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"American Abstract Expressionists - Conrad Marca-Relli"

Creator:
Marca-Relli, Conrad, 1913-2000  Search this
Herskovic, Thomas  Search this
Type:
Videorecording
Date:
1991
Citation:
Conrad Marca-Relli and Thomas Herskovic. "American Abstract Expressionists - Conrad Marca-Relli", 1991. Abstract expressionist art movement in America video documentation project, 1991-1992. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)24997
See more items in:
Abstract expressionist art movement in America video documentation project, 1991-1992
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_24997

"American Abstract Expressionists - James Brooks"

Creator:
Herskovic, Thomas  Search this
Type:
Videorecording
Date:
1992
Citation:
Thomas Herskovic. "American Abstract Expressionists - James Brooks", 1992. Abstract expressionist art movement in America video documentation project, 1991-1992. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)25000
See more items in:
Abstract expressionist art movement in America video documentation project, 1991-1992
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_25000

"American Abstract Expressionists - Perle Fine"

Creator:
Herskovic, Thomas  Search this
Type:
Videorecording
Date:
1991
Citation:
Thomas Herskovic. "American Abstract Expressionists - Perle Fine", 1991. Abstract expressionist art movement in America video documentation project, 1991-1992. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)25001
See more items in:
Abstract expressionist art movement in America video documentation project, 1991-1992
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_25001

"Hawthorne-The Painter: An Appreciation"

Collection Creator:
Hofmann, Hans, 1880-1966  Search this
Container:
Box 7, Folder 9
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1952
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
Max Spoerri interview: Authorization to quote or reproduce for purposes of publication requires written permission from Max Spoerri. 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.
Collection Citation:
Hans Hofmann papers, circa 1904-2011, bulk 1945-2000. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hans Hofmann papers
Hans Hofmann papers / Series 3: Writings / 3.1: By Hofmann / 3.1.2: Articles and Essays
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ffea8850-3d35-462b-946f-6f5ff79a72da
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-hofmhans-ref715

"Today's World" Radio Program Interviews

Collection Interviewer:
Wechter, Vivienne Thaul  Search this
Collection Creator:
Fordham University  Search this
Extent:
0.5 Linear feet (Box 1-2)
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1972-1973
Scope and Contents:
Interviews conducted by Vivienne Thaul Wechter, for WFUV's "Today's World" program featuring artists, museum directors, and art historians. Interviewees are: Richard Brown, Henry Tyler Hopkins, Chapman Kelley, Alvin Loving, Brenda Miller, Brian Nissen, Arlene Slavin, Stella Snead, John Watson and Harriet Zinnes, and Henry Botkin, Barbara Krashes, and Joe Solomon of the Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors.
Collection 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. Interviews are untranscribed. Contact References 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:
WFUV radio interviews relating to art, 1969-1973. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.forduniv, Series 2
See more items in:
WFUV radio interviews relating to art
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e912e37d-d2ba-4d14-8dae-da8df1e7e281
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-forduniv-ref6

Esther

Maker:
Patience Torlowei, b. 1964, Nigeria  Search this
Medium:
Dress: natural fibers, silk, silk taffeta lining, cotton interfacings, adhesive Petticoat: net polyester, metal, lace trimmings
Dimensions:
Bust: 84 cm (33 1/16 in.)
Waist: 64 cm (25 3/16 in.)
Petticoat: 100 cm (39 3/8 in.)
Type:
Textile and Fiber Arts
Geography:
Nigeria
Date:
2013
Topic:
fish  Search this
Adornment  Search this
weapon  Search this
tool  Search this
tree  Search this
Female use  Search this
male  Search this
female  Search this
Trade  Search this
Credit Line:
Gift of the artist, Patience Torlowei
Object number:
2014-28-1
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
Copyright:
(c) 2013 Patience Torlowei
See more items in:
National Museum of African Art Collection
Data Source:
National Museum of African Art
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys77429d1a9-620e-4890-b9b2-86bd4da4da23
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmafa_2014-28-1
Online Media:

James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket

Directed by:
Karen Thorsen, American  Search this
Subject of:
James Baldwin, American, 1924 - 1987  Search this
Amiri Baraka, American, 1934 - 2014  Search this
Maya Angelou, American, 1928 - 2014  Search this
Bobby Short, American, 1924 - 2005  Search this
David Adams Leeming, American  Search this
William Styron, American, 1925 - 2006  Search this
Ishmael Reed, American, born 1938  Search this
Lucien Happersberger, Swiss, 1932 - 2010  Search this
Owned by:
D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896  Search this
Medium:
acetate film
Dimensions:
Duration (Reel 1): 50 Minutes
Length (Film): 1800 Feet
Duration (Reel 2): 24 Minutes
Length (Film): 850 Feet
Type:
sound films
color films (visual works)
feature films
16mm (photographic film size)
Place depicted:
Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Istanbul, Turkey, Middle East, Asia
Switzerland, Europe
Paris, Île-de-France, France, Europe
Date:
1989
Topic:
African American  Search this
Activism  Search this
Civil Rights  Search this
Documentary films  Search this
Film  Search this
Gender  Search this
LGBTQ  Search this
Literature  Search this
Sexuality  Search this
Spirituality  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number:
2017.55.23.1ab
Restrictions & Rights:
© Karen Thorsen (Nobody Knows Productions)
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title:
DC Public Library Film Collection
Classification:
Media Arts-Film and Video
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd574f1a239-a28e-43aa-8216-2a68ae372bdb
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2017.55.23.1ab

A Life in Art: Alma Thomas 1891-1978 (1981-1982), National Museum of American Art, Printed Material

Collection Creator:
Thomas, Alma  Search this
Container:
Box 3, Folder 14
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1981-1983
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies 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:
Alma Thomas papers, circa 1894-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Alma Thomas papers
Alma Thomas papers / Series 4: Exhibition Files
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9d0b4c83e-b6c3-43f3-8fa1-b6081f47f390
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-thomalma-ref824
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  • View A Life in Art: Alma Thomas 1891-1978 (1981-1982), National Museum of American Art, Printed Material digital asset number 1

A position paper directed to revitalizing a fine modern tradition / by Ed Garman

Creator:
Garman, Ed  Search this
Names:
Transcendental Painting Group (N.M.)  Search this
Extent:
0.01 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1993
Summary:
"A position paper directed to revitalizing a fine modern tradition" by painter and author Ed Garman measures 0.01 linear feet and is dated 1993. The collection consists of a single copy of Garman's essay in which he creates a model for the search for the ideal in modern art.
Scope and Contents:
"A position paper directed to revitalizing a fine modern tradition" by Ed Garman measures 0.01 linear feet and is dated 1993. The collection consists of a single copy of Garman's essay in which he creates a model for the search for the ideal in modern art. Garman examines the work and ideas of artists Robert Delaunay, Wassily Kandinsky, Frantisek Kupka, Kasimir Malevich, and Piet Mondrian as examples of artist-prophets who achieved the ideal in painting and who transcended the merely physical in art. Without mentioning the Transcendental Painting Group, Garman establishes the group's position on art and links it to the ideals of these past modernists.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter and author Ed Garman (1914-2004) was active in New Mexico and California and was one of the chief spokespersons for the Transcendental Painting Group (1938-1942).

Based in New Mexico, the group's manifesto stated it's purpose "to carry painting beyond the appearance of the physical world, through new concepts of space, color, light and design, to imaginative realms that are idealistic and spiritual." Members sought to push the boundaries of art beyond the traditional and representative, towards the abstract and non-objective.

As well as being the group's chief spokesperson, Garman was also the archivist and chronicler for the Transcendental Painting Group and wrote a historical art study of member Raymond Jonson's work. He wrote the essay "A position paper directed to revitalizing a fine modern tradition" at the age of 79, stating it was the result of his "attempts to understand art in relation to life and grow as an outward looking, spiritual minded humanist."
Related Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds the Ed Garman autobiography (1998) and an oral history interview with Ed Garman (1998 Mar. 25-30).
Provenance:
Donated by art dealer Martin Diamond in 1993.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Painters -- New Mexico  Search this
Painters -- California  Search this
Authors -- New Mexico  Search this
Authors -- California  Search this
Identifier:
AAA.garmed2
See more items in:
A position paper directed to revitalizing a fine modern tradition / by Ed Garman
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9dea1a6cd-a8e9-4540-825c-70d6c4aa6052
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-garmed2
Online Media:

A position paper directed to revitalizing a fine modern tradition / by Ed Garman, 1993

Creator:
Garman, Ed, 1914-2004  Search this
Subject:
Transcendental Painting Group (N.M.)  Search this
Citation:
A position paper directed to revitalizing a fine modern tradition / by Ed Garman, 1993. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)6389
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)215354
AAA_collcode_garmed2
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_215354

A visit with Edwin Dickinson [videorecording] / produced by Dorothea Weeden ; filmed and edited by Don Kendall

Creator:
Dickinson, Edwin Walter, 1891-1978  Search this
Names:
Dickinson, Edwin Walter, 1891-1978  Search this
Kendall, Don  Search this
Weeden, Dorothea  Search this
Extent:
1 Videocassettes (U-matic) ((10 min), sd., b&w, 3/4 in.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Videocassettes (u-matic)
Video recordings
Interviews
Date:
1970
Scope and Contents:
Portions of taped interviews conducted by Weeden in the summer of 1970 and by Karl Fortess, ca. 1970, are combined with footage shot in fall 1970 in Dickinson's home and studio in Wellfleet, Mass. Dickinson speaks mostly of his painting.
Biographical / Historical:
Dickinson was a painter. Died 1978.
Provenance:
Donated 1993 by Robert S.D. Weeden.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Topic:
Painters -- Massachusetts -- Wellfleet -- Interviews  Search this
Genre/Form:
Video recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.dickin70a
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw92007797a-bee7-496e-b4d7-ac1eb548e47b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-dickin70a

A visit with Edwin Dickinson [videorecording] / produced by Dorothea Weeden ; filmed and edited by Don Kendall, 1970

Creator:
Dickinson, Edwin Walter, 1891-1978  Search this
Subject:
Dickinson, Edwin Walter  Search this
Weeden, Dorothea  Search this
Kendall, Don  Search this
Type:
Video recordings
Interviews
Citation:
A visit with Edwin Dickinson [videorecording] / produced by Dorothea Weeden ; filmed and edited by Don Kendall, 1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Painters -- Massachusetts -- Wellfleet -- Interviews  Search this
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)7285
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209436
AAA_collcode_dickin70a
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209436

Aaron Bohrod papers

Creator:
Bohrod, Aaron  Search this
Names:
Milch Galleries  Search this
Ball, F. Carlton, 1911-1992  Search this
Benton, Thomas Hart, 1889-1975  Search this
Coward, Noel, 1899-1973  Search this
Dehn, Adolf, 1895-1968  Search this
Extent:
17.8 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sketchbooks
Interviews
Drawings
Sound recordings
Motion pictures
Date:
1507-1994
bulk circa 1930-1994
Summary:
The papers of Wisconsin painter, ceramicist, and educator Aaron Bohrod measure 17.8 linear feet and date from 1507 to 1994 with the bulk of the collection dating from circa 1930 to 1994. The collection documents his career through biographical material, correspondence, gallery files, personal business records, writings, printed material, seven scrapbooks, photographs, and artwork.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Wisconsin painter, ceramicist, and educator Aaron Bohrod measure 17.8 linear feet and date from 1507 to 1994 with the bulk of the collection dating from circa 1930 to 1994. The collection documents his career through biographical material, correspondence, gallery files, personal business records, writings, printed material, seven scrapbooks, photographs, and artwork.

Biographical material includes film and audio recordings of interviews with Bohrod, War Art Unit employment records, awards, an exhibition guest book, architectural plans for Bohrod's studio, and other personal records. Personal and business correspondence is with David Breger, Adolf Dehn, the Hammer Galleries, the Milch Galleries, Thomas Hart Benton, Henri Cadiou, Noel Coward, and many others. Gallery files contain records of Bohrod's business dealings with over 20 galleries and personal business records consist of primarily financial and legal records, as well as project files for his pottery collaboration with F. Carlton Ball and Madison Public Schools. Writings by Bohrod include manuscripts, lectures, and drafts for the book A Decade of Still Life along with several writings by others about Bohrod. Printed materials relate to Bohrod, his artwork, and other art subjects. Photographic materials depict Bohrod, his studio, family and friends, travel, and works of art. Artworks include drawings, prints, and designs by Bohrod, and lithographs and etchings by others.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as nine series.

Series 1: Biographical Materials, circa 1930-1987 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1, OV 24, FC 25)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1849-1994 (6.2 linear feet; Boxes 1-7, 19)

Series 3: Gallery Files, 1957-1993 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 7-8)

Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1939-1994 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 8-10)

Series 5: Writings, circa 1948-circa 1979 (0.2 linear feet; Box 10, OV 24)

Series 6: Printed Materials, 1831-1991 (3.0 linear feet; Boxes 10-13, 19, OV 24)

Series 7: Scrapbooks, 1929-1992 (1.3 linear feet; Boxes 13, 18, BVs 20-23)

Series 8: Photographic Materials, circa 1930-1992 (3.8 linear feet; Boxes 13-16, 19, OV 24)

Series 9: Artwork, 1507-circa 1989 (0.3 linear feet; Boxes 17, 19)
Biographical / Historical:
Aaron Bohrod (1907-1992) was a painter, ceramicist, and educator in Madison, Wisconsin.

Bohrod was born in Chicago, Illinois to Fannie and George Bohrod, a Russian immigrant grocer and cigar maker. From 1926 to 1928, Bohrod studied at the School of the Chicago Art Institute under John Sloan, Boardman Robinson, and Kenneth Hayes Miller. He married Ruth Bush in 1929. His first New York solo exhibition took place in 1934, and during the next four years, he received two Guggenheim Fellowhsips, which financed his projects to depict Midwestern American towns in paintings. During World War II, Bohrod was an artist and correspondent for the U.S. Corps of Engineers in the Pacific and for Life magazine in Europe.

Bohrod followed John Stuart Curry as artist-in-residence at the University of Wisconsin in Madison from 1948 until his retirement in 1973. In 1950, he began work in pottery with F. Carlton Ball with whom he published A Pottery Sketch Book in 1959. In 1954, Bohrod began a meticulous style of still life painting and published A Decade of Still Life in 1966. These trompe l'oeil paintings also appeared in many magazines, including Life, Fortune, Holiday, and several covers of Time magazine.

Bohrod died in Madison, Wisconsin in 1992.
Related Materials:
Also found at the Archives of American Art is an interview of Aaron Bohrod conducted by Ralph E. Sandler from 1973 to 1974. The Aaron Bohrod papers are also at Syracuse University.
Provenance:
The Aaron Bohrod papers were donated in 1974 by Aaron Bohrod and in 1996 by Neil Bohrod, Aaron Bohrod's son.
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:
Painters -- Wisconsin -- Madison  Search this
Ceramicists -- Wisconsin -- Madison  Search this
Educators -- Wisconsin -- Madison  Search this
Topic:
Decorative arts  Search this
World War, 1939-1945 -- Art and the war  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sketchbooks
Interviews
Drawings
Sound recordings
Motion pictures
Citation:
Aaron Bohrod papers, 1507-1994, bulk circa 1930-1994. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.bohraaro
See more items in:
Aaron Bohrod papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9da9c9477-772b-4335-8a8f-710b70031ac5
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-bohraaro
Online Media:

Aaron Bohrod papers, 1507-1994, bulk circa 1930-1994

Creator:
Bohrod, Aaron, 1907-1992  Search this
Subject:
Ball, F. Carlton  Search this
Dehn, Adolf  Search this
Benton, Thomas Hart  Search this
Coward, Noel  Search this
Milch Galleries  Search this
Type:
Sketchbooks
Interviews
Drawings
Sound recordings
Motion pictures
Citation:
Aaron Bohrod papers, 1507-1994, bulk circa 1930-1994. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Decorative arts  Search this
World War, 1939-1945 -- Art and the war  Search this
Theme:
Diaries  Search this
Sketches & Sketchbooks  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)6754
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)208879
AAA_collcode_bohraaro
Theme:
Diaries
Sketches & Sketchbooks
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_208879
Online Media:

Aaron Siskind: Making Pictures Production Records

Collection Creator:
Wechsler, Judith  Search this
Extent:
2.5 Linear feet (Boxes 2, 11-12, 16-18, 21)
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1988-2003
Scope and Contents:
Series includes mainly production records from the creation of the film Aaron Siskind: Making Pictures, including original sound recordings, film outtakes, trims, a fine cut work print, and a video copy of the final work. Also found is a flyer describing the documentary, a letter to the film lab (which also refers to the Harry Callahan documentary), and a letter from someone interested in accessing the material for research. Interviews with Siskind conducted for the documentary are available in their entirety among the original sound reels, which also contain wild sound (shot without picture) and voiceover recordings. A partial transcript of the interview material is also available. Film elements are found for sequences labeled "Hartford Reception" and "Highway Footage" and for additional unnamed sync, silent, and soundtrack elements. Photographs of original film containers, discarded during processing, show the filmmaker's original box labels.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copy requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
The Painter's World: Copyright retained by Judith Wechsler.
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:
Judith Wechsler papers, 1940-2003, bulk 1971-1994. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.wechjudi, Series 3
See more items in:
Judith Wechsler papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9127c16d3-179b-4c32-b397-964cb5de8bff
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-wechjudi-ref2

Abraham Joel Tobias papers

Creator:
Tobias, Abraham Joel, 1913-1996  Search this
Names:
Congress of Industrial Organizations (U.S.)  Search this
Fine Arts Federation of New York  Search this
United States. Work Projects Administration  Search this
Block, Irving  Search this
Brooks, James, 1906-1992  Search this
Caswell, Edward C.  Search this
Evergood, Philip, 1901-1973  Search this
Gaber, George  Search this
Gill, Brendan, 1914-1997  Search this
La Gambina, Vincent, 1909-1994  Search this
Lishinsky, Abraham  Search this
Orozco, José Clemente, 1883-1949  Search this
Spivak, Max, 1906-1981  Search this
Tobey, Alton S. (Alton Stanley), 1914-2005  Search this
Extent:
2.8 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Interviews
Video recordings
Photographs
Date:
1913-2000
Summary:
The Abraham Joel Tobias papers date from 1913 to 2000 and measure 2.8 linear feet. Through project and exhibition files, printed material, correspondence, and photographs, the collection provides an overview of Tobias's career as a painter and muralist in New York City.
Scope and Content Note:
The Abraham Joel Tobias papers date from 1913 to 2000 and measure 2.8 linear feet. Through project and exhibition files, printed material, correspondence, and photographs, the collection provides an overview of Tobias's career as a painter and muralist in New York City.

General correspondence regards mural proposals, exhibitions, professional activities, and museums' acquisitions of artwork by Tobias. A file of correspondence with the Fine Arts Federation of New York concerns efforts to recognize murals by Irving Block, James Brooks, Philip Evergood, Abraham Lishinsky, José Clemente Orozco, and Max Spivak as landmarks; it also includes minutes of meetings, 1988-1995, that reflect Tobias's service as a board member. Other correspondence is with friends and artists including Edward Caswell, George Gaber, Filia Holtzman, Vincent La Gambina, and Alton S. Tobey.

Project files document murals such as: The Four Freedoms, Midwood High School, Brooklyn, New York, honoring students and teachers who died in World War II (circa 1946); Birth for the maternity ward at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City (1951-1953); and Medical Science and Medical Research, Long Island Jewish Hospital (1954). The Science and Engineering project file (1958) contains a patent certificate for striated plastic, a material Tobias used in two murals. Also of interest is correspondence with the Harman Foundation regarding a documentary film about Tobias's use of ethyl silicate for outdoor murals. Among the exhibitions documented are: "Plastics U.S.A.," "New York WPA Artists Then and Now," and "Abraham Joel Tobias: Sculptural Paintings of the 1930s."

Printed material consists of announcements, invitations, solo and group exhibition catalogs, and clippings relating to Tobias's artistic career. Also found are pamphlets he designed for the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Photographs are of Tobias's artwork and the artist with friends and family. There is a video recording of an interview with Tobias conducted by Brendan Gill in 1995.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 8 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1913-1996 (Boxes 1, 4; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1933-1997 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 3: Project and Exhibition Files, 1938-2000 (Boxes 1, 2, 4, OV 5; 1.6 linear feet)

Series 4: Writings, circa 1928-1992 (Box 2; 0.1 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1913-1999 (Boxes 3, 4; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 6: Artwork, circa 1990s (Box 3; 1 folder)

Series 7: Photographs, 1929-1970 (Box 3; 0.1 linear feet)

Series 8: Video Recording, 1995 (Box 3, 1 folder)
Biographical Note:
Abraham Joel Tobias (1913-1996) was a painter, muralist, and educator in New York City. He was a pioneer in the use of shaped canvases.

A native of Rochester, New York, Tobias came to New York City to study at the Cooper Union School of Art, 1930-1931, and at the Art Students League, 1930-1933. He worked for the Federal Arts Project,1938-1940, where he continued his training as a muralist, working with artist and technicians.

During World War II, Tobias served in the armed forces. He was an art director with the Intelligence Division, Army Air Force, and in 1945 was employed as a graphic designer for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Tobias was artist-in-residence and served as instructor in painting and drawing at Adelphia College, Garden City, Long Island, 1947-1957. He also was was a visiting lecturer at various schools including Howard University, Brooklyn Museum Art School, Pratt Institute Art School, as well as at colleges in Illinois and Kansas.

Tobias completed over ten mural commissions for governmental agencies and educational institutions, including: United States Post Office, Clarendon, Arkansas; Howard University, Washington, D.C.; James Madison High School, Brooklyn, New York; Beth Israel Hospital, New York City; Domestic Relations Court Building, Brooklyn, New York; and Adelphi College, Garden City, New York. In 1962, Tobias began The History of Science mural for the lobby of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn; it was never completed.

Tobias experimented with diverse materials such as terrazzo and mosaic for mural application. He also broke new ground with the use of ethyl silicate paint as a permanent medium for outdoor murals. In 1958, he patented striated plastic, a pliable material used to achieve an effect similar to stained glass.

He participated in many solo and group exhibitions. In 1935, Tobias presented his shaped canvas painting in the "Sculptural Painting" exhibition at Delphic Studios in New York City. In 1987, Tobias was recognized for his earlier pioneering work with a retrospective exhibition, "Abraham Joel Tobias: Sculptural Paintings" at The Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum of Rutgers University. Other exhibitions included: "Plastics U.S.A.," the United States Information Service's exhibition in Moscow (1961); "New York City WPA Art," Parsons School of Design, New York City (1977); "For a Permanent Public Art," Tweed Gallery, New York City (1989); and "The Technological Muse," Katonah Museum of Art, New York (1991).

Tobias's professional memberships included the Architectural League of New York, National Society of Mural Painters, and New York Artists Equity Association. He served on the Board of Directors for the Fine Arts Federation of New York from 1988-1996. He won the Architectural League Award in 1952. The Art Commission of the City of New York recognized Tobias, posthumously, for distinguished service to public art.

Abraham Joel Tobias married Carolyn Pratt in 1949; the couple had one daughter. Abraham Joel Tobias died in Rego Park, New York, in 1996 at the age of 82.
Provenance:
The papers were donated in 2001 by Carolyn Tobias, the widow of Abraham Joel Tobias.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Topic:
Mural painting and decoration  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Genre/Form:
Interviews
Video recordings
Photographs
Citation:
Abraham Joel Tobias papers, 1913-2000. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.tobijoel
See more items in:
Abraham Joel Tobias papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw98be0c478-da69-4155-9f53-1ac5d5ac617b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-tobijoel

Abraham Joel Tobias papers, 1913-2000

Creator:
Tobias, Abraham Joel, 1913-1996  Search this
Subject:
Gaber, George  Search this
Gill, Brendan  Search this
La Gambina, Vincent  Search this
Lishinsky, Abraham  Search this
Orozco, José Clemente  Search this
Spivak, Max  Search this
Tobey, Alton S. (Alton Stanley)  Search this
Block, Irving  Search this
Caswell, Edward C.  Search this
Brooks, James  Search this
Evergood, Philip  Search this
Fine Arts Federation of New York  Search this
Congress of Industrial Organizations (U.S.)  Search this
United States. Work Projects Administration  Search this
Type:
Interviews
Video recordings
Photographs
Citation:
Abraham Joel Tobias papers, 1913-2000. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Mural painting and decoration  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)5976
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)228104
AAA_collcode_tobijoel
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_228104
Online Media:

Abraham Rattner and Esther Gentle papers

Creator:
Rattner, Abraham  Search this
Names:
Downtown Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Esther Gentle Reproductions  Search this
Kennedy Galleries  Search this
Paul Rosenberg & Co.  Search this
Bedwell, Bettina, 1889-1947  Search this
Biddle, George, 1885-1973  Search this
Boyle, Kay, 1902-  Search this
Burlin, Paul, 1886-1969  Search this
Carton, Norman, 1908-1980  Search this
Coates, Robert M. (Robert Myron), 1897-1973  Search this
Davis, Stuart, 1892-1964  Search this
De Rochemont, Richard  Search this
Dehn, Adolf, 1895-1968  Search this
Dos Passos, John, 1896-1970  Search this
Gentle, Esther, 1900-  Search this
Gonzalez, Xavier, 1898-1993  Search this
Griffin, John Howard, 1920-  Search this
Guthrie, Ramon, 1896-  Search this
Gwathmey, Robert, 1903-1988  Search this
Hall, William Weeks, 1894-1958  Search this
Hayter, Stanley William, 1901-  Search this
Hiler, Hilaire, 1898-1966  Search this
Hirsch, Joseph, 1910-1981  Search this
Hirsch, Stefan, 1899-1964  Search this
Holty, Carl, 1900-1973  Search this
Hélion, Jean, 1904-1987  Search this
Kronberg, Louis, 1872-1965  Search this
Lebrun, Rico, 1900-1964  Search this
Leepa, Allen, 1919-2009  Search this
Lipchitz, Jacques, 1891-1973  Search this
Ludgin, Earle, 1898-1981  Search this
Malcolm, Thalia Westcott, b. 1878  Search this
Miller, Henry, 1891-  Search this
Miró, Joan, 1893-  Search this
Nordfeldt, Bror Julius Olsson, 1878-1955  Search this
Peake, Channing, 1910-  Search this
Poor, Henry Varnum, 1887-1970  Search this
Ruvolo, Feliz  Search this
Stark, Jack Gage, 1882-1950  Search this
Watkins, Franklin Chenault, 1894-1972  Search this
Weller, Allen S. (Allen Stuart), 1907-1997  Search this
Extent:
26.3 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sketches
Diaries
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Interviews
Date:
1891-1986
Summary:
The Abraham Rattner and Esther Gentle papers measure 26.3 linear feet and date from 1891 through the 1980s. The collection documents Rattner's life and career as an artist through interviews, extensive correspondence, gallery files, studio notebooks, writings, notes, date books and diaries, photographs, and works of art.
Scope and Content Note:
Abraham Rattner's papers provide insight into an important time for twentieth century American art and culture. By studying Rattner's papers, the researcher may view the beginnings of Modernism, the cultural change that pushed the boundaries of artistic and literary traditions and provided new ways in which to express ourselves.

The Abraham Rattner and Esther Gentle papers measure 26.3 linear feet and date from 1891 through the 1980s. The collection documents Rattner's life and career as an artist through interviews, extensive correspondence, gallery files, studio notebooks, writings, notes, date books and diaries, photographs, and works of art.

The biographical files contain documents such as Rattner's birth certificate, travel visas, his senior yearbook from 1912 which shows some of his early art work, and some of his awards. His birth certificate is of particular interest since it shows Rattner's birth date to be 1893 instead of the recognized 1895.

The correspondence offers great insight into the thoughts of many American and European artists and writers during the 1930s and 1940s. Rattner, a prolific writer, expressed many of his own thoughts and concerns through his letters, many of which are included in this collection. The vast amount of correspondence include letters from notable figures such as George Biddle, Kay Boyle, Paul Burlin, Norman Carton, Robert Coates, Stuart Davis, Adolph Dehn, Richard de Rochemont, John Dos Passos, Xavier Gonzales, John Howard Griffin, Ramon Guthrie, Robert Gwathmey, Weeks Hall, Stanley W. Hayter, Jean Helion, Hilaire Hiler, Joseph Hirsch, Stefan Hirsch, Carl Holty, Louis Kronberg, Rico Lebrun, Jacques Lipchitz, Earle Ludgin, Thalia Wescott Malcolm, Henry Miller, Joan Miro, Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt, Channing Peake, Henry Varnum Poor, Felix Ruvolo, Waverly Root, Jack Gage Stark, Frank C. Watkins, and Allen Weller, among others.

Rattner was engaged in a wide range of special art projects, and he kept detailed files on these projects. The projects spanned from 1940 through 1973 and included endeavors such as illustrations for Life magazine, stained-glass designs, mosaic and tapestry projects, as well as special paintings such as Victory--Jerusalem the Golden and The Gallows of Baghdad. Rattner's papers also detail the history of a fresco painted by Paul Gauguin entitled Joan d'Arcwhich Rattner purchased in France in 1925.

Rattner's forty year friendship with the writer Henry Miller is chronicled throughout the collection in the forms of correspondence, writings, printed material, phototographs and artwork. Their correspondence ranges from 1938 through 1978 and offers great insight into their relationship. Rattner and Miller's road trip from New York to New Orleans in 1940-1941 is documented in the series entitled Special Projects. Also included in the collection are printed material, such as biographical material on Miller, Miller's writings, literary announcements and reviews; Miller's writings on Rattner; and photographs of Miller.

The gallery files contain correspondence, receipts, and notes regarding the galleries which represented Rattner. Those galleries included the Rosenberg Gallery, the Downtown Gallery, and the Kennedy Gallery. A small series of exhibition files contain material about exhibitions held outside of Rattner's representative galleries.

Rattner's writings proved to be an outlet for his thoughts on painting, his inspirations, frustrations, and sadness. In addition to painting, Rattner was able to express his creativity through writing poetry. Writing also helped him work through his depression over the death of his first wife Bettina Bedwell.

He also kept finely detailed studio notebooks. The original order has been maintained, and they trace the history of almost each painting, drawing, and study attempted by Rattner. The notebooks often provide information regarding whether the work was sent to a gallery or given as a gift. Sometimes they contain correspondence or writings that reveal the inspiration for a work. They have been arranged in chronological order, according to Rattner's own filing system.

Rattner retained receipts for most of his art expenses. Arranged by decade, these receipts show the type of paint, colors, types of paper and brushes that he used.

Rattner also kept many household files and personal financial records. Household files contain insurance records, warranties and rental agreements, while the financial records contain returned checks and bank statements. Some bank statements from Esther Gentle Reproductions are also included. The household files and financial records are not filmed.

The date books and diaries reveal the aspects of daily life and the personal thoughts of Rattner and Esther Gentle. In many cases, Rattner shared his date books and diaries with Gentle. The early diaries are fascinating, especially the 1939 diary that discloses the Rattners' last days in France before escaping Nazism and returning to the United States.

Rettner's scrapbooks span from 1938 to 1952 and contain newspaper and magazine clippings that mention the artist or his work.

The printed material covers a period from 1930s through the 1980s and includes exhibition catalogs, exhibition announcements, clippings, and miscellaneous material such as an autograph book from 1969 and a map of Israel that shows Rattner's travel route. There is a large amount of unfilmed printed material that is listed in the series description.

Writings by others consists of writings on Rattner and other topics.

The collection contains many photographs taken of Rattner and taken by him, as well as photos of family, friends, his studio, travels, and photographs of Rattner's art. Photographs of notable people include Henry Miller, Joan Miro, John Dos Passos, Archibald MacLeish, and Malcolm Cowley, among others.

The amount of Rattner's art work included in the collection is small, but it is significant because it provides examples of his very early work, dating from 1912-1914. Some later studies are also present, as well as a number of random sketches. Color was very important to Rattner, and some of his color studies from the 1940s are also included. Art work by other artists is comprised of some small paintings by Max Weber, a water color by Henry Miller, a painting by Ken Buryd, as well as some work by unknown artists.

In addition to tracing Rattner's life and career, the collection also documents the lives of Rattner's two wives, Bettina Bedwell and Esther Gentle. Both women had profound effects on Rattner's work. Among Bettina Bedwell's papers are her diary, fashion sketches, and correspondence. Esther Gentle's papers include correspondence, writings, as well as papers documenting her business Esther Gentle Reproductions. There are a small amount of papers relating to Allen Leepa, Rattner's stepson with Esther Gentle.

See index for list of correspondents from various series.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into twenty-four series based primarily on type of document or special project. Though concentrated in its own series, additional correspondence is scattered throughout the collection and may be found in special project files, gallery files, exhibition files, studio notebooks, and scrapbooks. The correspondence has been divided into two subseries, one chronological and the other according to Rattner's subject-oriented filing system. Special art projects have been organized by project, and placed in chronological order. The studio notebooks have also been divided into subseries, and all notebook pages maintain Rattner's original order. The first subseries of notebooks reflects Rattner's numbering system, while the second subseries is arranged chronologically. The vast amount of printed material has been divided into subseries, and all of the unfilmed printed material has been organized chronologically at the end of the series.

Within each series, material is arranged either in chronological order, or in some cases, according to Abraham Rattner's own organizational system.

Oversized materials from various series are housed in oversized folders 33-45 and are noted in the Series Description/Container Listing with see also/see references or in the container columns.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Files, 1893-1978, undated (box 1; 0.2 linear ft.)

Series 2: Interviews, 1957-1975, undated (box 1; 7 folders)

Series 3: Correspondence Files, 1933-1978, undated (boxes 1-5; 4.3 linear ft.)

Series 4: Special Projects, 1940-1987, undated (boxes 5-6, ovs 33-35; 1.5 linear ft.)

Series 5: -- Joan d'Arc -- Fresco painted by Paul Gaugin, 1925-1963, undated (box 7, ov 36; 12 folders)

Series 6: Gallery Files, 1942-1975 (boxes 7-8; 1.5 linear ft.)

Series 7: Exhibition Files, 1963-1978 (boxes 7, 9; 9 folders)

Series 8: Writings, 1940-1972, undated (box 9; 0.9 linear ft.)

Series 9: Studio Notebooks, 1935-1975, undated (boxes 10-11; 1.9 linear ft.)

Series 10: Art Expenses, circa 1940-1970 (boxes 11-13; 0.7 linear ft.)

Series 11: Household Files, 1940-1970, undated (box 13; 0.8 linear ft.)

Series 12: Financial Records, 1933-1963 (boxes 13-14; 0.7 linear ft.)

Series 13: Notes and Lists, 1936-1972, undated (box 14; 0.5 linear ft.)

Series 14: Address Books, 1939-1977, undated (box 15; 1.0 linear ft.)

Series 15: Date Books/Diaries, 1937-1977, undated (boxes 16-17; 1.6 linear ft.)

Series 16: Scrapbooks, 1938-1952 (boxes 18-22; 1.5 linear ft.)

Series 17: Printed Material, 1920s-1980s, undated (boxes 23-26; 3.6 linear ft.)

Series 18: Writings by Others, 1945-circa 1980, undated (box 26; 20 folders)

Series 19: Photographs, 1891-1970s, undated (boxes 27-29; 1.6 linear ft.)

Series 20: Works of Art by Rattner, 1912-1914, 1940-1967, undated (box 30, ovs 37-44; 2.4 linear ft.)

Series 21: Works of Art by Others, undated (box 30, ov 45; 7 folders)

Series 22: Bettina Bedwell Papers, 1932-1947, undated (box 31; 0.4 linear ft.)

Series 23: Esther Gentle Papers, 1921-1984, undated (boxes 31-32; 1.3 linear ft.)

Series 24: Allen Leepa Papers, 1952-1969, undated (box 32; 8 folders)
Biographical Note:
Abraham Rattner was born in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1895. His parents immigrated to the United States to escape antisemitism in Czarist Russia. He was the second of six children, including his eldest brother Louis, younger brothers Manuel (Manny) and Harry, and his younger sisters Rose and Jennie.

Rattner's parents encouraged him to paint at a young age, and as he grew up, painting became a part of his daily life. He graduated from Poughkeepsie High School in 1912 and left to study architecture at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. At night, he took art courses at the Corcoran School of Art. He soon became a full-time art student, and applied for a scholarship to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. He was accepted in 1919 and supported himself by doing illustrations for Philadelphia newspapers.

In 1917, World War I interrupted his studies. Rattner entered the United States Army in France where he became Sergeant of camouflage section, 40th Engineers. Camouflage, reflecting aspects of modern art in its form and pattern, made use of Rattner's artistic skills. During the second battle of the Marne, Rattner injured his back and returned to the States with an ailment that would affect him for the rest of his life.

Rattner returned to the Pennsylvania Academy and was awarded the Cresson scholarship to study art in Europe. He traveled for one year, then settled in Paris for the next twenty years. Those twenty years in Paris became the most formative for Rattner because he was able to study and experiment with Futurism, Cubism, and Expressionism. Post World War I Paris was the center of modern culture for Americans disillusioned by the destruction of the war. Expatriate writers, poets, and artists were searching for a culture that shunned the traditions of the past and exchanged ideas with one another at the lively Paris cafes and salons.

In 1924, Abraham Rattner married Bettina Bedwell, an American art student and fashion illustrator. Bettina became the Paris fashion correspondent for the New York News-Chicago Tribune Syndicate. In 1927, Rattner was a member of the Minotaure group, along with Picasso, Miro, Giacometti, Le Corbusier, Braque, Dali, and Reverdy. He also illustrated an article for Jon Dos Passos in Verve magazine in 1931.

Rattner's first one-man show was in 1935 at the Galerie Bonjean in Paris, which was followed by one-man shows at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York, the Arts Club of Chicago, and the Courvoisier Gallery in San Francisco.

The threat of Hitler and Nazism forced Rattner and his wife to flee Paris in 1939. Arriving in New York in early 1940, Rattner agreed to take a trip by car with the writer Henry Miller. Their route took them from New York to New Iberia, Louisiana via the East coast and Southern states. Their mission was to rediscover America, with Henry Miller writing about their experiences and Rattner sketching the scenery. Rattner's friendship with Henry Miller was an important one that lasted throughout his life.

During the 1940s, Rattner's art was widely exhibited. In 1941, he joined the Rosenberg Gallery in New York, and remained with the gallery for fourteen years. He won awards for his work such as the Temple Gold Medal in 1945 and second prize in the Pepsi-Cola Fourth Annual Art Competition in 1946. In 1947, Bettina Bedwell suddenly died due to a kidney infection, sending Rattner into a spiral of grief and depression. To escape depression, from 1947-1949, he taught at the New School for Social Research in New York.

In 1949, Rattner married Esther Gentle, an artist and business woman who ran an art reproductions business. In 1951, the Rattners moved to Rome where he worked as Artist in Residence at the American Academy. The next year, they moved to Illinois where he was the Artist in Residence at the University of Illinois. Ratter was awarded first prize in 1953 at the 23rd Corcoran Biennial Exhibition and also served as Vice-President of Artists' Equity. In 1956, Rattner was the Distinguished Visiting Professor at Michigan State University, and along with his stepson, Allen Leepa, established an art school on Long Island. In 1957, Rattner left the Rosenberg Gallery to join the Downtown Gallery. He felt he would professionally profit from representation by the well-known Edith Halpert; however, the next twelve years reflected a tumultuous relationship between the artist and the gallery owner.

In 1957, Rattner reached out to other forms of art and design. He experimented with mosaic, tapestry and stained-glass. He designed mosaic columns and tapestries for the Fairmont Temple Anche Chesed in Cleveland and a mosaic for a friary and college in Centerville, Ohio. His stained-glass designs were highly celebrated and respected. His most famous stained-glass piece was the window for the Chicago Loop Synagogue. For this piece, Rattner spent two years traveling to Paris to design and supervise every process involved in the design and installation of the window.

Rattner felt that while his paintings during the 1940s and 1950s were romantic and self-reflective, the 1960s marked a new inspirational period in his work. His painting reflected religious comment, bringing Rattner back in touch with his Jewish heritage, as well as reflecting a sense of social protest. In 1968, Rattner exhibited his painting Victory--Jerusalem the Golden to honor the celebration of Israel's twentieth anniversary of independence. It was also in 1968 that Rattner left the Downtown Gallery for the Kennedy Gallery. In 1969, he painted The Gallows of Baghdad series as a protest to the hanging of nine Jews by Iraqi authorities.

The 1970s marked a time of many exhibitions. In 1976, the National Collection of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. sponsored an exhibition of his designs for stained-glass entitled "...and let there be light". Also, from 1976 through 1977, "Our America" exhibited Rattner's drawings from his 1940 U.S.A. trip with Henry Miller in England and in the United States. In 1977, Michigan State University bestowed upon him the Honorary Degree for Humanity. On February 14, 1978, Abraham Rattner died due to heart failure.

Missing Title

1893 -- Born June 8th in Poughkeepsie, New York.

1912 -- Graduated from Poughkeepsie High School.

1914-1917 -- Student at George Washington University, Corcoran School of Art and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

1917 -- Enlisted in the United States Army in France as Sergeant, camouflage section, 40th Engineers. Fought at Seicheprey, second battle of the Marne, and Chateau-Thierry.

1919 -- Returned to Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Awarded Cresson traveling fellowship to Europe.

1920 -- Traveled in France, Spain, England, Belgium and Holland.

1921 -- Art student in Paris at Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Grand Chaumiere, and Academie Ranson.

1922 -- Lived and painted in Giverny, France.

1923 -- Returned to Paris.

1924 -- Married Bettina Bedwell, Paris fashion correspondent for the New York News-Chicago Tribune news syndicate. Exhibited at Salon d'Automne and Salon des Independants.

1927 -- Member of the Minotaure group in Paris.

1931 -- Illustrated article, "Fire," by John Dos Passos for Verve magazine.

1935 -- First one-person show at Galerie Bonjean, Paris. French government purchased Card Party for Museum of Impressionism, The Louvre.

1936 -- One-person show at Julien Levy Gallery, New York (also 1939, 1941); Arts Club of Chicago; Courvoisier Gallery, San Francisco (also 1941).

1940 -- Returned to the United States following Nazi invasion of France. Traveled with Henry Miller from New York to New Iberia, Louisiana.

1941 -- One-person shows: Stendahl Gallery, Los Angeles; Faulkner Memorial Art Gallery, Santa Barbara (also 1943); Paul Rosenberg Gallery, New York (also 1942, 1944, 1946, 1948-1950, 1952, 1956); Studio, New York.

1945 -- Awarded the Temple Gold Medal from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Wrote "An American in Paris" for Magazine of Art.

1946 -- Awarded second prize at the Pepsi-Cola Fourth Annual Art Competition.

1947 -- Death of Bettina Bedwell Rattner.

1948 -- Taught at the New School for Social Research, New York.

1949 -- Married Esther Gentle. Visiting artist at Yale University and at the Brooklyn Museum School. Awarded honorable mention at the Carnegie Institute Exhibition of American Painting.

1950 -- Awarded the Purchase Prize at the University of Illinois Biennial Exhibition.

1951 -- Artist in residence at the American Academy in Rome.

1952 -- Artist in residence at the University of Illinois.

1953 -- Awarded first prize at the 23rd Corcoran Biennial Exhibition. Served as Vice-President of Artists' Equity.

1954 -- Taught at the Art Students League. Panelist at the Design Conference in Aspen, Colorado.

1955 -- Exhibited drawings at the Chicago Art Institute.

1956 -- Distinguished Visiting Professor at Michigan State University. Established an art school in East Hampton and Sag Harbor, Long Island.

1957 -- Designed mosaic columns and tapestries for the Fairmont Temple Anche Chesed in Cleveland. One-person show at Downtown Gallery, New York (also 1958-1967).

1958 -- Designed mosaic wall for St. Leonard's Friary and College in Centerville, Ohio. Designed stained-glass windows for the Flint Institute of Arts, Michigan. Began designs for stained-glass window for the Chicago Loop Synagogue. Exhibited with Alexander Calder at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Elected member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. Awarded the Butler Memorial Prize at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

1959 -- Retrospective exhibition circulated by the American Federation of Arts. Exhibited at the Whitney Museum of Art.

1964 -- Exhibited at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland.

1968 -- Exhibited painting entitled Victory--Jerusalem the Golden at the celebration of Israel's 20th anniversary of independence.

1969 -- One-person shows: Kennedy Galleries, New York; Galerie Weil, Paris ( Baghdad Hangings), Galerie Belgique, Brussels ( Baghdad Hangings).

1970 -- Film commissioned by ABC-TV entitled "The Long Prayer of Abraham Rattner."

1972 -- Beggar's Opera lithographs exhibited at Circle Gallery, Chicago.

1976 -- Displayed stained-glass on religious themes with the National Collection of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C.

1977 -- "Our America" exhibition in England and the United States. Awarded Honorary Degree for Humanity from Michigan State University.

1978 -- Died on February 14th.
Index: List of Major Correspondents in Various Series:
These correspondents will be found in the following series: Correspondence, Special Projects, Gallery Files, Studio Notebooks, and Scrapbooks: Edward Albee, 1928-

John Anderson, 1904-

Bettina Bedwell, 1889-1947

Carl Beiber

George Belmont

George Biddle, 1885-1973

Kay Boyle, 1902-1992

Brassai, 1899-

Paul Burlin, 1886-1969

McClure Capps "Mac"

Norman Carton, 1908-1980

Jack Chapman

G. Alan Chidsey

Frederick Childs

Robert Coates, "Bob" 1897-1973

Malcolm Cowley, 1898-1989

Salvador Dali 1904-1989

Paul Damaz

Bernard Davis

Stuart Davis, 1894-1964

Adolph Dehn, 1895-1968

Richard de Rochemont

John Dos Passos, 1896-1970

Armand and Suzi D'usseau

Rene Lefebore Foinet

Gisele Freund, 1912-

Emily Genauer, 1911-

Esther Gentle, 1905-1984

Alberto Giacometti, 1901-1966

Xavier Gonzales, 1898-1993

John Howard Griffin

Ramon Guthrie, 1896-1973

Robert Gwathmey 1903-1988

Weeks Hall

Edith Gregor Halpert, 1900-1970

Stanley W. Hayter, 1901-1988

Nathan Hecht

Jean Helion, 1904-1987

William H. Henrick

Henry Herschkvitz

Hilaire Hiler, 1898-1966

Joseph Hirsch "Joe," 1910-1981

Stefan Hirsch, 1889-1964

Carl Holty, 1900-1973

Etienne Hubert

Arno Hummucher

Frederick I. Kann "Fred," 1886-

L.J. Konigsberg "Leib"

Louis Kronberg, 1872-1965

Alexandra Laks

Rico Lebrun (Fredrico), 1900-1964

Allen Leepa, 1919-

Isadore Levy

Julian Levy, 1906-1981

Jacques Lipchitz, 1891-1973

Ward Lockwood, 1894-1963

Jean Louste

Earle Ludgin, 1898-1981

Thalia Wescott Malcolm, 1888-

Reginald Marsh, 1898-1954

Archibald McLeish, 1892-

Henry Miller, 1891-1980

Joan Miro, 1893-1983

Gloria Nardin

Anais Nin, 1903-1977

Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt "B.J.O.," 1878-1955

Hugh O'Neill

Channing Peake, 1910-1989

Gabor Peferdi

Irving Penn

Peter Pollack, 1911-1978

Henry Varnum Poor 1888-1970

Andre Raizorkacs

Robert Rey

Maurice Reynal

Raymond Reynal

Hans Richter, 1888-1976

Edward Roditi

Shelden Rodman, 1909-

Waverly Root, 1903-1982

Felix Emmanuele Ruvolo, 1912-

Frank Sedlak

Paul Shapiro

Jack Gage Stark, 1882-1950

Barrie Stavis

Ike Stoeffle

Benjamin Ellis Tepper

David Turnbull

Alfredo Valente

Siegfried Wang

Frank C. Watkins (Franklin Chenault), 1894-1972

Allen Weller, 1907-
Separated Materials note:
Loaned material, including notebooks, writings, and some correspondence, were returned to Abraham Rattner after microfilming. This material is now part of the Abraham Rattner notes collection at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art at St. Petersburg College. Loaned material is available on reels D203-D205, D205A-D205B, and reel 1212, but is not described in this finding aid.
Provenance:
The collection was given to the Archives of American Art in stages by Abraham Rattner 1972-1983, by Esther Gentle 1986-1987, and by Gene Allen in 1992. The donated material that was previously filmed has been integrated and refilmed includes reels D203 and D205C-D205D. The material found on reels D205A-D205B was loaned by Rattner and the material found on reel 1212 was loaned by his sister, Jennie Allen.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Use of unmicrofilmed portion 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
Works of art  Search this
Artist couples  Search this
Painters -- France -- Paris  Search this
Art -- Study and teaching -- France -- Paris  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sketches
Diaries
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Interviews
Citation:
Abraham Rattner and Esther Gentle papers, 1891-1986. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.rattabra
See more items in:
Abraham Rattner and Esther Gentle papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw98b38e43e-390b-4c78-9a1b-51b9d7ff2357
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-rattabra
Online Media:

Abraham Rattner and Esther Gentle papers, 1891-1986

Creator:
Rattner, Abraham, 1893-1978  Search this
Subject:
Gwathmey, Robert  Search this
Guthrie, Ramon  Search this
Griffin, John Howard  Search this
Hiler, Hilaire  Search this
Hayter, Stanley William  Search this
Lipchitz, Jacques  Search this
Hall, William Weeks  Search this
Hélion, Jean  Search this
Holty, Carl  Search this
Hirsch, Stefan  Search this
Leepa, Allen  Search this
Lebrun, Rico  Search this
Kronberg, Louis  Search this
Bedwell, Bettina  Search this
Burlin, Paul  Search this
Carton, Norman  Search this
Boyle, Kay  Search this
Gonzalez, Xavier  Search this
De Rochemont, Richard  Search this
Dehn, Adolf  Search this
Coates, Robert M. (Robert Myron)  Search this
Gentle, Esther  Search this
Dos Passos, John  Search this
Davis, Stuart  Search this
Biddle, George  Search this
Hirsch, Joseph  Search this
Weller, Allen S. (Allen Stuart)  Search this
Ruvolo, Feliz  Search this
Watkins, Franklin Chenault  Search this
Stark, Jack Gage  Search this
Nordfeldt, Bror Julius Olsson  Search this
Poor, Henry Varnum  Search this
Peake, Channing  Search this
Miró, Joan  Search this
Malcolm, Thalia Westcott  Search this
Ludgin, Earle  Search this
Miller, Henry  Search this
Kennedy Galleries  Search this
Esther Gentle Reproductions  Search this
Downtown Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Paul Rosenberg & Co.  Search this
Type:
Sketches
Diaries
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Interviews
Citation:
Abraham Rattner and Esther Gentle papers, 1891-1986. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Works of art  Search this
Artist couples  Search this
Painters -- France -- Paris  Search this
Art -- Study and teaching -- France -- Paris  Search this
Theme:
Diaries  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)9183
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211378
AAA_collcode_rattabra
Theme:
Diaries
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211378
Online Media:

Abraham Walkowitz papers, 1904-1969

Creator:
Walkowitz, Abraham, 1880-1965  Search this
Subject:
Valente, Alfredo  Search this
Weber, Max  Search this
White, Clarence H.  Search this
Genthe, Arnold  Search this
Kleinholz, Frank  Search this
Maria-Theresa  Search this
Van Vechten, Carl  Search this
Olinsky, Ivan G. (Ivan Gregorewitch)  Search this
Biddle, George  Search this
Pach, Walter  Search this
Stieglitz, Alfred  Search this
Traubel, Horace  Search this
Jacobi, Lotte  Search this
Haldeman-Julius, E. (Emanuel)  Search this
Eliasoph, Paula  Search this
Duncan, Elizabeth  Search this
Arms, John Taylor  Search this
Dunaif, George M.  Search this
Newman, Arnold  Search this
Schapiro, Louis  Search this
Type:
Photographs
Transcripts
Interviews
Citation:
Abraham Walkowitz papers, 1904-1969. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Painting, American  Search this
Art -- Collectors and collecting  Search this
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)9263
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211458
AAA_collcode_walkabra
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211458
Online Media:

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