The Rockwell Kent papers measure 88.0 linear feet and date from circa 1840 to 1993 with the bulk of the collection dating from 1935 to 1961. The collection provides comprehensive coverage of Kent's career as a painter, illustrator, designer, writer, lecturer, traveler, political activist, and dairy farmer.
Scope and Content Note:
The Rockwell Kent papers measure 88 linear feet and date from circa 1840 to 1993 with the bulk of the collection dating from 1935 to 1961. The collection provides comprehensive coverage of Kent's career as a painter, illustrator, designer, writer, lecturer, traveler, political activist, and dairy farmer.
Circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the papers are highlighted in an article by Garnett McCoy ("The Rockwell Kent Papers," in the Archives of American Art Journal, 12, no. 1 [January 1972]: 1-9), recommended reading for researchers interested in the collection. The collection is remarkably complete, for in the mid 1920s Kent began keeping carbon copies of all outgoing letters, eventually employing a secretary (who became his third wife and continued her office duties for the remainder of Kent's life).
Series 1: Alphabetical Files contain Kent's personal and professional correspondence, along with business records of the dairy farm and associated enterprises; also included are printed matter on a wide variety of topics and promotional literature relating to organizations and causes of interest to him. Voluminous correspondence with his three wives, five children, and other relatives, as well as with literally hundreds of friends, both lifelong and of brief duration, illuminates Kent's private life and contributes to understanding of his complex character. Among the many correspondents of note are: his art teachers William Merritt Chase, Robert Henri, and Kenneth Hayes Miller; fellow artists Tom Cleland, Arthur B. Davies, James Fitzgerald, Hugo Gellert, Harry Gottleib, Marsden Hartley, Charles Keller, and Ruth Reeves; collectors Duncan Phillips and Dan Burne Jones; critics J. E. Chamberlain and Walter Pach; and dealers Charles Daniel, Felix Wildenstein, and Macbeth Galleries. Kent corresponded with such diverse people as Arctic explorers Peter Freuchen, Knud Rasmussen, and Vilhjalmar Steffanson; composer Carl Ruggles and songwriters Lee Hays and Pete Seeger; civil rights pioneers Paul Robeson and Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois; writers Bayard Boyesen, Scott and Helen Nearing, and Louis Untermeyer; and art historian and print curator Carl Zigrosser.
Kent's interest and involvement in the labor movement are reflected in correspondence with officials and members of a wide variety and large number of unions and related organizations, among them: the Farmers' Educational and Cooperative Union of America, Farmers' Union of the New York Milk Shed, International Workers Order, National Maritime Union, and United Office and Professional Workers of America. Of special interest is his participation, often in leadership roles, in various attempts to organize artists. Files on the American Artists' Congress, Artists League of America, The Artists Union, United American Artists, and United Scenic Artists contain particularly valuable material on the movement.
A supporter of New Deal efforts to aid artists, Kent was actively interested in the various programs and often was critical of their limitations; he advocated continuing federal aid to artists after the Depression abated. The Kent papers include correspondence with the Federal Arts Project, Federal Fine Arts Project, Federal Writers Project, and the War Department, as well as correspondence with the Citizens' Committee for Government Art Projects and President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the subject.
Kent's professional correspondence documents exhibitions, sales, consignments, and reproduction of prints and paintings. He kept meticulous records of his advertising commissions and illustration work. Detailed correspondence with publishers and printers indicates Kent's involvement in the technical aspects of production and provides a good overview of the publishing industry during the mid-twentieth century.
Business records of Asgaard Farm include records of the dairy and transfer of ownership to its employees, tax and employee information, and documents concerning several related business ventures such as distributor ships for grain, feed, and farm implements.
Series 2: Writings consists of notes, drafts, and completed manuscripts by Rockwell Kent, mainly articles, statements, speeches, poems, introductions, and reviews. The Kent Collection given to Friendship House, Moscow, in 1960, was augmented later by a set of his publications and the illustrated manuscripts of many of his monographs. Also included are a small number of manuscripts by other authors.
Series 3: Artwork consists mainly of drawings and sketches by Kent; also included are works on paper by other artists, many of whom are unidentified, and by children.
Series 4: Printed Matter consists of clippings, exhibition catalogs and announcements, brochures, broadsides, programs, and newsletters. These include items by and about Kent and his family, as well as articles written and/or illustrated by him, and reviews of his books. There is also material on a variety of subjects and causes of interest to him. Additional printed matter is included among the alphabetical files, mainly as attachments to correspondence.
Series 5: Miscellaneous includes biographical material, legal documents, and memorabilia. Artifacts received with papers include textile samples, a silk scarf, dinnerware, ice bucket, and rubber stamp, all featuring designs by Rockwell Kent. Also with this series are a variety of documents including a phrenological analysis of an ancestor, lists of supplies for expeditions, a hand-drawn map of an unidentified place, and technical notes regarding art materials and techniques.
Series 6: Photographs includes photographs of Kent, his family and friends, travel, and art number that over one thousand. Also included here are several albums of family and travel photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into six series. Series 1 is arranged alphabetically. The arrangement of the remaining series is explained in each series description. Note that sealed materials that became available in 2000 were microfilmed separately on reels 5740-5741, but have integrated into this finding aid.
Missing Title
Series 1: Alphabetical Files, circa 1900-1971, undated (Reels 5153-5249, 5256, 5740-5741)
Series 2: Writings, 1906-1978, undated (Reels 5249-5252, 5741)
Series 3: Art Work, 1910-1972, undated (Reels 5252, 5741)
Series 4: Printed Matter, 1905-1993, undated (Reels 5252-5254)
Series 5: Miscellaneous, 1859-1969, undated (Reels 5254, 5741)
Series 6: Photographs, circa 1840-1970, undated (Reels 5254-5255, 5741)
Biographical Note:
Rockwell Kent (1882-1971), an energetic and multitalented man, pursued many interests and careers during his very long and active life. At various times he was an architect, draftsman, carpenter, unskilled laborer, painter, illustrator, printmaker, commercial artist, designer, traveler/explorer, writer, professional lecturer, dairy farmer, and political activist.
While studying architecture at Columbia University, Kent enrolled in William Merritt Chase's summer school at Shinnecock Hills, Long Island. He then redirected his career ambitions toward painting and continued to study with Chase in New York. Kent spent a summer working and living with Abbott H. Thayer in Dublin, New Hampshire, and attended the New York School of Art, where Robert Henri and Kenneth Hayes Miller were his teachers.
Critically and financially, Kent was a successful artist. He was very well known for his illustration work--particularly limited editions of the classics, bookplates, and Christmas cards. He was a prolific printmaker, and his prints and paintings were acquired by many major museums and private collectors. During the post-World War II era, Kent's political sympathies resulted in the loss of commissions, and his adherence to artistic conservatism and outspoken opposition to modern art led to disfavor within art circles. After many years of declining reputation in this country and unsuccessful attempts to find a home for the Kent Collection, Kent gave his unsold paintings--the majority of his oeuvre--to the Soviet Union, where he continued to be immensely popular.
An avid traveler, Kent was especially fascinated by remote, Arctic lands and often stayed for extended periods of time to paint, write, and become acquainted with the local inhabitants. Between 1918 and 1935, he wrote and illustrated several popular books about his experiences in Alaska, Tierra del Fuego, and Greenland. In the 1930s and 1940s, Kent was much in demand as a lecturer, making several nationwide tours under the management of a professional lecture bureau; he spoke mainly about his travels, but among his standard lectures were some on "art for the people."
In 1927, Kent purchased Asgaard Farm at AuSable Forks, New York, in the Adirondacks, where he lived for the remainder of his life, operating a modern dairy farm on a modest scale for many years.
As a young man, Kent met Rufus Weeks, became committed to social justice, and joined the Socialist Party. Throughout his life, he supported left-wing causes and was a member or officer of many organizations promoting world peace and harmonious relations with the Soviet Union, civil rights, civil liberties, antifascism, and organized labor. Kent was frequently featured as a celebrity sponsor or speaker at fund-raising events for these causes. In 1948, he ran unsuccessfully as the American Labor Party's candidate for Congress. Kent's unpopular political views eventually led to the dissolution of his dairy business, resulted in a summons to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee, and prompted the U.S. State Department to deny him a passport, an action that subsequently was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Kent wrote two autobiographies, This Is My Own (1940) and It's Me, O Lord (1955). In 1969, he was the subject of an oral history interview conducted by Paul Cummings for the Archives of American Art.
Provenance:
In 1969, Rockwell Kent donated his papers to the Archives of American Art; textile samples were received in 1979, and his widow gave additional papers in 1971 and 1996. Letters to Rockwell Kent from wives Frances and Sally, sealed during Sally Kent Gorton's lifetime, became available for research after her death in 2000, and further material was donated to the Archives of American Art in 2001 by the Estate of Sally Kent [Shirley Johnstone] Gorton.
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.
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 painter, author, and designer Nancy Douglas Bowditch and the George de Forest Brush family measure 6.2 linear feet and date from circa 1860 to 1985. The majority of the collection consists of Bowditch's correspondence with family and friends and her notes and writings, particularly concerning her biography of her father George de Forest Brush The Joyous Painter, and her unpublished biography of her husband painter William Robert Pearmain. Brush family material includes scattered correspondence of George de Forest Brush and other family members, notes, sketches, clippings, and the family home building files, five scrapbooks, including two on William Robert Pearmain, and numerous photographs of the Brush family, Bowditch, and William Robert Pearmain. There is also correspondence between William Robert Pearmain and his family and artwork by Pearmin.
Scope and Contents note:
The papers of painter, author, and designer Nancy Douglas Bowditch and the George de Forest Brush family measure 6.2 linear feet and date from circa 1860 to 1985. The majority of the collection consists of Bowditch's correspondence with family and friends and her notes and writings, particularly concerning her biography of her father George de Forest Brush The Joyous Painter, and her unpublished biography of her husband painter William Robert Pearmain. Brush family material includes scattered correspondence of George de Forest Brush and other family members, notes, sketches, clippings, and the family home building files, five scrapbooks, including two on William Robert Pearmain, and numerous photographs of the Brush family, Bowditch, and William Robert Pearmain. There is also correspondence between William Robert Pearmain and his family and artwork by Pearmin.
Scattered family biographical materials include invitations, biographical sketches of George de Forest Brush, a ship's register, certificates, an obituary, and a sound recording of Nancy Bowditch.
Scattered personal business records include deeds of gift from various institutions and agreements from the publishing of The Joyous Painter.
One-third of the collection is correspondence with Nancy Douglas Bowditch, William Robert Pearmain, George de Forest Brush, and other members of the Brush, Pearmain, and Bowditch families. The majority of Nancy Douglas Bowditch's correspondence is from family and friends, although professional correspondence is also found. Nancy's notable correspondents include Jane Clemens, Barry Faulkner, Rockwell Kent, members of the Abbot Handerson Thayer family, and Nelson C. White. Also found are Nancy's letters to her first husband, William Robert Pearmain. Pearmain's correspondence includes letters from his parents, siblings, and his father-in-law, and a few letters from Pearmain to his family. George de Forest Brush's correspondence includes letters from friends and a few copies of letters written by Brush.
Writings and notes are primarily by Nancy Douglas Bowditch, the majority of which pertain to her biography of George de Forest Brush, The Joyous Painter, and her unpublished biography of William Robert Pearmain. Other writings are by George de Forest Brush, Tribbie Brush, Barry Faulkner, and William Robert Pearmain.
Artwork consists of approximately 78 drawings and sketches by William Robert Pearmain, 5 drawings and paintings by Nancy Bowditch, and one drawing by George de Forest Brush.
Brush family home and building files contain materials relating to a log cabin in New Hampshire, and the family home Brushwood which was built by William Robert Pearmain in 1911.
Five scrapbooks were compiled by members of the Brush, Pearmain, and Bowditch families. Two are about Pearmain, two are about George de Forest Brush, and one was organized by Harold Bowditch that contains family photographs.
Within printed materials are exhibition announcements and catalogs for George de Forest Brush, Barry Faulkner, Stephen Parrish, and Abbot Handerson Thayer.
Extensive photographs are of members of the Brush family, the Pearmain family, the Bowditch family, friends, and works of art by Bowditch, Brush, Pearmain and Douglas Volk. Included are portraits, snapshots, travel photos, wedding photos, and photos of the Brush family homes.
Arrangement note:
The collection is arranged as 9 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Information, 1909-1965 (Box 1; 7 folders)
Series 2: Personal Business and Financial Records, 1908-1974 (Box 1; 3 folders)
Series 3: Correspondence, 1895-1979 (Boxes 1-3; 2.0 linear feet)
Series 4: Writings and Notes, circa 1900-1975 (Boxes 3-4; 1.0 linear feet)
Series 5: Artwork, 1898-1950 (Boxes 4, 9-10; 4 folders)
Series 6: Printed Material, 1889-1974 (Box 4; 0.2 linear feet)
Series 7: Brush Family Home Building Files, 1910-1971 (Boxes 4, 8, 10; 0.7 linear feet)
Series 8: Scrapbooks, circa 1907-circa 1985 (Boxes 5, 8; 0.7 linear feet)
Series 9: Photographs, circa 1860-1979 (Boxes 5-7, 11; 1.0 linear feet)
Biographical/Historical note:
Nancy Douglas Bowditch (1890-1979) worked primarily in the New Hampshire area as a painter, author, and costume and set designer. Bowditch's father was painter George de Forest Brush and she was first married to painter William Robert Pearmain, who died at an early age.
Nancy Douglas Bowditch was born to Mary and George de Forest Brush on July 4, 1890 in Paris, France. Along with her siblings Mary, Jane, Thea, Gerome, Tribbie, and Georgia, she often served as a subject of her father's paintings. The family lived in the artist colony of Dublin, New Hampshire where Nancy became close friends with their neighbor Samuel Clemens' (Mark Twain) daughter Jean Clemens.
Nancy met and became close to one of her father's pupils, William Robert Pearmain while traveling through Europe in 1907. Two years later, Nancy married Robert at the Brush family farm in Dublin, New Hampshire. Together, they had one daughter, Mary Alice whom they called Polly. Robert developed a strong political interest in growing anarchist movements, gave up painting and went to Pittsburgh to work in a factory. Shortly after, he became seriously ill and, upon the advice of a doctor, moved back to New Hampshire with Nancy. He soon died from leukemia in September 1912. In 1918, Nancy married her second husband Dr. Harold Bowditch from Boston, Massachusetts. With her second husband, Nancy had three more children, Martha, Henry, and George de Forest Bowditch.
Professionally, Nancy worked as a painter, wrote plays, and designed theatrical sets and costumes. In 1971, Bowditch published a biography of George de Forest Brush entitled The Joyous Painter. Nancy Douglas Bowditch died in 1979.
Related Archival Materials note:
Also among the collections at the Archives of American Art are the William Robert Pearmain and Pearmain family papers, 1888-1955, and an oral history with Nancy Douglas Bowditch conducted on January 30, 1974 by Robert F. Brown.
Provenance:
The Nancy Douglas Bowditch papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in several installments by Nancy Douglas Bowditch between 1968 and 1979. Bowditch's daughter, Mary A. Marlowe donated additional materials in 1982. In 2008, Joan Morgan, biographer of George de Forest Brush, donated additional papers she had acquired during her research.
Restrictions:
Use of originals 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 painter and activist William Robert Pearmain (1888-1912) and the Pearmain family measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1888-1955. Papers are found for William Robert Pearmain, his wife Nancy Douglas Brush (later Bowditch), their daughter Mary "Polly" Pearmain, and other members of the Pearmain family. There are biographical materials; family correspondence; a watercolor; a travel diary and school essays by Pearmain; printed materials, including clippings and two publications by the Industrial Workers of the World; and photographs of the Pearmain family and artwork.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of painter and activist William Robert Pearmain (1888-1912) and the Pearmain family measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1888-1955. Papers are found for William Robert Pearmain, his wife Nancy Douglas Brush (later Bowditch), their daughter Mary "Polly" Pearmain, and other members of the Pearmain family. There are biographical materials; family correspondence; a watercolor; a travel diary and school essays by Pearmain; printed materials, including clippings and two publications by the Industrial Workers of the World; and photographs of the Pearmain family and artwork.
Scattered biographical information includes materials concerning the Pearmain and Upton families including a wedding invitation, school transcripts, biographical sketches and a debutate ball program from 1931.
Much of the correspondence is from William Robert Pearmain to his family written while in school and in Europe. Pearmain's correspondence with his family discusses his career, marriage, daughter, travel, and political views. Later correspondence is from both Robert and Nancy to family members. Other family correspondence is between Nancy, Polly, Sarah Upton, Sumner, Alice, Margaret, and Jack Pearmain.
There are a few incoming letters to Robert, including one from Margaret Sanger. There are condolence letters to Nancy from John Graham Brooks, Rockwell Kent, William Sanger, and Alexander Beckman. A letter from George de Forest Brush to Robert's mother, possibly dated 1906, discusses her unhappiness about Robert leaving Harvard and staying with the Brushs' in Italy. A photocopy of a letter from Samuel Clemens to George de Forest Brush is found. Additional correspondents include Charles F. Dole and William E. Trautmann.
Artwork consists of one watercolor by William Robert Pearmain. Writings and notes include one diary written by Robert while in Europe (1907), school essays, and a list of European trip expenses. Printed materials include clippings, and one issue each of Solidarity , and Mother Earth. Photographs are of a drawing of William Robert Pearmain by Will Loring and family snapshots of Robert, Nancy, and Polly Pearmain in New Hampshire (1911).
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into 6 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1888-circa 1955 (Box 1; 5 folders)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1899-1955 (Box 1; 0.25 linear feet)
Series 3: Artwork, circa 1910 (Box 1; 1 folder)
Series 4: Writings and Notes, circa 1900-1908 (Box 1; 3 folders)
Series 5: Printed Material, 1907-1913 (Box 1; 3 folders)
Series 6: Photographs, circa 1900-1911 (Box 1; 2 folders)
Biographical Note:
William Robert Pearmain (1888-1912), known as Robert, was a painter and political activist working in Boston and New York City. Born to a wealthy family in New England, Pearmain attended Harvard University to study architecture and studied painting in Italy under George de Forest Brush.
Between 1907 and 1908, Pearmain travelled through France and Italy studying with Brush and other artists. Upon returning to the United States, Pearmain married the eldest daughter of his mentor, Nancy Douglas Brush in Dublin, New Hampshire. Also an artist, Nancy settled with Robert in Boston and later in New York City. While in New York, Pearmain worked as an assistant to muralist Barry Faulkner. In 1911, the Pearmains welcomed their daughter Mary Alice, whom they called Polly.
While in New York, Pearmain grew dissatisfied with his artistic career. He discovered an interest in the conditions of the working class and his social and political viewpoints became increasingly radical. Despite his privilaged upbringing, he immersed himself in the world of manual labor. Leaving his wife and daughter behind, Robert walked from New York City to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to work at the Westinghouse Electric Company. Additionally, Pearmain became associated with the Industrial Workers of the World organization and participated in anarchist demonstrations.
Soon after arriving in Pittsburgh, Pearmain's health started to fail. His family believed the hard working conditions caused his illness and a doctor suggested that he return to Massachusetts to recover. In September of 1912, Robert Pearmain died of leukemia. Later, Nancy remarried Dr. Harold Bowditch.
Related Material:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is the Nancy Douglas Bowditch papers, circa 1900s-1970s that contain materials relating to her first husband, William Robert Pearmain and an oral history interview with Nancy Douglas Bowditch conducted on January 30, 1974 by Robert F. Brown.
Separated Material:
That Archives of American Art also holds material lent for microfilming (reel 4589) including a drawing by Will Loring of William Robert Pearmain as a child. This item was returned to the lender and is not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
Nancy Bowditch and Edward F. McClennen, Pearmain's widow and grandson, donated the William Robert Pearmain and Pearmain family papers in 1973 and 1974. The photograph of the drawing on microfilm reel 4859 was lent for microfilming by William Robert Pearmain, Pearmain's nephew, in 1974.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
The papers of painter and naturalist, Abbott Handerson Thayer, and the Thayer family date from 1851 to 1999, with the bulk of the material dating from 1881 to 1950, and measure 5.12 linear feet. Thayer's painting career, interest in concealing coloration (camouflage) in nature, and relationships with artists, patrons, family, and friends are documented through correspondence, writings, scattered legal and financial records, printed materials, and a scrapbook. Photographs are of Thayer, his family, studio, and friends, including artists. The collection also contains family papers created by his second wife, Emma Beach Thayer, his son Gerald, his daughters Mary and Gladys, and Gladys' husband David Reasoner, who managed Thayer's estate after his death.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of painter and naturalist, Abbott Handerson Thayer, and the Thayer family date from 1851 to 1999, with the bulk of the material dating from 1881 to 1950, and measure 5.12 linear feet. Thayer's painting career, interest in concealing coloration in nature, and relationships with artists, patrons, family, and friends are documented through correspondence, writings, scattered legal and financial records, printed materials, and a scrapbook. Photographs are of Thayer, his family, studio, and friends, including artists. The collection also contains family papers created by his second wife, Emma Beach Thayer, his son Gerald, his daughters Mary and Gladys, and Gladys' husband David Reasoner, who managed Thayer's estate after his death.
Scattered Biographical Material includes a brief autobiographical statement and chronology by Abbott Thayer, lists of artworks by Abbott Thayer and Gladys Thayer Reasoner, and biographical information about Thayer's granddaughter, Jean Reasoner Plunket. Two linear feet of family correspondence includes Abott Thayer's correspondence with patrons Charles L. Freer and John Gellatly; with many artists, several of whom were close friends, including Samuel Colman, Thomas Millie Dow, Daniel Chester French, Richard Meryman, Everton Sainsbury, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, and E. M. Taber; and former students, such as Ben Foster and Barry Faulkner; and with other friends, many of them prominent members of society, such as Samuel Clemens, Royal Cortissoz, Edward Waldo Emerson, and Stanford White. Also found is Thayer's correspondence with scientists and naturalists discussing his theories on protective coloration in nature. Correspondence of his second wife Emma Beach Thayer, his first wife, Kate Bloede Thayer, his daughter, Gladys Thayer Reasoner, her husband and executor of Thayer's estate, David Reasoner, and other family members are also included in the papers.
Writings and notes by Thayer record his thoughts on concealing coloration, nature, restoration of artwork, and other topics. Writings by others include those by Emma Beach Thayer, daughters Mary and Gladys, and Thayer scholars. The collection also contains correspondence of David Reasoner and other family members, as well as financial and legal documents regarding the estate of Abbott Handerson Thayer and Emma Beach Thayer. Additional financial and legal material includes ledgers, accounts statements, bills, a patent granted to Thayer and Gerome Brush, legal agreements, property deeds, and a map of Thayer's property.
Printed material include books, including one written by Theodore Roosevelt in response to Thayer's book on concealing coloration. Also found are newspaper and magazine clippings, and exhibition announcements and catalogs. Photographs are of Abbott Thayer, his wife Emma; his studio and home in Dublin, New Hampshire; friends, including Rockwell Kent and Ralph Waldo Emerson; and of unidentified people. Artwork includes a few drawings by Thayer, drawings and paintings by his children, and sketchbooks belonging to David Reasoner and Jean Reasoner Plunket. The collection also includes one large scrapbook kept by David Reasoner documenting Abbott Thayer's artwork.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into 10 series. Glass plate negative is housed separately and closed to researchers.
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1878 - circa 1966 (Box 1; 7 folders)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1867-1987 (Box 1-3; 2.0 linear feet)
Series 3: Writings, 1888-1945 (Box 3; 0.8 linear feet)
Series 4: Estate Papers, 1921-1954 (Box 3-4; 0.5 linear feet)
Series 5: Other Financial Records, 1889-1957 (Box 4; 7 folders)
Series 6: Legal Records, 1891-1927 (Box 4; 4 folders)
Series 7: Printed Material, 1851, 1896-1999 (Box 4-5; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 8: Photographs, circa 1861-1933 (Box 5, MGP 2; 0.2 linear feet)
Series 9: Artwork, 1887 - circa 1940s (Box 5-6, 8; 8 folders)
Series 10: Scrapbook, circa 1910-1920 (Box 7; 0.3 linear feet)
Biographical Note:
Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849-1921) was born in Boston to Dr. William Henry Thayer and Ellen Handerson Thayer. After his birth his family moved to Woodstock, Vermont, and in 1855 settled in Keene, New Hampshire. As a child Thayer developed a love of nature that was encouraged by his close family, which included three sisters, Ellen, Margaret, and Susan. At the age of fifteen he was sent to the Chauncy Hall School in Boston, and while there he met Henry D. Morse, an amateur animal painter. Under Morse's instruction Abbott developed his skill in painting birds and other wildlife and began painting animal portraits on commission. In 1867 he moved to Brooklyn, New York and attended the Brooklyn Academy of Design where he studied under J. B. Whittaker for two years. In 1868 he began showing his work at the National Academy of Design and enrolled there in 1870, studying under Lemuel Wilmarth. He met many emerging artists during this period, including his future first wife, Kate Bloede and his close friend, Daniel Chester French. Thayer became part of progressive art circles, showing his work at the newly formed Society of American Artists, while continuing to develop his skill as an animal and landscape painter.
Thayer and Kate Bloede were married in 1875. They moved to Paris and he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, first under Henri Lehmann, and then with Jean-Léon Gérome. While in Europe he befriended fellow artists Everton Sainsbury, Thomas Millie Dow, George de Forest Brush, and Dwight Tryon. His daughter Mary was born in 1876 and his son William Henry in 1878. The family returned to America in 1879 and settled in his parent's home in Brooklyn, where he changed his focus to portraits. After the tragic deaths of William Henry in 1880 and of their second son, Ralph Waldo, in 1881, the family led a migratory existence living in various parts of New England. In 1881 while living in Nantucket they met Emmeline (Emma) Beach (1850-1924) who would become close friends with Abbott and Kate and would be known as "Addie" to the family. In 1883 their son Gerald was born and in 1886 their daughter Gladys was born. In 1887 Thayer settled his family in Keene, New Hampshire, and began teaching a small group of students. Around this time his wife began suffering from severe depression and went to a sanatorium in 1888. She died in 1891 and that fall Thayer married Emma Beach who had helped to care for him and his children during his wife's illness.
Despite family tragedies, Thayer became a leader in the New York art world during the 1880s and 1890s. He was a successful portraitist and painted allegorical figures of angels, women, and children, which were popular among collectors of this period, including his patrons Charles Lang Freer and John Gellatly. He often used his children as models, especially his eldest daughter, Mary.
In the late 1880s one of Thayer's students, Mary Amory Greene, built a house and studio for the Thayer family on her land in Dublin, New Hampshire, and in 1901 the family settled there permanently. Many of Thayer's artist friends lived nearby, such as Richard Meryman and George de Forest Brush, and the Thayer family frequently entertained prominent visitors such as Edward Waldo Emerson and Samuel Clemens. Abbott Thayer taught painting to his children, and Gerald and Gladys both became artists and art educators. Gladys married David Reasoner, a student of Abbott Thayer who later became his assistant. Other students of Thayer included Rockwell Kent, Ben Foster, Barry Faulkner, and Louis Agassiz Fuertes.
Greatly influenced by transcendentalism and the spirituality of nature, Thayer again began to paint landscapes, especially of nearby Mount Monadnock. He was very interested in the study of protective coloration in the wild, and was an advocate for nature conservation and bird sanctuaries. He published the book Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom in 1909 with his son Gerald, but encountered much resistance to his theories. Thayer also wrote about how his camouflage theories could be applied to military warships and uniforms. These theories failed to gain widespread government interest and after suffering from nervous exhaustion, he spent the rest of his life painting landscapes at his home in Dublin, until his death in 1921.
Related Material:
The Archives of American Art holds several collections related to Abbott Handerson Thayer. These include research material on Abbott Handerson Thayer and other artists, 1895-1990, donated by Thomas B. Brumbaugh; the Abbott Handerson Thayer letter and drawings to Caroline Peddle Ball, circa 1890-1893; "The Drawings of Abbott Thayer", by Elizabeth Robins Pennell, circa 1921; and the Nelson and Henry C. White research material, 1898-1978, which includes many letters, photographs, and other material originally belonging to the Thayer family.
Separated Material:
The Archives of American Art also holds material lent for microfilming (reels 48 and 3417) including a diary kept by Thayer, a "Family Record" written by William Henry Thayer, correspondence, printed material, photographs, and original artwork by Abbott Handerson Thayer. Lent materials were returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
Anne Whiting, a niece of Abbott Handerson Thayer, loaned the Archives of American Art material for microfilming in 1971 and Jean Reasoner Plunket, Thayer's granddaughter, loaned original artwork for microfilming in 1985. The rest of the Abbott Handerson Thayer and Thayer Family papers were donated in 1999 by Abbott Thayer's great-grandson, John Plunket, who received the papers from his mother Jean Reasoner Plunket. In 2005 Bruce Gimelson donated additional material purchased from the relatives of Emma Beach Thayer.
Restrictions:
The collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website.
Rights:
Reel 3417 (art works): Authorization to publish, quote or reproduce requires written permission from Jean Reasoner Plunket. 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.
Abbott Handerson Thayer and Thayer Family papers, 1851-1999 (bulk 1881-1950). Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
The papers of muralist, painter, and teacher Barry Faulkner measure 2.82 linear feet and date from circa 1858-1973. Faulkner's career; his relationships with family, friends, and fellow-artists; and his thoughts on art and artists are documented in biographical materials, correspondence, writings, sketchbooks, five diaries, two photograph albums and photographs, and one scrapbook. Correspondents include family members, Witter Bynner, Ann and Eric Gugler, Leon Kroll, Isabel Manship, James Johnson Sweeney, Maxfield Parrish and others. An unprocessed addition to the collection dating 1942 includes a one page letter mounted on board from Maxfield Parrish to Barry Faulkner.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of muralist, painter, and teacher Barry Faulkner measure 2.82 linear feet and date from circa 1858-1973. Faulkner's career; his relationships with family, friends, and fellow-artists; and his thoughts on art and artists are documented in biographical materials, correspondence, writings, sketchbooks, five diaries, photograph albums and photographs, and one scrapbook. An unprocessed addition to the collection dating 1942 includes a one page letter mounted on board from Maxfield Parrish to Barry Faulkner.
Biographical materials include biographical sketches, awards, and records documenting Faulkner's military service. Also found are a list of medications, a list of Faulkner's writings, party guest lists, an address book, a calendar, and materials related to the posthumous publication of Sketches From an Artist's Life. Of special interest are oversized architectural drawings by Eric Gugler for Faulkner's Keene, New Hampshire house.
Correspondence includes letters from Faulkner's friends, family, fellow artists, and art organizations and institutions. Faulkner's correspondence with his parents document his 1900-1901 trip to Italy with the Thayer family. Of special interest is his correspondence with writer Witter Bynner about Faulkner's daily life in New Hampshire, his travels through Europe, his artistic practice and career, Bynner's writings, his opinions on artistic and literary works, and his service in World War One. Many of the letters to Bynner include sketches by Faulkner of Abbott Handerson Thayer, Rockwell Kent, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Homer Saint-Gaudens, George de Forest Brush, Kahlil Gibran, and Mark Twain. Additional correspondents include sculptor Frances Grimes, architect Eric Gugler, painter Leon Kroll, and museum director James Johnson Sweeney.
Faulkner's writings are about art, artists, and the New Hampshire art community. Found are essays on Gifford Beal, George de Forest Brush, James Earle Fraser, Harriet Hosmer, Paul Manship, Charles Adams Platt, Hiram Powers, Edward Willis Redfield, Joseph Lindon Smith, Mary Lawrence Tonetti, Mark Twain, Lawrence Grant White, and Mahonri Young. Other writings discuss Faulkner's mural commissions, various aspects of New Hampshire history, and the history of the Dublin and Cornish art colonies whose inhabitants included George de Forest Brush, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and Abbott Handerson Thayer. Of special interest is a manuscript for Faulkner's posthumously published memoir Sketches From an Artist's Life, and an unpublished manuscript titled A Neighborhood of Artists about the history and culture of the Connecticut River Valley.
Four sketchbooks by Faulkner contain drawings of landscapes, city scenes, architecture, people, nature, and studies of artwork by others. Also found are two loose sketches.
Five diaries document Faulkner's 1922-1924 trip through Europe, Africa, and Asia including stops in France, Italy, Egypt, and Turkey. Diaries record Faulkner's thoughts on architecture, tourist sites, and travel amenities. Found is one diary from 1956 that discusses social events, the Saint-Gaudens Memorial, the MacDowell Colony of artists, and various artists including Gifford Beal, Maxfield Parrish, Paul Manship, and Eric Gugler.
The bulk of printed material consists of clippings which document published writings by Faulkner, obituaries and published rememberances of Faulkner, local events in Keene, New Hampshire, and reproductions of Faulkner's artwork. Also found are exhibition catalogs of other artists, an announcement of Faulklner's death from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and a publication illustrated with reproductions of Faulkner's murals for the National Archives.
Photographs include formal and informal images of Faulkner throughout his life, and photographs of his family and friends, his studio, and reproductions of his artwork. Also included are two photograph albums, one of which contains photographs of Faulkner during his youth and one that contains photographs primarily from the 1930s of Faulkner's Keene, New Hampshire house, himself, and his friends and family.
The collection also includes a scrapbook prepared for Faulkner's seventieth birthday containing photographs, cards, telegrams, and placecards with hand drawn illustrations which show the "taste and characteristics" of Faulkner.
Series 2: Correspondence, 1900-1973 (Box 1; 0.5 linear feet)
Series 3: Writings, 1912-1966 (Boxes 1-2; 1.0 linear foot)
Series 4: Sketchbooks and Sketches, circa 1910s-1930s (Boxes 2-3; 8 folders)
Series 5: Diaries, 1922-1956 (Box 2; 6 folders)
Series 6: Printed Materials, circa 1858-1966 (Boxes 2-3; 8 folders)
Series 7: Photographs, 1892-1960s (Boxes 2-3; 15 folders)
Series 8: Scrapbook, 1951 (Box 3; 2 folders)
Biographical Note:
Francis Barrett Faulkner was born on July 12, 1881 in Keene, New Hampshire. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy and went on to study at Harvard College. Around this same time, Faulkner began an apprenticeship with his cousin and painter Abbott Handerson Thayer and painter George de Forest Brush. He also met sculptors James Earle Fraser and Augustus Saint-Gaudens, both of whom became Faulkner's lifelong friends.
In 1901, Faulkner traveled to Italy for the first time with Thayer and his family. He returned to New York in 1902 and studied at the Art Students League and Chase School. He also completed illustration work for Century magazine.
In 1907, Faulkner won the Rome Prize Fellowship from the American Academy in Rome. shortly thereafter, he left to study in Italy for three years, studying with George de Forest Brush and befriending sculptor Paul Manship. Upon his return in 1910, he started working on his first mural, commissioned by the wife of railroad executive E.H. Harriman. Having found his niche, Faulkner continued taking mural commissions until his career was interrupted by World War I and his service in the camouflage section of the army. Shortly after the war, he completed a mural for the marine headquarters in Quantico, Virginia.
Between 1923-1924, Faulkner worked in collaboration with Eric Gugler and Paul Manship to create the American Academy in Rome war memorial. Also following the war, Faulkner completed murals for the Eastman School of Music in 1922, the Rockefeller Center in 1932, and the National Archives in 1936. That same year, Faulkner bought and refurbished a house named "The Bounty" in Keene, New Hampshire, and built a studio nearby. In 1930, he was elected as a trustee of the American Academy in Rome.
During the 1940s, Faulkner created murals for numerous public buildings and sites around New Hampshire including the Senate Chambers in Concord, the Elliot Community Hospital, Keene National Bank, and the Cheshire County Savings Bank in Keene. During his final decades, Faulkner wrote an unpublished manuscript on the history of art in the Connecticut River Valley entitled A Neighborhood of Artists, and his posthumously published memoirs, Sketches of an Artist's Life. Faulkner died in 1966, in Keene, New Hampshire.
Related Material:
Found in the Nancy Douglas Bowditch papers at the Archives of American Art is correspondence, photographs, and printed materials related to Barry Faulkner. The Library of Congress, Manuscript Division also holds a small collection of Barry Faulkner's papers. Additional correspondence from Faulkner is found in the papers of Witter Bynner at the University of New Mexico and at Harvard University.
Provenance:
The collection was donated by Francis Faulkner, Barry Faulkner's nephew, in 1974. An addition to the collection was donated by Jocelyn Faulkner Bolle in 2014.
Restrictions:
The bulk of this collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website.
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.
An interview of Nancy Douglas Bowditch conducted 1974 January 30, by Robert F. Brown, for the Archives of American Art.
Bowditch speaks of her memories of early childhood; her father, George de Forest Brush, and his work; her relationship with her father; and her education and upbringing. She reminisces about Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Abbott H. Thayer, who were family friends, and their relationships with Brush; her family's home life, their travels in Europe; her family's relationship with Samuel Clemens and family; and her first husband, William Robert Pearmain, his family background, their marriage, his involvement with organized labor and social reform, and his early death from leukemia. She also recalls Douglas Volk and Barry Faulkner.
Biographical / Historical:
Nancy Bowditch (1890-1979) was a painter, a playwright, and costume and set designer. Bowditch was born in Paris, the second eldest child of painter George de Forest Brush. Brush made the artist-colony of Dublin, N.H. his American home, where Mark Twain and daughter Jean Clemens were neighbors. They spent considerable time in Paris and Italy. Nancy married William Robert Pearmain, a childhood neighbor and later, a pupil of her father, in 1909. Pearmain died of leukemia in 1912. Subsequently, she married Dr. Harold Bowditch whose father was instrumental in the development of Harvard University Medical School.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 1 hr., 38 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 others.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
The papers of Boston and New Hampshire painter Joseph Lindon Smith date from 1647-1965, with the bulk of papers dating from 1873-1965, and measure 8.8 linear feet. Found within the papers are biographical materials; letters from family members, artists, museums, and art patrons; seven diaries by Smith and two by his wife Corinna, personal business records, notes and writings, files concerning charitable theatrical productions, one sketchbook and other art work, a scrapbook, printed material, photographs, and sound recordings of radio interviews and a radio program on Smith.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of Boston and New Hampshire painter Joseph Lindon Smith date from 1647-1965, with the bulk of papers dating from 1873-1965, and measure 8.8 linear feet. Found within the papers are biographical materials; letters from family members, artists, museums, and art patrons; seven diaries by Smith and two by his wife Corinna, personal business records, notes and writings, files concerning charitable theatrical productions, one sketchbook and other art work, a scrapbook, printed material, photographs, and sound recordings of radio interviews and a radio program on Smith.
Scattered biographical material consists of family history documents for the Smith and Putnam families, a Jenkes family tree, and passports for Joseph Lindon Smith and his family.
Over three linear feet of letters are from family members, artists including Cecilia Beaux, Frank Benson, George DeForest Brush, and Denman Ross, museum staff concerned with work in Egypt, and art patrons including Isabella Stewart Gardner, and individuals involved with Smith's charitable pageants. There are scattered letters from Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Henry James, Charles G. Loring, Paul Manship, General John J. Pershing, John Singer Sargent, and Abbott Handerson Thayer. Among the subjects discussed are student life at the Académie Julian, the Smiths' travels, and individuals known by Smith.
Seven diaries written by Joseph Lindon Smith document his ravels in Egypt, Persia, Europe, and New Mexico. Two diaries were written by Corinna Smith during her travels to Beiram and Egypt.
Personal business records business records include contracts, price lists, lists of securities, and miscellaneous receipts of the Smith and Putnam families, Joseph Lindon Smith, Corinna Smith, and their daughter Lois Smith.
Notes include engagement calendars, notebooks, lists of art work, lecture notes, minutes of meetings, notes on family history and on travel, and an autograph by Kit Carson. Writings include miscellaneous typescripts by the Smiths and others concerning travel, work in Egypt and elsewhere, and anecdotes about various friends and acquaintances. There are also three drafts of "Egypt - My Winter Home."
Theatrical production files concern plays, pageants, and masques written and/or produced by the Smiths. Many of the performances were benefits, dedication or anniversary celebrations, such as a pageant given at Fenway Court in honor of Isabella Stewart Gardner, a pageant at the dedication of a memorial to Abbott Handerson Thayer, and the centenary celebration of the founding of Amherst, Massachusetts.
Art work includes a sketchbook with extensive notes, a painting, drawings by Joseph Lindon Smith, and prints by other artists.
A scrapbook contains clippings and an exhibition catalog from the St. Botolph Club. Additional printed material includes clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, press releases, programs, booklets, brochures, and books by others.
Photographs are of Smith, his family, friends including classmates from the Académie Julian, Isabella Stewart Gardner, Abbott Handerson Thayer, exhibition installations, military camp sites from World War I, travel scenes, and art work by Smith.
Audio recordings consist of four sound disc recordings of interviews for WKNE Radio, Keene, New Hampshire, with Corinna Smith and Barry Faulkner talking about Smith, and a program about Smith and his book Tombs, Temples, and Ancient Art.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 11 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1711-1948 (Box 1, 10; 5 folders)
Series 2: Letters, 1768-1965 (Box 1-4, OV 11; 3.5 linear feet)
Series 3: Diaries, 1904-1949 (Box 4; 11 folders)
Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1647-1959 (Box 4, 10; 11 folders)
Series 5: Notes and Writings, 1783-1963 (Box 4-6; 2.0 linear feet)
Series 6: Theatrical Production Files, 1897-1950 (Box 6-7, 10; 1.2 linear feet)
Series 7: Art Works, 1932-1943 (Box 8, 10; 8 folders)
Series 8: Scrapbook, 1888-1901 (Box 8; 1 folder)
Series 9: Printed Material, 1723-1963 (Box 8, OV 11; 0.8 linear feet)
Series 10: Photographs, 1884-1956 (Box 8-10; 0.5 linear feet)
Series 11: Audio Recordings, 1956 (Box 9-10; 2 folders)
All material is arranged chronologically except for the writings by others and travel photographs that are arranged alphabetically.
Biographical Note:
Joseph Lindon Smith (1863-1950) of Boston, Massachusetts and Dublin, New Hampshire, was a painter primarily known for his ability to meticulously depict the murals and tomb sculpture of Egypt and other ancient cultures.
Joseph Lindon Smith was born on October 11, 1863 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the son of wholesale lumberman Henry Francis Smith and Emma Greenleaf Smith, a cousin of John Greenleaf Whittier.
From 1880 to 1882, Smith studied drawing and painting at the Art School of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts under Frederic Crowninshield and Otto Grundman. Accompanied by his friend, Frank Benson, he attended the Académie Julian and studied under William Bouguereau, Gustave Boulanger, and Jules Lefebvre from 1883 to 1885.
Upon his return to Boston, Smith established a studio as a portrait and landscape painter, attracting the attention of Denman Ross, a professor of History of Fine Arts at Harvard University. In the early 1890s Smith and Ross began to travel extensively and Smith became interested in ancient civilizations of Mexico, China, and Southeast Asia. In 1892, during a trip to Italy, Smith befriended Isabella Stewart Gardner, for whom he copied famous paintings, and occasionally acted as agent in purchasing art work.
Making his first trip to Egypt in 1898, Smith became enthralled with the art work of the ancient civilization and devoted himself to painting copies of the tomb sculptures and murals for educational uses in museums and other public institutions. In 1899, he married Corinna Haven Putnam and the couple spent much of their married life traveling between the United States and the Middle East, especially Egypt. From 1910 to 1939, Smith was a member of the Joint Expedition of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and Harvard University directed by Dr. George A. Reisner.
For fifty years, Smith was also sought out as a writer and producer of plays and theatrical pageants, fetes, and masques primarily staged for various charitable fund-raising events.
Joseph Lindon Smith died on October 18, 1950 in Dublin, New Hampshire.
Related Material:
The papers of Smith's wife, Corinna Putnam Smith, are available at The Schlesinger Library of Radcliffe College, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Provenance:
The Joseph Lindon Smith papers were donated by Jessie T. Hale, Smith's granddaughter, in 1977 and 1978.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Biographical material, reminiscences, art works, scrapbooks about Alexandre Iacovleff and Ivanov-Rinov's career, and a photograph album document his Russian childhood, painting, and set design.
Biographical material consists of a biographical sketch and an obituary (1966). In a 1935 manuscript, Ivanov-Rinov reminisces about his boyhood in Russia. Art works consist of 16 sketchbooks (1941-1968), over 300 sketches including set designs, and 2 etching plates. Some sketches are in watercolor, gouache and oil. A scrapbook about Alexandre Iacovleff contains photographs of Iacovleff and his work, reproductions of his work, an exhibition catalog, and 5 drawings by Bill Barss. A photograph album contains photographs of Ivanov-Rinov, his family, friends, and views from his travels within the United States (ca. 1920s).
Four scrapbooks (1902-1974) contain a passport (1921), certificates (1922-1932, 1938), 10 drawings by Ivanov-Rinov including a portrait of Joshua Logan (1931) and 4 set designs for the St. Louis Community Playhouse, 6 drawings by Bill James including a watercolor portrait of Ivanov-Rinov (1941), 5 letters from Alexander James (1937-1940), clippings (1932-1968), exhibition catalogs (1941-1957), and photographs of Ivanov-Rinov, his family in Russia, China, and the United States, friends, his studio, art works, and exhibitions. One group photograph shows the University Players including Henry Fonda and Joshua Logan (1931).
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, art instructor, and set decorator. Born in Russian Siberia to a Siberian Cossack family. His father was the military governor of Turkestan. During the Russian civil war, the family fled to Tientsin, China. Immigrating to the United States in 1922, Ivanov-Rinov became interested in art and studied with Alexander Iacovleff at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston during the 1930s. He designed stage sets for the University Players in the early 1930s and for the St. Louis Community Playhouse from the late 1930s until the early 1940s. Settling in Dublin, New Hampshire, with his second wife, Muriel, he befriended painter Alexander James and conducted art classes in Dublin and Keene, New Hampshire.
Provenance:
Material has been annotated by Ivanov-Rinov's widow Muriel Ivanov-Rinov, who donated the collection.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Most of this series consists of writings by Faulkner about other artists and writers who were friends and contemporaries. There are writings on Gifford Beal, George de Forest Brush, James Earle Fraser, Harriet Hosmer, Paul Manship, Charles Adams Platt, Hiram Powers, Edward Willis Redfield, Joseph Lindon Smith, Mary Lawrence Tonetti, Mark Twain, Lawrence Grant White, and Mahonri Young.
Other writings are about the history of New Hampshire and the Connecticut River Valley, including essays on the towns of Cornish, Walpole, and Chesterfield in New Hamphire, New Hampshire captivity narratives, stories of the Revolutionary War, and historic sites around Keene, New Hampshire. Two long essays document the history of the Dublin and Cornish art colonies, whose inhabitants included George de Forest Brush, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and Abbott Handerson Thayer. Another essay is a history of the American Academy in Rome.
Of special interest is an unpublished manuscript called A Neighborhood of Artists which covers the art, history, and the inhabitants of the Connecticut River Valley from the 1800s to the early 1900s. Personages discussed in the manuscript include the eighth president of Yale University Timothy Dwight, notorious criminal Stephen Burroughs, judge and playwright Royall Tyler, architect Richard Morris Hunt, the painter George Fuller, and the sculptors Henry Kirke Brown and Harriet Hosmer. Another chapter discusses the periodical Farmers Weekly Museum.
There is a manuscript of Faulkner's memoir Swift River, published posthumously under the title Sketches of an Artist's Life.
Other writings are about Faulkner's mural commissions including his works for the Elliot Community Hospital in Keene, New Hampshire, the National Archives, the New Hampshire Senate Chambers, and the Oregon State Capitol. Also found are essays on Amherst College, camouflage, the Hopewell Furnace in Pennsylvania, the explorer John Ledyard, walking, and witchcraft.
Writings by others include essays about Faulkner by Leon Kroll and Paul Manship. Also found are miscellaneous essays on the camouflage section in World War I, the history of herb gardens and gardener Margaret Fitch Brewster, the scholar Olivia Rodham, mural paintings in Pennsylvania and the Villa Bosco Parasio in Rome, both written by Eric Gugler. Of special interest is a 1966 interview with Faulkner by John Bond about Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
Arrangement note:
This series has been scanned in its entirety, except for 3 folders containing writings by others that are unrelated to art.
Collection Restrictions:
The bulk of this collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website.
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:
Barry Faulkner papers, circa 1858-1973. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
Brush acknowledges receipt of payment from Wilson for paintings, among them "The Picture Writers Story."
Biographical / Historical:
Painter; New York, N.Y. and Dublin, N.H.
Provenance:
Material on reel D8 donated 1955 by Robert McIntyre.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Thayer's general correspondence is with artists including George Grey Barnard, Thomas Wilmer Dewing, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, John Singer Sargent, Edward Martin Taber, and George Alfred Williams, and with fellow Dublin painters Frank Weston Benson, and George de Forest Brush. Other correspondents found here include Philip Ayers of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests regarding title to land in Monadnock; Samuel Clemens; critic and long-time admirer Royal Cortissoz; Charles Lang Freer regarding his patronage of Thayer and Freer's acquisition of Thayer's artwork; and Theodore Roosevelt regarding wildlife preservation.
Letters to Franklin D. Roosevelt, when Roosevelt was Assistant Secretary of the Navy, describe Thayer's ideas for camouflage of naval vessels during the First World War. Thayer was involved in helping the Allies be the first to apply concealing coloration to all their equipment.
The letters are a combination of hand-written originals and typed copies. Folder dates indicate the dates of original letters, even when the folder contains only copies of those letters.
Arrangement:
Correspondence is primarily arranged alphabetically: individually named correspondents are followed by general correspondence. At the end of the series are 6 folders of annotated copies of correspondence arranged chronologically, which are a combination of family and general correspondence.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Nelson and Henry C. White research material, circa 1851-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Introduction:
The United States has always been a country of immigrants and, thus, the proud inheritor of the artistic styles of many different peoples. The section of the Festival that focused on this particular feature of American culture was called "Old Ways in the New World". Here were brought together the sons and daughters of people who immigrated to the United States from various parts of the world and their cultural cousins who stayed at home. These two groups joined together at the Festival in the practice of their traditional artistic and creative behavior; thus they could celebrate a kind of family reunion while they examined together the changes that their different experiences had brought about.
Where possible, participants were invited from the same region or even the same village - both those who migrated and those who stayed at home. Where this was impossible or impractical, attention focused on behavior or style, tracing parallels in all aspects of tradition from cooking to dance. As in past years of the Festival, this program stimulated a healthy kind of self-examination for domestic communities that drew strength from discovering their relationship with older cultures as well as for the foreign guests, who could return to their homelands proud of the vitality of their own art forms that remained clearly identifiable, although removed by oceans of time and space.
June 16-20, Israeli and American Jewish, Romanian
June 23-27, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Swedish, Finnish, Faroese
July 1-5, French, Canadian, Polish
July 7-11, British, Canadian, Portuguese
July 14-18, Yugoslav, Irish
July 21-25, Belgian, Egyptian
July 28-August 1, German, Pakistani
August 4-8, Spanish, Mexican
August 11-15, Japanese, Greek
August 18-22, Austrian, Indian
August 25-29, Swiss, Hungarian
September 2-6, Italian
Program Coordinator for the Old Ways in the New World was Shirley Cherkasky, with Assistant Program Coordinators Suzanne Cox, Jeffrey LaRiche, Genie Kitlaus, and Larisa Lucaci. An advisory group included Conrad Arensberg, Svatava Pirkova Jakobson, Alan Lomax, and David McAIIester.
Fieldworkers and presenters:
Héctor Aguíñiga, Richard González, Antony Hellenberg, Nazir Jairazbhoy, Anna Lomax, John McDowell, Daniel Sheehy, Gordon Thompson, Roger Welsch, Maria Behr, David Bjork, Calogero Cascio, Svatava Pirkova Jakobson
Participants:
Israeli
Mord'chai Abrahamov, 1945-, singer, dancer, instrumentalist, Tel Aviv, Israel
David Levi, 1934-, dancer
Mord'chai 'Aziz, 1935-, dancer
Yosef Gum'ah, 1923-, drummer, Tel Lachish, Israel
Elijahu Israel Lassa, 1932-, zurna player, Tel Lachish, Israel
Mord'chai 'Ezra, 1935-, singer, dancer, Tel Lachish, Israel
Yosef Rahamim, 1937-, dancer, Kiryat Malakhi, Israel
Rivka Levi, 1945-, singer, dancer, Kiryat Malakhi, Israel
Bathia Rahamim, 1947-, singer, dancer, Kiryat Malakhi, Israel
Bathia Levi, 1919-, dancer, instrumentalist, Kiryat Ono, Israel
Shoshana Danukh, 1920-, singer, instrumentalist, Kiryat Ono, Israel
Zehava Gedasi, 1957-, dancer, singer, Tel Aviv, Israel
Ahuva Gedasi, 1948-, dancer, singer, Givatayim, Israel
Moshe 'Oved, 1953-, singer, dancer, Amka, Israel
Amnon 'Oved, singer, dancer, Amka, Israel
Avraham Daniel 'Arussi, 1968-, singer, dancer, Kiryat Ono, Israel
Menachem 'Arussi, 1930-, dancer, singer, drummer, Kiryat Ono, Israel
Saadia Gur-Esh, 1928-, singer, drummer, dancer, Midrakh Oz, Israel
Ziona Nagar, 1951-, dancer
Binyamin Hershkowitz, 1946-, accordion, singer, drummer, Netanya, Israel
Arie Polak, 1956-, drummer, Herzlia, Israel
Moshe Choen, 1929-, singer, dancer, Bnei Brak, Israel
Yosef Pinchas Reimer, 1955-, dancer, drummer, Jerusalem, Israel
Yitzhak Meier Tritel, 1951-, dancer, clarinetist, Jerusalem, Israel
Levi 'Ochayom, 1927-, singer, drummer, Jerusalem, Israel
Yosef Ben-Nun, 1927-, singer, Jerusalem, Israel
David Weissman, 1933-, 'ud player, Jerusalem, Israel
Dr. Daniel Ronen, leader
Itimar Gurevitch, tour administrator
Uri Sharvit, folklorist
Jewish American
Ira Axelrod, badkhn, Brooklyn, New York
Nechama Biderman, succah maker, Flushing, New York
Avram Dahari, 1923-1999, singer, Brooklyn, New York
Naomi Dahari, 1924-1988, singer, food demonstrator, Brooklyn, New York
Ray Faust, 1900-1993, painter, New York, New York
Miriam Haymie, singer, food demonstrator, Brooklyn, New York
Shlomo Hymie, singer, Brooklyn, New York
Meyer Kirshenblatt, 1916-2009, toy maker, immigrant narrator, Downsview, Ontario
Rivka Kirshenblatt, food demonstrator
Lillian Klempner, 1897-1984, Yiddish folksinger, Brooklyn, New York
Tuvia Mekhabar, scribe, New York, New York
Mazel Nagar, singer, dancer, cook, Brooklyn, New York
Nissim Nagar, singer, dancer, Brooklyn, New York
Arie Ovagia, cantor, singer, Brooklyn, New York
Jerold Roschwalb, shofar demonstrator
William Shuster, 1904-2002, tailor, New York, New York
Tsirl Waletsky, paper cutter, Bronx, New York
Workmen's Circle Mandolin Orchestra -- Workmen's Circle Mandolin OrchestraRosario Carcione, 1909-1984, mandolinist, Bronx, New YorkFrances Darvick, mandolinist, Brooklyn, New YorkSophie Fuchs, mandolinist, Jamaica, New YorkBeverly Frierman, mandolinist, New York, New YorkMuriel Isbitts, mandolinist, New Milford, New JerseyFani Jacobson, mandolinist, leader, New York, New YorkNorman Levine, mandolinist, Brooklyn, New YorkTessie Nerenberg, mandolinist, Yonkers, New YorkMeyer Schein, mandolinist, Bronx, New YorkCharles Slater, mandolinist, Brooklyn, New YorkHenry Wurman, 1900-1981, mandolinist, Bronx, New York
Walter Pardon, 1914-, singer, North Walsham, Norfolk, England
Anne Rosetta Springfield, 1911-, Pearlie Queen, London, England
The Watersons and Martin Carthy -- The Watersons and Martin CarthyLal Waterson, 1943-1998, singerMike Waterson, 1941-2011, singer, Robin Hoods Bay, Yorkshire, EnglandNorma Waterson, 1939-, singer, Robin Hoods Bay, EnglandMartin Carthy, 1941-, singer, Robin Hoods Bay, England
A. L. (Albert Lancaster) Lloyd, 1908-1982, folklorist
S. A. Matthews, folk dance specialist, London, England
British-American
United States
John Ashby, 1915-1979, fiddler
Dillard Chandler, 1907-1992, ballad singer, Rosedale, New York
Lloyd Chandler, 1896-1978, ballad singer, Marshall, North Carolina
Nell Fernandez, singer, Summer Shade, Kentucky
Ray Hicks, 1922-2003, storyteller, Banner Elk, North Carolina
Wiktor Mikolajski, 1910-, tour administrator, Warsaw, Poland
Ludwik Bielawski, 1929-, folklorist, Warsaw, Poland
Polish American
The Gromada Family -- The Gromada FamilyAniela Gromada, 1908-1984, cellist, singer, Elmwood Park, New JerseyAnn Gromada, 1965-, dancer, Wyckoff, New JerseyJan Gromada, 1905-1996, fiddler, embroiderer, Elmwood Park, New JerseyJohn Gromada, 1964-, dancer, Wyckoff, New JerseyTadeusz Gromada, 1929-, second fiddler, dancer, Wyckoff, New JerseyTeresa Gromada, 1930-, dancer, singer, Wyckoff, New JerseyHenryk Kedron, 1926-, dancer, singer, metal worker, Hasbrouck Heights, New JerseyJanina Kedron, 1931-, fiddler, singer, dancer, Hasbrouck Heights, New JerseyTadeusz Koziek, 1930-1979, fiddle, bass player, singer, Garfield, New JerseyEdward Nowobielski, 1924-2006, singer, dancer, Garfield, New Jersey
Stephanie Batory, 1913-1994, decorative paper cuttings, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Portuguese
Grupo Coral da Aldeia Nova de São Bento -- Grupo Coral da Aldeia Nova de São BentoManuel de Mira Monge, 1925-, singer, São Bento, PortugalSilvestre Charraz Morais, 1945-, singer, São Bento, PortugalJosé Candeias Rosa, 1935-, singer, São Bento, PortugalManuel Carrasco Valadas, 1949-, singer, São Bento, PortugalManuel Toira Varela, 1934-, singer, São Bento, PortugalBento Charraz Calvinho, 1922-, singer, São Bento, PortugalJosé Francisco Esparteiro Serrano, 1951-, singer, São Bento, PortugalJosé Lopes Carrilho, 1919-, singer, São Bento, PortugalBento Brito Coelho, 1937-, singer, São Bento, PortugalJosé Valadas Mata-Setam, 1936-, singer, São Bento, Portugal
Grupo Folclórico Mirandes de Duas Igrejas -- Grupo Folclórico Mirandes de Duas IgrejasAntonio Maria Moorinho, 1917-, director, Duas Igrejas, PortugalJosé Pires Martins, 1912-, musician, Duas Igrejas, PortugalAlexandre Feio, 1914-, musician, Duas Igrejas, PortugalAlfredo Augusto Ventura, 1912-, musician, Duas Igrejas, PortugalDelmiro Braz Antão, 1915-, musician, Duas Igrejas, PortugalDomingos Augusto Ruano, 1955-, musician, Duas Igrejas, PortugalLuciano de São Pedro Martins, 1953-, musician, Duas Igrejas, PortugalAdão Dos Santos Moreira, 1926-, musician, Duas Igrejas, PortugalClemente de Jésus Amaro Dias, 1957-, musician, Duas Igrejas, PortugalMateus Augusto Martins Fidalgo, 1927-, musician, Duas Igrejas, PortugalArtur Raposo Alves Galego, 1956-, musician, Duas Igrejas, PortugalManuel João Alves, 1927-, musician, Duas Igrejas, PortugalManuel Baltazar Fernandes Aires, 1959-, musician, Duas Igrejas, Portugal
Maria Ernestina Costa Rodrigues, interpreter, Murtal São Pedro Do Estoril, Portugal
Portuguese American
Odete Amarelo, 1950-, food demonstrator, Fall River, Massachusetts
Manuel Azuvedo, 1917-2004, singer, dancer, Sacramento, California
Maria Alice Cordeiro, 1961-, singer, Fall River, Massachusetts
Elaine C. Oliveira, 1938-, singer, musician, Somerset, Massachusetts
Armindo I. Paira, 1963-, singer, Fall River, Massachusetts
Scheeseler Beekschepers -- Scheeseler BeekschepersWilhelm Leuenroth, 1906-, clarinet player, Wittkopsbostel, GermanyBernd Meyer, accordion player, Visselhoevede, GermanySiegfried Johann Karl Lott, 1933-, friction drum, flute, jaws harp player, Rohr, GermanyHans Johannes Almering, 1941-, clarinet player, Ahaus-Wüllen, GermanyUrsula Christina Wassing Almering, 1942-, accordion player, Ahaus-Wüllen, GermanyUrsula Blomeier, 1920-, street organ player, Berlin, GermanyKonrad Koestlin, 1940-, folklorist and presenter, Hoffeld über Bordesholm, Germany
German American
Albert Fahlbusch, 1925-2005, hackbrett player and maker, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Mary Fahlbusch, 1932-2013, food demonstrator, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Roger Fahlbusch, 1958-, hackbrett player and maker, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Ray Stahla German-Russian Band -- Ray Stahla German-Russian BandRay Stahla, 1929-, accordion player, Grand Island, NebraskaPhil Stahla, 1949-, trombone player, Gillette, WyomingRandy Stahla, 1952-, drummer, Greeley, ColoradoJohn Klein, 1919-1982, hackbrett player, Lincoln, Nebraska
Dorf Musikanten -- Dorf MusikantenJohn Braun, 1938-, accordion player, Mequon, WisconsinRoland A. Braun, 1923-2004, clarinet and zither player, Milwaukee, WisconsinEarl Hilgendorf, 1934-, trumpet and fluegel horn player, Mequon, WisconsinHarold Pipkorn, 1927-, baritone player, Mequon, WisconsinJacob Skocir, 1913-2008, guitar and mandolin player, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Die Tiefen Keller-Kinder -- Die Tiefen Keller-KinderLarry Bobe, 1955-, trombone player, Amana, IowaJeff Ehrmann, 1956-, cornet player, Amana, IowaPatrick H. Kellenberger, 1951-, tuba player, South Amana, IowaDennis Kraus, 1955-, cornet player, Middle Amana, IowaMark H. Rettig, 1951-, baritone player, Middle Amana, IowaCarol Schuerer, 1958-, clarinet player, Amana, IowaPaul R. Staman, 1958-, cornet player, Amana, IowaAlan J. Trumpold, 1953-, tuba player, South Amana, IowaGuy H. Wendler, baritone and cornet player, Amana, IowaBrad Zuber, 1956-, manager, Amana, IowaRobert Zuber, 1957-, trombone player, Homestead, Iowa
Spanish American
Andalusian
Manuel "Agujetas" De Los Santos, flamenco singer, New York, New York
Tibulina De Los Santos, flamenco dancer, New York, New York
Asturian
Sixto Alonso, singer, Kearney, New Jersey
Basque
Elisa Vidasolo, dancer, Brooklyn, New York
Luis Vidasolo, dancer, Brooklyn, New York
Maria Luisa Vidasolo, cook, Brooklyn, New York
Alys Viña, 1914-1993, tambourine player, Cranford, New Jersey
Angelo Viña, 1914-2003, drummer and fife player, Cranford, New Jersey
Galician
Domingo Casais, bombo player, Bayonne, New Jersey
Francisco Castineira, dancer, Kearny, New Jersey
Manuel Galan, bagpiper, Seaford, New York
Manolo Garcia, dancer, North Tarrytown, New York
Fina Meizoso, dancer, Woodside, New York
Kim Munoz, dancer, Queens, New York
Manuel Pena, tambor player, Corona, New York
Carlos Rodriguez, bagpiper, Elizabeth, New Jersey
Old Spanish
Cleofes Vigil, 1917-1992, singer, San Cristobal, New Mexico
Puerto Rican
Cuarteto Isabelino, instrumental ensemble -- Cuarteto Isabelino, instrumental ensembleWilfredo Cordero, Isabela, Puerto RicoJoaquin Rivera, 1910-1995, Isabela, Puerto RicoMatildo Rosado Santiago, Isabela, Puerto RicoDomingo Ruiz, Isabela, Puerto Rico
Mexican
Los Caporales -- Los CaporalesRicardo Gutierrez Villa, violin, Apatzingán, Michoacán, MexicoRubén Cuevas Maldonado, harp, Apatzingán, Michoacán, MexicoCarlos Cervantes Mora, guitarra de golpe, Michoacán, MexicoOvaldo Ríos Yañez, five string guitar, Tomatlán, Michoacán, MexicoJesús Espinoza Mendoza, violin, Apatzingán, Michoacán, Mexico
Pokar de Ases -- Pokar de AsesMartín Ruíz Luciano, small drum, San Juan, Guerrero, MexicoZacarías Salmerón Daza, violin, Tlapehuala, Guerrero, MexicoJuan Taviera Simón, violin, Ajuchitlán, Guerrero, MexicoSalomón Echeverría de la Paz, bass guitar, Tlapehuala, Guerrero, MexicoNicolas G. Salmerón, guitar and lead singer, Tlapehuala, Guerrero, Mexico
Grupo de Musica Azteca – Puebla -- Grupo de Musica Azteca – PueblaJulio Ocelo Abrajan, huehuetl playerFrancisco García, redoblante, Tlacopac, San Angel, MexicoCrescenciano Chantes Misnáhuatl, chirimia, Tlacopac, San Angel, Mexico
Los Gavilanes -- Los GavilanesAlberto Hernández Carmona, Veracruz, MexicoFortino Hoz Chávez, jarana, Boca del Rio, Veracruz, New MexicoRamon Hoz Chávez, arpa, Boca del Rio, Veracruz, MexicoEvaristo Silva Reyes, pandero, Tlacotlalpan, Veracruz, MexicoJosé Aguirre Vera, requinto, Tlacotlalpan, Veracruz, Mexico
Banda Sinaloense -- Banda SinaloenseJuventino Cruz, bass drum, Los Angeles, CaliforniaFrancisco Garcia, trombone, Los Angeles, CaliforniaPascual Garxiola, trombone, Los Angeles, CaliforniaAntonio Ibarra, snare drum, Los Angeles, CaliforniaManuel Luna, clarinet, Los Angeles, CaliforniaMiguel Nuñez, clarinet, tuba, Los Angeles, California
Isabella Ortega, 1926-2000, food demonstrator, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Ben Ortega, 1923-1998, wood carver, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Luis Eligio Tapia, 1950-, wood carver, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Conjunto Jarocho -- Conjunto JarochoRoberto Murillo, 1941-2001, Vera Cruz harp player, La Mirada, CaliforniaHarry González, 1932-, guitar and requinto jarocho player, Walnut Creek, CaliforniaSteve Luévano, 1939-, jarana jarocho player, Los Angeles, CaliforniaCarlos Gonzalez, 1936-, jarana jarocho player
José Mariano Ortega, 1921-, corrido singer, guitar player, Los Angeles, California
María Elena Villarreal, corrido singer, guitar player, Los Angeles, California
The Tyrolers -- The TyrolersEmery Wechselberger, 1933-, zither player, yodeler, Leavenworth, WashingtonEric Wechselberger, 1961-, trumpet player, Leavenworth, WashingtonRoy Wechselberger, 1963-, trumpet and bells player, schuhplatt dancer, Leavenworth, WashingtonFranz Schauer, drummer, Seattle, Washington
The Alpiners -- The AlpinersDick Theml, 1922-2003, violin player, singer, Glenview, IllinoisJohn Weber, 1945-, tuba player, Chicago, IllinoisMiles G. Soumar, 1933-2013, clarinet player, Chicago, IllinoisEdward C. Richter, 1917-1998, accordion player, Chicago, IllinoisRichard A. Jenson, 1942-, trumpet player, Palatine, IllinoisJerome C. Olson, 1934-1991, drummer, Chicago, IllinoisHeidi Siewert, 1938-, singer, yodeler, Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Sara Schwarz, 1912-1992, embroiderer, Chicago, Illinois
Rosegger Steirer Group -- Rosegger Steirer GroupBeryl Rossner, 1925-2010, folk dancer, Highland, IndianaCarl Rossner, 1921-1993, folk dancer, Highland, IndianaBarbara Rossner, 1958-, folk dancer, Highland, IndianaMichael Rossner, 1955-, folk dancer, Highland, IndianaBetty Wagner, 1930-, folk dancer, Chicago, IllinoisEdward Wagner, 1958-, folk dancer, Chicago, IllinoisAdolph Wagner, 1924-1982, accordion player, Chicago, IllinoisSharon Schuch, folk dancerMary Schuch, 1928-, folk dancer, Oak Lawn, IllinoisRoberta Schuch, 1961-, folk dancer, Oak Lawn, IllinoisAnthony Schuch, 1928-, folk dancer, Oak Lawn, IllinoisEllen Guenther, 1962-, folk dancer, Oak Lawn, IllinoisHedwig Guenther, folk dancer, Oak Lawn, IllinoisPaul Coglianese, 1957-, folk dancer, Oak Lawn, IllinoisFred Semmler, 1939-, folk dancer, Chicago, Illinois
Indian
The Chetana Indian Women's Organization, traditional food preparation
Dancers & singers from Manipur
Dancers & singers from Rajasthan and Gujarat
Dancers & singers from the Punjab and Haryana
Mrs. Battobai, folk doll maker
Surya Dev, madhubani painter
Bindeshwari Devi, sikki grass work
Sita Devi, madhubani painter
Mohan Mehar, ikat weaving from Orissa
Shantantra Prakash, craft program coordinator, New Delhi, India
Raghunath Singha, loin loom weaving of Manipur
Indian American
Arun Agrawal, 1945-, singer, dancer, musician, Fall River, Massachusetts
Paul Anderson, 1935-, singer, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Brigitte Geiser, 1941-, field researcher and presenter, Bern, Switzerland
Swiss American
Kapelle Werner Blaser -- Kapelle Werner BlaserWerner Blaser, 1926-, clarinet and saxophone player, Chehalis, WashingtonJoe Blaser, 1956-, clarinet and saxophone player, Chehalis, WashingtonDon Blaser, 1961-, accordion player, Chehalis, WashingtonMary Ann Ackerman, piano player, Orting, WashingtonJoe Burgi, 1906-1990, bass and accordion player, Tacoma, WashingtonRandy Grab, 1953-, bass player, Tacoma, Washington
Young Swiss Musicians -- Young Swiss MusiciansHelen Rast, 1961-, accordion player, San Jose, CaliforniaFrank Rast, 1959-, trumpet and alphorn player, San Jose, CaliforniaFred Rast, 1958-, clarinet, saxophone and alphorn player, San Jose, CaliforniaChristine Anderson, 1961-, bass player, Newark, CaliforniaKaren Anderson, 1959-, clarinet and alto saxophone player, Newark, CaliforniaSonja Ruckli, 1958-, piano player and singer, Newark, CaliforniaMichael Imhof, 1959-, accordion player, Fremont, California
Aelplergruppe -- AelplergruppeSergio Sartori, 1927-1978, accordion player and singer, San Francisco, CaliforniaDennis Sartori, 1954-, accordion player and singer, San Francisco, CaliforniaConrad Grass, 1954-, wrestler, San Bruno, CaliforniaRobert Wipfli, 1953-, wrestler, Fremont, California
Kaspar Hunkeler, flag thrower, Chevy Chase, Maryland
Robbi Hunkeler, flag thrower and alphorn player, Chevy Chase, Maryland
Italian
Calabria
Francesco Crudo, 1933-, piffero (oboe) player, Rombiolo, Italy
Michele Monteleone, 1918-, zampogna player (bagpiper), Rombiolo, Italy
Liguiria
Squadra Nuova Pontedecima, polyphonic chorus
Alessandro Anzini, 1940-, escort, Rome, Italy
Italian American
Basilicata
Antonio Davida, singer, drum player
Calabria
Anunziata Chimento, 1917-2006, singer, masker in Carnevale
Anunziato Chimento, singer, dancer, castanets player, "Doctor" in Carnevale
Franco Cofone, singer, dancer, quadrille caller, "Pulcinella" and master of ceremonies in Carnevale
Giuseppe DeFranco, 1933-, musician, singer, dancer
Raffaela DeFranco, 1935-, singer, dancer
Antonio DiGiacomo, tambourine player, singer, dancer
Carmine Ferraro, singer, dancer, masker in Carnevale
Francesco Feraco, singer, dancer, tambourine player
Angelo Gabriele, 1921-2006, singer, tambourine player, dancer, masker in Carnevale
Angelo Gencarelli, 1920-2004, singer, dancer, "La Quaresima" (Lent) in Carnevale
Federico Gencarelli, singer, tambourine player
Giuglio Gencarelli, singer, "Carnevale" in Carnevale
Maria Melito, dancer, masker in Carnevale
Molise
Vincenzo Deluca, 1933-1983, bagpiper
Sicily
Vincent Ancona, 1915-2000, chanty singer
Nino Curatolo, 1928-1980, singer of chanties, carittiere and fish vendors' songs, jaws harp player
Gaetano D'Angelo, 1906-1996, chanty singer
Giovanni Pellitteri, friscalettu (cane flute) player
Collection Restrictions:
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1976 Festival of American Folklife, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Brumbaugh, Thomas B. (Thomas Brendle), 1921- Search this
Extent:
10 Items (Letters, written in ink)
Type:
Archival materials
Correspondence
Date:
1891-1915
Scope and Contents:
This folder is an amalgamation of letters written by Abbott H. Thayer to various people, mostly relatives. The recipients include Moses Beach, Ella Beach, Violet Beach, Maria Oakey Dewing, Gertrude Bloede, and Dr. Samuel T. King.
Arrangement:
Organized alphabetically by recipient.
Biographical / Historical:
Abbott Handerson Thayer was born in Boston, Massachusetts on August 12, 1849 to a distinguished family. He moved from Boston to Brooklyn during his childhood, where he attended the National Academy of Design. Thayer often used his wife, Kate Bloede Thayer, her sister Gertrude, and his three children Mary, Gerald and Gladys as models. He also used Clara A. May as a model. His subjects included ethereal angels, landscapes, women, children, and flowers. When Kate died, Thayer's entire outlook on art and life changed. It had been Kate's family that introduced Thayer to the sense of idealism that comes from a German family who had immigrated to the United States. He had learned about the romanticism surrounding art and literature from the Bloedes, all of which encouraged the artist to paint perfectly beautiful figures. Later in life, Thayer established a permanent household in Dublin, New Hampshire, with his new wife, Emma Beach. He loved to paint the surrounding mountains and birds. Interestingly, Charles Lang Freer was one of Thayer's patrons.
Kate Bloede (1846-1890) was Abbott Thayer's first wife, who tragically died following a long battle with depression. Abbott used Kate as a model during his painting career. The couple lived in Paris, where their first two children were born. Upon their return to New York, the Thayers had three more children. In May 1888, Kate developed "melancholia," or depression, following the death of her father, Gustav Bloede. She was admitted to Bloomingdale Hospital, where she was treated for six months. Although her family visited her often, she did not respond well. Abbott transferred Kate to McLean Asylum in the winter of 1888, and then to a sanitorium in 1890. Pulmonary complications developed and Kate died on May 3, 1891. Animosities between Abbott and the Bloede family developed soon after Kate's death.
Emma Beach was Abbott Thayer's second wife, whom he married four months to the day after Kate Bloede's death. She met the couple during the summer of 1881, when they were vacationing in Nantucket. Beach was the daughter of Moses Beach, the former owner of the New York Sun. She was an art student, and over the next few years she visited the Thayers often, developing a close relationship with the children. Emma actually helped Thayer transfer Kate to the McLean Asylum. On July 27, 1891, Abbott wrote to Emma, imploring her to move in permanently with the family for the sake of the children. Her family was quite against this proposal, but the two were married in Nantucket on September 3, 1891. This caused problems between Abbott and the Bloedes, particularly offending Gertrude Bloede and Indie Bloede King, Kate's sisters.
Violet and Ella Beach were Emma Beach's sisters.
Dr. Samuel T. King was Abbott's brother-in-law, the husband of Indie Bloede. Thayer was quite close with King, and therefore it was King to whom he wrote in an attempt to patch things over with the Bloede family, especially Gertrude Bloede. This relationship later deteriorated, with King supporting his wife as opposed to Thayer.
Gertrude Bloede was Kate's sister and was married to Dr. King. It was Gertrude who was most offended when Thayer quickly remarried after Kate's death, and it was Gertrude whom Abbott attempted to reach out to after she refused to speak to him. Gertrude lived a double life as a poet. She published several pieces under the name "Stuart Sterne" in the 19th century.
William Endicott was an American politician from Massachusetts who served as Secretary of War and was influential on the Board on Fortification. Following his retirement, he returned to Boston, was overseer of Harvard College (his Alma mater) and president of the Peabody Academy of Science and Peabody Education Fund. It appears that Thayer's letter responds to a request from Endicott that Abbott participate in a mural in Massachusetts.
Maria Oakey Dewing was the wife of Thomas Wilmer Dewing, an American painter at the turn of the century. Maria herself was an artist who painted mostly flowers, although she began by painting figures. She studied art at the Cooper Union in New York City.
Local Numbers:
FSA A2009.06 1
Other Archival Materials:
Thomas B. Brumbaugh research material on Abbott Handerson Thayer and other artists, 1876-1994 (bulk 1960s-1994); Also located at Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Nancy Douglas Bowditch, 1974 January 30. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Gerald H. Thayer and Alma Wollerman's wedding in Dublin, New Hampshire, 1911 October 30. Abbott Handerson Thayer and Thayer Family papers, 1851-1999. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
