope (sailboats) + illustrated card (landscape with windmills)
From Carl Sandburg, Flat Rock, N.C., March 27, 1956: "Values" Pach's letter and plans to affix it to his copy of Faure's History of Art. 1 p
From Germain Seligman, New York, N.Y., April 15, 1957: Ingres's -- Study for the Iliad -- is in the permanent collection of the Art Gallery of Toronto. 1 p. + enclosures (2 pp. description of -- Study for the Iliad -- [Apotheosis of Homer], photograph of -- Study for the Iliad -- , and 2 pp. [photocopies] From Exposition Ingres catalog, 1921)
From Martin Baldwin, Director, Art Gallery of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 16, 1957: The gallery is conducting further research on Study for the Iliad; will share information when it becomes available. 1 p
From Lewis Mumford, Paris, France, April 27, 1957: Has reviewed his correspondence since 1920; Pach's letters are "real treasures" to be saved for historians; being in Paris made him recall Pach's "friendliness and hospitality in 1932"; has rediscovered Ingres now that his taste is mature. 2 pp
From Van Wyck Brooks, Bridgewater, Conn., January 4, 1958: Will study Howells' letters at the Harvard library; recommends novels by Howells. 2 pp
From Hans Christian, Rome, Italy, April 7, 1958: Is visiting Raymond and Ruth in Rome. Picture postcard ("Roma--Arco di Constantino"), in German
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:
Walter Pach papers, 1857-1980. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the initial digitization of the microfilm of this collection was provided by the Gladys K. Delmas Foundation. Funding for the processing of the addition to the Walter Pach papers and digitization of the fully re-processed collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.
The Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers measure 61.1 linear feet and date from 1916 to 1991, with the bulk of the material dating from 1946-1983. Records provide extensive documentation of the gallery's operations from its inception in 1946 to its closing in 1983 and of the activities of Betty Parsons as one the leading art dealers of contemporary American Art in the latter half of the twentieth century, particularly the work of the Abstract Expressionists. Over one third of the of the collection is comprised of artists files containing correspondence, price lists, and printed materials. Additional correspondence is with galleries, dealers, art institutions, private collectors, and the media. Also found are exhibition files, exhibition catalogs and announcements, sales records, stock inventories, personal financial records, and photographs. Betty Parsons's personal papers consist of early curatorial files, pocket diaries, personal correspondence, and evidence of her own artwork, including sketchbooks, and files documenting her personal art collection.
Scope and Content Note:
The Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers measure 61.1 linear feet and date from 1916 to 1991, with the bulk of the material dating from 1946-1983. Records provide extensive documentation of the gallery's operations from its inception in 1946 to its closing in 1983 and of the activities of Betty Parsons as one the leading art dealers of contemporary American Art in the latter half of the twentieth century, particularly the work of the Abstract Expressionists. Over one third of the of the collection is comprised of artists files containing correspondence, price lists, and printed materials. Additional correspondence is with galleries, dealers, art institutions, private collectors, and the media. Also found are exhibition files, exhibition catalogs and announcements, sales records, stock inventories, personal financial records, and photographs. Betty Parsons's personal papers consist of early curatorial files, pocket diaries, personal correspondence, and evidence of her own artwork, including sketchbooks, and files documenting her personal art collection. Personal papers also include personal photographs.
Artists files, the largest and most extensive series, consist of a wide variety of documents, including biographical materials, correspondence with or related to the artist, exhibition catalogs and announcements, sales and expense invoices, clippings, price lists, and photographs of the artist, exhibitions, and artwork. The files reflect Parsons's close personal relationships with certain artists, particularly Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still, and Barnett Newman. Extensive documentation is also found for Forrest Bess, William Congdon, Paul Feeley, Thomas George, Alexander Liberman, Seymour Lipton, Richard Pousette-Dart, Jesse Reichek, and Jack Youngerman. Historians and researchers will find these files to be an invaluable resource both in tracing Betty Parsons's role in promoting Abstract Expressionism and researching individual artists.
Exhibition files primarily document the gallery's infrequent group or themed exhibitions. Of particular note are the files on The Ideographic Picture, which was organized by Barnett Newman and included his work, as well as that of Pietro Lazzari, Boris Margo, Ad Reinhardt, Mark Rothko, Theodoros Stamos, and Clyfford Still. Price lists, artist biographies and exhibition schedules are housed in the general exhibition files. Loan exhibition files provide documentation of artwork borrowed by other galleries or institutions for exhibitions, as well as shows outside of the gallery that were organized by Betty Parsons. Also found are gallery exhibition guest books, and announcements and catalogs.
Gallery correspondence is primarily with galleries and dealers, museums, arts organizations, and collectors. Scattered letters from artists are also found, although the bulk of the artists' correspondence is filed in the Artists Files. Also found here are memoranda and letters between Betty Parsons and her staff that contain detailed information concerning Parsons's schedule and gallery activities. Similar correspondence is found amongst the correspondence files within the series Betty Parsons papers.
Appraisal and conservation files include correspondence, appraisal invoices, forms, and appraisal requests and other information from the Art Dealers Association of America, and conservation invoices and reports. The majority of the appraisal records contain information about the specific works of art, including artist, title, date, current owner and the estimated value at the time of the request. Conservation records document conservation treatments undertaken by outside conservators to gallery stock.
Sales, purchases, stock and inventory are well documented in the sales and inventory records. The records provide detailed information about individual sales, prices of individual pieces of artwork, consignments, and loans. Most sales records also include detailed information about the buyer and are a valuable resource for provenance research. Files documenting the general administration, routine business operations, and financial transactions (not individual sales) of the gallery are housed in the general business and financial records. These records include ledgers, receipts, tax records, and banking records. There is some limited information about works of art scattered amongst the receipts and in the "in/out slips" files. Legal records house general legal documents and those concerning specific lawsuits. Of particular note is the file detailing the lawsuit between Betty Parsons and Sidney Janis over the fifth floor of 24 West 57th Street.
The remainder of the collection consists of Betty Parsons's personal papers which document her career prior to opening her own gallery, her work as an artist, and her personal art collection.
Some information about Parsons's work prior to opening her own gallery is found in the early curatorial files she retained from her curatorial and administrative work at the Wakefield Gallery and the Mortimer Brandt Gallery. Clippings, correspondence, announcements, exhibition lists and exhibition files are found. For both positions, she kept only the exhibition files for a small group of exhibitions organized around a specific theme, the most notable being the exhibition of Pre-Columbian Sculpture at the Wakefield Gallery.
Biographical materials include copies of her biography, family genealogies, photographs of Parsons, interviews with Colette Roberts and WYNC radio, memberships, photographs, and ephemera, including a collection of programs and invitations from events that she attended. Throughout her life Parsons gave generously of her time to various cultural and charitable institutions and was awarded for her contributions. There are also a number of files that document her speaking engagements, her participation as a juror in numerous juried exhibitions, charitable work, and awards that she received.
Parsons's personal correspondence files reflect how deeply Parsons's life was intertwined with the gallery. There are letters from museum directors, dealers, artists seeking representation, and personal letters from artists with whom she had close personal relationships, most notably Larry Bigelow, Alexander Calder, William Condon, and Ad Reinhardt. There are also letters from the English artist Adge Baker, with whom Parsons was romantically involved. Correspondence also includes several files of postcards and Christmas cards.
Pocket diaries and engagement calendars, spanning from 1933-1981, record social engagements, meetings, vacations, and telephone numbers. Also found are circa two linear feet of notebooks and sketchbooks, many of which are annotated with addresses, poetry, journal entries, and other observations of people, places, and travels. Writings by others include writings about Betty Parsons or the Betty Parsons Gallery, such as Lawrence Alloway's unpublished typescript titled "An American Gallery" and other topics.
Printed material consists of exhibition announcements and catalogs, art magazines, and newspaper and magazine clippings about Betty Parsons, her family and acquaintances, artists, and other art related topics, coupled with a miscellaneous selection of clippings, and a video recording, on topics that presumably captured Parsons's attention.
Personal art work records document Betty Parsons's career as an artist through inventories, group and solo exhibitions files, price lists, appraisals, sales and consignment invoices. Photographs are primarily reproductions of her works of art, although there are scattered photographs of exhibition installations.
Betty Parsons's private art collection files document her extensive personal collection of art that included works by Jackson Pollock, Agnes Martin, Romare Bearden, Barnett Newman, and Mark Rothko, in addition to Amlash sculpture from ancient Persia and primitive sculpture from New Hebrides. These files include inventories, lists, exhibition records, sales and purchase invoices, and photographs. There are also files for donations and loans from Parsons's personal collection to museums and fund raising auctions for several non-profit institutions.
Finally, the personal financial records provide information about the Parsons's family finances and her personal financial success as an art dealer. In addition to her own investments, Parsons inherited shares in family investments through the estates of her parents, J. Fred Pierson, Jr. and Suzanne Miles Pierson, and younger sister, Emily Rayner. Real estate files include correspondence, utility bills, receipts, area maps, and land plots for houses in Sheepscot, Maine and St. Maartens, Netherlands Antilles. Tax returns, ledger worksheets, receipts, banking statements, deposit slips, and cancelled checks are among the other financial records.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as seven series. Many of the series are further divided into subseries.
Missing Title
Series 1: Artists Files, 1935-1983 (19.4 linear feet; Boxes 1-18, 51, 55-56, OVs 53, 65)
Series 2: Exhibition Files, 1941-1983 (2.9 linear feet; Boxes 18-21, 51, 55, OVs 54, 66)
Series 3: Correspondence Files, 1941-1983 (3.9 linear feet; Boxes 21-24, 52, 56)
Series 4: Appraisal Files, 1954-1983 (0.7 linear feet; Box 24)
Series 5: Sales and Inventory Records, 1946-1983 (3.9 linear feet; Boxes 25-28, 51)
Series 6: General Business and Financial Records, 1946-1983 (9.3 linear feet; Boxes 28-38, 51, 56)
Series 7: Betty Parsons Personal Papers, 1916-1991 (21 linear feet; Boxes 38-51, 55-64, OVs 65-67)
Historical Note:
Betty Parsons (1900-1982) was one of the leading art dealers in New York City specializing in modern art, particularly the work of the Abstract Expressionists, and an abstract painter and sculptor in her own right. She opened Betty Parsons Gallery in 1946 at 15 E. 57th St., later moving to 24 W. 57th St.
The history of the Betty Parsons Gallery is inextricably bound to the life and experiences of its founder. Betty Parsons was born Betty Bierne Pierson on January 31, 1900 in New York City. She enjoyed a privileged childhood, which included vacation homes in Newport and Palm Beach. Her only formal education was a five-year stint at the prestigious Chapin School from 1910-1915, where she met many of the women who would become life-long friends and supporters. In the spring of 1920, she married Schuyler Livingston Parsons from one of New York's oldest families. The marriage ended after only three years and the couple traveled to Paris where they could obtain a divorce on the grounds of incompatibility. She retained her married surname and purchased a house on the rue Boulard in Paris, where she remained for ten years, pursuing studies in painting and sculpture.
Financial constraints forced Parsons to return to the United States in 1933. She first traveled west to California, but it was her return to New York in 1935 that marked the start of her career as an art dealer. Her first opportunity to connect with the New York art world came after a successful exhibition of her watercolors at the Midtown Galleries where the owner, Alan Gruskin, noted Parson's faithful and wealthy group of supporters and offered her work installing exhibitions and selling paintings on commission. Her work for the Midtown Galleries led to a second position in the Park Avenue gallery of Mary Sullivan, one of the founders of the Museum of Modern Art. Here, Parsons learned the business of running a gallery. By 1940 Parsons was ready to take on more independent responsibility and agreed to manage a gallery within the Wakefield Bookshop. In this job, she exercised full curatorial control by selecting artists and organizing exhibitions. She championed then unknown contemporary American artists and the gallery's roster soon included Saul Steinberg, Hedda Sterne, Alfonso Ossorio, Joseph Cornell, Walter Murch, and Theodore Stamos. Although the majority of the exhibitions were solo shows, there were a few group shows and themed exhibitions, such as Love in Art (1941) and Ballet in Art (1942). Under Parson's direction, the gallery hosted an important exhibition of Pre-Columbian sculpture, curated by Barnett Newman.
When the owners of the Wakefield Bookshop decided to close the gallery late in 1944, Mortimer Brandt, a dealer who specialized in Old Master paintings and drawings, offered her a position as head of the newly created contemporary section of his gallery. Many of the artists who had shown with Parsons at the Wakefield Gallery followed her to her new gallery, where they were joined by Ad Reinhardt, Boris Mango, and Hans Hofmann. While the exhibitions garnered attention from the press and the interest of contemporary artists, the contemporary section was not a financial success and Brandt opted to close his gallery in 1946.
Using $1000 of her own money and an additional borrowed $4000, Parsons sublet the space that previously housed Mortimer Brandt's contemporary section, on the fifth floor of 15 East 57th Street, and opened the Betty Parsons Gallery.
In many respects the early years of the Betty Parsons Gallery were the most vital, as it was during the period of 1947-1951 that the gallery became linked with the Abstract Expressionists and the history of post-WWII American Art. In an unpublished history of the gallery, noted art critic Lawrence Alloway stated that the significance of the gallery's early exhibitions ranks with Durand-Ruel's Impressionists exhibitions or Kahnweiler's shows of the Cubists. Betty Parsons Gallery quickly became one of the most prestigious galleries in New York City associated with new American Art of all styles. Her close friend Barnett Newman organized the gallery's inaugural exhibition of Northwest Coast Indian Art and he soon began to exhibit his own work at the gallery. When Peggy Guggenheim's Art of This Century Gallery closed, Jackson Pollock, Clyfford Still, and Mark Rothko joined Parsons' growing stable of artists. Although Parsons continued to promote and exhibit many of the artists whom she had previously discovered, these four artists dominated this period. Newman, Pollock, Still, and Rothko worked closely together, holding themselves apart from the other artists somewhat. They were actively involved in the curatorial process and often hung their own shows. For these artists, the exhibition itself was an artistic act of creation.
Parsons provided a supportive environment and allowed her artists enormous freedom in planning and designing their exhibitions. She was not, however, an aggressive salesperson. During this early period the gallery ledgers document sales to an impressive array of museums including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as important collectors such as Edward Root and Duncan Phillips. Nevertheless, the art that the gallery promoted was not yet widely accepted. Sales were few, prices were low and the business would not turn a profit for several years. Meanwhile, there was mounting pressure from Pollock, Newman, Still, and Rothko to drop some of the other artists from Parsons' stable and focus all resources on them. They wanted to be promoted to a larger audience and have their work sold at higher prices, but Parsons enjoyed discovering new artists and did not want to be restricted in this endeavor. The year 1951 marks the last time that Pollock's drip paintings or the monumental works of Newman, Rothko or Still were shown at the Betty Parsons Gallery.
In the following years the Betty Parsons Gallery continued to attract a diverse group of talented artists. Ellsworth Kelly, Richard Tuttle, Robert Rauschenberg, and Jack Youngerman had their first New York exhibitions at the Betty Parsons Gallery. Parsons opened Section Eleven in 1958, a short-lived annex to the main gallery, so that she could promote younger, less well-known artists. It closed in 1960 due to the administrative difficulties in running two essentially separate galleries.
In 1962, Sidney Janis, another prominent art dealer, started proceedings to evict Parsons from the floor that they shared on 15 East 57th Street. The Betty Parsons Gallery moved to 24 West 57th Street in 1963, where it remained until it closed in 1983, following Parsons' death the preceding year. Throughout the gallery's history, Parsons continued to promote faithful artists such as Hedda Sterne and Saul Steinberg, who had been with her from the beginning and to seek out new talent, both for her main gallery and for other venues, such as the short-lived Parsons-Truman Gallery, which she opened in 1974 with former Parsons Gallery director Jock Truman to show works on paper by emerging artists.
In addition to being an art dealer, Betty Parsons was a respected artist and collector. With her connoisseur's eye and connections, Parsons amassed an impressive private collection of art. She bought her first piece while an art student in Paris in the 1920s, a small gouache by Zadkine, but did not begin acquiring works in earnest until she was established as an art dealer. Partial inventories of her personal collection show that the majority of her collection contained works by artists associated with the gallery. Mark Rothko, Hans Hofmann, Ad Reinhardt, Agnes Martin, and Kenzo Okada were among the artists represented. Many were gifts from the artists, such as an ink drawing by Jackson Pollock, inscribed "For Betty." Selections from her collection appeared in small museums across the United States, including a traveling exhibition organized by Fitch College, New York, in 1968. In her role as a promoter of contemporary American art, Parsons lent generously from her collection, particularly to the federal Art in the Embassies Program. Throughout her life she also donated works to a variety of museums, most notably, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark.
Parsons frequently claimed that her desire to pursue a career as an artist stemmed from a visit to the Armory Show when she was thirteen. In her late teens, after pressuring her father for art lessons, she studied with the sculptor Gutzon Burglum of Mount Rushmore fame. In Paris, she continued her studies first with Antoine Bourdelle, whose sculptures she had admired at the Armory Show, and later with Ossip Zadkine. The first exhibition of her work, figurative watercolors and sculptures, took place in Paris in 1927. As she matured as an artist, her art became more abstract. Her late works were painted wood sculptures that she pieced together from wood that she found near her studio in Long Island. Parsons's work was exhibited in more than thirty solo exhibitions, including, Betty Parsons; Paintings, Gouaches and Sculpture, 1955-1968, at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. During her lifetime, she would not allow her works to be shown in her own gallery. Shortly after she died of a stroke in 1982, In Memoriam, Betty Parsons: Late Sculptures, opened at the Betty Parsons Gallery.
Related Material:
Also found in the Archives of American Art are oral history interviews with Betty Parsons, June 4-9, 1969, by Paul Cummings, and June 11, 1981 by Gerald Silk.
Separated Material:
Some of the material originally loaned for microfilming in 1968 and 1969 was not included in later donations and can be viewed on microfilm reels N68/62-N68/74 and N69/105-N69/106. Loaned materials are not described in the container listing in this finding aid.
Provenance:
The gallery donated some records in 1974, many of which had been loaned earlier for microfilming. The bulk of the collection was donated in 1984 and 1986 by William Rayner and Christopher Schwabacher, executors of the Estate of Betty Parsons. Additional material was donated by William Rayner in 1998 and Christopher Schwabacher in 2017. Additional material was donated in 2018 by the Lee Hall estate via Carolyn Crozier and Deborah Jacobson, co-executors. Hall was Parsons's biographer and had the material in her possession at the time of Parsons's death. An additional photograph of Parons and Marie Carr Taylor by Henri Cartier-Bresson was donated in 2021 by Mary Carpenter, who inherited the photograph from her mother, Nan Thorton Jones, who received it as a gift from Taylor.
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.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
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:
Gallery owners -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
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:
Dorothy C. Miller papers, 1853-2013, bulk 1920-1996. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
Sound recording: 3 sound cassettes (270 min.) : analog + printed material and drawings
34 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Drawings
Interviews
Sound recordings
Date:
2000 April 27
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Rudolph de Harak conducted 2000 April 27, by Susan Larsen, for Archives of American Art, in Trenton, Maine. Also received from De Harak at the time of the interview are a photocopy of an article reprinted in Design Culture that de Harak wrote for the American Institute of Graphic Arts; photocopy of an interview transcript with Gyorgy Kepes conducted by de Harak, de Harak's vitae, 2 exhibition catalogs, an article in recognition of de Harak by Daniel Forte, and a pencil drawing and a design with color chart.
De Harak discusses his childhood in California and moving to both Chicago and New York in support of his sisters' dancing careers, as well as his education and career. He attended the New York School of Industrial Arts, graduating in 1940, at the age of sixteen. After graduation he worked in an upholstery factory etching zinc plates for printed and painted silk fabric for use in draperies. At age eighteen he was drafted into the Army and served throughout WWII. After the war he returned to California, to be with his sisters and mother. Eventually he found work in a Los Angeles design studio, where he became reacquainted with Hal Tritel, whom he had known in New York. Together, they attended an inspirational lecture by Will Burtin, the art director of Fortune magazine.
In 1947, De Harak and Tritel opened their own design firm. In 1950, De Harak moved back the New York in search of more opportunities as a designer. He worked at a variety of tasks including a stint at Seventeen magazine, starting his own design firm, and teaching at Cooper Union School of Visual Arts. His clients included McGraw Hill Publishers, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He also worked on the World Trade Center. Through his work with the Atomic Energy Commission, De Harak became friends with Gyorgy Kepes. He also became friends with Will Burtin and Bill Golden, the designer of the "CBS eye" logo. De Harak also discusses the effect computers have had on design, the influence of Wolfgang Weingart, and his decision to focus on painting.
Biographical / Historical:
Rudolph de Harak (1924-2002) was a graphic designer and painter from Trenton, Maine.
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:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Patterson, Frederick D. (Frederick Douglass), 1901-1988 Search this
Patterson, Wilhelmina Bessie, 1888-1962 Search this
Extent:
6 Linear feet (9 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Programs
Clippings
Correspondence
Ephemera
Postcards
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Date:
1866 - 1990.
Summary:
The Dale-Patterson family papers, which date from 1866 to 2010 and measure 6 linear feet, document the personal and professional lives of the Dale-Patterson family who came to live in Hillsdale, Anacostia, area of Washington, D.C., in 1892.
Scope and Contents note:
The Dale-Patterson family papers, which date from 1866 to 1990 and measure 6 linear feet, document the personal and professional lives of the Dale-Patterson family who came to live in Hillsdale, Anacostia, area of Washington, D.C., in 1892. The collection is comprised of correspondence, photographs, clippings, and ephemera.
Arrangement note:
The collection is arranged in four series:
Series 1: Dale-Patterson Family papers
Series 2: Charles Qualls papers
Series 3: Community Organizations
Series 4: Subject Files
Biographical/Historical note:
The Dale family came to Washington, DC in 1886 when John Henry Dale, Sr., a gifted self-taught man, obtained a position as clerk in the newly contracted Pension Bureau building at 5th and G Streets, NW. First they lived near 13th Street and Florida Avenue, NW, then moved to Howard Road in Anacostia. Dale built a house at 2619 Nichols Avenue, now Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, drawing the plans and supervising the construction. The Dales and only one other family lived in this solidly built house for 100 years before it was sold to a church group and demolished.
General Note:
Finding Aid Note: This finding aid is associated with a MARC collection-level record.361883
Provenance:
The Dale-Patterson Family collection was donated to the Anacostia Community Museum on April 07, 2013.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Rights:
The Dale-Patterson Family collection is the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with the Anacostia Community Museum. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
The Joan Ludman papers relating to Fairfield Porter measure 4.2 linear feet and are dated circa 1910-2003, bulk 1976-2001. The papers primarily document her research for Fairfield Porter: A Catalogue Raisonné of his Prints (1981) and Fairfield Porter: A Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings, Watercolors, and Pastels (2001). There are records concerning "Prints by Fairfield Porter from the Lauris and Daniel J. Mason Collection," a traveling exhibition organized by Ludman. Also found are Ludman's records concerning her authentications of Porter's artwork, and general printed material about Porter. Photographs are of Porter and his work. A 2015 addition includes provenance forms sent to Ludman from artwork owners.
Scope and Content Note:
The Joan Ludman papers relating to Fairfield Porter measure 4.2 linear feet and are dated circa 1910-2003, bulk 1976-2001. The papers primarily document her research for Fairfield Porter: A Catalogue Raisonné of his Prints (1981) and Fairfield Porter: A Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings, Watercolors, and Pastels (2001). There are records concerning "Prints by Fairfield Porter from the Lauris and Daniel J. Mason Collection," a traveling exhibition organized by Ludman. Also found are Ludman's records concerning her authentications of Porter's artwork, and general printed material about Porter. Photographs are of Porter and his work. A 2015 addition includes provenance forms sent to Ludman from artwork owners.
The compilation of Fairfield Porter: A Catalogue Raisonné of his Prints and its publication are documented by a variety of records. Research correspondence includes photocopies of Porter's letters from the 1930s to John Wheelwright about linoleum cuts he made for the Socialist publication Poems for a Dime. Letters from Anne Porter concerning the catalogue raisonné are among the miscellaneous correspondence. Also found is a "Log of the Work in Progress on Research and Interviews…" kept by Ludman, along with notes and transcripts of interviews conducted during the course of her research. Printed material concerns Porter's prints, and photographs include those reproduced in the catalogue raisonné.
Ludman's work on Fairfield Porter: A Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings, Watercolors, and Pastels is documented by correspondence, a "master index," writings, printed material and photographs. Among the correspondence are questionnaires completed by owners of Porter paintings. Correspondence with Anne Porter includes typed excerpts from letters, 1922-1938, that mention her husband's painting activities. A "master index" summarizing Ludman's research is found among the writings. Printed material mentions or reproduces paintings by Fairfield Porter. Photographs include the images reproduced in the book; there are also snapshots of some early paintings, among them unidentified and unrecorded works.
Exhibition records document "Prints by Fairfield Porter from the Lauris and Daniel J. Mason Collection," a show organized by Joan Ludman that traveled in 1982 and 1983 under the auspices of the Gallery Association of New York State. Printed material provides general background information about Porter and his work. Also found are an article and book review by Fairfield Porter, along with printed material concerning members of his family and a map of Great Spruce Head Island, Maine.
Authentication records consist of letters conveying Mrs. Ludman's opinions about works purported to be by Porter. The majority of photographs are of Fairfield Porter. Also included are Manhattan street scenes photographed by Porter, and views of Joan and Harold Ludman's 1976 visit with Mrs. Porter at the home and studio.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 7 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: -- Fairfield Porter: A Catalogue Raisonné of his Prints -- , 1936-2003 (Box 1; 0.4 linear ft.)
Series 2: -- Fairfield Porter: A Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings, Watercolors, and Pastels -- , 1933-2003 (Boxes 1-3; 2.6 linear ft.)
Series 3: Exhibition Records, 1982-1983 (Box 4; 4 folders)
Series 4: Printed Material, 1966-2000 (Box 4; 0.2 linear ft.)
Series 5: Authentications, 1991-2001 (Box 4; 2 folders)
Series 6: Photographs, circa1910-1976 (Box 4; 0.1 linear ft.)
Series 7: Addition to the Joan Ludman Papers Relating to Fairfield Porter, circa 1970s-2000s (Boxes 5-6, 0.8 linear feet)
Biographical Note:
Joan Ludman, an art historian with expertise in prints, developed a deep interest in the work of Fairfield Porter while living in Westbury, Long Island. She compiled and published a catalogue raisonné of Porter's prints in 1981, and another of his paintings, watercolors, and pastels in 2001. Now retired, Mrs. Ludman lives in Florida.
By the early 1970s, Joan Ludman had amassed a sizeable amount of information about Fairfield Porter and considered writing a biography. Instead, with the help of Anne Porter, the artist's widow, she began researching Porter's prints. The result was Fairfield Porter: A Catalogue Raisonné of his Prints. It was published by Highland House Publishers, Inc., a company established by Mrs. Ludman in order to assure her own standards and control the book's quality and cost.
At the same time she was compiling the catalogue raisonné of Porter's prints, Ludman was collaborating with Lauris Mason on other projects - a catalogue raisonné of George Bellow's lithographs, an anthology of essays, and five selected bibliographies about prints and printmaking. She also organized "Prints from Fairfield Porter from the Lauris and Daniel J. Mason Collection," an exhibition that traveled to several venues in 1982 and 1983.
The Estate of Fairfield Porter donated a substantial number of paintings to the Parrish Art Museum in 1979. The museum agreed to publish a catalogue raisonné, and arrangements were formalized the following year. Twice during the early 1980s, art historians who committed to writing the monograph lost interest. The project languished due to administrative problems and the discouragingly high cost of publishing such a volume. By 1988, it was apparent that the museum could not comply with the agreement. Knowing Joan Ludman's work on the catalogue raisonné of Porter's prints, Mrs. Porter approached her about the catalogue raisonné of his paintings. The highly regarded Fairfield Porter: A Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings, Watercolors, and Pastels was published by Hudson Hills Press, Inc.
Painter Fairfield Porter (1907-1975) was known for portraits, landscapes, and still life paintings. Also a critic and writer, Porter was an editorial associate with Art News in the 1950's, wrote for The Nation, published poetry, and a monograph on Thomas Eakins.
Related Material:
Among the holdings of the Archives of American Art are the Fairfield Porter papers, 1888-2001, and an oral history interview with Fairfield Porter conducted by Paul Cummings in 1968.
Provenance:
The Joan Ludman papers relating to Fairfield Porter were donated to the Archives of American Art by Joan Ludman in 2003 and 2004. Ludman donated additional 0.8 linear feet of papers in 2015.
Restrictions:
Use of original material 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.
The papers of Abstract Expressionist painters James Brooks and Charlotte Park measure 18.7 linear feet and are dated 1909-2010, bulk 1930-2010. Correspondence, subject files, personal business records, printed material, and a sound recording document his painting career, interests, professional and personal activities. Also found are biographical materials, interviews, writings, and art work. The collection also includes papers of his wife, Abstract Expressionist painter Charlotte Park, regarding her painting career, personal life, activities as executor of James Brooks' estate, and some material concerning the James Brooks and Charlotte Park Brooks Foundation. There is a 1.4 linear foot addition to this collection donated in 2017 that includes 58 "week-at-a-glance" appointment books, three journals and one address/ telephone book of Charlotte Park; a hand written chronology with significant dates and notes; postcards and exhibition announcements sent to Charlotte and James; doodles; and a sketch, possibly by Don Kingman.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Abstract Expressionist painters James Brooks and Charlotte Park measure 18.7 linear feet and are dated 1909-2010, bulk 1930-2010. Correspondence, subject files, personal business records, printed material, and a sound recording document his painting career, interests, professional and personal activities. Also found are biographical materials, interviews, writings, and art work. The collection also includes papers of his wife, Abstract Expressionist painter Charlotte Park, regarding her painting career, personal life, activities as executor of James Brooks' estate, and some material concerning the James Brooks and Charlotte Park Brooks Foundation. There is a 1.4 linear foot addition to this collection donated in 2017 that includes 58 "week-at-a-glance" appointment books, three journals and one address/ telephone book of Charlotte Park; a hand written chronology with significant dates and notes; postcards and exhibition announcements sent to Charlotte and James; doodles; and a sketch, possibly by Don Kingman.
Biographical materials include biographical notes and documents such as copies of birth and death certificates, curricula vitae, family history. Educational records are from Southern Methodist University and documentation of flight training courses at New York University. Brooks' military service in World War II is well documented by United States Army records with related correspondence. Also found is extensive documentation of his death and funeral.
Professional and personal correspondence is addressed to Brooks, the couple, and to Charlotte Park during the later years of Brooks' life when she managed his affairs. A significant amount of correspondence is categorized as art, autograph requests, personal, and teaching; also include is general correspondence that overlaps all categories. Art correspondence with museums, galleries, collectors, artists, and friends concerns exhibitions, Brooks' work, and invitations to exhibit, speak, or serve as a juror. Of note is the correspondence with Samuel M. Kootz Gallery. The personal correspondence is mainly social, and teaching correspondence consists largely of requests that he teach in summer programs, serve as a visiting artist/critic.
Six interviews with James Brooks are in the form of published and unpublished transcripts; a seventh is a sound recording with no known transcript. Charlotte Park participates in one interview.
Writings by Brooks are statements about his work and a tribute to Ilya Bolotowsky. Among the writings by others about Brooks are a catalog essay, academic papers, and lecture; also found are a few short pieces on miscellaneous topics. Three diaries include brief entries regarding his work, exhibitions, and activities.
Subject files maintained by Brooks concerning organizations, exhibitions, mural projects, a commission and teaching document his professional activities, relationships and interests.
Personal business records concern appraisals, conservation, gifts, insurance, loans, sales, shipping, and storage of artwork. Gallery records include agreements, consignments, lists, and receipts. Also, there are accounts for lettering work and personal income tax returns.
Printed material is mostly exhibition announcements, invitations, catalogs, and checklists, as well as articles and reviews. The majority are about/mention Brooks or include reproductions of his work; some concern artist friends, former students, and others.
Artwork by Brooks consists of pencil and ink drawings, two sketchbooks, and "telephone doodles." Other artists include Adolph Gottlieb (ink drawing of sculpture), Philip Guston (three pencil drawings of Brooks), and William King (two silhouettes of Brooks).
Photographic materials (photographs, digital prints, negatives, slides, and color transparencies) provide extensive documentation of Brooks' artwork and, to a lesser extent, exhibitions.There are pictures of Brooks as a very young boy, though the most views of him date from the 1930s through 1980s, and with friends. Places include Brooks' homes and studios in Montauk, New York and the Springs, East Hampton, New York; travel to Maine, Oregon and California. Views of the Middle East from World War II show Brooks with colleagues, local people engaged in daily activities, and scenery. Also of note are a copy print of "The Irascibles" by Nina Leen, and attendees at the dedication of Flight dining in view of Brook's LaGuardia Ariport mural.
Charlotte Park papers document the professional career and personal life of the Abstract Expressionist painter, art teacher, and wife of James Brooks through correspondence, personal business records, exhibition records, printed material, and photographs. In addition, this series documents artwork in the estate of James Brooks and posthumous exhibitions. Twelve years younger than her husband, Park began handling business matters for him as he aged and developed Alzheimer's disease. She also served as his executor. In the 1990s, a curator assumed management of the artwork and loans for exhibitions. After the James Brooks and Charlotte Park Brooks Foundation was established in 2000, its director handled most business activities. Some copies of Foundation minutes and correspondence are found among Park's papers.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in 11 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1924-1995 (Box 1, OV 19; 0.6 linear feet)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1928-1995 (Boxes 1-3; 1.7 linear feet)
Series 3: Interviews, 1965-1990 (Box 3; 0.2 linear feet)
Series 4: Writings, 1952-1999 (Box 3; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 5: Diaries, 1975-1984 (Box 3; 0.1 linear feet)
Series 6: Subject Files, 1926-2001 (Boxes 3-5, OV 20; 2.0 linear feet)
Series 7: Personal Business Records, 1932-1992 (Boxes 5-6; 1.0 linear feet)
Series 8: Printed Material, 1928-1992 (Boxes 6-11, OV 21-OV 22; 4.8 linear feet)
Series 9: Artwork, 1930s-1992 (Box 11; 0.2 linear feet)
Series 10: Photographic Materials, 1909-2000s (Boxes 11-15; 4.1 linear feet)
Series 11: Charlotte Park papers, 1930s-2010 (Boxes 15-18, OV 23; 3.6 linear feet)
Series 12: Unprocessed Additition, circa 1930-2010 (Boxes 25-26; 1.4 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
James Brooks (1906-1992) and Charlotte Park (1919-2010) were Abstract Expressionist painters in East Hampton, N.Y. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Brooks spent his childhood in Colorado, Oklahoma, Illinois, and Texas. He begn drawing as a young boy, finding inspiration in magazine illustrations and comic strips. Before moving to New York City in 1926, he studied at Southern Methodist University (1923-1924) and at the Dallas Art Institute.
In New York, Brooks studied illustration at the Grand Central Art School. After exposure to museums led him to differentiate between illustration and fine art, Brooks enrolled at Art Students League. During this period he supported himself by doing lettering for magazine advertisements. From 1936-1942 he participated in the WPA Federal Art Project, executing murals at Woodside Library, Queens, New York (destroyed); the Post Office, Little Falls, New Jersey; and his famous Flight at LaGuardia Airport's Marine Air Terminal (painted over in the 1950s and restored in 1980).
During World War II Brooks served in the United States Army as an art correspondent in Cairo. When at the Office of Special Services, Washington, DC, he met Charlotte Park who worked there as a graphic artist and later became his wife. The couple moved to New York City in 1945 and married in 1947. Brooks resumed friendships with artists he knew from the WPA including Philip Guston, Bradley Walker Tomlin, and Jackson Pollock. Brooks and Park were especially close with Pollock and Lee Krasner; after they moved to Long Island, Brooks and Park, soon followed, first to Montauk and later to the Springs, East Hampton, New York.
By the late 1940s, Brooks had turned away from figural painting in the social realist style and moved toward abstraction. In the early 1950s, he was experimenting with enamel, gouache, and diluted oil paints, staining various grounds in ways that produced interesting shapes, adding spontaneous splashes of color over which he painted more deliberately. In the 1960s he switched to acrylics, leading to wider use of color and broader strokes.
Peridot Gallery presented Brooks' first solo exhibition in 1949. He helped organize and participated in the famous Ninth Street Show of 1951, earning critical acclaim. This assured him a place in two of the Museum of Modern Art's most important exhibitions of the period, Twelve Americans (1956) and New American Painting (1958). He showed at the Stable Gallery, Kootz Gallery, Martha Jackson Gallery and others. During his lifetime Brooks enjoyed five traveling retrospective exhibitions.
Prizes and awards included Carnegie Institute's Pittsburgh International Exhibition 5th prize for painting (1952), The Art Institue of Chicago's 62nd American Exhibition Logan Medal and Prize for Painting (1957) and 64th American Exhibition Harris Prize (1961), The National Arts Club Medal (1985), and a citation of appreciation for Flight from The North Beach Club Marine Air Terminal, LaGuardia Airport (1986).
Brooks taught for nearly three decades: drawing at Columbia University (1947-1948) and lettering at Pratt Institute (1948-1955); was a visiting critic, Yale University (1955-1960), University of Pennsylvania (1971-1972), and Cooper Union (1975); and served on the Queens College faculty (1966-1969). In addition, he was an artist-in-residence at The American Academy in Rome (1963), the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship (1969), and a National Endowment for the Humanities Grant (1973).
Brooks developed Alzheimer's disease around 1985 and died in East Hampton, New York in 1992.
Charlotte Park graduated from the Yale School of Fine Art (1939) and during World War II, when working in Washington, D.C., she met James Brooks. They moved to New York City in 1945, where she studied with Australian artist Wallace Harrison. Park taught children's art classes at several private schools in the early 1950s and at the Museum of Modern Art, 1955-1967.
Park's approach to Abstract Expressionism featured curved or linear shapes with vibrant colors and dynamic brushstrokes. Tanager Gallery presented her first solo show in 1957 and her work was included in numerous group exhibitions from the 1950s through 2000s, mainly in New York City and Long Island. After Park's second solo exhibition, held in 1973 at Elaine Benson Gallery, Bridgehampton, New York, interest in her work revived; other one-person shows followed at Guild Hall (1979), Ingber Gallery (1980), and paired with James Brooks at Louise Himelfarb Gallery. The National Institute of Arts and Letters honored Park with its Art Award in 1974. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Parrish Art Museum, Guild Hall Museum, Telfair Museum of Art, and in many private collections.
Charlotte Park died in 2010.
Related Materials:
Also among the Archives of American Art's holdings are letters from James Brooks and Sean Scully, 1980-1989 addressed to Theodora ["Teddy"] S. Greenbaum, and an oral history interview with James Brooks conducted by Dorothy Seckler, 1965 June 10 and June 12.
Separated Materials:
Correspondence, interview transcripts, photographs, and printed material were loaned by James Brooks for microfilming in 1969 (reel N69-132). With the exception of an address book, a scrapbook, and a few photographs, Brooks donated almost all of the loan in 1979.
Provenance:
The majority of the collection was donated in 2013 by the James Brooks and Charlotte Brooks Foundation and an additional 1.4 linear feet donated 2017 by the Foundation. In 1979 James Brooks donated most of the material lent for microfilming in 1969.
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.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
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.
The records of New York City Kraushaar Galleries measure 106.3 linear feet and 0.181 GB and date from 1877 to 2006. Three-fourths of the collection documents the gallery's handling of contemporary American paintings, drawings, and sculpture through correspondence with artists, private collectors, museums, galleries, and other art institutions, interspersed with scattered exhibition catalogs and other materials. Also included are John F. Kraushaar's estate records; artists' files; financial ledgers documenting sales and gallery transactions; consignment and loan records; photographs of artwork; sketchbooks and drawings by James Penney, Louis Bouché, and others; and two scrapbooks. There is a 6.0 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2022 that includes correspondence with artists, galleries, organizations and individuals regarding works of art, filed alphabetically by year. Materials date from circa 1959-1999, with the bulk from 1990-1999.
Scope and Content Note:
The records of New York City Kraushaar Galleries measure 106.3 linear feet and 0.181 GB and date from 1877 to 2006. Three-fourths of the collection documents the gallery's handling of contemporary American paintings, drawings, and sculpture through correspondence with artists, private collectors, museums, galleries, and other art institutions, interspersed with scattered exhibition catalogs and other materials. Also included are John F. Kraushaar's estate records; artists' files; financial ledgers documenting sales and gallery transactions; consignment and loan records; photographs of artwork; sketchbooks and drawings by James Penney, Louis Bouché, and others; and two scrapbooks.
The collection reflects all activities conducted in the day-to-day administration of the business and relates to the acquisition, consignment, loan, sale, and exhibition of art by twentieth-century American artists and European artists of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The records document specific arrangements for loans and exhibitions, artist-dealer relations, relationships with public and private collectors, interaction with the art dealer community, and routine requests for information.
Much of the artist correspondence relates to practical arrangements for exhibitions of artwork, but in many cases also documents the development of individual artists and the effect of their relationship with the galleries on their ability to produce marketable work. Many of the artists represented in the collection also wrote lengthy letters, particularly to Antoinette Kraushaar, describing their attitudes to their work and providing insight into how that work was shaped by events in their personal lives.
The bulk of the correspondence with museums and institutions concerns practical arrangements for loans of artwork and provides detailed information about market prices and insurance values. It offers insight into the general climate of opinion toward particular artists and styles at any given time. Correspondence with other galleries and dealers also concerns loans and sales of artwork but, due to the typically cordial and cooperative nature of relations between the Kraushaars and their contemporaries, may also provide a more extensive and personal view of relationships and trends in the art dealer community. Similarly, while a portion of the correspondence with private collectors concerns routine requests for information and loans of art on approval, there is also substantive correspondence documenting the development of the artistic vision of collectors such as Preston Harrison, Elizabeth S. Navas, and Duncan Phillips.
From 1917 to the mid-1930s correspondence was handled mainly by John Kraushaar, and the bulk of that relating to European galleries and European art can be found during these years. Although there are only a handful of materials before 1926, records from the 1920s and 1930s document Kraushaar Galleries' growing commitment to American artists and the climate of the market for their work. The financial hardships of the Depression are vividly depicted in the numerous letters written during the 1930s seeking payment on accounts receivable and requesting extensions on accounts payable.
From the mid-1930s to 1968 correspondence was conducted primarily by Antoinette Kraushaar and, to some degree, by her assistants in later years. As the galleries' focus on American art increased, so did the volume of correspondence with artists, and the collection is particularly rich during the 1940s and early 1960s. In later years to 2006, most of the correspondence was conducted by Carol Pesner and gallery assistants.
The exhibition catalogs included in the collection do not represent a complete set. Those found are working copies used by the galleries in preparation for exhibitions and are often annotated with prices or insurance values. Additional exhibition catalogs can be found on the microfilm described in the Administrative Information section of this finding aid.
The majority of Kraushaar Galleries' insurance records can be found in files relating to the company Wm. E. Goodridge & Son, later known as Wm. E. Goodridge, Inc. Shipping and transportation records are generally filed under the names of the companies used for such transactions and can primarily be found under Davies, Turner & Co., Hudson Forwarding & Shipping Co., Railway Express Agency, Inc., and W. S. Budworth & Son, and to a lesser degree under American Railway Express Company, Arthur Lenars & Cie., C. B. Richard & Co., De La Rancheraye & Co., Hayes Storage, Packing & Removal Service, Inc., and Willis, Faber & Co. Ltd.
The 2008-2017 additions include correspondence similar in content and with correspondents as described above, as well as some artists' Christmas cards. However, the bulk of the additional correspondence dates from 1965-1989, with a handful of miscellaneous correspondence from 1877 to the mid-twentieth century. Also found are financial and business records including records from the closing of the John F. Kraushaar estate; over 40 ledgers providing nearly complete documentation of the gallery's sales and transactions from its establishment to 1946; incoming consignment records, including account statements and correspondence with artists, from the 1940s to 2006; and outgoing consignment and loan records from 1899-2006. The gallery's representation of its stable of artists is documented through artists' files containing printed and digital materials, exhibition catalogs and announcements, price lists, and biographical information, as well as containers of photographs and negatives of artwork. Also found is a 1933 sketchbook by James Penney, drawings and sketchbooks by Louis Bouché, and two scrapbooks.
There is a 6.0 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2022 that includes correspondence with artists, galleries, organizations and individuals regarding works of art, filed alphabetically by year. Materials date from circa 1959-1999, with the bulk from 1990-1999.
See Appendix for a list of Kraushaar Galleries exhibitions
Arrangement:
Kraushaar Galleries generally filed all types of records together with correspondence in a combination of alphabetical and chronological files. Thus financial records, insurance records, receipts, photographs, and exhibition catalogs can be found interfiled with general correspondence in Series 1-3. A group of photographs of artwork maintained separately by Kraushaar Galleries constitutes Series 4. Series 6 was minimally processed separately from Series 1-5, and the arrangement reflects the original order of the addition for the most part.
Records in Series 1-3 were originally filed alphabetically by name of correspondent and then by month, by a span of several months, or by year. The alphabetical arrangement has been retained, but to facilitate access the collection was rearranged so that correspondence was collated by year. From 1901 to 1944 outgoing letters and incoming letters are filed separately; in 1945 some outgoing letters are filed separately, with the bulk of the material filed together as correspondence; from 1946 to 1968 incoming and outgoing letters are filed together as correspondence.
For Series 1-3 organizations or individuals represented by at least 15 letters are filed in separate file folders. All other correspondents are arranged in general files by letters of the alphabet, with selected correspondents and subjects noted in parentheses after the folder title.
Series 2 and several boxes in Series 3 contain a variety of notes and receipts received and created by Kraushaar Galleries that were originally unfoldered. The notes can be found in folders adjacent to the receipts and include handwritten notes of customer names and addresses, financial notes and calculations, catalogs of exhibitions, invitations and announcements to exhibitions frequently used as note paper, and other miscellany. Although most of the miscellaneous notes are undated, they are filed, with the receipts, at the end of the year to which they appear to relate. For the years 1929 and 1930 Kraushaar Galleries created separate alphabetical files for some of the billing statements received from other businesses. These have been filed adjacent to "Miscellaneous Notes" and "Receipts" in the appropriate years.
Kraushaar Galleries tended to file correspondence with businesses alphabetically according to the letter of the last name: for example, Wm. E. Goodridge & Son would be filed under G rather than W.
Missing Title
Series 1: Outgoing Letters, 1920-1945 (boxes 1-9; 9 linear ft.)
Series 2: Incoming Letters (boxes 10-26; 16.25 linear ft.)
Series 3: Correspondence, 1945-1968 (boxes 26-53; 27.75 linear ft.)
Series 4: Photographs, undated (box 54; 0.5 linear ft.)
Series 5: Artwork, [1926, 1938] (box 53; 2 items)
Series 6: Addition to the Kraushaar Galleries Records, 1877-2006 (boxes 55-99, 101-111, BV100; 46.8 linear feet, ER01-ER02; 0.181 GB)
Series 7: Unprocessed Addition, circa 1959-1999, bulk 1990-1999 (Boxes 112-117)
Historical Note:
Charles W. Kraushaar established Kraushaar Galleries in 1885 as a small store on Broadway near Thirty-first Street in New York City. Initially the store sold artist materials, photogravures, and reproductions. Drawing on his previous experience working with William Schause, a leading dealer in European paintings, Kraushaar soon progressed to selling original watercolors, paintings, and engravings by European artists, primarily landscapes of the Barbizon School.
In 1901 Kraushaar moved the business to 260 Fifth Avenue and with the assistance of his brother, John F. Kraushaar, began adding more modern French and American painters to the inventory. Of particular interest to John Kraushaar was the group of American realists known as "The Eight," who had held a self-selected, self-organized exhibition at the Macbeth Gallery in 1908. The Eight were Arthur B. Davies, William Glackens, Robert Henri, Ernest Lawson, George Luks, Maurice Prendergast, Everett Shinn, and John Sloan. Luks, whom John Kraushaar met around 1902, was probably the first major American artist represented at Kraushaar Galleries. In 1917 John Sloan was invited to hold his first one-person show at the galleries despite accusations that his exhibition at the Whitney Studio the previous year had represented a brutal depiction of life that lacked subtlety and sensitivity.
When Charles Kraushaar died suddenly in 1917, John assumed control of the galleries and soon enlisted the assistance of his daughter, Antoinette Kraushaar. Antoinette had suffered a bout of pneumonia during the influenza epidemic of 1918 that cut short her education; grooming her for a career in the galleries was a logical step. Following the end of the First World War, Kraushaar resumed his buying trips to Europe, often accompanied by Antoinette, and exhibited works by European artists such as André Derain, Henri Matisse, Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Vincent Van Gogh. However, it was the increasing commitment to contemporary American artists for which the galleries would become best known. In addition to The Eight, the Kraushaars developed their inventory of American paintings and etchings with exhibitions of work by artists such as Gifford Beal, Charles Demuth, Guy Pène Du Bois, Gaston Lachaise, Jerome Myers, Charles Prendergast, and Henry Schnakenberg.
Returning from a buying trip to Europe in 1929, John Kraushaar wrote to California collector Preston Harrision on July 26 that "the prices over there, especially for modern pictures are astounding." Nevertheless, Kraushaar believed that investing in modern art would yield benefits within the next five years, and he refused to be influenced by museums and critics outside of New York who were reluctant to agree. He exhibited a healthy disrespect for museum directors in general, whom he referred to in his letters to Harrision as "dead heads" who ought to be sent to different art centers of the world in order to "get in touch with what is going on there" (March 11, 1929).
Like most of its contemporaries, Kraushaar Galleries suffered considerably during the Depression of the 1930s and struggled to collect and, in turn, pay accounts due. On October 5, 1931, John Kraushaar confessed to H. S. Southam, "Business is very bad with us, and I know that you will treat it confidentially when I tell you that I have had to sacrifice a good part of my personal holdings to provide cash for my own business." By 1934 the rent on the galleries' current location at 680 Fifth Avenue, where Kraushaar had moved in 1919, was out of all proportion to the amount of business that was being generated. In 1936, a timely move to 730 Fifth Avenue allowed the family to effect substantial economies without a disproportionate loss of business.
During the 1930s, John Kraushaar's health began to fail, and he was frequently absent from the galleries. Consequently, Antoinette Kraushaar took on greater responsibility for the operation of the business with the assistance of her brother Charles. Although Antoinette was one of few women to hold such a prominent position in the art business at that time, there is no evidence in the records to suggest that artists or customers who had been accustomed to dealing with John Kraushaar had any difficulty accepting the transition in management from father to daughter.
Nevertheless, collecting accounts remained difficult, and although business had improved by 1938 it was now stymied by the threat of war in Europe. The warmth of relations between the Kraushaars and the artists they handled, and their colleagues, was crucial to Antoinette during these years. She repeatedly expressed her gratitude for their understanding and assistance in her letters as she struggled to meet financial obligations and operate the business in her father's absence, experimenting with different strategies as she evolved an approach that would sustain the business. In a letter to Gifford Beal dated August 6, 1941, she spoke of "hellish times" and stressed, "I have learned a great many things during the past few years and hope that we are groping our way towards a working solution of our own affairs at least."
While there is no question that Antoinette Kraushaar shared her father's genuine interest in contemporary American artists, the growing commitment to these artists that was forged during these years was driven in large part by necessity. By increasing her stock of American art and adding "younger painters of promise," she was able to sell work in a much broader price range. Consequently she could reach a wider audience and increase the likelihood that the business would remain solvent. This method of business also suited her personality far more than having a very specialized inventory of highly priced work, an approach that she confessed to J. Lionberger Davis on December 3, 1940, "requires a particular kind of temperament, and frankly I neither like it nor believe in it."
Throughout her career Antoinette imbued the business with her personal style. She understood that elitism alienated art buyers of moderate income, who constituted her bread and butter, and believed strongly that the gallery environment should not be intimidating to potential customers. She corresponded at length with old and new clients alike, patiently offering advice when asked and maintaining liberal policies for those who wished to borrow artwork on approval. She also participated in events that promoted efforts to make art available to a wider audience, such as a 1951 exhibition and seminar at the Florida Gulf Coast Art Center that addressed problems of buying and selling art. She was a two-time board member of the Art Dealers Association of America and considered the organization to be an important source of support for the gallery community.
In her dealings with other commercial galleries and art institutions, Antoinette Kraushaar exhibited a strong spirit of cooperation and enthusiasm, consistently lending art to small, locally owned businesses and community organizations as well as to more established galleries and world-class museums. She also developed long and mutually beneficial associations with the art departments of many educational institutions across the country, which proved to be fertile ground for young and upcoming artists.
Antoinette Kraushaar exhibited the same honesty and fairness in dealing with artists as her father had, expressing her opinions of their work in a forthright manner and maintaining a policy of always looking at the work of any artist who came to her. She understood the inherent difficulties of dealing with living artists but relished the excitement of encouraging their work and watching them develop. On November 14, 1947, in reply to a letter from the artist Bernard Arnest, in which Arnest apologized for burdening her with his worries, she reminded him, "One of the functions of a dealer is to act as a safety valve. Didn't you know?"
Although she would not retain artists indefinitely if she felt their work had deteriorated in quality, Antoinette often stressed that she was prepared to accept little or no initial financial return on the work of artists who showed promise or whose work held a particular appeal for her. In a letter of December 30, 1940, she reassured Walt Dehner that the lack of sales from his recent exhibition would not lead her to withdraw his work from the galleries. In typically unassuming style she advised Dehner to "go on painting whatever interests you. We have found that there is no recipe for success, either artistic or material."
In the early 1940s Antoinette Kraushaar implemented two changes to her inventory. Sensing that interest in sculpture was growing, she rearranged the space to give that medium more room and attention. The market for etchings had been declining since the late 1930s, and as she reduced this part of her inventory she also acted on her personal passion for drawings by opening a small gallery devoted to contemporary American drawings that were priced well within the range of most customers.
By the time Kraushaar Galleries moved to 32 East Fifty-seventh Street, late in 1944, American art had become the main focus of the business. While the long-standing interest in The Eight and other artists of that period continued, the galleries also handled contemporaries such as Louis Bouché, Samuel Brecher, John Heliker, Andrée Ruellan, and Karl Schrag. When John Kraushaar died in December 1946, Antoinette and Charles legally assumed control of the business. This partnership continued until 1950, when Antoinette assumed sole ownership of the gallery.
In 1955 the galleries moved uptown to smaller quarters at 1055 Madison Avenue, and Antoinette Kraushaar gave up the greater part of her print business. She was inundated with requests from artists to be allowed a chance to show her their work, and the galleries' exhibition schedule was always full. Contemporary artists she now represented included Bernard Arnest, Peggy Bacon, Russell Cowles, Kenneth Evett, William Dean Fausett, William Kienbusch, Joe Lasker, and George Rickey, and she continued to exhibit artwork by Charles Demuth, William Glackens, George Luks, Maurice Prendergast, Boardman Robinson, and John Sloan.
By the late 1950s the artists of the generation that her father had promoted in the early part of the century had died, but Antoinette Kraushaar had the pleasure of seeing his faith in them come to fruition. In a letter to Ralph Wilson dated October 20, 1958, she stated with satisfaction, "The Boston Museum is taking (at long last) a deep interest in (Maurice) Prendergast, and they will probably do an important show within the next year." Her correspondence with William Glackens's son Ira in the 1960s reveals the extent to which Glackens's popularity had grown since his death in 1938, and the market for John Sloan's work had been increasing steadily since the late 1920s. In 1962 James Penney summed up Kraushaar Galleries' success in the foreword of a catalog for an exhibition of paintings and sculpture the galleries had organized with the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute at Hamilton College:
Missing Title
1854 -- Charles W. Kraushaar born
1871 -- John F. Kraushaar born
1885 -- Kraushaar Galleries established on Broadway near Thirty-first Street
1901 -- Galleries moved to 260 Fifth Avenue
1902 -- Antoinette Kraushaar born
1917 -- Charles W. Kraushaar died; John Kraushaar assumed control of the business, increasing inventory of modern American and European artists; first John Sloan exhibition
1919 -- Galleries moved to 680 Fifth Avenue
[1920] -- Antoinette Kraushaar began assisting with the business
1924 -- Maurice Prendergast died
1936 -- Galleries moved to the Heckscher Building at 730 Fifth Avenue
1938 -- William J. Glackens died
1944 -- Galleries moved to the Rolls Royce Building at 32 East Fifty-seventh Street; American art now the main focus of the business
1946 -- John Kraushaar died; Antoinette and Charles Kraushaar assumed control of the business
1948 -- Charles Prendergast died
1950 -- Antoinette Kraushaar assumed sole ownership of Kraushaar Galleries
1951 -- John Sloan died
1955 -- Galleries moved to 1055 Madison Avenue
1959 -- Carole Pesner joined Kraushaar Galleries
1964 -- Galleries extended into adjacent building
1981 -- Galleries moved to 724 Fifth Avenue
1986 -- Katherine Kaplan joined Kraushaar Galleries
1988 -- Antoinette Kraushaar retired from day-to-day management of the business
1992 -- Antoinette Kraushaar died
Appendix: List of Kraushaar Galleries Exhibitions:
The Archives of American Art does not hold a complete collection of catalogs from exhibitions held at Kraushaar Galleries; therefore the dates and titles of exhibitions provided in this appendix are inferred from a variety of sources including correspondence, notes, artists' files, and requests for advertising. Italics indicate that the exact title of an exhibition is known.
Missing Title
Jan., 1912 -- Paintings by Gustave Courbet and Henri Fantin-Latour
Apr., 1912 -- Paintings by Frank Brangwyn and Henri Le Sidaner
Jan., 1913 -- Paintings by Ignacio Zuloaga
May, 1913 -- Etchings by Seymour Haden
June, 1913 -- Paintings and Lithographs by Henri Fantin-Latour
Oct., 1913 -- Etchings by Frank Brangwyn
Jan., 1914 -- Ignacio Zuloaga
Mar., 1914 -- Paintings by Alphonse Legros
Apr., 1914 -- George Luks
May, 1914 -- Seven Modern Masterpieces including Gustave Courbet, Henri Fantin-Latour, Alphonse Legros, Matthew Maris, and James McNeill Whistler
undated, 1915 -- Paintings by John Lavery
Jan.-Feb., 1917 -- James McNeill Whistler's White Girl
Feb.-Mar., 1917 -- Paintings by Augustus Vincent Tack
Mar.-Apr., 1917 -- Paintings and Etchings by John Sloan
Summer, 1917 -- Works by French artists including A. L. Bouche, Josef Israels, Gaston La Touche, and Alphonse Legros
Oct., 1917 -- Monoprints by Salvatore Antonio Guarino
Nov., 1917 -- Etchings and Mezzotints by Albany E. Howarth
Jan., 1918 -- Recent Paintings by John Lavery
Jan.-Feb., 1918 -- Paintings and Watercolors by George Luks
Feb.-Mar., 1918 -- Paintings by Augustus Vincent Tack
Mar., 1918 -- Paintings by John Sloan
Apr.-May, 1918 -- Paintings by A. L. Bouche
May, 1918 -- War Paintings by J. Mortimer Block, Charles S. Chapman, Guy Pène Du Bois, H. B. Fuller, George Luks, W. Ritschell, John Sloan, and Augustus Vincent Tack
Oct., 1918 -- Oil Paintings by William Scott Pyle
Nov., 1918 -- Paintings by Gustave Courbet, Henri Fantin-Latour, Alphonse Legros, Edouard Manet, Antoine Vollon, James McNeill Whistler, and Ignacio Zuloaga, and bronzes by Antoine Louis Bayre, Emile Antoine Bourdelle, and Mahonri Young
Apr., 1919 -- Paintings and Monoprints by Salvatore Anthonio Guarino
Jan.-Feb., 1919 -- Decorative Panels and Other Paintings by Augustus Vincent Tack
Mar., 1919 -- Paintings and Drawings by John Sloan
May, 1919 -- Paintings by George Luks, Monticelli, and A. P. Ryder
Sept., 1919 -- Work by Jean Louis Forain
Oct., 1919 -- Etchings and Lithographs by Alphonse Legros
Jan., 1920 -- Recent Paintings by George Luks
Feb., 1920 -- Recent Paintings by John Sloan
Feb., 1920 -- Paintings by William Scott Pyle
Mar., 1920 -- Recent Paintings by Gifford Beal
Apr., 1920 -- Recent Paintings by Augustus Vincent Tack
Apr., 1920 -- Paintings by Henri Le Sidaner
Apr., 1920 -- Paintings and Drawings by Jean Louis Forain
Apr.-May, 1920 -- Paintings and Drawings by Jerome Myers
May, 1920 -- Paintings by Henrietta M. Shore
Jan., 1921 -- Paintings by French and American Artists
Jan.-Feb., 1921 -- Paintings by George Luks
Feb., 1921 -- New Paintings by Augustus Vincent Tack
Apr., 1921 -- John Sloan Retrospective
Summer, 1921 -- French and American Artists
Oct., 1921 -- Paintings of Mountford Coolidge
Oct., 1921 -- Works by Henri Fantin-Latour and Henri Le Sidaner
Nov., 1921 -- Frank Van Vleet Tompkins
Dec., 1921 -- Paintings and Bronzes by Modern Masters of American and European Art
Jan., 1922 -- Exhibition of Recent Paintings and Watercolors by George Luks
Feb., 1922 -- Paintings by Augustus Vincent Tack
Mar., 1922 -- Paintings and Watercolors by Gifford Beal
Apr., 1922 -- Exhibition of Paintings by Guy Pène Du Bois
Summer, 1922 -- Paintings by Modern Masters of American and European Art
Oct., 1922 -- Recent Paintings of the Maine Coast by George Luks
Jan., 1923 -- Exhibition of Paintings by George Luks
Feb., 1923 -- Paintings and Decorative Panels by Augustus Vincent Tack
Mar., 1923 -- Landscapes by Will Shuster
Mar., 1923 -- Paintings by Samuel Halpert
Apr., 1923 -- Marine Figures and Landscapes by Gifford Beal
Apr.-May, 1923 -- Paintings by John Sloan
May, 1923 -- Paintings by Frank Van Vleet Tompkins
June, 1923 -- Etchings by Marius A. J. Bauer
Oct., 1923 -- American Watercolors by Gifford Beal, Reynolds Beal, George Luks, Maurice Prendergast, and William Zorach
Dec., 1923 -- Etchings and Lithographs by Alphonse Legros
Dec., 1923 -- Paintings, Drawings, and Pastels by Charles Adolphe Bischoff
Jan., 1924 -- Paintings by Celebrated American Artists
Mar., 1924 -- Paintings and Drawings by Guy Pène Du Bois
Apr., 1924 -- New Paintings by George Luks
May, 1924 -- Paintings by Marjorie Phillips
Summer, 1924 -- French and American Modern Artists
Oct., 1924 -- Painting, Watercolors, and Sculpture by William Zorach
Nov., 1924 -- Watercolors by Seven Americans
Dec., 1924 -- French Paintings
Jan., 1925 -- Paintings by John Sloan
Jan.-Feb., 1925 -- Maurice Prendergast Memorial Exhibition
Mar., 1925 -- Plans and Photographs of Work in Landscape Architecture by Charles Downing Lay
Apr., 1925 -- Paintings by William J. Glackens
Dec., 1925 -- Watercolors by Gifford Beal, Reynolds Beal, Carl Broemel, Richard Lahey Jerome Myers, Maurice Prendergast, Henry E. Schnakenberg, Abraham Walkowitz, and William Zorach
undated, 1926 -- Lower Broadway by W. Walcot
Feb., 1926 -- Paintings by Paul Burlin
Feb., 1926 -- Portraits of Duncan Phillips, Esq. Charles B. Rogers, Esq. & The Hon. Elihu Root Painted by Augustus Vincent Tack
Mar., 1926 -- Paintings, Watercolors, and Drawings by Gifford Beal
Apr., 1926 -- John Sloan
Sept.-Oct., 1926 -- Exhibition of Etchings by C. R. W. Nevinson
Oct., 1926 -- Drawings, Etchings, and Lithographs by Nineteenth-Century French Artists
Oct., 1926 -- Paintings and Drawings by Mathieu Verdilhan
Dec., 1926 -- Exhibition of Watercolors by Gifford Beal, Reynolds Beal, Carl Broemel, Guy Pène Du Bois, Ernest Fiene, Samuel Halpert, Henry Keller, Louis Kronberg, Richard Lahey, Charles Lay, Jerome Myers, Maurice Prendergast, Henry
Dec., 1926 -- Schnakenberg, A. Walkowitz, Martha Walters, William Zorach
Jan., 1927 -- French Drawings and Prints
Feb., 1927 -- Paintings, Drawings, Etchings, and Lithographs by John Sloan
Mar., 1927 -- Gifford Beal
Mar.-Apr., 1927 -- Decorative Panels and Watercolors by Margarett Sargent
Mar.-Apr., 1927 -- Exhibition of Drawings and Lithographs of New York by Adriaan Lubbers
Apr., 1927 -- Paintings and Etchings by Walter Pach
Apr.-May, 1927 -- Paintings and Watercolors by Leopold Survage
Apr.-May, 1927 -- Etchings and Woodcuts by D. Galanis
May, 1927 -- Paintings by Guy Pène Du Bois
Summer, 1927 -- Paintings by American Artists
Summer, 1927 -- Paintings, Watercolors, and Drawings by Georges Braque, Honoré Daumier, Edgar Degas, André Derain, Henri Fantin-Latour, Jean Louis Forain, Constantin Guys, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Edouard Manet, Henri Matisse, Amedeo Modigliani, Claude Monet, Morissot, Pablo Picasso, Camille Pissarro, Odilon Redon, Segonzac, and Georges Seurat
Oct.-Nov., 1927 -- Exhibition of Etchings in Color by Bernard Boutet de Monvel
Nov., 1927 -- Exhibition of Paintings, Drawings, Lithographs, and Watercolors by Ernest Fiene
Dec., 1927 -- Watercolors by American Artists including Gifford Beal, Reynolds Beal, Carl Broemel, Charles Demuth, Guy Pène Du Bois, Ernest Fiene, Henry G. Keller, Richard Lahey, Charles Downing Lay, Howard Ashman Patterson, [Maurice] Prendergast, Henry E. Schnakenberg, Abraham Walkowitz, Frank Nelson Wilcox, and [William] Zorach
Dec., 1927 -- Paintings by Guy Pène Du Bois
Dec., 1927 -- Paintings, Sculpture, and Decorative Media by George Biddle
Jan.-Feb., 1928 -- Paintings by S. J. Peploe
Feb., 1928 -- Drawings by Henri Fantin-Latour
Feb., 1928 -- Pastels and Drawings by Margarett Sargent
Feb., 1928 -- Drawings for Balzac's Les Contes Drolatiques by Ralph Barton
Feb.-Mar., 1928 -- Sculpture by William Zorach
Mar., 1928 -- Recent Paintings by Marjorie Phillips
Mar.-Apr., 1928 -- Exhibition of Paintings by William Glackens
Apr., 1928 -- Paintings, Drawings and Lithographs by R. H. Sauter of London, England
Oct., 1928 -- Modern French Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings
Oct.-Nov., 1928 -- Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings, Etchings, and Lithographs by Richard Lahey
Nov., 1928 -- Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture by J. D. Fergusson
Nov.-Dec., 1928 -- Paintings, Drawings and Etchings by Walter Pach
Dec., 1928 -- Paintings and Watercolors by Abraham Walkowitz
Jan., 1929 -- Exhibition of Paintings by Margarett Sargent
Jan., 1929 -- Watercolors by Rodin
Jan.-Feb., 1929 -- Exhibition of Sculpture by Arnold Geissbuhler
Feb., 1929 -- Paintings and Watercolors by Guy Pène Du Bois
Feb.-Mar., 1929 -- Paintings by Gifford Beal
Mar., 1929 -- Exhibition of Paintings by Adriaan Lubbers
Mar.-Apr., 1929 -- Exhibition of Etchings by Gifford Beal, Frank W. Benson, Childe Hassam, Kenneth Hayes Miller, and John Sloan
Apr., 1929 -- Exhibition of Paintings by Arnold Friedman
Apr., 1929 -- Sculpture by Harriette G. Miller
May, 1929 -- Paintings by Howard Ashman Patterson
May, 1929 -- Paintings by William Meyerowitz
Oct., 1929 -- Exhibition of Modern French Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings
Nov., 1929 -- Modern French and American Paintings, Watercolors, Prints, and Sculpture (at Gage Galleries in Cleveland)
Jan., 1930 -- Paintings by Paul Bartlett
Feb., 1930 -- Watercolors by Auguste Rodin
Feb.-Mar., 1930 -- Paintings by Guy Pène Du Bois
Summer, 1930 -- Paintings by American Artists
Oct., 1930 -- Paintings and Watercolors by Maurice Prendergast
Nov., 1930 -- Paintings by Ruth Jonas
Nov., 1930 -- Sculpture by Harriette G. Miller
Jan., 1931 -- Paintings and Watercolors by Richard Lahey
Jan.-Feb., 1931 -- Paintings by Erle Loran Johnson
Feb.-Mar., 1931 -- Paintings, Watercolors and Etchings by Gifford Beal
Mar., 1931 -- Paintings and Watercolors by Walter Pach
Mar.-Apr., 1931 -- Paintings, Drawings, and Etchings by Rudolf H. Sauter
May, 1931 -- Exhibition of Watercolors by John La Farge, Gifford Beal, H. E. Schnakenberg, Maurice Prendergast, Guy Pène Du Bois, Richard Lahey
Fall, 1931 -- Modern French Paintings, Watercolors, and Drawings
Dec., 1931 -- Exhibition of Drawings and Watercolors by D. Y. Cameron, Joseph Gray, Henry Rushbury, Muirhead Bone, Edmund Blampied, Gwen John
Dec., 1931 -- Lithographs and Posters by H. de Toulouse-Lautrec
Jan., 1932 -- Watercolors by Pierre Brissaud
Feb., 1932 -- Paintings and Drawings by A. S. Baylinson
Mar., 1932 -- Watercolors and Pastels by French and American Artists
Apr., 1932 -- Paintings by Nan Watson
May, 1932 -- Sculpture by Behn, Bourdelle, Geissbuhler, Lachaise, Maillol, Miller, Nadelman, Renoir, Young, Zorach; Decorative Panels by Max Kuehne, and Charles Prendergast
June-Aug., 1932 -- Paintings and Watercolors by American Artists
Oct.-Nov., 1932 -- Paintings, Watercolors, and Drawings by Various Artists
Jan., 1933 -- Paintings by Paul Bartlett
Jan.-Feb., 1933 -- Lithographs by Henri Fantin-Latour
Feb., 1933 -- Etchings of Dogs by Bert Cobb
Feb.-Mar., 1933 -- Paintings by American Artists
Feb.-Apr., 1933 -- Paintings by Contemporary Americans
Apr., 1933 -- Paintings by Maurice Prendergast
Oct., 1933 -- Exhibition of French Paintings, Watercolors, and Drawings
Oct.-Nov., 1933 -- Drawings by Emily W. Miles
Oct.-Nov., 1933 -- Exhibition of Etchings and Lithographs
Nov., 1933 -- Paintings and Watercolors by Henry E. Schnakenberg
Dec., 1933 -- Watercolors by Gifford Beal
Jan., 1934 -- Exhibition of Drawings by Denys Wortman for "Metropolitan Movies"
Summer, 1934 -- Paintings by Gifford Beal, Reynolds Beal, Isabel Bishop, Ann Brockman, Preston Dickinson, Guy Pène Du Bois, William J. Glackens, Richard Lahey, Ernest Lawson, George Luks, Harriette Miller, Maurice Prendergast, Henry E. Schnakenberg, and John Sloan
Oct.-Nov., 1934 -- Exhibition of Etchings and Lithographs
Nov.-Dec., 1934 -- Paintings by Gifford Beal
Mar., 1935 -- Complete Collection of Etchings by Mahonri Young
July-Aug., 1935 -- Paintings by American Artists including Gifford Beal, Reynolds Beal, Ann Brockman, Guy Pène Du Bois, William J. Glackens, Max Kuehne, Richard Lahey, Ernest Lawson, George Luks, Harriette G. Miller, Maurice Prendergast, Henry E. Schnakenberg, John Sloan, and Abraham Walkowitz
Oct.-Nov., 1935 -- Decorative Panels by Charles Prendergast
Nov., 1935 -- Exhibition of Paintings by H. E. Schnakenberg
Mar., 1936 -- Paintings by Louis Bouché
Apr., 1936 -- Paintings by Gifford Beal
Oct.-Nov., 1936 -- Loan Collection of French Paintings
Dec., 1936 -- Monotypes in Color by Maurice Prendergast
Jan., 1937 -- Recent Watercolors by H. E. Schnakenberg
Jan., 1937 -- Paintings of Flowers by William J. Glackens
Feb., 1937 -- Etchings by John Sloan
Feb., 1937 -- A Group of American Paintings
Sept., 1937 -- A Group of Paintings by Gifford Beal, Louis Bouché, Guy Pène Du Bois, William J. Glackens, Ernest Lawson, George Luks, Maurice Prendergast, Theodore Robinson, John Sloan, J. Alden Weir
Oct.-Nov., 1937 -- Decorative Panels by Charles Prendergast
Dec., 1937 -- American Watercolors
Jan.-Feb., 1938 -- Paintings by Gifford Beal
Feb.-Mar., 1938 -- Drawings by William Glackens, Guy Pène Du Bois, John Sloan, Denys Wortman
Apr., 1938 -- Paintings by Louis Bouché
May, 1938 -- Paintings and Pastels by Randall Davey
Oct., 1938 -- Selected Paintings by Modern French and American Artists
Nov., 1938 -- Paintings by Guy Pène Du Bois from 1908 to 1938
Nov., 1938 -- Paintings and Sculpture by Harriette G. Miller
Dec., 1938 -- Watercolors by Prendergast, Keller, Demuth, Wilcox and Others
Jan., 1939 -- Paintings by H. H. Newton
Oct., 1939 -- French and American Paintings
Oct.-Nov., 1939 -- Drawings by William Glackens of Spanish-American War Scenes
Nov., 1939 -- Paintings and Watercolors by Russell Cowles
Jan.-Feb., 1940 -- Recent Paintings by Louis Bouché
Feb.-Mar., 1940 -- Paintings by Henry Schnakenberg
Mar.-Apr., 1940 -- Paintings by Maurice Prendergast
Apr.-May, 1940 -- Watercolors by Charles Kaeselau
May-June, 1940 -- A Group of Recent Paintings by Gifford Beal, Russell Cowles, John Koch, Henry Schnakenberg, Esther Williams, Louis Bouché, Guy Pène Du Bois, Harriette G. Miller, John Sloan, Edmund Yaghjian
Oct., 1940 -- Drawings by American Artists
Nov., 1940 -- Walt Dehner
Mar., 1941 -- John Koch
May-June, 1941 -- Watercolors and Small Paintings by Gifford Beal
Oct.-Nov., 1941 -- Recent Paintings by Russell Cowles
Nov.-Dec., 1941 -- Paintings and Watercolors by Henry E. Schnakenberg
Dec., 1941 -- Charles Prendergast
Jan., 1942 -- Paintings by Samuel Brecher
Jan.-Feb., 1942 -- Recent Paintings by Guy Pène Du Bois
Mar.-Apr., 1942 -- Recent Paintings by Louis Bouché
Mar.-Apr., 1942 -- Illustrations by Boardman Robinson Commissioned by the Limited Editions Club for Edgar Lee Masters' "Spoon River Anthology"
Dec., 1942 -- Paintings from the Period of the Last War
Feb., 1943 -- Paintings and Watercolors by William Dean Fausett
Mar., 1943 -- Paintings by John Hartell
May-July, 1943 -- Watercolors by Contemporary American Artists
Feb.-Mar., 1944 -- Samuel Brecher
Feb.-Mar., 1944 -- Paintings, Gouaches, and Drawings by Andrée Ruellan
Mar., 1944 -- Vaughn Flannery
Mar.-Apr., 1944 -- Recent Paintings by Russell Cowles
Apr.-May, 1944 -- Recent Paintings by Louis Bouché
May-June, 1944 -- Retrospective Exhibition of Paintings and Watercolors by Henry G. Keller
Oct., 1944 -- Esther Williams
Nov.-Dec., 1944 -- Paintings and Watercolors of France by Maurice Prendergast
Dec., 1944 -- William J. Glackens Sixth Memorial Exhibition
Dec., 1944 -- Kraushaar Galleries Sixtieth Anniversary Exhibition of Paintings by William J. Glackens, Ernest Lawson, George Luks, Maurice Prendergast, and John Sloan
Jan.-Feb., 1945 -- Paintings by Gifford Beal
Feb.-Mar., 1945 -- Paintings by Andrée Ruellan
Apr.-May, 1945 -- Charles Locke
May-June, 1945 -- William Dean Fausett
Oct., 1945 -- Paintings by John Hartell
Nov.-Dec., 1945 -- Recent Watercolors by Marion Monks Chase
Nov.-Dec., 1945 -- Gouaches by Cecil Bell
Dec., 1945 -- Memorial Exhibition of Paintings and Watercolors by Ann Brockman
undated, 1946 -- Russell Cowles
Jan.-Feb., 1946 -- Richard Lahey
Feb., 1946 -- John Koch
Feb.-Mar., 1946 -- Paintings by Ernst Halberstadt
Mar., 1946 -- Paintings of Mexico and Guatemala by Henry E. Schnakenberg
Mar., 1946 -- Iver Rose
Apr., 1946 -- Louis Bouché
Apr.-May, 1946 -- Russell Cowles
May-June, 1946 -- Paintings by Bernard Arnest, Charles Harsanyi, Irving Katzenstein, Anna Licht, James Penney, Etienne Ret, and Vernon Smith
Sept., 1946 -- Retrospective Exhibition of the Work of Boardman Robinson
Nov., 1946 -- Guy Pène Du Bois
Nov.-Dec., 1946 -- William J. Glackens Eighth Memorial Exhibition
Jan., 1947 -- Karl Schrag
Feb.-Mar., 1947 -- Sculpture by Robert Laurent
Feb.-Mar., 1947 -- Paintings by Iver Rose
Feb.-Mar., 1947 -- Recent Paintings by Vernon Smith
Apr., 1947 -- Charles Prendergast
Apr., 1947 -- Louis Bouché
Apr.-May, 1947 -- Esther Williams
Oct.-Nov., 1947 -- Anna Licht
Nov., 1947 -- William J. Glackens Ninth Memorial Exhibition, with Works by Lenna Glackens
Mar., 1948 -- Russell Cowles
Apr.-May, 1948 -- Bernard Arnest
Aug.-Sept., 1948 -- New York Paintings and Watercolors
Oct.-Nov., 1948 -- Kenneth Evett
Nov.-Dec., 1948 -- Watercolors and Pastels by Harriette G. Miller
Jan.-Feb., 1949 -- John Hartell
Sept.-Oct., 1949 -- Contemporary American Watercolors and Gouaches
Oct., 1949 -- Contemporary Paintings
Jan., 1950 -- Maurice Prendergast Retrospective of Oils and Watercolors
Jan.-Feb., 1950 -- James Penney
Feb.-Mar., 1950 -- Paintings by Karl Schrag
Mar.-Apr., 1950 -- Russell Cowles
Jan.-Feb., 1951 -- William Sommer
Feb., 1951 -- Prints and Drawings by Various Artists
Feb., 1951 -- Paintings by Louis Bouché
Mar., 1951 -- Kenneth Evett
Apr.-May, 1951 -- Paintings by Gallery Artists
May-July, 1951 -- Contemporary American Watercolors
July-Aug., 1951 -- Paintings on the Summer Theme
Sept.-Oct., 1951 -- Vaughn Flannery
Oct.-Nov., 1951 -- Recent Paintings by Gallery Artists
Nov., 1951 -- Paintings by John Koch
Nov.-Dec., 1951 -- Joe Lasker
Dec., 1951 -- Small Prints and Drawings
Jan., 1952 -- Recent Gouaches by William Kienbusch
Jan., 1952 -- John Sloan: Recent Etchings from 1944-1951, and Etchings and Drawings Selected from All Periods of His Career
Feb.-Mar., 1952 -- Andrée Ruellan
Mar.-Apr., 1952 -- Bernard Arnest
Apr.-May, 1952 -- Recent Sculpture by Robert Laurent
May, 1952 -- Recent Paintings by Contemporary American Artists
May-June, 1952 -- Watercolors by Joseph Barber, Edward Christiana, Walt Dehner, Sidney Eaton, Wray Manning, and Woldemar Neufeld
July-Aug., 1952 -- Color Prints (Woodcuts, Etchings, and Lithographs) by Eleanor Coen, Caroline Durieux, Max Kahn, Tom Lias, Woldemar Neufeld, James Penney, George Remaily, Ann Ryan, and Karl Schrag
Nov., 1952 -- Karl Schrag
Dec., 1952-Jan. 1953 -- Eight Oregon Artists
Jan., 1953 -- Charles Prendergast Memorial Exhibition
Jan.-Feb., 1953 -- John Hartell
May, 1953 -- John Heliker
June, 1953 -- Humbert Alberizio, Vaughn Flannery, William Kienbusch, George Rickey, Andrée Ruellan, and Karl Schrag
Sept., 1953 -- Works by Gifford Beal, Kenneth Evett, Tom Hardy, John Koch, and James Lechay
Sept.-Oct., 1953 -- Paintings by Glackens, Lawson, Prendergast, Sloan
Oct.-Nov., 1953 -- Paintings by E. Powis Jones
Oct.-Nov., 1953 -- Recent Works by John Koch
Nov., 1953 -- Kenneth Evett: Drawings from Greek Mythology
Nov.-Dec., 1953 -- Recent Metal Sculptures by Tom Hardy
Nov.-Dec., 1953 -- Pastels, Drawings and Prints by Peggy Bacon
Nov.-Dec., 1953 -- Recent Paintings by Ralph Dubin
Feb.-Mar., 1954 -- Russell Cowles
Mar.-Apr., 1954 -- James Penney
Nov.-Dec., 1954 -- Tom Hardy: Metal Sculptures
Jan., 1955 -- Mobiles, Machines, and Kinetic Sculpture by George Rickey
Jan.-Feb., 1955 -- James Lechay
Feb., 1955 -- Mobiles by George Rickey
Feb.-Mar., 1955 -- Drawings, Etchings, and Lithographs by John Sloan (with a selection of prints by artists whose work influenced him in his early years: Rembrandt, Hogarth, Goya, Rops, Daumier, Rowlandson and others, to mark the publication of John Sloan: A Painter's Life by Van Wyck Brooks)
Mar.-Apr., 1955 -- Jane Wasey
Apr., 1955 -- Recent Work by Joe Lasker
May-June, 1955 -- Sculpture and Drawings by Contemporary American Artists
Jan., 1956 -- Carl Morris
Jan.-Feb., 1956 -- John Laurent
Feb.-Mar., 1956 -- William Kienbusch
Mar., 1956 -- Andrée Ruellan
Mar.-Apr., 1956 -- Karl Schrag
Apr.-May, 1956 -- John Heliker
May, 1956 -- Monotypes by Maurice Prendergast
Oct., 1956 -- The Eight
Jan.-Feb., 1957 -- Paintings by John Hartell
Apr., 1957 -- James Penney
Apr.-May, 1957 -- John Heliker
May-June, 1957 -- Fourteen Painter-Printmakers (American Federation of Arts exhibition)
June-July, 1957 -- 20th Century American Artists
Nov., 1957 -- William Glackens and His Friends (based on the book by Ira Glackens)
Nov., 1957 -- Marguerite Zorach
Jan., 1958 -- Gouches, Drawings and Small Glyphs by Ulfert Wilke
Jan.-Feb., 1958 -- Tom Hardy
Feb.-Mar., 1958 -- John Koch
Feb.-Mar., 1958 -- Still Life Exhibition with Works by William J. Glackens and Maurice Prendergast
Feb.-Mar., 1958 -- Cecil Bell
Mar., 1958 -- Karl Schrag
Mar., 1958 -- Carl Morris
Mar.-Apr., 1958 -- Louis Bouché
Apr., 1958 -- Paintings and Drawings by Joe Lasker
Apr.-May, 1958 -- Paintings and Drawings by Walter Feldman
Apr.-May, 1958 -- Sculpture by Henry Mitchell
May-June, 1958 -- Works in Casein and Gouache by Bernard Arnest, William Kienbusch, Carl Morris, and Karl Schrag
July, 1958 -- Still Life Paintings and Watercolors by American Artists
Oct.-Nov., 1958 -- Kenneth Evett
Nov., 1958 -- Elsie Manville
Nov.-Dec., 1958 -- John Laurent
Jan., 1959 -- Kinetic Sculpture by George Rickey
Jan.-Feb., 1959 -- Bernard Arnest
Mar., 1959 -- Karl Schrag
Mar.-Apr., 1959 -- Paintings by Joe Lasker
Apr.-May, 1959 -- Henry Mitchell
Sept.-Oct., 1959 -- Robert Searle
Oct.-Nov., 1959 -- Russell Cowles
Nov., 1959 -- Caseins and Paintings by William Kienbusch
Dec., 1959 -- Paintings by Vaughn Flannery
Feb., 1960 -- James Lechay
Apr., 1960 -- Landscapes by John Sloan
Apr.-May, 1960 -- John Guerin
May-June, 1960 -- Drawings and Small Sculpture by Gallery Artists
Oct., 1960 -- Ainslie Burke
Oct.-Nov., 1960 -- Leon Goldin
Nov.-Dec., 1960 -- Ulfert Wilke
Jan., 1961 -- Leonard DeLonga
Jan., 1961 -- Kenneth Evett
Jan.-Feb., 1961 -- Walter Feldman
Feb.-Mar., 1961 -- Watercolors and Pastels by Early Twentieth-Century American Artists
Mar., 1961 -- Paintings by Ralph Dubin
Mar.-Apr., 1961 -- James Penney
Apr.-May, 1961 -- John Koch
June, 1961 -- Works by Humbert Albrizio, Bernard Arnest, Cecil Bell, Louis Bouché, Ralph Dubin, Kenneth Evett, Walter Feldman, John Hartell, John Heliker, William Kienbusch, John Koch, Robert Laurent, James Lechay, Elsie Manville, Henry Mitchell, James Penney, George Rickey, Andrée Ruellan, Henry E. Schnakenberg, Karl Schrag, Jane Wasey, and Marguerite Zorach
Sept., 1961 -- Works by Contemporary Americans
Oct., 1961 -- George Rickey: Kinetic Sculpture
Oct.-Nov., 1961 -- Carl Morris
Nov.-Dec., 1961 -- Peggy Bacon
Dec., 1961 -- Selected Works by Twentieth-Century Americans
Jan., 1962 -- Polymer Resin and Sumi Ink Paintings by Kenneth Evett
Jan.-Feb., 1962 -- Louis Bouché
Feb.-Mar., 1962 -- Karl Schrag
Mar., 1962 -- Marguerite Zorach
Apr., 1962 -- John Laurent
Apr.-May, 1962 -- Sculpture by Tom Hardy
May-June, 1962 -- Drawings by Contemporary American Artists
July-Aug., 1962 -- Group Exhibitions - Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture by 20th Century American Artists
Oct., 1962 -- Bernard Arnest
Feb., 1963 -- William Kienbusch
Feb.-Mar., 1963 -- John Guerin
Mar., 1963 -- John Hartell
Sept.-Oct., 1963 -- Andrée Ruellan
Oct.-Nov., 1963 -- Ainslie Burke
Nov., 1963 -- Walter Feldman
Dec., 1963 -- Drawings by John Koch
Dec., 1963 -- Paintings by Contemporary Americans
Jan., 1964 -- Leonard DeLonga
Jan.-Feb., 1964 -- Joe Lasker
Feb.-Mar., 1964 -- Leon Goldin
Mar., 1964 -- Paintings by Ralph Dubin
Apr., 1964 -- Carl Morris
Apr.-May, 1964 -- Paintings and Drawings by John Heliker
Oct.-Nov., 1964 -- Louis Bouché
Nov.-Dec., 1964 -- Karl Schrag
Dec., 1964 -- Kenneth Evett
Feb., 1965 -- Russell Cowles
Feb.-Mar., 1965 -- James Lechay
Mar.-Apr., 1965 -- James Penney
Apr.-May, 1965 -- Gifford Beal
Feb., 1966 -- Dennis Leon
Feb.-Mar., 1966 -- Henry Schnakenberg
Mar.-Apr., 1966 -- John Hartell
Apr., 1966 -- Elsie Manville
Oct., 1966 -- Contrasts - Early and Late Works by Selected Contemporaries
Oct.-Nov., 1966 -- Tom Hardy
Nov.-Dec., 1966 -- Francis Chapin
Dec., 1966-Jan., 1967 -- Karl Schrag: Etchings and Lithographs
Jan.-Feb., 1967 -- Leonard DeLonga
Feb.-Mar., 1967 -- Carl Morris
Mar.-Apr., 1967 -- Ainslie Burke
Apr.-May, 1967 -- John Heliker: Paintings, Drawings, and Watercolors
May-June, 1967 -- William Glackens
Oct., 1967 -- Kenneth Callahan
Oct.-Nov., 1967 -- John Laurent
Jan.-Feb., 1968 -- Dennis Leon
Feb.-Mar., 1968 -- Robert La Hotan
Apr., 1968 -- John Guerin
Apr.-May, 1968 -- Leon Goldin
Sept.-Oct., 1968 -- Contemporary Sculpture and Drawings
Oct.-Nov., 1968 -- Karl Schrag
Nov.-Dec., 1968 -- James Lechay: Portraits and Landscapes
Dec., 1968-Jan., 1969 -- Group Exhibition
Jan., 1969 -- Elsie Manville
Mar., 1969 -- Kenneth Evett
Apr.-May, 1969 -- James Penney
Sept.-Oct., 1969 -- New Works by Contemporary Artists
Oct.-Nov., 1969 -- John Hartell: Exhibition
Nov., 1969 -- Peggy Bacon
Dec., 1969 -- Selected Examples by American Artists 1900-1930
Jan., 1970 -- Leonard DeLonga
Feb., 1970 -- Joe Lasker
Mar., 1970 -- Group Exhibition
Mar.-Apr., 1970 -- Dennis Leon
Apr.-May, 1970 -- Jerome Myers
Oct.-Nov., 1970 -- Tom Hardy
Jan.-Feb., 1971 -- Jane Wasey
Mar.-Apr., 1971 -- Kenneth Callahan
Oct., 1971 -- Ainslie Burke
Nov.-Dec., 1971 -- Karl Schrag
Feb.-Mar., 1972 -- John Koch
Mar.-Apr., 1972 -- Robert La Hotan
Apr.-May, 1972 -- Leon Goldin
May-June, 1972 -- Selected Works by 20th Century Americans
Sept.-Oct., 1972 -- Gallery Collection: American Watercolors and Drawings
Oct.-Nov., 1972 -- John Hartell
Nov.-Dec., 1972 -- Peggy Bacon
Dec., 1972 -- 20th Century Americans
Jan., 1973 -- Leonard DeLonga
Feb., 1973 -- Carl Morris
Mar., 1973 -- James Lechay
Mar.-Apr., 1973 -- Russell Cowles: Landscape Paintings
Apr.-May, 1973 -- Jerome Witkin
May-June, 1973 -- Kenneth Evett: Watercolors
Oct.-Nov., 1973 -- Kenneth Callahan
Jan., 1974 -- Joe Lasker
Jan.-Feb., 1974 -- Bernard Arnest
Feb.-Mar., 1974 -- Concetta Scaravaglione
Oct., 1974 -- Ainslie Burke
Oct.-Nov., 1974 -- James Penney
Jan., 1975 -- Tom Hardy
Jan.-Feb., 1975 -- Karl Schrag
Feb.-Mar., 1975 -- Robert La Hotan
Mar.-Apr., 1975 -- William Kienbusch
Apr., 1975 -- Elsie Manville
Apr.-May, 1975 -- Gifford Beal
Oct.-Nov., 1975 -- John Hartell
Nov., 1975 -- Daniel O'Sullivan
Mar., 1976 -- Jerome Witkin
May, 1976 -- Linda Sokolowski
Sept.-Oct., 1976 -- Joe Lasker, Illustrations from Merry Ever After
Oct., 1976 -- Leonard DeLonga
Nov.-Dec., 1976 -- Kenneth Callahan
Jan., 1977 -- James Lechay
Mar., 1977 -- Karl Schrag
Mar.-Apr., 1977 -- David Cantine
Oct.-Nov., 1977 -- John Hartell
Nov.-Dec., 1977 -- Ainslie Burke
Feb., 1978 -- Robert La Hotan
Apr., 1978 -- Elsie Manville
Oct., 1978 -- Tom Hardy
Oct.-Nov., 1978 -- Jerome Witkin
Jan.-Feb., 1979 -- Joe Lasker
Feb., 1979 -- Kenneth Evett
Feb.-Mar., 1979 -- Karl Schrag
Mar.-Apr., 1979 -- Carl Morris
Apr.-May, 1979 -- Linda Sokolowski
Oct.-Nov., 1979 -- Daniel O'Sullivan
Feb.-Mar., 1980 -- Kenneth Callahan
Mar., 1980 -- Ainslie Burke
Oct., 1980 -- John Hartell
Jan., 1981 -- Leonard DeLonga
Feb., 1981 -- James Lechay
Feb.-Mar., 1981 -- Robert La Hotan
Mar.-Apr., 1981 -- Jerry Atkins
Apr.-May, 1981 -- Ben Frank Moss
Jan.-Feb., 1982 -- Jerome Witkin
Feb.-Mar., 1982 -- Elsie Manville
Mar.-Apr., 1982 -- Karl Schrag
Apr.-May, 1982 -- Linda Sokolowski
May-June, 1982 -- David Cantine
Sept.-Oct., 1982 -- Kenneth Callahan
Oct.-Nov., 1982 -- Joe Lasker
Nov.-Dec., 1982 -- Daniel O'Sullivan
Jan.-Feb., 1983 -- William Kienbusch: Memorial Exhibition
Feb.-Mar., 1983 -- Jerry Atkins
Mar.-Apr., 1983 -- John Hartell
Apr.-May, 1983 -- John Heliker
May-June, 1983 -- Kenneth Evett
Oct., 1983 -- Concetta Scaravaglione
Oct.-Nov., 1983 -- Ben Frank Moss
Nov.-Dec., 1983 -- Russell Cowles
Dec., 1983-Jan., 1984 -- 20th Century Americans
Jan.-Feb., 1984 -- Marguerite Zorach: Paintings at Home and Abroad
Feb.-Mar., 1984 -- Robert La Hotan
Mar., 1984 -- David Smalley
Apr., 1984 -- Carl Morris
May, 1984 -- Karl Schrag
July, 1984 -- Drawings by 20th Century Americans
July-Aug., 1984 -- Collages and Drawings by Joseph Heil
Aug.-Sept., 1984 -- Drawings and Prints by Tom Hardy
Sept.-Oct., 1984 -- James Penney: Memorial Exhibition
Oct.-Nov., 1984 -- Paintings and Drawings by Leon Goldin
Nov.-Dec., 1984 -- Isabelle Siegel
Dec., 1984-Jan., 1985 -- Group Exhibition: Contemporary American Paintings and Sculpture
Jan.-Feb., 1985 -- James Lechay
Feb.-Mar., 1985 -- Ainslie Burke
Mar., 1985 -- Karen Breunig
Apr., 1985 -- Kenneth Callahan
Oct., 1985 -- Elsie Manville
Oct.-Nov., 1985 -- William Glackens
Jan.-Feb., 1986 -- Linda Sokolowski
Feb.-Mar., 1986 -- Jerry Atkins
Apr.-May, 1986 -- Jane Wasey
Oct.-Nov., 1986 -- John Hartell
Nov.-Dec., 1986 -- Karl Schrag
Feb.-Mar., 1987 -- Kenneth Evett
Apr.-May, 1987 -- Ben Frank Moss
May-June, 1987 -- David Smalley
Oct.-Nov., 1987 -- Isabelle Siegel
Feb.-Mar., 1988 -- Karen Breunig
Mar.-Apr., 1988 -- Leon Goldin
Sept.-Oct., 1988 -- Elsie Manville
Oct.-Nov., 1988 -- James Lechay
Jan.-Feb., 1989 -- Karl Schrag
Feb.-Mar., 1989 -- Linda Sokolowski
Jan.-Feb., 1990 -- Kenneth Callahan: Works of the Fifties
Jan.-Feb., 1990 -- Gifford Beal: Watercolors
Mar., 1990 -- Robert La Hotan: Recent Paintings
Mar.-Apr., 1990 -- Sonia Gechtoff: New Paintings
May-June, 1990 -- David Smalley: Recent Sculpture
May-June, 1990 -- Andrée Ruellan: Sixty Years of Drawing...
Oct., 1990 -- Isabelle Siegel
Nov., 1990 -- Leon Goldin
Jan.-Feb., 1991 -- Karl Schrag
Feb.-Mar., 1991 -- Joe Lasker
Apr., 1991 -- Ainslie Burke
Nov.-Dec., 1991 -- Linda Sokolowski: Oils, Collages, Monotypes
Dec., 1991-Jan., 1992 -- Elsie Manville: Small Works on Paper
Mar., 1992 -- Tabitha Vevers
May-June, 1992 -- Sonia Gechtoff
Oct.-Nov., 1992 -- James Lechay
Nov.-Dec., 1992 -- Karl Schrag
Mar., 1993 -- Leon Goldin: Works on Paper
Apr.-May, 1993 -- Robert La Hotan
Oct., 1993 -- David Smalley: Sculpture Inside and Out
Oct., 1993 -- Andrée Ruellan: Works on Paper 1920-1980
Mar.-Apr., 1994 -- Kenneth Evett: Travels: Themes and Variations (Watercolors of Italy, Greece, Arizona, Maine and California)
Mar.-Apr., 1994 -- Tabitha Vevers
Oct.-Nov., 1994 -- Linda Sokolowski
Nov.-Dec., 1994 -- Karl Schrag
Jan.-Feb., 1995 -- Langdon Quin
Mar.-Apr., 1995 -- Robert La Hotan
Sept.-Oct., 1995 -- Sonia Gechtoff
Jan.-Feb., 1996 -- Elsie Manville: Paintings and Works on Paper
Oct.-Nov., 1996 -- Karl Schrag: A Self Portrait Retrospective, 1940-1995
Jan.-Feb., 1997 -- Joe Lasker: Paintings and Watercolors
Mar.-Apr., 1997 -- Tabitha Vevers
Oct.-Nov., 1997 -- James Lechay
Feb.-Mar., 1998 -- Linda Sokolowski: Canyon Suite: Works from the Southwest
Mar.-Apr., 1998 -- Leon Goldin: Paintings on Paper
Sept.-Oct., 1998 -- Sonia Gechtoff: Mysteries in the Sphere
Oct.-Nov., 1998 -- Langdon Quin: Recent Paintings
Nov.-Dec., 1998 -- John Gill
Jan.-Feb., 1999 -- Robert La Hotan
Feb.-Mar., 1999 -- Ann Sperry: Where Is Your Heart
Nov.-Dec., 1999 -- Kathryn Wall
Jan.-Feb., 2000 -- Elsie Manville
Sept.-Oct., 2000 -- Joe Lasker
Oct.-Nov., 2000 -- James Lechay
Oct.-Nov., 2000 -- Tabitha Vevers
May-June, 2001 -- Kenneth Callahan: Drawings
Dec., 2001-Jan., 2002 -- Sur La Table: A Selection of Paintings and Works on Paper
Jan.-Feb., 2002 -- Karl Schrag: Theme and Variations II: The Meadow
undated, 2003 -- Ann Sperry
Jan.-Feb., 2003 -- Andrée Ruellan: Works on Paper from the 1920s and 1930s
Oct.-Nov., 2003 -- Joe Lasker: Muses and Amusements
Nov.-Dec., 2003 -- Tabitha Vevers
Mar.-Apr., 2004 -- Leon Goldin: Five Decades of Works on Paper
May-July, 2004 -- Anne Frank: A Private Photo Album
Jan.-Feb., 2005 -- John Gill: Ceramics
Sept.-Oct., 2005 -- Karl Schrag: The Painter of Bright Nights
Related Material:
An untranscribed oral history interview with Antoinette Kraushaar was conducted for the Archives of American Art by Avis Berman in 1982, and is available on five audio cassettes at the Archives' Washington D.C. research facility.
Separated Material:
In addition to the records described in this finding aid, the following materials were lent to the Archives for filming in 1956 and are available on microfilm reels NKR1-NKR3 and for interlibrary loan: a book of clippings from 1907 to 1930, primarily of exhibition reviews; loose clippings and catalogs of exhibitions from 1930 to 1946; and a group of photographs and clippings relating to George Luks and other artists. These materials were returned to Kraushaar Galleries after microfilming.
Provenance:
53.5 linear feet of records were donated to the Archives of American Art by Kraushaar Galleries in three separate accessions in 1959, 1994, and 1996. Katherine Kaplan of Kraushaar Galleries donated an additional 38.4 linear feet in 2008-2009 and an additional 8.4 linear feet in 2012-2017 and 6.0 linear feet in 2022.
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. A fragile original scrapbook is restricted. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote or reproduce requires written permission from Katherine Kaplan Degn, Kraushaar Galleries. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
The papers of California-based painter and educator Kenjilo Nanao measure 10.9 linear feet and date from circa 1885-1887 and circa 1949-2017, with the bulk of the papers dating from 1970 to 2000. The papers document Nanao's career through biographical material; correspondence with friends, family, artists, universities, and museums; journals; professional files such as teaching files, gallery records and financial records; printed materials, photographs, sketchbooks and drawings.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of California-based painter and educator Kenjilo Nanao measure 10.9 linear feet and date from circa 1885-1887 and circa 1949-2017, with the bulk of the papers dating from 1970 to 2000. The papers document Nanao's career through biographical material; correspondence with friends, family, artists, universities, and museums; journals; professional files such as teaching files, gallery records and financial records; printed materials, photographs, sketchbooks and drawings.
Biographical material includes address books, forms of international identification, travel documents, and interviews in the form of written typescripts and digital audio recordings.
Correspondence is between Kenjilo Nanao and friends, family, and other artists in both English and Japanese. Notable correspondents include John and Kati Casida, William Hyland, Fumiyo and Jun Kaneko, son Max Nanao, Nathan Oliveira, Mel Ramos, and others. There are also several journals of letter drafts by Kenjilo Nanao. This series also includes letters addressed to Nanao's wife Gail from various individuals.
There are numerous journals which contain entries on daily activities, but also include Kenjilo Nanao's thoughts on art, to-do lists, and some sketches in watercolor and charcoal. Later journals are titled and dedicated to specific travels abroad.
Professional files include appointment books, teaching files from California State University at Hayward, studio documents, assorted ledgers, and lithography course materials.
Printed material includes exhibition announcements and catalogs, clippings, magazines, posters, books written in Japanese, and other miscellaneous materials.
Photographs depict Nanao's family and friends, with a few images of artwork and exhibitions, and one small album of photographs of a house and neighborhood in Japan.
The artwork series mostly consists of sketchbooks, as well as some loose drawings and watercolors.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in 7 series:
Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1960-circa 2017 (0.4 Linear Feet, 0.706 GB; Box 1, ER01)
Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1961-2013 (4.6 Linear Feet; Boxes 1-5, 12, OV 13)
Series 3: Journals, circa 1947-2013 (3.8 Linear Feet; Boxes 5-9, 12)
Series 4: Professional Files, circa 1967-2011 (0.8 Linear Feet; Boxes 9-10, OV 14)
Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1885-1887, circa 1968-2013 (0.6 Linear Feet; Box 10, OV 14)
Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1960-2011 (0.1 Linear Feet; Box 10)
Series 7: Artwork, circa 1964-2013 (0.6 Linear Feet; Boxes 10-12)
Biographical / Historical:
Kenjilo Nanao (1929-2013) was a painter and printmaker in San Francisco, California.
Nanao was born in Aomori, Japan, and graduated with a degree in economics in 1953 from Nihon University before immigrating to the United States to study art in the San Francisco Bay Area. He received a bachelor's degree from the California School of Fine Arts in 1963 as well as a masters of fine arts from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1971, where he studied under Nathan Oliveira and met his wife and fellow artist, Gail Chadell Nanao.
Kenjilo's primary artistic medium was lithography in which he became known for Surrealist minimal figurative compositions. Eventually he immersed himself in painting in an Abstract Expressionist style that became his main form of artistic production from the 1980s on. Nanao taught lithography and painting at California State University at Hayward from 1971-1990, and lectured at various other schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. His work is included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, in New York City, City of San Francisco, Pasadena Art Museum, Los Angeles County Museum, Cincinnati Museum of Art, Honolulu Academy of Art, Gruenwald (University of California, Los Angeles), the Achenbach Foundation, and others.
Kenjilo Nanao died in Berkeley, CA in 2013 and is survived by his wife and son Max.
Provenance:
The Kenjilo Nanao papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in 2016 and 2018 by Gail Nanao, Kenjilo Nanao's widow.
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.
Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Painters -- California -- San Francisco Bay Area Search this
50 Film reels (50 completed films and 1 film series; 110,600 feet of original film outtakes (51 hours); 412 hours of audiotape; 31 digital books)
22 Linear feet (Papers and photographs)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Film reels
Place:
Patagonia (Argentina and Chile)
Argentina
Date:
1954-circa 2008
Summary:
Documentary filmmaker Jorge Prelorán was best known for his intimate approach to ethnographic film, a style known as "ethnobiography." The majority of Prelorán's films were shot in rural areas of Argentina, particularly the Andean highlands and the Pampas (plains), often in communities of mixed Indian and Spanish heritage. Prelorán documented a wide range of subjects, including art, folk crafts, agriculture, ranching, markets, religious rituals and festivals, and social and cultural change. This collection contains edited films and videos, film outtakes, audio tapes, photographic prints and transparencies, digital books, correspondence, production files, scripts, project files, and press clippings spanning 1954-2008.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains edited films and videos, film outtakes, audio tapes, photographic prints and transparencies, digital books, correspondence, production files, scripts, project files, and press clippings spanning 1954-2008.
The majority of Prelorán's films were shot in rural areas of Argentina, particularly the Andean highlands and the Pampas (plains), often in communities of mixed Indian and Spanish heritage. Prelorán documented a wide range of subjects, including art, folk crafts, agriculture, ranching, markets, religious rituals and festivals, and social and cultural change. Several films focus on natural history and science. There are also a number of experimental and fiction films.
Prelorán formed close friendships with many of the subjects of his films and corresponded with them long after the films were completed. This is reflected in the paper records, as is Prelorán's wide circle of colleagues and collaborators, including anthropologists, musicians, animators, historians, painters, writers, photographers, current and former students at UCLA, and fellow filmmakers. The extensive collection of press clippings, screening notices, and festival catalogs documents Prelorán's influence in Argentina, Europe, and the United States.
In the series of digital books, Prelorán presents the personal stories of individuals involved in creative work. Some books feature subjects profiled in the films, updating or expanding on their stories.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged in 11 series: (1) Completed Films and Videos, 1954-circa 2008; (2) Film Outtakes, 1960s-1980s; (3) Audio, 1969-2008; (4) Correspondence, 1954-2005 (bulk 1967-1992); (5) Production Files, 1961-1998; (6) Project Files, 1967-1995; (7) UCLA, 1968-2005 (bulk 1980s); (8) Press Clippings, 1960-2005; (9) Photographs, 1961-2000; (10) Books, 1994-1998, undated; (11) Electronic Files, circa 2000-circa 2006
Biographical Note:
Documentary filmmaker Jorge Prelorán was best known for his intimate approach to ethnographic film, a style known as "ethnobiography." In films such as Hermógenes Cayo (Imaginero) (1970), Los Hijos de Zerda (Zerda's Children) (1974), and Zulay Frente al Siglo XXI (Zulay Facing the 21st Century) (1989), Prelorán's protagonists tell their personal stories, while also revealing the stories of their communities and cultures. Prelorán worked in Latin America and the United States, but primarily in his native country of Argentina. His career spanned from 1954 to 2008, including nearly twenty years as a film professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Prelorán was born May 28, 1933 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His father, an engineer, was Argentine and had studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he met his wife, an American. Prelorán grew up speaking both Spanish and English. Initially pursuing a career in architecture, he studied at the Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires. He made his first film, Venganza, with neighborhood friends in Buenos Aires in 1954. The film won the Beginner's Festival of Cine Club Argentina that same year. Prelorán was accepted as an undergraduate at the University of California, Berkeley, and studied architecture there for one year. In 1956 he withdrew from UC Berkeley and was drafted into the US Army. Prelorán served in West Germany until 1958. Upon his return he changed educational plans and began formal study of filmmaking, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Motion Pictures from UCLA in 1960.
Shortly before the end of his service in the US Army, Prelorán married Elsa Dondi, a former classmate from Buenos Aires. They lived together in Los Angeles until Elsa returned to Argentina for the birth of their daughter, Adriana, in 1961. The couple separated shortly thereafter.
Prelorán's professional career as a filmmaker began in 1961 with a commission from the Tinker Foundation of New York for a series of films on the Argentine gaucho. In the course of shooting for these films, Prelorán traveled extensively throughout Argentina, visiting many locations in Patagonia and in the northwest where he would later return to make many of his films. From 1963-1969, Prelorán was under contract at the Universidad Nacional de Tucumán to produce educational films; he also produced a series of short films on Argentine folklife with support from Fondo Nacional de las Artes and under the mentorship of folklorist Augusto Raúl Cortazar, Ph.D.
In the late 1960s, Prelorán became involved with UCLA's Ethnographic Film Program and in 1970 he returned to UCLA as a lecturer for two semesters. Later that year he was a fellow at Harvard University's Film Study Center, where he produced the English-language version of Imaginero (Hermógenes Cayo). Prelorán was the recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships, in 1971 and 1975, and used those opportunities to produce quite a number of films, including Damacio Caitruz (Araucanians of Ruca Choroy).
Prelorán remarried in 1972. His wife, Mabel Freddi, became a collaborator on his films. She wrote the screenplay for Mi Tia Nora (My Aunt Nora) (1983) and co-directed Zulay Frente al Siglo XXI (Zulay Facing the 21st Century) (1989), among other credited and un-credited roles. After the Argentine military coup of March 1976 and the disappearances of fellow filmmaker Raymundo Gleyzer and Mabel's niece, Haydee, the Preloráns became fearful for their own safety. They fled to the United States, a move that would become permanent. Prelorán accepted a position as associate professor at UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television. He later joined the faculty as a tenured professor.
During his time at UCLA, Prelorán was twice selected as a Fulbright Scholar, in 1987 and 1994. He continued to produce films, including the Academy Award-nominated documentary short Luther Metke at 94 (1980) and the 7-hour natural history television series Patagonia (1992). After retiring in 1994, Prelorán continued to mentor film students as Professor Emeritus; he also began work in a new medium, creating a series of digital books, "Nos = Otros" ("Sages Amongst Us") (unpublished), featuring individuals engaged in creative and educational pursuits.
Prelorán died at his home in Culver City, CA at the age of 75 on March 28, 2009.
Sources Consulted
UCLA, School of Theater, Film and Television. "Jorge Prelorán 1933 - 2009." Obituary. Last modified March 31, 2009. Accessed April 1, 2009. http://tft.ucla.edu/news/obituary
Jorge Prelorán Collection. Human Studies Film Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Rivera, Fermín. Huellas Y Memoria de Jorge Prelorán. Documentary film. 2010.
Woo, Elaine."Jorge Prelorán dies at 75; Argentine filmmaker and former UCLA professor." Los Angeles Times, April 5, 2009. Web. 29 Apr 2009.
1933 -- Born May 28 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
1952-1954 -- Studies at the College of Architecture, Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires, Argentina
1954 -- Completes first film, Venganza, a fictional short
1955 -- Studies at the College of Architecture, University of California at Berkeley
1956-1958 -- Drafted into United States Army, stationed in Schwetzingen, West Germany
1959-1960 -- Earns Bachelor of Arts in Motion Pictures from UCLA
1961-1963 -- Produces films on the Argentine gaucho for the Tinker Foundation, New York
1963-1969 -- Produces films at the Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina
1968 -- Attends the First International Colloquium on Ethnographic Film at UCLA
1969 -- Shoots film for The Warao People in Venezuela, under a grant from the Ford Foundation to the Ethnographic Film Program at UCLA
1970 -- Lecturer at UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television Fellow at the Film Study Center, Harvard University
1971 -- Receives first Guggenheim Fellowship; completes several film projects in Argentina
1975 -- Receives second Guggenheim Fellowship; continues filming in Argentina
1976 -- Moves to United States Associate professor at UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television
1978 -- Guest of Honor at the 2nd Margaret Mead Ethnographic Film Festival at the American Museum of Natural History, New York
1980 -- Academy Award nominee for Luther Metke at 94
1985 -- Guest at the White House for a State Dinner in honor of Argentine President Raul Alfonsin
1986 -- Naturalized as a United States citizen
1987 -- First selection as Fulbright Scholar; begins production of the series Patagonia, en Busca de su Remoto Pasado
1994 -- Second selection as Fulbright Scholar; completes pre-production for the narrative feature film "Vairoletto: The Last Gaucho Outlaw" Retires from UCLA as professor emeritus
2009 -- Dies on March 28 in Culver City, California
Related Materials:
The Human Studies Film Archives holds a copy of Fermín Rivera's edited biographical documentary film, Huellas y Memoria de Jorge Prelorán (HSFA 2015.1.27), as well as transcripts of interviews conducted with Jorge and Mabel Prelorán for the film (in Spanish).
The Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin, holds the original film for four titles Prelorán produced for the Tinker Foundation (New York, NY). These are: The Llanero; The Gaucho of Corrientes; The Gaucho of the Pampas; and The Gaucho of Salta. The Ransom Center has both English and Spanish versions of these titles. These four films were preserved in 2010 and 2011 with funding from the Tinker Foundation. HSFA holds high quality video masters of all four titles. A fifth film produced for the Tinker Foundation, El Gaucho Argentino, Hoy (The Argentine Gaucho, Today), is held at the HSFA in its Spanish version only.
The Arthur Hall Collection at Temple University, Phildadelphia, Pennsylvania and Ile Ife Films in Belfast, Maine hold a copy of The Unvictorious One that differs from the two versions held at the HSFA.
Provenance:
This collection was donated to the Human Studies Film Archives in two accessions. The first accession, 2007-10, contains the edited films, outtakes, audio recordings, papers, and photographs and was donated by Jorge Prelorán. Materials had been stored at Prelorán's home office and home editing suite before they were packed by the processing archivist and sent to the HSFA. The second accession, 2011-07, contains the digital books and some additional photographs. This accession was donated by Mabel Prelorán. These materials had also been stored at Prelorán's home office and were sent to the HSFA by Mabel Prelorán.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Please contact the archives for information on availability of access copies of audiovisual recordings. Original audiovisual material in the Human Studies Film Archives may not be played.
Various copyrights and restrictions on commercial use apply to the reproduction or publication of film, video, audio, photographs, and the digital books.
Access to the Jorge Prelorán collection requires an appointment.
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:
Leo Castelli Gallery records, circa 1880-2000, bulk 1957-1999. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the partial digitization of this collection was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation.
An interview of Charles Duback conducted 2004 December 15-2005 May 18, by Susan C. Larsen, for the Archives of American Art, in Tenants Harbor, Maine.
Mr. Duback discusses his childhood; his Czech lineage; working at his father's bakery and gaining artistic sensibilities there; the drive to become an artist, and the financial risks therein; joining the Navy during World War II; attending trade school in New Haven, Connecticut, and the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art in Newark, New Jersey; attending the Skowhegan School in Maine; his first wife Daphne Mumford; sustaining two homes, one in New York City and another in Maine, and the difficulties in maintaining them; the influence of collage on his paintings; his "strip" paintings; the opening and closing of the Landmark Gallery; making his "projections," wherein he adheres objects to a painting's canvas; and the friends he made during his time running Landmark. Duback also mentions moving from North Waldoboro, Maine to St. George, Maine; moving again to Germantown, New York; finding living in New York difficult; divorcing Mumford; his second wife Phyllis; rising tax and insurance costs and what they mean to artists; and painting as a career. Duback recalls Bernard Langlais, Helen Langlais, Edward Dugmore, Alex Katz, Wes LaFountain, Red Grooms, George Ortman, Myron Stout, George McNeil, Dennis Pinette, John Grillo, Henry Varnum Poor, and others.
Biographical / Historical:
Charles S. DuBack (1926-) is a painter of Tenants Harbor, Maine. Susan C. Larsen, interviewer, is an art historian in Tenants Harbor, Maine.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound discs. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 11 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.
This collection contains open reel recordings made by noted jazz scholar Frederic Ramsey during his tour of the American South in the 1950s.
Scope and Contents:
The collection includes 400? Open reel audio tapes. They are from Ramsey's fieldwork and various projects, many for Folkways Records. The bulk of the recordings come from Ramsey's fieldwork in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana in 1954-56.
Arrangement:
The tapes are organized and shelved by accession number.
Biographical / Historical:
Frederic Ramsey Jr. (1915-1995), son of painter Charles Frederic Ramsey, was a jazz scholar and author who worked with a number of musicians in the South and the New York/New Jersey area, notably Lead Belly. After receiving a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1953, Ramsey undertook a tour of the South in order to explore and document the African-American music environment. His goal was to record the speech and music of persons at least sixty years of age or older in an attempt to trace the evolution of the musical genre that would become jazz. Ramsey produced a number of recordings for the Folkways label in the 1950s-1960s.
[From Jeff:
Frederic Ramsey Jr. (1915-1995) was a jazz critic, scholar, fieldworker and record producer. He was the author of a number of books on jazz, including Jazzmen (with Charles Edward Smith) and the Jazz Record Book. He became one of the main producers for Moses Asch at Asch, Disc, and Folkways Records of jazz and blues.
Ramsey was one of the first to deploy an open reel tape recorder using it in New York City in 1949 to record Lead Belly in a set of sessions at his apartment, that were to be Lead Belly's last. What was noteworthy about this is that a reel to reel deck allowed one to record a longer recording than the previous 4 minutes on instantaneous discs. This allowed Led Belly to stretch out and do his extended rhymes and longer songs and to tell stories of his life. It was released by Folkways as a 2 LP 2-records each set. Each side was one track so more material could be fit in.
The new LP format allowed for Folkways to create anthologies of music with multiple tracks per side. This allowed Ramsey the ability to create a 11-volume anthology of jazz in the early 1950s. It was the first of many anthologies for Folkways.
He also received a Guggenheim fellowship in 1954-56 to go to Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana to record vernacular African American music. This included field hollers, spirituals, and brass bands. It was Ramsey's desire to find the roots of jazz in early African-American music forms. He recorded hundreds of tapes they make up the bulk of Ramsey Tape Collection. A 10 LP set Music from the South was released from these trips. Also, there was a book Been Here and Gone with his magnificent photographs from the trip.
Other notable recordings released by Folkways include an interview album of Baby Dodds, a box set of shape-note singing, and recordings of a, then, teenaged Michael Hurley.
In 1975, with other grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Ford Foundation, he researched the life of Buddy Bolden.
After the death of Frederic Ramsey Jr., folklorist Kip Lornell arranged the donation of Ramsey's tape and record collection to the Smithsonian.]
Related Materials:
Frederic Ramsey's personal papers are available at Rutgers University Institute of Jazz Studies.
Ramsey's photograph collection (many from the same field projects) can be found in the collections of the Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane University.
Provenance:
This collection was donated by Frederic Ramsey's daughter Alida Porter in 1996.
Restrictions:
Access by appointment only. Contact the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at (202) 633-7322 for additional information.
Rights:
Copyright restrictions apply. Contact archives staff for information.
M. Hanks Gallery (Santa, Monica, Calif.) Search this
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture Search this
Extent:
1.7 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Video recordings
Date:
1962-2017
Summary:
The papers of African American abstract painter Sylvia Snowden measure 1.7 linear feet and date from 1962 to 2017. The collection contains biographical material, including recorded interviews with Snowden; correspondence; material related to professional activities, including exhibitions and symposia; printed material; and photographic material, as well as one sketch.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of African American abstract painter Sylvia Snowden measure 1.7 linear feet and date from 1962 to 2017. The collection contains biographical material, including recorded interviews with Snowden, resumes and chronologies, and certificates; correspondence with galleries and museums including M. Hanks Gallery and the Corcoran Gallery of Art; material related to professional activities, including exhibitions and symposia, and related audiovisual and born-digital materials; printed material, including exhibition invitations, exhibition catalogs, calendars, clippings, and magazines; and a small amount of photographic material, as well as one sketch.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as five series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1962, 1985-2004 (Box 1; 0.1 linear feet)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1975-2005 (Box 1; 0.1 linear feet)
Series 3: Professional Activities, 1985-2017 (Box1; 0.5 linear feet)
Series 4: Printed Material, 1964-2017 (Boes 1-3, OV 4; 0.9 linear feet)
Series 5: Photographic Material and Artwork, 1989-2005 (Box 3; 0.1 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Sylvia Snowden (1942- ) is an African American abstract painter in Washington, D.C. known for her large mixed-media works that convey a sense of texture or the "feel of paint."
Snowden earned both a Bachelor and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Howard University. She also attended Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine and earned a certificate from le Grande Chaumière in Paris, France. She has served as an instructor, visiting lecturer, panelist, and artist-in-residence at universities, galleries, and art schools across the country and internationally. Her work has been included in exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Parish Gallery, and the California African American Museum; as well as in exhibitions in Chile, the Netherlands, Ethiopia, Australia, the Bahamas, France, Mexico, Italy, and Japan.
Provenance:
The Sylvia Snowden papers were donated in 2019 by Sylvia Snowden, as part of the Archives' African American Collecting Initiative funded by the Henry Luce Foundation.
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.
Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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 consists of records documenting one of the oldest advertising agencies created in Philadelphia. The company then moves to New York and expanses to international markets. During its history NW Ayer & Sons acquires a number of other advertising agencies and is eventually purchased. The largest portion of the collection is print advertisements but also
includes radio and television. NW Ayer is known for some of the slogans created for major American companies.
Scope and Contents:
The collection consists primarily of proof sheets of advertisements created by NW Ayer & Son, Incorporated for their clients. These materials are in series one through thirteen and consist primarily of print advertisements. There are also billboards, radio and television commercials. The advertisements range from consumer to corporate and industrial products. The majority of the advertisements were created for Ayer's New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and international offices. Printed advertisements created by Cunningham & Walsh, Hixson & Jorgensen and Newell-Emmett are also included among these materials. Researchers who are interested in records created by Ayer in the course of operating an advertising agency will find these materials in Series fourteen-nineteen.
Series fourteen consists of advertisements created by NW Ayer & Son to promote their services to potential clients.
Series fifteen are scrapbooks of some of the earliest advertisements created by the company. Series sixteen are publications. Some of the publications were created by Ayer while others were about Ayer or the advertising industry in general. Provides good background materials and puts the company in perspective. Series eighteen are the legal records. Materials relating to employees including photographs, oral histories etc. are found in series nineteen.
Series twenty is one of the smallest amounts of materials and includes information relating to the history of NW Ayer & Son.
The container lists for series one-thirteen are part of a database and are searchable. The list has been printed for the convenience of the researcher and is included in this finding aid. Series fourteen-twenty container lists are also a part of the finding aid but are not in a searchable format.
Series 1, Scrapbooks of Client Advertisements, circa 1870-1920, is arranged into three boxes by chronological date. There are two bound scrapbooks and one box of folders containing loose scrapbook pages. NW Ayer & Son compiled an assortment of their earliest ads and placed them into scrapbooks. Besides the earliest advertisements, the scrapbooks contain requests to run advertisements, reading notices and listings of papers Ayer advertised in. The early advertisements themselves range from medical remedies to jewelry to machines to clothing to education and more. Most of the advertisements in the bound scrapbooks are dated.
Series 2, Proofsheets, circa 1870-1930, NW Ayer was fond of creating scrapbooks containing proofsheets. The series contains proofsheets created between 1892 and 1930, organized into 526 boxes. For convenience of storage, access and arrangement, the scrapbooks were disassembled and the pages placed in original order in flat archival storage boxes. The proofsheets are arranged by book number rather than client name. Usually the boxes contain a listing of the clients and sometimes the dates of the advertisements to be found within the box.
Series 3, Proofsheets, circa 1920-1975, is organized into 532 oversize boxes, and contain proofsheets and tearsheets created between 1920 and 1972. Within this series, materials are arranged alphabetically by company name (occasionally subdivided by brand or product), and thereunder chronologically by date of production. Many major, national advertisers are represented, including American Telephone & Telegraph, Armour Company, Canada Dry, Cannon Mills, Carrier Corporation, Domino Sugar, Caterpillar tractor company, Ford Motor Company, General Electric, Goodyear, Hills Bros. Coffee, Ladies Home Journal, National Dairy, Plymouth (Chrysler Corporation), Steinway, TV Guide, United Airlines and the United States Army. Also contained in this series are three scrapbooks of client advertisements including Canada Dry, Ford Motor, and Victor Talking Machine.
Series 4, 2001 Addendum, circa 1976-2001, is organized into ninety three oversized boxes,one folder and contains proofsheets for select Ayer clients, created between 1975 and 2001. Within this series, materials are arranged alphabetically by client name and there under chronologically by date of production. Major national advertisers represented include American Telephone & Telegraph, Avon, the United States Army, DeBeers Consolidated Diamond Mines, Dupont, TV Guide, Sealtest, Kraft Foods, Gillette, General Motors, Cannon Mills.
Series 5, Billboards, circa 1952-1956, consists of mounted and un-mounted original art/mock-ups. Twenty-two pieces of original art created as mock-ups for Texaco billboards.
Series 6, Film and Video Commercials, 1967-1970,
Series 7, Radio and Television Materials, 1933-1993, undated, is arranged into eight boxes and includes radio scripts, television scripts, and story boards for commercials.
Subseries 7.1, Scripts and storyboards for Radio and Television Commercials, dates Scripts for radio and television commercials includes title, date, length of commercial, advertising agency, client information
NW Ayer's radio and television materials mainly focus on the American Telegraph and Telephone account. Some of Ayer's materials relate to Bell Telephone Hours.
Storyboards are used in television and film to assist the director in working with crew to tell the story. To show the viewer through the use of figures, visual effects and camera angles. When directors first start thinking about their storyboard they create a story in their mind. They think of all the camera angles, visual effects and how the figures will interact in their mind. They try to create an extraordinary story in their head to attract the viewer (YOU) In order for the storyboard to be entirely effective it can't be a passive document. When done properly, a storyboard serves as a central design, meeting the needs of many team members including graphics artists, video personnel and programmers.
Another function of a storyboard is to help the team communicate during the training development process. This communication is very important in working with a large team as in the movie King, produced in 1996. Figures help the director explain to the crew how they are going to record the film and how to present it to the audience. Sometimes the director wants special effects to be added to the film, but his budget might not be that big so the director will have to change the story to fit their budget.
The Visual Effects are an important part in the storyboards it adds a special touch of creativity to your film. Camera angles are an important expects in your film because the camera angles determine where the viewing audience will look. If you want your audience to look at a certain object you must turn their attention to it by focusing on that object and maybe you might try blocking something out. Then you will have your audience's attention and you may do whatever else you have to, it could be scaring them are just surprising them or whatever you do.
Also included is talent information and log sheets relating to the storage of the commercials.
Bell Telephone Hour Program, 1942-[19??], The Bell Telephone Hour, also known as The Telephone Hour, was a five minute musical program which began April 29, 1940 on National Broadcasting Company Radio and was heard on NBC until June 30, 1958. Sponsored by Bell Telephone showcased the best in classical and Broadway music, reaching eight to nine million listeners each week. It continued on television from 1959 to 1968.
Earlier shows featured James Melton and Francia White as soloists. Producer Wallace Magill restructured the format on April 27, 1942 into the "Great Artists Series" of concert and opera performers, beginning with Jascha Heifetz. Records indicate that the list of talents on the program included Marian Anderson, Helen Traubel, Oscar Levant, Lily Pons, Nelson Eddy, Bing Crosby, Margaret Daum, Benny Goodman, José Iturbi, Gladys Swarthout and .The series returned to radio in 1968-1969 as Bell Telephone Hour Encores, also known as Encores from the Bell Telephone Hour, featuring highlights and interviews from the original series.
National Broadcasting television specials sponsored by the Bell System, 1957-1987includes information relating to Science series, Bell system Theshold Series, Bell telephone hour and commercial and public sponsored programs
Series 8, Chicago Office Print Advertisements, 1954-1989, is arranged alphabetically by the name of the client in ninety boxes and six oversize folders. Clients include Illinois Bell Telephone (1955-1989), Microswitch (1969-1989), Teletype (1975-1984), John Deere (1974-1989) and Caterpillar (1966-1972) are particularly well represented. Other clients of interest include Dr. Scholl's shoes (circa 1968-1972), the Girl Scouts (1976-1980), Sunbeam Personal Products Company (1973-1981), Bell and Howell (1974-1983) and Alberto Culver shampoos (1967-1971), Honeywell, Incorporated, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Associations, Kraft, Incorporated, Sears, Roebuck and Company, and YMCA.
Series 9, Los Angeles Office Materials, 1950s-1987, include printed advertisements created by this office and information relating to the employees.
Subseries 9.1, Print Advertisements, 1977-1987, printed advertisements arranged in one box alphabetically by client. There is a sparse sampling of clients from this particular Ayer branch office. The majority of the advertisements contained within this series are from Pizza Hut (1986-1987). Also included are Computer Automation (1977-1978), State of the Art, Incorporated (1982) and Toshiba (1986).
Subseries 9.2, Personnel Files, 1950s-1970s, includes cards of employees who worked in the Los Angeles office. Information on the cards includes name, address, telephone number, birthday, date hired, departure date and why (retired, terminated, resigned, etc) and position. Not all cards have all information. There is also a photograph of the employees on the cards.
Series 10, Foreign Print Advertisements, 1977-1991, undated, NW Ayer maintained partnerships with international companies such as Sloanas Ayer in Argentina, Connaghan & May Paton Ayer in Australia, Moussault Ayer in Belgium, NW Ayer, LTD. in Canada, GMC Ayer in France, Co-Partner Ayer in Germany, Wong Lam Wang in Hong Kong, MacHarman Ayer in New Zealand, Grupo de Diseno Ayer in Spain, Nedeby Ayer in Sweden, and Ayer Barker in United Kingdom. This group of material is a small sampling of advertisements created from these International offices. It is arranged alphabetically by client. There are quite a few automobile advertisements (i.e. Audi, Fiat, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen). In addition there are numerous advertisements for various personal items from MacLean's toothpaste to Quick athletic shoes to Labello lip balm, etc. Most of the advertisements have the creator's name printed on the advertisements.
Series 11, Cunningham & Walsh, Incorporated Materials, 1915-1987, undated contains 98 boxes 11 folders materials from the New York advertising agency acquired by NW Ayer in the 1960s. The company began with Newel-Emmett, an agency of nine men which broke up in 1949. Two of the men Fred Walsh and Jack Cunningham formed this agency in bearing their names in 1950. The agency created "let your fingers for the walking campaign for American Telephone & Telegraph, Mother Nature for Chiffon, and Mrs. Olson for Folgers's coffee and let the good times roll for Kawasaki motorcycle. In 1986, NW Ayer Incorporated purchased Cunningham & Walsh Incorporated.
Subseries 11.1, Print Advertisements, 1915-1987, are contained in ninety eight boxes of primarily print advertisements arranged alphabetically by client name. Clients that are particularly well represented are Graybar (electrical implements, circa1926-1937), Johns-Manulle (circa1915-1971), Smith and Corono typewriters (circa 1934-1960), Sunshine Biscuit Company (circa 1925-1961), Texaco Company (circa 1936-1961), Western Electric (circa 1920- 1971) and Yellow Pages (circa 1936-1971). Cunningham and Walsh also represented several travel and tourism industry clients, including Cook Travel Services (circa 1951-1962), Italian Line (circa 1953-1961), Narragansett and Croft (circa 1956-1960) and Northwest Airlines (circa 1946-1955). There are photographs of Texaco advertisements dating from 1913-1962. There is also a scrapbook of advertisements from the Western Electric Company dating from 1920-1922.
Subseries 11.2, Radio and Television Advertisements, 1963-1967, consist of materials created for Western Electric. Materials are arranged in chronological order.
Subseries 11.3, Company Related Materials, 1962-1986, undated include client lists, information relating to NW Ayer purchase and annual report 1962.
Series 12, Hixson & Jorgensen Materials, 1953-1971, a Los Angeles advertising company, merged with Ayer in 1969. This series is housed in one box. Within the box are four scrapbooks and folders with a hodgepodge of materials relating to advertising. Of most interest are the scrapbooks. Two scrapbooks deal with Hixson and Jorgensen's self promotion ad campaign "the right appeal gets action" (1953-1957). The other two scrapbooks contain news clippings about the company and its activities (1959-1971).
Series 13, Newell-Emmet, 1942-1957, founded in 1919 and governed in the 1940s by a partnership of nine men. The partnership broke up in 1949 when the men went their separate ways. The materials consist of print advertisements for one of client, Permutit Company, a water conditioning company. The materials are arranged in one box in chronological order.
Series 14, House Print Advertisements, 1870-1991, 16 boxes consists of advertisements or self-promotion advertisements to campaign for new clients. The series is arranged chronologically by date into fifteen boxes. Within the series are two scrapbooks containing self promotion ads from 1888-1919 and 1892-1895. Numerous house ads relate to Ayer's "Human Contact" campaign. In addition to the self promotion ads, Ayer ran advertisements expounding about particular concepts or themes for example, one month the concept would "understand" while another month would be "teamwork" and yet another would be on "imagination". Some of the self promotion ads target specific groups like Philadelphia businessmen. Other advertisements incorporate the fine arts.
Series 15, Scrapbooks, 1872-1959, relates to company events, records and news clippings about Ayer's history. The six boxes are arranged by chronological date. Two of the boxes focus solely on the death of founder F.W. Ayer (1923). Another box houses a scrapbook that showcases Ayer's annual Typography Exhibition (1931-1959). One box contains a scrapbook that specifically deals with correspondences relating to Ayer's advertising. Yet another box's contents are folders of loose pages from scrapbooks that have newspaper clippings, order forms, correspondences and other company records. In one box, a bound scrapbook houses a variety of materials relating to Ayer and advertising (i.e. newspaper clippings, competitor's advertisements, NW Ayer's advertisements, correspondences for advertisements, clippings regarding the "theory of advertising."
Series 16, Publications, 1849-2006, are housed in thirty four boxes and are arranged into three main categories.
Subseries 16.1, House Publications, 1876-1994, covers diverse topics; some proscriptive works about the Ayer method in advertising, some commemorating people, anniversaries or events in the life of the agency. Materials consist of scattered issues of the employee newsletter The Next Step 1920-1921. The materials are arranged in chronological order by date of publication. Ayer in the News, The Show Windows of an Advertising Agency, 1915, book form of advertisements published on the cover of Printer's Ink, highlighting Ayer's relations with advertisers. The Story of the States, 1916, Reprint in book form of a series of articles published in Printer's Ink for the purpose of adding some pertinent fact, progressive thought and prophetic vision to the Nationalism of Advertising highlights major businesses, manufacturer, natural resources and other qualities or attractions of each state. The Book of the Golden Celebration, 1919, includes welcome address and closing remarks by founder F. Wayland Ayer, The Next Step, 1920 employee newsletter with photographs, employee profiles, in-house jokes, etc., Advertising Advertising: A Series of Fifty-two Advertisements scheduled one time a week. Twenty-seven, thirty and forty inches, a day of the week optional with publisher, 1924
Subseries 16.2, Publications about NW Ayer, 1949-2006, includes a book first published in 1939. Includes articles, documenting events and is arranged chronologically by date of publication.
Subseries 16.3, General Publications about Advertising, 1922-1974, are arranged chronologically by date of publication and relate primarily to the history of advertising.
Subseries 16.4, Publications about Other Subjects, 1948-1964, include four books about the tobacco industry primarily the history of the American Tobacco Company and Lorillard Company from the Cunningham and Walsh library.
Series 17, Business Records, circa 1885-1990s
Subseries 17.1, Contracts, 1885-1908, undated, are arranged alphabetically and span from 1885-1908. The majority of the contracts are with newspaper and magazine publishers from around the country.
Subseries 17.2, General client information, 1911-1999, undated, including active and cancelled lists with dates, client gains, historical client list, (should move this to series 20) Ayer Plan User Guide Strategic Planning for Human Contact, undated
Subseries 17.3, Individual Client Account Information, 1950s-1990s, undated, contain information used by Ayer to create advertisements for some of its clients. American Telephone &Telegraph Corporate Case History, American Telephone &Telegraph Corporate advertisement memo, commissioned artists for DeBeers advertisements, DeBeers information relating to the creative process and photography credits, a case history for DeBeers Consolidated Mines, Ltd., The Diamond Engagement Ring, Managing Communication at all levels, DuPont publications, JC Penny Marketing Communication Plan Recommendation, Leaf, Incorporated, Saturn presentation, and USAREC oral presentation.
Subseries 17.4, Potential Clients, 1993, includes grouping has a questionnaire sent to Ayer by a potential client. Questionnaire response for Prudential Securities, 1993 Prudential Securities advertising account review, 1993.
Subseries 17.5, Financial Records, 1929-1938, includes balance sheet, 1929 May 1 Balance sheet and adjustments Consolidated statement of assets and liabilities, Expenses 191936-37 Business review and expenses, 1937 and 1938 Business review and expenses comparative statement, 1937 and 1938.
Series 18, Legal Records, circa 1911-1982, Ayer's legal records are arranged by twelve subject groupings within four boxes. The twelve groupings are advertising service agreements (circa 1918-1982), bylaws, copyright claims, correspondences, international correspondences, dissolution of trusts, stock information, agreements between partners, incorporation materials, reduction of capital, property information and miscellaneous materials. The bulk of the materials are the advertising service agreements. These agreements are between Ayer and their clients and state the services Ayer will offer and at what cost. The bylaws are Ayer's company bylaws from 1969 and 1972. The copyright claims are certificates stating Ayer's ownership over certain published materials (i.e. "Policy", Media Equalizer Model, and Don Newman's Washington Square Experiment). The correspondences relate to either the voting trust and receipts for agreement or the New York Corporation. The international correspondences are from either Ayer's Canadian office or London office. The dissolutions of trusts contains materials about the dividend trust of Wilfred F. Fry, the investment trust of Winfred W. Fry, the voting trust, and the New York corporation. The stock information has stock certificates and capital stock information. The agreements between partners (1911-1916) specify the terms between F.W. Ayer and his partners. The incorporation materials (circa 1929-1977) deal with Ayer advertising agency becoming incorporated in the state of Delaware. The reduction of capital grouping is a notification that shares of stock have been retired. The property information grouping contains property deeds and insurance policy (circa 1921-1939), a property appraisal (1934), and a bill of sale (1948). The miscellaneous grouping contains a house memo regarding a set of board meeting minutes and a registry of foreign companies in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1929-1954).
Subseries 18.1, Advertising Service Agreements, 1918-1982
Subseries 18.2, Bylaw Materials, 1969-1972
Subseries 18.3, Copyright Claims, 1962-1969
Subseries 18.4, Correspondence, 1928-1933
Subseries 18.5, International Office Correspondence, 1947-1948
Subseries 18.6, Dissolution of Trusts, 1934-1937
Subseries 18.7, Stock Information, 1934-1974
Subseries 18.8, Agreements between Partners, 1911-1916
Series 19, Personnel Records, circa 1889-2001, are arranged into eight groupings within eight boxes. The groupings are employee card files, photographs, Ayer alumni, biographies, speeches, recollections, oral histories, and miscellaneous. Typed manuscript of book A Copy Writer Speaks by George Cecil, NW Ayer, Incorporated copy head 1920s-1950s
Subseries 19.1, Employee card files, circa 1892-1915; 1929-1963, consists of index cards with the name, age, job title, date and wage increases, date of hire/fire, as well as remarks about the employee's service and/or reasons for seeking or leaving the job. Materials are arranged alphabetically by the last name of the employee within three boxes.
Subseries 19.2, Photographs, circa 1924-1984, undated, are housed in two boxes. The photographs grouped together by subjects i.e. personnel, company events, Ayer buildings, and miscellaneous. This grouping primarily consists of personnel photographs. Includes a glass plate negative dated 1924 of NW Ayer.
Subseries 19.3, Ayer Alumni, circa 1989-98, include employees who have left Ayer. There is a listing of Ayer "graduates" and their current job. Emeritus, Ayer's alumni newsletter 1989-1996, makes up the majority of materials in this grouping. The newsletter keeps the alumni up to date with the happenings of Ayer and what has become of former Ayer employees. Emeritus is a quarterly newsletter devoted to the activities, thoughts and feelings of Ayer alumni a body of people who consists of retirees and former employees.
Subseries 19.4, Biographical Information, circa 1889-1994, undated, prominent members of Ayer's operations had biographical sketches completed of them. This was true for the bio sketches of Robert Ervin, Louis T. Hagopian, and George A. Rink. There is a substantial file on Dorothy Dignam ("Mis Dig"), a leading woman in the advertising world from the 1930s to the 1950s. Also of interest is a video ("The Siano Man") compiled by Ayer employees to commemorate Jerry Siano's retirement from Ayer in 1994. The series is arranged alphabetically by last name.
Subseries 19.5, Speeches, circa 1919-1931; 1975, contains speeches made by Wilfred W. Fry and Neal W. O'Connor. Wilfred W. Fry had various speaking engagements connected with Ayer. Contained in this group is a sampling of his speeches from 1919 to 1931. Neal O'Connor's speech "Advertising: Who Says It's a Young People's Business" was given at the Central Region Convention for the American Association of Advertising Agencies in Chicago on November 6, 1975. The speeches are arranged alphabetically by the speaker's last name.
Subseries 19.6, Recollections, 1954-1984, undated, are arranged alphabetically by last name. These are recollections from Ayer employees about the company and its advertisements. Some recollections are specifically about certain types of advertisements, like farm equipment while others reflect on F. W. Ayer and the company.
Subseries 19.7, Oral History Interview Transcripts, 1983-1985; 1989-1991, include interviews with key NW Ayer personnel, conducted by Ayer alumnae Howard Davis, Brad Lynch and Don Sholl (Vice President creative) for the Oral History Program. The materials are arranged alphabetically by the last name of the interviewee.
Subseries 19.8, Oral History Interview Audio Tapes, 1985-1990, include interviews on audiotape the materials are arranged alphabetically by the last name of the interviewee.
Subseries 19.9, Internal Communications, 1993-1999, includes information sent to employees relating to retirements, management changes, awards won by the company, promotions, potential new accounts, free items, grand opening of Ayer Café, donation events, sponsorship programs, holiday schedules, discounts for employees from clients, Ayer joins MacManus Group.
Subseries 19.10, General Materials, 1940; 1970, includes agency directory entry including a list of the employees, 1970s, annual banquet program for the Curfew Club May 22, 1940 a group formed by the Philadelphia employee in 1938. It sponsored numerous sports, social and educational activities. Groups were formed in public speaking, music appreciation and a series of talks on Monday evenings title the modern woman. The front page was a series of talks for general interest. A list of officers, 1991, Twenty five year club membership, 1973 December 1, List of NW Ayer graduates, 1970, List of Officers, 1991 May 31, Obituary for Leo Lionni, 1999 October 17, List of photographers of advertisements, 2001
Series 20, Background and History Information, 1817-1999, undated includes a chronology, 1817-1990, quick reference timeline, 1848-1923, loose pages from a scrapbook containing examples of correspondence, envelopes, advertisements dating from 1875-1878; slogans coined by NW Ayer & Sons, Incorporated, 1899-1990, history of management, 1909-1923, articles and photographs about the building and art galleries, 1926-1976, publications about the Philadelphia building, 1929, pamphlet relating to memories of NW Ayer & Sons, Incorporated, 1930s-1950s, television history, 1940-1948, Article about the history of the company, 1950 January, pocket guide, 1982, AdWeek reports about standings for advertising agencies, information relating to Human Contact which is NW Ayer's Information relating to Human Contact, undated which is their philosophy on advertising.
Series 21, Materials Created by other Advertising Agencies, 1945-1978, undated, consists of print advertisements collected by Ayer from other major advertising companies. The companies include Doyle Dane Bernback, Incorporated, Leo Burnett Company, Grey Advertising Agency, D'Arcy Ad Agency, Scali, McCabe, Sloves, Incorporated and Erwin Wasey Company. The materials are arranged in alphabetical order by client and include products from Ralston Purina and Van Camp (Chicken of the Sea), Kellogg, American Export Lines and No Nonsense Fashions.
Series 22, 2010 Addendum of Print Advertisements, circa 1879s-1999, undated, includes material given to the Archives Center in 2010. It is organized into seventy one oversized boxes and contains proofsheets of print advertisements for select Ayer clients. These are arranged alphabetically by client name and include substantial quantities of materials from American Telephone &Telegraph (1945-1996), Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (1967-1987), Carrier (1971-1981), Citibank (1973-1991), DeBeers (1940s-1960s and1990s), Electric Companies Advertising Program [ECAP] (1942-1970s), General Motors (1989-1998), J.C. Penney (1983-1986), Newsweek (1966-1975), and Proctor and Gamble (1980s-1890s). There are also numerous other clients represented by smaller quantities of materials.
Subseries 22.2, Print Advertisements on Glass Plate Negatives, 1879-1881, undated, include Cannon towels, Cheny Brothers silks, Cornish & Company organs and pianos, Enterprise Manufacturing Company, 1879 sad iron, an ad from Harper's Weekly 1881 for ladies clothing, Ostermoor & Company mattresses, Pear's soap, Porter's cough balsam, Steinway pianos.
Series 23, Microfilm of Print Advertisements, circa 1908-1985, consists of three boxes of printed advertisements for the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. Some of the same advertisements might also be found in series two, three and four.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into twenty-three series.
Series 1: Scrapbooks of Client Print Advertisements, circa 1870-1920
Series 2: Proofsheets, circa 1870-1930
Series 3: Proofsheets, circa 1920-1975
Series 4: 2001 Addendum, circa 1976-2001
Series 5: Billboards, circa 1952-1956
Series 6: Audiovisual Materials
Series 7: Radio and Television Materials, 1933-1993, undated
Series 8: Chicago Office Print Advertisements, 1954-1989
Series 9: Los Angeles Office Materials, 1950s-1987
Subseries 9.1: Printed Advertisements, 1977-1987
Subseries 9.2: Personnel Files, 1950s-1970s
Series 10: Foreign Print Advertisements, 1977-1991, undated
Series 11: Cunningham & Walsh Incorporated Materials, 1915-1987, undated
Subseries 11.1: Printed Advertisements, 1915-1987
Subseries 11.2: Radio and Television Advertisements, 1963-1967
Subseries 11.3: Company Related Materials, 1962-1986, undated
Series 12: Hixson & Jorgensen Materials, 1953-1971, undated
Series 13: Newell-Emmet, 1942-1957
Series 14: House Print Advertisements, 1870-1991
Series 15: Scrapbooks, 1872-1959
Series 16: Publications, 1849-2006
Subseries 16.1: House Publications, 1876-1994
Subseries 16.2: Publications about NW Ayer, 1949-1995
Subseries 16.3: General Publications about Advertising, 1922-2006
Subseries 16.4: Publications about other Subjects, 1948-1964
Series 17, Business Records, circa 1885-1990s
Subseries 17.1: Contracts, 1885-1908, undated
Subseries 17.2: General Client Information, 1911-1999, undated
Subseries 22.2: Print Advertisements on Glass Plate Negatives, 1879-1881, undated
Series 23: Microfilm of Print Advertisements, circa 1908-1985
Biographical / Historical:
Founded in Philadelphia in 1869, NW Ayer & Son is one of the oldest and largest advertising agencies in America. For most of its history, it was the undisputed leader and innovator in the field of advertising. In 1876, NW Ayer & Son pioneered the "open contract", a revolutionary change in the method of billing for advertising which became the industry standard for the next hundred years. NW Ayer pioneered the use of fine art in advertising and established the industry's first art department. It was the first agency to use a full-time copywriter and the first to institute a copy department. The agency relocated to New York City in 1974. During its long history, the agency's clients included many "blue-chip" clients, including American Telephone & Telegraph, DeBeers Consolidated Diamond Mines, Ford Motor Company, Nabisco, R. J. Reynolds and United Airlines. However, in later years, the Ayer's inherent conservatism left the agency vulnerable to the creative revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, the advertising industry restructuring of the 1980s and the economic recession of the early 1990s. The agency was bought out by a Korean investor in 1993. In 1996, NW Ayer merged with another struggling top twenty United States advertising agency, Darcy, Masius, Benton & Bowles, under the umbrella of the McManus Group. Ayer continues to operate as a separate, full-service agency.
Through a series of buyouts and mergers, Ayer traces its lineage to the first advertising agency founded in the United States, a Philadelphia agency begun by Volney Palmer in 1841. Palmer began his career in advertising as a newspaper agent, acting as middleman between newspaper publishers and advertisers across the country. By 1849, Palmer had founded his own newspaper, V. B. Palmer's Register and Spirit of the Press, and had developed a complete system of advertising which included securing advertising space and placing ads in scores of commercial, political, religious, scientific and agricultural journals across the country. Palmer went one step further than the "space jobbers" of the day when he began offering "advertisements carefully drawn for those who have not the time to prepare an original copy." Always an enthusiastic promoter of advertising as an incentive to trade and American economic growth, Palmer promised advertisers that "every dollar paid for advertising in country newspapers will pay back twenty-fold" and encouraged skeptical consumers that "he who wishes to buy cheap should buy of those who advertise." When Palmer died in 1863, the agency was bought by his bookkeeper, John Joy, who joined with another Philadelphia advertising agency to form Joy, Coe & Sharpe. That agency was bought out again in 1868 and renamed Coe, Wetherill & Company. In 1877, Coe, Wetherill and Company was bought out by the newly formed NW Ayer & Son.
Francis Wayland Ayer was an ambitious young schoolteacher with an entrepreneurial streak. Having worked for a year soliciting advertisements on a commission basis for the publisher of the National Baptist weekly, Francis Ayer saw the potential to turn a profit as an advertising agent. In 1869, Ayer persuaded his father, Nathan Wheeler Ayer, to join him in business, and with an initial investment of only $250.00, NW Ayer & Son was born. Notwithstanding a smallpox epidemic in Philadelphia in 1871 and the general economic depression of the early 1870s, the agency flourished. The senior Ayer died in 1873, leaving his interest in the agency to his wife, but Francis W. Ayer bought her out, consolidating his interest in the company's management. In 1877, with Coe, Wetherill & Company (the successor to Palmer's 1841 agency) on the verge of bankruptcy and heavily indebted to Ayer for advertising it had placed in Ayer publications, Ayer assumed ownership of that agency. Thus did NW Ayer lay claim to being the oldest advertising agency in the country.
Both Nathan Wheeler and Francis Wayland Ayer began their careers as schoolteachers, and one of their legacies was a commitment to the cause of education: correspondence schools and institutions of higher learning were historically well-represented among Ayer clients. Just after World War I, the agency was heralded as "co-founder of more schools than any citizen of this country" for its conspicuous efforts to advertise private schools. Well into the 1960s, an "Education Department" at Ayer prepared advertisements for over three hundred private schools, camps and colleges, representing almost half the regional and national advertising done for such institutions. In fact, to its clients Ayer presented advertising itself as being akin to a system of education. In 1886, Ayer began promoting the virtues of the Ayer way advertising with the slogan, "Keeping Everlastingly at It Brings Success."
The agency's goals were simple: "to make advertising pay the advertiser, to spend the advertiser's money as though it were our own, to develop, magnify and dignify advertising as a business." Initially, Ayer's fortunes were tied to newspapers, and the agency began to make a name for itself as compiler and publisher of a widely used American Newspaper Annual. During the first years, Ayer's singular goal was "to get business, place it [in newspapers] and get money for it"; after several years as an independent space broker, however, Francis Ayer resolved "not to be an order taker any longer." This decision led NW Ayer and Son to a change in its mode of conducting business which would revolutionize the advertising industry: in 1876, Ayer pioneered the "open contract" with Diggee & Conard, Philadelphia raised growers and agricultural suppliers. Prior to the open contract, NW Ayer & Sons and most agencies operated as "space-jobbers," independent wholesalers of advertising space, in which the opportunities for graft and corrupt practices were virtually unlimited. In contrast, the open contract, wherein the advertiser paid a fixed commission based on the volume of advertising placed, aligned the advertising agent firmly on the side of the advertiser and gave advertisers access to the actual rates charged by newspapers and religious journals. The open contract with a fixed commission has been hailed by advertising pioneer Albert Lasker as one of the "three great landmarks in advertising history." (The other two were Lasker's own development of "reason-why" advertising copy and J. Walter Thompson's pioneering of sex appeal in an advertisement for Woodbury's soap.) Although the transition to the open contract did not happen overnight, by 1884, nearly three-quarters of Ayer's advertising billings were on an open contract basis. Since Ayer was, by the 1890s, the largest agency in America, the switch to direct payment by advertisers had a significant impact on the advertising industry, as other agencies were forced to respond to Ayer's higher standard. Just as important, the open contract helped to establish N W Ayer's long-standing reputation for "clean ethics and fair dealing" -- a reputation the agency has guarded jealously for over a century.
The open contract also helped to establish Ayer as a full service advertising agency and to regularize the production of advertising in-house. From that point forward, Ayer routinely offered advice and service beyond the mere placement of advertisements. Ayer set another milestone for the industry in 1888, when Jarvis Wood was hired as the industry's first full-time copywriter. Wood was joined by a second full time copywriter four years later, and the Copy Department was formally established in 1900. The industry's first Art Department grew out of the Copy Department when Ayer hired its first commercial artist to assist with copy preparation in 1898; twelve years later Ayer became the first agency to offer the services of a full time art director, whose sole responsibility was the design and illustration of ads.
Ayer's leadership in the use of fine art in advertising has roots in this period, but achieved its highest expression under the guidance of legendary art director Charles Coiner. Coiner joined Ayer in 1924, after graduating from the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. Despite early resistance from some clients, Coiner was adamant that "the use of outstanding palette and original art forms bring a greater return in readership, in impact and prestige for the advertiser." To this end, Coiner marshaled the talents of notable painters, illustrators and photographers, including N.C. Wyeth and Rockwell Kent (Steinway), Georgia O'Keefe (Dole), Leo Lionni (DuPont), Edward Steichen (Steinway, Cannon Mills), Charles Sheeler (Ford), and Irving Penn (DeBeers). Coiner believed that there was a practical side to the use of fine art in advertising, and his success (and Ayer's) lay in the marriage of research and copywriting with fine art, an arrangement Coiner termed "art for business sake." Coiner's efforts won both awards and attention for a series completed in the 1950s for the Container Corporation of America. Titled "Great Ideas of Western Man" the campaign featured abstract and modern paintings and sculpture by leading U.S. and foreign artists, linked with Western philosophical writings in an early example of advertising designed primarily to bolster corporate image. In 1994, Charles Coiner was posthumously named to the American Advertising Federation's Hall of Fame, the first full time art director ever chosen for that honor.
Coiner and fellow art director Paul Darrow also created legendary advertising with the "A Diamond Is Forever" campaign for DeBeers; ads featured the work of Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and other modernist painters. The "A Diamond is Forever" tagline was written in 1949 by Frances Gerety, a woman copywriter at Ayer from 1943 to 1970. In 1999, Ad Age magazine cited "A Diamond is Forever" as the most memorable advertising slogan of the twentieth century.
Coiner also earned respect for his volunteer government service during World War II; he designed the armbands for civil defense volunteers and logos for the National Recovery Administration and Community Chest. As a founding member of the Advertising Council in 1945, Ayer has had a long-standing commitment to public service advertising. In the mid-1980s, Ayer became a leading force in the Reagan-era "War on Drugs". Lou Hagopian, Ayer's sixth CEO, brokered the establishment of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, a media coalition which generated as much as a million dollars a day in donated advertising space and time to prevent the use and abuse of illegal drugs. Famous names appear among NW Ayer's clientele from the very earliest days of the agency. Retailer John Wanamaker, Jay Cooke and Company, and Montgomery Ward's mail-order business were among the first Ayer clients. The agency has represented at least twenty automobile manufacturers, including Cadillac, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Plymouth, and Rolls-Royce. Other major, long-term clients through the years have included American Telephone & Telegraph, Canada Dry, Cannon Mills, Hills Bros. Coffee Company, Kellogg's, R. J. Reynolds, Steinway and Sons, United Airlines, and the United States Army. By the time of Ayer's hundredth anniversary in 1969, some of these companies had been Ayer clients for decades if not generations, and the longevity of those relationships was for many years a source of Ayer's strength.
But the advertising industry began to change in the late 1960s and 1970s, due in part to a "creative revolution." Small advertising agencies won attention with provocative copywriting and art direction that more closely resembled art than advertising. Advances in market research allowed clients to more narrowly tailor their advertising messages to distinct groups of consumers, and this led to a rise in targeted marketing which could more readily be doled out to specialized small agencies than to larger, established firms like NW Ayer & Son. The civil rights and anti-war movements also contributed to increasing public skepticism with the values of corporate America, and by extension, with some national advertising campaigns. Older, more conservative firms like Ayer were hard pressed to meet these new challenges.
About 1970, in an effort to meet these challenges and to establish a foothold on the West Coast, Ayer bought out two smaller agencies--Hixson & Jorgenson (Los Angeles) and Frederick E. Baker (Seattle). The agency relocated from Philadelphia to New York City in 1974 in an attempt both to consolidate operations (Ayer had operated a New York office since the 1920s) and to be closer to the historic center of the advertising industry. Riding the wave of mergers that characterized the advertising industry in the late 1980s and 1990s, Ayer continued to grow through the acquisition of Cunningham & Walsh in 1986 and Rink Wells in 19xx.
During this transitional period, Ayer received widespread acclaim for its work for the United States Army, which included the widely recognized slogan "Be All You Can Be". Ayer first acquired the Army recruitment account in 1967 and with help from its direct marketing arm, the agency was widely credited with helping the Army reach its recruitment goals despite an unpopular war and plummeting enlistments after the elimination of the draft in 1973. Ayer held the account for two decades, from the Vietnam War through the Cold War, but lost the account in 1986 amid government charges that an Ayer employee assigned to the account accepted kickbacks from a New York film production house. Despite Ayer's position as the country's 18th largest agency (with billings of $880 million in 1985), the loss of the agency's second largest account hit hard.
NW Ayer made up for the loss of the $100 million dollar a year Army account and made headlines for being on the winning end of the largest account switch in advertising history to date, when fast food giant Burger King moved its $200 million dollar advertising account from arch-rival J. Walter Thompson in 1987. Burger King must have had drive-thru service in mind, however, and Ayer made headlines again when it lost the account just eighteen months later in another record-breaking account switch. Another devastating blow to the agency was the loss of its lead position on the American Telegraph and Telephone account. Ayer pioneered telecommunications advertising in 1908, when the agency was selected to craft advertising for the Bell System's universal telephone service. Despite valiant efforts to keep an account the agency had held for most of the twentieth century, and for which they had written such memorable corporate slogans as American Telephone &Telegraph "The Voice with a Smile" and "Reach Out and Touch Someone", the agency lost the account in 1996.
After a wave of mergers and acquisitions in the late 1980s, the economic recession of the early 1990s hit Madison Avenue hard, and Ayer was particularly vulnerable. Despite the agency's long history and roster of "blue-chip" clients, Ayer was not known for cutting-edge creative work. Moreover, though the agency had offices overseas, Ayer had never built a strong multinational presence, and many of the smaller international offices were sold during the financial turmoil of the 1980s. This left a real void in the new climate of global marketplace consolidation. By about 1990, earnings were declining (although Ayer was still among the top twenty United States agencies in billings), and the agency was suffering from client defections, high management turnover, expensive real estate commitments and deferred executive compensation deals, all fallout of the high-flying 1980s. This was the atmosphere in 1993, when W.Y. Choi, a Korean investor who had already assembled a media and marketing empire in his homeland, began looking for an American partner to form an international advertising network. Jerry Siano, the former creative director who had recently been named Ayer's seventh CEO, was in no position to refuse Choi's offer of $35 million to buy the now floundering agency. The infusion of cash was no magic bullet, however. Choi took a wait-and-see approach, allowing his partner Richard Humphreys to make key decisions about Ayer's future, including the purging of senior executives and the installation of two new CEOs in as many years.
The agency's downward trend continued with the loss of another longtime client, the DeBeers diamond cartel in 1995. Adweek reported that Ayer's billings fell from $892 million in 1990 to less than $850 million in 1995. Several top executives defected abruptly, and the agency failed to attract major new accounts. Ayer was facing the loss not merely of revenue and personnel, but the loss of much of the respect it once commanded. Ayer remained among the twenty largest U.S. agencies, but an aura of uncertainty hung over the agency like a cloud. A new CEO was appointed, and Mary Lou Quinlan became the agency's first woman CEO in 1995. A year later, Ayer and another struggling top twenty agency, D'arcy, Masius, Benton & Bowles, combined as part of the McManus Group of companies. In 1998, the McManus Group had worldwide billings of more than $6.5 billion.
Under the McManus Group, Ayer was able to expand its international operations and begin to rebuild a stronger global presence. Several important new clients were won in 1997 and 1998, including Avon, General Motors, Kitchenaid, several Procter & Gamble brands and, most notably, Continental Airlines worldwide accounts. Born in the nineteenth century, Ayer may be one of a very few advertising agencies to successfully weather the economic and cultural transitions of both the twentieth and twentieth first centuries. Ayer was eventually acquired by the Publicis Groupe based in Paris, France which closed down the N.W. Ayer offices in 2002.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana (AC0060)
Hills Bros. Coffee Incorporated Records (AC0395)
Provenance:
The collection was donated by N W Ayer ABH International, April 15, 1975 and by Ayer & Partners, October 30, 1996.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use.
Physical Access: Researchers must use microfilm copy. Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves. Researchers must use reference copies of audiovisual materials. When no reference copy exists, the Archives Center staff will produce reference copies on an "as needed" basis, as resources allow.
Technical Access: Viewing the film portion of the collection without reference copies requires special appointment, please inquire; listening to audio discs requires special arrangement. Do not use original materials when available on reference video or audio tapes.
Rights:
Publication and production quality duplication is restricted due to complex copyright, publicity rights, and right to privacy issues. Potential users must receive written permission from appropriate rights holders prior to obtaining high quality copies. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
