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Lost City of Petra (ca. 1966)

Creator:
Human Studies Film Archives  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2008-01-31T15:52:33.000Z
YouTube Category:
Travel & Events  Search this
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Anthropology  Search this
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Human Studies Film Archives
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HSFAFilmClips
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_52bL0M9z_PM

Swede and Lovely - ca. 1972

Creator:
Human Studies Film Archives  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2011-03-17T19:54:32.000Z
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Education  Search this
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Anthropology  Search this
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edanmdm:yt_EnrtfKZu1V0

Caravan to Kabul - ca. 1975

Creator:
Human Studies Film Archives  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2011-03-17T18:34:15.000Z
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Education  Search this
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Anthropology  Search this
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edanmdm:yt_W2wQuWsoDRQ

Mountain Dancers of Poland - ca. 1973

Creator:
Human Studies Film Archives  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2011-03-17T19:41:22.000Z
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Education  Search this
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Anthropology  Search this
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edanmdm:yt_qxy8uYEL4ow

Quintango: Joan Singer (Interview)

Creator:
Smithsonian Education  Search this
Type:
Conversations and talks
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2011-10-14T12:50:02.000Z
YouTube Category:
Music  Search this
Topic:
Education  Search this
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SmithsonianEducation
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Smithsonian Education
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SmithsonianEducation
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_MrIlfmc2gXI

How to Make a "Clay Llama" (Demonstration)

Creator:
Smithsonian Education  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2011-10-14T12:47:34.000Z
YouTube Category:
Howto & Style  Search this
Topic:
Education  Search this
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Smithsonian Education
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SmithsonianEducation
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_i0Tfi9tdJEQ

Tango Dancing: Carina Losano and René Davila (Interview)

Creator:
Smithsonian Education  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2011-10-14T12:47:10.000Z
YouTube Category:
Entertainment  Search this
Topic:
Education  Search this
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Smithsonian Education
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SmithsonianEducation
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edanmdm:yt_jbz_cVNap6Y

Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961

Creator:
Kent, Rockwell, 1882-1971  Search this
Subject:
Wildenstein, Felix  Search this
Phillips, Duncan  Search this
Hays, Lee  Search this
Untermeyer, Louis  Search this
Zigrosser, Carl  Search this
Robeson, Paul  Search this
DuBois, W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt)  Search this
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano)  Search this
Ruggles, Carl  Search this
Stefansson, Vilhjalmur  Search this
Nearing, Helen  Search this
Nearing, Scott  Search this
Pach, Walter  Search this
Rasmussen, Knud  Search this
Reeves, Ruth  Search this
Seeger, Pete  Search this
Daniel, Charles  Search this
Cleland, T. M. (Thomas Maitland)  Search this
Davies, Arthur B. (Arthur Bowen)  Search this
Chamberlain, J. E.  Search this
Boyesen, Bayard  Search this
Chase, William Merritt  Search this
Freuchen, Peter  Search this
Gellert, Hugo  Search this
Gottlieb, Harry  Search this
Hartley, Marsden  Search this
FitzGerald, James  Search this
Keller, Charles  Search this
Miller, Kenneth Hayes  Search this
Henri, Robert  Search this
Jones, Dan Burne  Search this
United American Artists  Search this
United Office and Professional Workers of America  Search this
United Scenic Artists  Search this
National Farmers' Union (U.S.)  Search this
National Maritime Union of America  Search this
American Artists' Congress  Search this
Artists' Union (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Artists League of America  Search this
Citizens' Committee for Government Arts Projects  Search this
Farmers Union of the New York Milk Shed  Search this
Federal Art Project  Search this
Federal Writers' Project  Search this
Macbeth Gallery  Search this
International Workers Order  Search this
Type:
Poems
Sketches
Business records
Photographs
Drawings
Citation:
Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Designers -- New York (State)  Search this
Mural painting and decoration  Search this
Politics and culture  Search this
Authors -- New York  Search this
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- United States -- Political aspects  Search this
Dairy farms  Search this
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Illustrators -- New York (State)  Search this
Illustration of books  Search this
Works of art  Search this
Art and war  Search this
Commercial art  Search this
World War, 1939-1945 -- Art and the war  Search this
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)9557
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211757
AAA_collcode_kentrock
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211757
Online Media:

Biographical Material

Collection Creator:
James, Alexander, 1890-1946  Search this
Extent:
.1 Linear feet (Box 1)
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1916-1937
Scope and Contents:
Biographical materials include several passports for Alexander and Frederika James, a marriage certificate, and a family genealogy.
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.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce materials on reel 3828 requires written permission from Alexander R. James, Glandore, County Cork, Ireland. 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:
Alexander Robertson James papers, circa 1885-1986, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.jamealex, Series 1
See more items in:
Alexander Robertson James papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw95113caf5-2323-4498-a355-19487236b185
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-jamealex-ref22

Alexander Robertson James, Passports

Collection Creator:
James, Alexander, 1890-1946  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1929-1935
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.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce materials on reel 3828 requires written permission from Alexander R. James, Glandore, County Cork, Ireland. 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:
Alexander Robertson James papers, circa 1885-1986, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Alexander Robertson James papers
Alexander Robertson James papers / Series 1: Biographical Material
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw90b1872e8-ce1b-4ee0-8e15-f2483b425316
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-jamealex-ref29

Frederika Paine James, Passports

Collection Creator:
James, Alexander, 1890-1946  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1927-1935
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.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce materials on reel 3828 requires written permission from Alexander R. James, Glandore, County Cork, Ireland. 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:
Alexander Robertson James papers, circa 1885-1986, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Alexander Robertson James papers
Alexander Robertson James papers / Series 1: Biographical Material
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9bb934fda-1816-4390-8166-3874fbb52a16
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-jamealex-ref30

Alexander Robertson James papers

Creator:
James, Alexander, 1890-1946  Search this
Names:
James, Frederika Paine  Search this
Extent:
3.9 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sketchbooks
Drawings
Date:
circa 1885-1986
Summary:
The Alexander Robertson James papers measure 3.9 linear feet and date from circa 1885-1986. They illustrate his career through biographical materials, correspondence, writings, personal business records, printed and photographic materials, and artwork.
Scope and Contents:
The Alexander Robertson James papers measure 3.9 linear feet and date from circa 1885-1986. Biographical materials include several passports for Alexander and Frederika James, a marriage certificate, and a family genealogy. Correspondence is to and from James and is with family and professional colleagues. Writings include several diaries by James, his mother, and Frederika, as well as a notebook containing descriptions of his gesso technique, Frederika's notes on her husband's paintings, and an account of the family's time in Paris. Personal business records consist of James' name change application and certificates and his last will and testament, as well as files regarding commissions, various exhibitions, and multiple expense legers. Also included are art valuations by an insurance company and records of art sales.

Printed material contains exhibition catalogs, various art publications, and news clippings. Photographic material includes photographs of James and his family, his studio, and his artwork, as well as a photograph album of William James and other family members. There are also two albums of exhibition photographs, and photographs of two sketches, one by John Singer Sargent and one by Barry Faulkner. Artwork includes various loose sketches, five sketchbooks, an oil portrait of James' father, three watercolors of Giverny, France, three pigment studies, and sketches of James.
Arrangement:
This collection consists of seven series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1916-1937 (.1 Linear feet: Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1893-1983 (1.7 Linear feet: Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1907-1955 (.2 Linear feet: Box 2)

Series 4: Personal Business Records, circa 1912-1978 (.8 Linear feet: Box 3)

Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1916-1986 (.1 Linear feet: Box 3)

Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1885-1986 (.5 Linear feet: Boxes 3-5)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1897-1940 (.5 Linear feet: Boxes 4-6)
Biographical / Historical:
Alexander Robertson James (1890-1946) was a painter who worked primarily in Dublin, New Hampshire.

James was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts as Francis Temple Tweedy James to philosopher William James and was the nephew of noted writer Henry James. He studied at the Boston Museum School under Frank W. Benson, before marrying Frederika Paine in 1916 and moving to California. While in California James was met with many portrait commissions, however after two years he moved to Dublin, New Hampshire under the suggestion of his mentor Abbot Thayer in 1918. In 1925 he had his name officially changed to Alexander Robertson James. Later in life he dropped the Robertson and became Alexander James.

During the depression, the family moved to Paris, France in 1929 before moving again to the suburb of Ville d'Avrey. In 1930, the family returned to Dublin and in 1931 James took a reprieve of one year to live in Richmond, New Hampshire to paint portraits. From 1930 to 1937, James focused on portrait painting and his most famous works include George de Forest Brush and Portrait of a Professor. James remained in Richmond, where his wife and three children visited on weekends, until returning to Dublin in 1942. In the last years of his life, he built a studio behind his Dublin home which was completed in 1945. James would die soon after.

James is also well known for his impressionist inspired landscapes and genre scenes and was a long time exhibitor at the Art Institute of Chicago as well as the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Corcoran Gallery of Art. He was a member of the Century Association and today his works can be seen at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Springfield Museum of Fine Arts, and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Fine Art in Missouri.

Alexander Robertson James died of a heart attack on February 26, 1946.
Related Materials:
The Archives of American Art also hold, on microfilm reel 3828 only, a bound volume containing thirty-seven letters from William James to his youngest son, Alexander James, one letter from his mother, Alice Howe Gibbens James, and eleven postcards.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reel 4195) including original letters from William James (1842-1910) to Alexander James. Loaned materials were returned to the donor and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
A bound volume containing thirty-seven letters from William James to his youngest son, Alexander James, one letter from his mother, Alice Howe Gibbens James, and eleven postcards were lent for microfilming by Michael James, the son of Alexander James, and returned in 1986. The bulk of the microfilmed material and additional papers were donated in 1986 by Michael James.
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:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce materials on reel 3828 requires written permission from Alexander R. James, Glandore, County Cork, Ireland. 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.
Occupation:
Portrait painters  Search this
Painters -- New Hampshire  Search this
Topic:
Gesso  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sketchbooks
Drawings
Citation:
Alexander Robertson James papers, circa 1885-1986, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.jamealex
See more items in:
Alexander Robertson James papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9f0e03857-3c9f-4b1a-bdac-779ce0446042
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-jamealex

Our America Audio Podcast - ADÁL, "El Puerto Rican Passport" series (English)

Creator:
Smithsonian American Art Museum  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2014-01-09T13:24:07.000Z
YouTube Category:
Education  Search this
Topic:
Art, American  Search this
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americanartmuseum
Data Source:
Smithsonian American Art Museum
YouTube Channel:
americanartmuseum
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_wES0ff4YgeM

Quintango Danzarin (Musical and Dance Performance)

Creator:
Smithsonian Education  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2011-10-14T12:50:41.000Z
YouTube Category:
Entertainment  Search this
Topic:
Education  Search this
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SmithsonianEducation
Data Source:
Smithsonian Education
YouTube Channel:
SmithsonianEducation
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_fItkCk19cog

South of Zamboanga - ca.1970

Creator:
Human Studies Film Archives  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2011-03-17T18:56:39.000Z
YouTube Category:
Education  Search this
Topic:
Anthropology  Search this
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Data Source:
Human Studies Film Archives
YouTube Channel:
HSFAFilmClips
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_CVCZxYv80PU

Hawaii (ca. 1975)

Creator:
Human Studies Film Archives  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2019-08-02T17:14:34.000Z
YouTube Category:
Film & Animation  Search this
Topic:
Anthropology  Search this
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HSFAFilmClips
Data Source:
Human Studies Film Archives
YouTube Channel:
HSFAFilmClips
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_MuapJD9TFV0

Leptis Magna Roman Ruins, Libya (1972)

Creator:
Human Studies Film Archives  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2010-10-26T14:50:37.000Z
YouTube Category:
Education  Search this
Topic:
Anthropology  Search this
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HSFAFilmClips
Data Source:
Human Studies Film Archives
YouTube Channel:
HSFAFilmClips
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_NX2HY2cpdu0

When In Greece (ca. 1970)

Creator:
Human Studies Film Archives  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2019-08-06T20:53:07.000Z
YouTube Category:
Film & Animation  Search this
Topic:
Anthropology  Search this
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HSFAFilmClips
Data Source:
Human Studies Film Archives
YouTube Channel:
HSFAFilmClips
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_hwsupP11yUI

The Golden Coast of Spain - ca. 1975

Creator:
Human Studies Film Archives  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2011-03-17T19:47:24.000Z
YouTube Category:
Education  Search this
Topic:
Anthropology  Search this
See more by:
HSFAFilmClips
Data Source:
Human Studies Film Archives
YouTube Channel:
HSFAFilmClips
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_qrXITB7Mkms

Rockwell Kent papers

Creator:
Kent, Rockwell, 1882-1971  Search this
Names:
American Artists' Congress  Search this
Artists League of America  Search this
Artists' Union (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Citizens' Committee for Government Arts Projects  Search this
Farmers Union of the New York Milk Shed  Search this
Federal Art Project  Search this
Federal Writers' Project  Search this
International Workers Order  Search this
Macbeth Gallery  Search this
National Farmers' Union (U.S.)  Search this
National Maritime Union of America  Search this
United American Artists  Search this
United Office and Professional Workers of America  Search this
United Scenic Artists  Search this
Boyesen, Bayard  Search this
Chamberlain, J. E.  Search this
Chase, William Merritt, 1849-1916  Search this
Cleland, T. M. (Thomas Maitland), 1880-1964  Search this
Daniel, Charles, 1878-1971  Search this
Davies, Arthur B. (Arthur Bowen), 1862-1928  Search this
DuBois, W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt), 1868-1963  Search this
Fitzgerald, James, 1899-1971  Search this
Freuchen, Peter, 1886-1957  Search this
Gellert, Hugo, 1892-1985  Search this
Gottlieb, Harry, 1895-  Search this
Hartley, Marsden, 1877-1943  Search this
Hays, Lee, 1914-1981  Search this
Henri, Robert, 1865-1929  Search this
Jones, Dan Burne  Search this
Keller, Charles, 1914-2006  Search this
Miller, Kenneth Hayes, 1876-1952  Search this
Nearing, Helen  Search this
Nearing, Scott, 1883-1983  Search this
Pach, Walter, 1883-1958  Search this
Phillips, Duncan, 1886-1966  Search this
Rasmussen, Knud, 1879-1933  Search this
Reeves, Ruth, 1892-1966  Search this
Robeson, Paul, 1898-1976  Search this
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945  Search this
Ruggles, Carl, 1876-1971  Search this
Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014  Search this
Stefansson, Vilhjalmur, 1879-1962  Search this
Untermeyer, Louis, 1885-1977  Search this
Wildenstein, Felix, 1883-1952  Search this
Zigrosser, Carl, 1891-  Search this
Extent:
88 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Poems
Sketches
Business records
Photographs
Drawings
Date:
circa 1840-1993
bulk 1935-1961
Summary:
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.
Occupation:
Painters -- New York (State)  Search this
Topic:
Designers -- New York (State)  Search this
Mural painting and decoration  Search this
Politics and culture  Search this
Authors -- New York  Search this
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- United States -- Political aspects  Search this
Dairy farms  Search this
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Illustrators -- New York (State)  Search this
Illustration of books  Search this
Works of art  Search this
Art and war  Search this
Commercial art  Search this
World War, 1939-1945 -- Art and the war  Search this
Function:
Labor unions
Genre/Form:
Poems
Sketches
Business records
Photographs
Drawings
Citation:
Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.kentrock
See more items in:
Rockwell Kent papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97edd9940-eb61-4562-9583-def2da778b6a
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-kentrock

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