The papers of sculptor José de Rivera date from 1930 to 1991 and measure 5.6 linear feet. Found within the papers are biographical materials, letters, scattered personal business records, commission files, art work including four sketchbooks, printed material, and photographs. One of the commission files includes a motion picture film.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of sculptor José de Rivera date from 1930 to 1991 and measure 5.6 linear feet. Found within the papers are biographical materials, letters, scattered personal business records, commission files, art work including four sketchbooks, printed material, and photographs. One of the commission files includes a motion picture film.
Biographical material consists of a biographical account, resumé, military service records, an interview transcript, certificates, addresses, and miscellaneous notes and writings.
Twenty-nine folders of letters are primarily from de Rivera's patron, attorney Howard Goldsmith, but also include single letters from Marcel Breuer, John Canaday, Emlen Etting, Dag Hammarskjold, and G. Vantongerloo.
Scattered personal business records include rental records, sculpture inventories, a contract, receipts, and miscellaneous records.
Commission files contain letters, contracts, receipts, clippings, blueprints, miscellaneous printed material, and photographs concerning several of de Rivera's commissions, including Brussels Construction for the Brussels Universal and International Exhibition, his sculpture for the 1964 New York World's Fair, and Infinity, commissioned for the Smithsonian. A file for Construction #73 completed for the American Iron and Steel Institute also contains a reel of 16mm motion picture film.
Art work consists of four sketchbooks, drawings, and geometric collages including detached cut out shapes.
Printed material includes primarily clippings and exhibition announcements and catalogs. There is also a copy of the book José de Rivera Constructions by Dore Ashton and Joan M. Marter. Photographs are of de Rivera, miscellaneous art-related events, his studio, his art works, and of miscellaneous exhibition installations. Commission files also contain photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 7 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1942-1984 (Box 1; 11 folders)
Series 2: Letters, 1938-1988 (Box 1; 29 folders)
Series 3: Personal Business Records, 1947-1984 (Box 1; 11 folders)
Series 4: Commission Files, 1955-1977 (Box 1-2, 6-7, OVs 10-11, FC 13; 1.1 linear feet)
Series 5: Art Work, 1960-1984 (Box 2, 6, OV 8; 0.9 linear feet)
Series 6: Printed Material, 1931-1991 (Box 2-4, 6; 1.5 linear feet)
Series 7: Photographs, 1930-1985 (Box 4-7, OV 9-OV 10, 12; 1.7 linear feet)
Biographical Note:
José de Rivera (1904-1985) worked primarily in New York as an abstract expressionist sculptor known for twisting steel or bronze bands into space-defining three-dimensional shapes.
José A. Ruiz was born on September 18, 1904 in West Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the son of Joseph and Honorine Montamat Ruiz. He would later take the surname of his maternal grandmother, de Rivera. Early in his life his family moved to New Orleans where his father was a sugar mill engineer on a plantation. De Rivera became adept at repairing machinery and doing blacksmith work with his father. Shortly after completing high school in 1922, de Rivera moved to Chicago where he was employed in foundries and machine shops as a pipe fitter and tool and die maker. His 1926 marriage to Rose Covelli ended in divorce.
Beginning in 1928 de Rivera attended night drawing classes conducted at the Studio School by painter John W. Norton. De Rivera was impressed by the Egyptian collections at the Field Museum. The work of Mondrian, Brancusi, and Georges Vantongerloo also exerted a strong influence on him. In 1932, he traveled through southern Europe and North Africa visiting Spain, Italy, France, Greece, and Egypt. Upon his return to the United States he decided to become a sculptor.
From 1937-1938, de Rivera was employed by the Works Progress Administration-Federal Art Project and created the sculpture Flight for the Newark, New Jersey airport. During World War II, he first served in the U.S. Army Corps from 1942 to 1943. For the following three years, he designed and constructed ship models used as training aids in the U. S. Navy.
De Rivera's first solo exhibition was in 1946 in New York at the Mortimer Levitt Gallery. In 1953, de Rivera taught sculpture at Brooklyn College. For the following three years, he was a critic in sculpture at Yale University and taught at the School of Design at North Carolina State College from 1957 to 1960. De Rivera married Lita Jeronimo in 1955.
In 1961 de Rivera was given a retrospective exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. One of his most notable works Infinity was commissioned by the Smithsonian Institution for the front of its newly built Museum of History and Technology in 1963.
José de Rivera died on March 19, 1985 in New York City.
Separated Material:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reel N70-32) including biographical material, correspondence, writings, drawings, printed material, and photographs. Loaned material was returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
In 1970, José de Rivera loaned the Archives of Amrican Art material for microfilming. The artist and the Grace Borgenicht Gallery donated additional papers in 1982 and De Rivera's son, Joseph A. Ruiz II, gave more material in 1998.
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.
The papers of sculptor, painter, and educator Ida Kohlmeyer date from circa 1890 to circa 1990s and measure 13.7 linear feet. The papers document Kohlmeyer's many exhibitions and commissioned works, and her teaching career. Found are biographical material, correspondence, writings and notes, personal business records, professional files, printed material, and photographs.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of sculptor, painter, and educator Ida Kohlmeyer date from circa 1890 to circa 1990s and measure 13.7 linear feet. The papers document Kohlmeyer's many exhibitions and commissioned works, and her teaching career. Found are biographical material, correspondence, writings and notes, personal business records, professional files, printed material, and photographs.
Biographical materials include the items taken from Kohlmeyer's memorial wall in her studio which consist of mementos, printed material and photographs. Writings and notes are by Kohlmeyer on art as well as lectures and talks. Writings on Kohlmeyer by others include writings by Jan Butterfield, Whitney Engeran, and Ellen Tibbets. There is also a copy of Hugh Kohlmeyer's memoirs.
Professional files contain letters, printed material, photographs, financial records, and other scattered items relating to Kohlmeyer's career as a painter, sculptor, and educator. Files may be found for specific exhibitions, galleries, and commissions, and may also document Kohlmeyer's professional relationships with art consultants and others.
Photographs depict Ida Kohlmeyer, her family, friends, artworks, and personal art collection. Also found are photos documenting the original placement of items on the memorial wall.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 7 series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1927-circa 1990s (1.2 linear feet; Box 1, 14)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1950s-1980s (0.5 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)
Series 3: Writings and Notes, circa 1940-1987 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 2-3)
Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1946-circa 1990s (0.6 linear feet; Box 3)
Series 5: Professional Files, 1956-1995 (4.0 linear feet; Boxes 4-7)
Series 6: Printed Material, 1932-1990s (5.3 linear feet; Boxes 8-12, 15-16)
Series 7: Photographs, circa 1890-1997 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 12-13)
Biographical / Historical:
Ida Kohlmeyer (1912-1997) was a painter, sculptor, and educator active in Louisiana. She was known for her brightly colored abstract expressionist paintings and sculpture.
Born Ida Rittenberg, to Polish immigrants, Ida spent her childhood in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was educated at Newcomb College, Tulane University, where she initially studied English, and returned in her mid-30s to study art. Inspired by the Abstract Expressionist movement, Kohlmeyer went on to study with Hans Hofmann and became acquainted with Mark Rothko and other notable New York City artists. She exhibited her works around Louisiana and elsewhere in the United States. A large retrospective of Kohlmeyer's work was held at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina in the mid-1980s.
Ida married Hugh Kohlmeyer and they had two daughters. She died in 1997 in Metairie, Louisiana.
Related Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds an oral history interview of Ida Kohlmeyer conducted 1989 May 17-20, by Avis Berman.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds material lent for microfilming on reels 5280-5281. Included are miscellaneous scattered letters from Hans Hofmann, Mark Rothko, and James Johnson Sweeney, 1956-1959 and undated; letters from Lynda Benglis, 1976-1983; draft writings and lectures by Kohlmeyer, undated; and an extensive card catalog of works of art by Kohlmeyer which includes information on the title, dimensions, media, date, name and address of the owner, and sale price. Many cards have thumbnail sketches. The catalog is arranged alphabetically by title. There is also one miscellaneous card file. Loaned materials were returned to the donor and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 1998 by Jane K. Lowentritt, Kohlmeyer's daughter and former studio manager, except for material on reels 5280-5281 which Lowentritt lent for microfilming.
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.
Ida Kohlmeyer papers, circa 1890-circa 1990s. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Processing of this collection received federal support from the Collections Care Initiative Fund, administered by the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative and the National Collections Program
This file contains 11 digital images and 1 folder.
General:
This 0.6 acre property was established by the current owners in 2004. They were originally drawn to the property because of its potential to have a view of a private back garden from a sheltered terrace. They enlisted the landscape architect Robert L. Hartwig to shape the gardens around their Louisiana French Revival home. The formal and stately design of the garden was inspired by the architecture of the home. The edge of the garden is defined by an old brick wall and a 20-foot Eagleston holly hedge on three sides. An odoatissium, awabuki viburnum hedge graces one side of the walkway to the front gate while a variety of colorful camellias line the other side. The front gate features an ornamental wrought iron arbor mounted to two old brick pillars with white iceberg climbing rose blooms that cling to it in the summer. Three corners of the garden feature large Japanese maples. A 75-year-old live oak tree with Asiatic jasmine planted beneath, stands at the center of the lawn. The multiple white crepe myrtle on the property contrast against the taupe home. Major plantings in the garden include beds of agapanthus, leatherleaf mahonia, aspidistra, periwinkle, and liriope. Augustine grass was used for the lawn because of its exceptional tolerance for heat and sun.
The property features a spacious terrace and meandering walkways constructed of Arizona Rosa Flagstone. A rectangular swimming pool sits to the west side of the lawn, with a pergola positioned behind. Garden seating in the center of the pergola is protected on either side by brick walls covered with manicured ficus. A main focal point of the garden is an assemblage of bronze sculptures representing the owner's five young children that sit to the east side of the garden surrounded by white crepe myrtle trees. The pieces were created by Oklahoma sculptor Leonard McMurray in 1966 and have since weathered to a green patina. The owner created a small potting shed behind the brick wall that they use to practice their hobby of plant propagation. The parapets lining the terrace are crowned with pots of their propogated begonias and calamondins.
Persons associated with the garden include: Robert L. Hartwig (landscape designer, 2004); Mike McClune (designer, 2010); Chris Muir (gardener, 2006); Karl Becnel (gardener, 2004-present).
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
The Weinmann Garden (Metairie, Louisiana) Search this
United States of America -- Louisiana -- Jefferson Parish -- Metairie Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
An interview of Ida Kohlmeyer conducted 1989 May 17-20, by Avis Berman, for the Archives of American Art.
Kohlmeyer discusses how she became an artist, her training, her marriage, the New Orleans art scene, her teaching and students, her work in sculpture, and the "Clusters and Circus" series. She recalls Pat Trivigno, Mark Rothko, Hans Hofmann, Clyfford Still, James Johnson Sweeney, Luba Glade, and Ruth White.
Biographical / Historical:
Ida Kohlmeyer (1912-1997) was a painter from New Orleans, La.
General:
Originally recorded on 4 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 8 digital wav files. Duration is 6 hr.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others. Funding for this interview provided by the Lannan Foundation.
Restrictions:
For information on how to access this interview contact Reference Services.
A documentary about David Butler written, edited and produced by Rancy Boyd-Snee in 1985. Boyd-Snee discusses the similarities between African figural and black American sculpture; Butler's methods and materials; his imagery; and how his life changed as a result of media exposure. The video also includes comments by Nick Spitzer of the Louisiana Folklife Program, Butler's dealer Richard Gasperi, and William Fagaly, chief curator at the New Orleans Museum of Art.
Provenance:
Donated 1986 by Rancy Boyd-Snee.
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.
Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote or reproduce requires written permission from Rancy Boyd-Snee. 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.
Tom Ray letters from Henry Bridgewater measures 0.2 linear feet and consists of forty-five letters to Tom Ray from Henry Bridgewater dating from 1992-1999, written during his incarceration at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Bridgewater writes about his works of art, in particular, lamps he created that he would send to Ray for him to trade and sell to other folk art collectors.
Scope and Contents:
Tom Ray letters from Henry Bridgewater measures 0.2 linear feet and consists of forty-five letters to Tom Ray from Henry Bridgewater dating from 1992-1999, written during his incarceration at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Bridgewater writes about his works of art, in particular, lamps he created that he would send to Ray for him to trade and sell to other folk art collectors.
Arrangement:
Due to its small size, this collection is arranged into one series.
Series 1: Tom Ray Letters From Henry Bridgewater, 1992-1999 (0.2 Linear Feet: Box 1)
Biographical / Historical:
Henry Bridgewater (1925-2001) was a sculptor and outsider artist in Angola, Louisiana known for his wood-carved lamps of iconic figures and celebrities including cowboys, Wyatt Earp, Dolly Parton, Madonna, and Tina Turner. Tom Ray was a patron and informal art dealer for Bridgewater after befriending him in the early 1990s, while Bridgewater served two live sentences at the Lousiana State Penitentiary, Angola.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 2019 by Tom Ray.
Restrictions:
Use of 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.
Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Introduction:
From the soaring skyscrapers of New York City to the adobe churches of New Mexico, from the sturdy stone walls of New England to the majestic monuments of the nation's capital, master craftworkers in the building arts have brought enduring beauty to our built environment. Working in wood, stone, brick, and metal, in plaster, paint, glass, and clay, they transform designs on paper into three-dimensional works of art. Much depends on their workmanship and skill: on their deep understanding of raw materials, their careful selection and use of tools, their mastery of technique. The final product is the result not only of their knowledge and abilities, but also their creativity and care - their will to excellence.
Artisans in the building trades share a deep appreciation for the aesthetic value and expressive power of technical perfection. They delight in skill and find meaning and pleasure in the poetic qualities of workmanship - in their ability to craft objects of beauty and strength through their special touch. Their great pride and creative spirit, their love for their work, and their commitment to excellence are manifested in a lasting legacy of architectural achievement left behind for generations to come.
The 2000 Festival program celebrated the extraordinary artistry of craftspeople in the building arts and explored the many challenges they face today as they work to preserve our nation's past and build for the future. The Festival brought together a selection of master artisans - stone carvers, masons, carpenters, terra cotta artisans, plasterers, blacksmiths, stained glass artisans, and adobe builders - who have enriched our world with the work of their hands, and who educated and informed Festival visitors not only with their skills but also with their knowledge and lore.
Marjorie Hunt was Curator and James Deutsch was Program Coordinator; Betty Belanus was Education Specialist and Family Activity Guide Coordinator. An Advisory Committee included: J. Bryan Blundell, Kurt Dewhurst, William Dupont, Cynthia Field, Henry Glassie, Norman Koonce, Betty Monkman, Peter Nabokov, Joanna Reagan, Rex Scouten, William Seale, Chris Sturbaum, John Michael Vlach, and Ed Worthy.
The program was produced in collaboration with the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers and the International Masonry Institute, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Building Museum, the American Institute of Architects, and the Preservation Trades Network. Major funding was provided by Homestore.com, the Marble Institute of America, Allied Stone Industries, the Building Stone Institute, the Indiana Limestone Institute, and the National Building Granite Quarries Association. Major contributors included Target Stores, the Associated General Contractors of America, the National Association of Realtors, and the Smithsonian Women's Committee. Additional donors included the School of the Building Arts, Duron, Inc., the Brick Industry Association, the Laborers' International Union of North America, the Smithsonian Educational Outreach Fund, and the Copper Development Association, Inc.
Researchers:
Jane Beck, Betty Belanus, Ray Brassieur, Amanda Dargan, James Deutsch, Kurt Dewhurst, Karen Duffy, Lynn Martin Graton, Dwight Pauahi Kauahikaua, Winnie Lambrecht, Tim Lloyd, Gregory Sharrow, Gary Stanton, David Taylor, Elaine Thatcher, John Michael Vlach
Presenters:
Betty Belanus, Barry Bergey, Ray Brassieur, Olivia Cadaval, Amanda Dargan, William Dupont, Brian Finnegan, Lynn Martin Graton, Tim Lloyd, Philip "Pete" Pederson, Clift Seferlis, Peter Seitel, Gregory Sharrow, Angelo Simone, Nick Spitzer, Gary Stanton, David Taylor, Elaine Thatcher, Cynthia Vidaurri, John Michael Vlach
Participants:
David Adams, historic preservation specialist, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Robert Alger, stone carver, sculptor, Spencerville, Maryland
Joseph Alonso, stone mason, Vienna, Virginia
Onofre Anguiano, terra cotta hand presser, mold maker, Lincoln, Calif.
Walter S. Arnold, stone carver, Skokie, Illinois
Sam Baca, program director, Cornerstones Community Partnerships, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Earl A. Barthe, 1932-2010, plasterer, historian and consultant, New Orleans, Louisiana
Hurchail Barthe, plasterer, New Orleans, Louisiana
Terry Barthe, plasterer, historic housing specialist, New Orleans, Louisiana
Nick Benson, stone carver, letterer, Newport, Rhode Island
Johan Bjurman, decorative painter, Cheshire, Connecticut
Anna Bowen, stone carver, letterer, Newport, Rhode Island
Tom Weddle, restoration carpenter, Bloomington, Indiana
Bob Wooldridge, slater, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
Jeff Wooldridge, slater, project manager, Bethesda, Maryland
Bill Yeingst, curator, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
Pauli Zmolek, decorative painter, Takoma Park, Maryland
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS (BAC), INTERNATIONAL MASONRY INSTITUTE (IMI)
Frank Baiocchi, marble mason, Mt. Airy, Maryland
Ed Bellucci, IMI deputy director of Apprenticeship and Training, Jefferson, Maryland
Robert Bernardon, marble mason, Suitland, Maryland
Lewis Carrara, mosaic worker, Fortville, Indiana
Raoul Cervantes, bricklayer, Claremont, California
Kurt Colo, bricklayer, New Baltimore, Michigan
Laird Donaldson, IMI regional director, Auburn, Washington
James Farris, stone mason, Stafford, Virginia
Richard Francescon, marble mason, South Easton, Massachusetts
Greg Hartseil, IMI Job Corps regional director, Lorida, Florida
Dennis Holloway, IMI Scola Training Center director, West Babylon, New York
Mike Kassman, IMI pointing, cleaning, and caulking instructor, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
Tony Kassman, IMI National Safety, pointing, cleaning, and caulking coordinator, Tonawanda, New York
John Kitchen, bricklayer apprentice, Dryden, New York
Frank Koletar, refractory bricklayer, Orchard Park, New York
Annette Ludwig, tile layer, Bellevue, Washington
Nelson McMath, BAC Local 9 Michigan field representative, Saline, Michigan
Tom McQuaid, BAC Local 1 DC, MONA secretary, treasurer, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Steve Martini, IMI Strategic Programs director, Cascade, Maryland
Steve Mason, terrazzo apprentice, Washington, D.C.
Antoine Matthews, bricklayer, Baltimore, Maryland
Michael Menegazzi, IMI terrazzo instructor, South Gate, California
Bob Mion, IMI tile, marble, and terrazzo instructor, Binghamton, New York
Guillermo Moreno, stone mason, Hyattsville, Maryland
Colleen Muldoon, coordinator of Education Programs, bricklayer, Baltimore, Maryland
Clarence Nichols, IMI deputy director of Apprenticeship and Training, Cumberland, Maryland
Angela Olszewski, tile layer, Jersey City, New Jersey
Lester Parnell, bricklayer, Detroit, Michigan
Bob Perry, IMI regional director, Culver City, California
Darren Raines, tile layer, Chicago, Illinois
Matthew Redabaugh, IMI coordinator of Special Projects, Cascade, Maryland
Butch Rovder, BAC stone craft director, South Riding, Virginia
Joe Stewart, BAC pointing, cleaning, and caulking craft director, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Gene Stinner, IMI director of Apprenticeship and Training, Cascade, Maryland
Dennis Studley, IMI Job Corps regional director, Yucaipa, California
Harold Sugg, refractory bricklayer, West Seneca, New York
Jimmy Ternent, marble mason, Westminster, Maryland
John Totten, IMI plaster instructor, Clintondale, New York
Drew Vecchione, IMI stone instructor, Flourtown, Pennsylvania
Battista Yon, bricklayer, Hyattsville, Maryland
Collection Restrictions:
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 2001 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with José de Rivera, 1968 February 24. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
An interview of José de Rivera conducted 1968 February 24, by Paul Cummings, for the Archives of American Art. De Rivera recalls his childhood on sugar plantations in Louisiana; his early work in New Orleans and Chicago as a mechanic; his training as a commercial artist at Chicago's Studio School and taking life drawing classes with John Norton. He talks about freelancing as a commercial artist in Chicago; his military service during World War II; traveling in Europe and Egypt and relocating to New York. Cummings and de Rivera discuss de Rivera's sculpture in some depth, as well as de Rivera's interest in artists such as Brancusi and Mondrian.
Biographical / Historical:
José de Rivera (1904-1985) was a sculptor in New York, New York.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 9 min.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others. Funding for the interview was provided by the New York State Council on the Arts.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
