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Creator:

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2016-06-07T15:25:13.000Z

YouTube Category:

Science & Technology  Search this

Topic:

Animal health;Environmental Sciences;Coastal ecology  Search this

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SmithsonianSERC

Data Source:

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianSERC

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_PDVbnqsPEqY

Creator:

National Museum of American History  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2016-12-12T19:46:29.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

American History  Search this

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SmithsonianAmHistory

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianAmHistory

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_zaOwiS5Wxgk

Creator:

Smithsonian Science Education Center  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2016-06-07T16:35:28.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Education;Science  Search this

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SmithsonianScienceEdCenter

Data Source:

Smithsonian Science Education Center

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianScienceEdCenter

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_d9X-J2oE9Yk

Creator:

Smithsonian Channel  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2013-10-07T16:06:14.000Z

YouTube Category:

Entertainment  Search this

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smithsonianchannel

Data Source:

Smithsonian Channel

YouTube Channel:

smithsonianchannel

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_B6du2B10K2w

Creator:

Smithsonian Channel  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2020-04-03T15:30:04.000Z

YouTube Category:

Entertainment  Search this

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smithsonianchannel

Data Source:

Smithsonian Channel

YouTube Channel:

smithsonianchannel

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_GDXSIWmrpH0

Creator:

Smithsonian Channel  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2020-04-03T15:30:11.000Z

YouTube Category:

Entertainment  Search this

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smithsonianchannel

Data Source:

Smithsonian Channel

YouTube Channel:

smithsonianchannel

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_vSbcz_mpgU0

Creator:

Smithsonian Channel  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2012-08-27T19:40:05.000Z

YouTube Category:

Entertainment  Search this

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smithsonianchannel

Data Source:

Smithsonian Channel

YouTube Channel:

smithsonianchannel

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_wE6Z714EhE0

Creator:

National Zoo  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2015-04-02T19:07:37.000Z

YouTube Category:

Pets & Animals  Search this

Topic:

Zoology;Animals;Veterinary medicine;Animal health  Search this

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SmithsonianNZP

Data Source:

National Zoo

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianNZP

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_Eu-g15Saltk

Creator:

National Zoo  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2018-03-01T17:25:35.000Z

YouTube Category:

Pets & Animals  Search this

Topic:

Zoology;Animals;Veterinary medicine;Animal health  Search this

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SmithsonianNZP

Data Source:

National Zoo

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianNZP

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_GUHoGCeoXG4

Creator:

National Zoo  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2022-10-21T13:59:21.000Z

YouTube Category:

Pets & Animals  Search this

Topic:

Zoology;Animals;Veterinary medicine;Animal health  Search this

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SmithsonianNZP

Data Source:

National Zoo

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianNZP

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_alWgeYnQd98

Creator:

National Zoo  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2022-04-19T18:04:18.000Z

YouTube Category:

Pets & Animals  Search this

Topic:

Zoology;Animals;Veterinary medicine;Animal health  Search this

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SmithsonianNZP

Data Source:

National Zoo

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianNZP

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_pQz4CINPxPQ

Artist:

Susan Miller-Havens, born 20 Jun 1944  Search this

Sitter:

Carlton Fisk, born 26 Dec 1947  Search this

Medium:

Oil on cotton duck

Dimensions:

Stretcher: 212.4 x 121.9 x 3.8cm (83 5/8 x 48 x 1 1/2")

Frame: 224.2 x 132.7 x 6.7cm (88 1/4 x 52 1/4 x 2 5/8")

Type:

Painting

Place:

United States\Massachusetts\Middlesex\Cambridge

Date:

1993

Topic:

Carlton Fisk: Male  Search this

Carlton Fisk: Sports and Recreation\Athlete\Baseball  Search this

Carlton Fisk: Baseball Hall of Fame  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Peter C. Aldrich, in memory of Duane C. Aldrich of Atlanta, Georgia

Object number:

NPG.2000.59

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

Copyright:

© 1993 Susan Miller-Havens

See more items in:

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Exhibition:

Champions

On View:

NPG, South Gallery 342 Mezzanine

Data Source:

National Portrait Gallery

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4d99c139f-b29e-4b3d-a58e-b19512f8abd5

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_NPG.2000.59

Collection Creator:

Lowry, Janice Ann, 1946-2009  Search this

Container:

Box 2, Folder 3

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1958-1959

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

Collection Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Collection Citation:

Janice Lowry papers, 1957-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Janice Lowry papers

Janice Lowry papers / Series 2: Diaries

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw988a5aaf4-ec17-4efa-8973-09e13d3ee4d8

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-lowrjani-ref40

Collection Creator:

Lowry, Janice Ann, 1946-2009  Search this

Container:

Box 2, Folder 4

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1960-1961

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

Collection Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Collection Citation:

Janice Lowry papers, 1957-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Janice Lowry papers

Janice Lowry papers / Series 2: Diaries

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9a2ea3a10-9103-4332-b546-0186860d812d

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-lowrjani-ref41

Creator:

Smithsonian Magazine  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2017-06-19T17:11:03.000Z

YouTube Category:

Science & Technology  Search this

See more by:

SmithsonianMagazine

Data Source:

Smithsonian Magazine

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianMagazine

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_943Yb73KB80

Creator:

Thompson, Bob, 1937-1966  Search this

Names:

Billiard Place  Search this

David Anerson Gallery  Search this

Donald Morris Gallery  Search this

Sluggs Jazz Club  Search this

The Billard Palace  Search this

Whitney Museum of American Art  Search this

Baraka, Amiri, 1934-2014  Search this

Beskind, Dorothy Levitt  Search this

Bridwell, Margaret  Search this

Covi, Dario A.  Search this

Crodel, Charles, 1894-1973  Search this

Cruz, Emilio, 1938-  Search this

Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-1997  Search this

Martin, Mary, 1913-  Search this

May, Mary Spencer  Search this

Ratcliff, Carter  Search this

Schapiro, Meyer, 1904-  Search this

Spellman, A. B., 1935-  Search this

Thompson, Bessie  Search this

Thompson, Carol  Search this

Wilke, Ulfert, 1907-1987  Search this

Wilson, Judith, 1952-  Search this

Young, Kenneth, 1933-  Search this

Extent:

2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Video recordings

Photographs

Date:

1949-2005

Summary:

The papers of New York African American figurative painter Bob Thompson measure 2 linear feet and date from 1949 to 2005. The collection includes biographical material, videocassettes, correspondence, writings by Bob Thompson and others, exhibition files, scattered personal business records, printed material, photographs, and photograph albums. The correspondence is mostly between Carol Thompson, the artist's wife, and others concerning Bob Thompson's artwork.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of New York African American figurative painter Bob Thompson measure 2 linear feet and date from 1949 to 2005. The collection includes biographical material, videocassettes, correspondence, writings by Bob Thompson and others, exhibition files, scattered personal business records, printed material, photographs, and photograph albums. The correspondence is mostly between Carol Thompson, the artist's wife, and others concerning Bob Thompson's artwork.

Biographical material includes certificates, school memorabilia, biographical chronologies, a memorial program and obituaries, and a transcript of "Bob Thompson: His Life and Friendships" panel discussion with several notable artists commenting on Thompson. There is also a video recording copy of a 1965 film by Dorothy Levitt Beskind titled Bob Thompson Happening which was made to accompany a 1999 exhibition at the Whitney Museum of Art.

Carol Thompson's correspondence is with various galleries, dealers, and friends primarily concerning Bob Thompson's artwork and posthumous exhibitions. There is correspondence with art historian Judith Wilson, the artist's mother Bessie Thompson, David Anderson Gallery, and Donald Morris Gallery.

Writings by Bob Thompson include church speeches, a letter to the editor of Louisville Courier Journal, a poem, and an artist statement. There are also writings about Thompson by others, including his mother Bessie Thompson, wife Carol Thompson, and artists and friends, including Margaret Bridwell, Dario Covi, Carl Crodel, Emilio Cruz, Allen Ginsberg, LeRoi Jones, Mary H. Martin, Mary Spencer May, Carter Ratcliff, Meyer Schapiro, A. B. Spellman, Ulfert Wilke, and Ken Young. The writings by friends are mostly in the form of recollections by friends that were gathered as a memorial tribute to Thompson.

Exhibition files consist of material related to posthumous group and solo exhibitions of Bob Thompson's work.

The majority of the personal business records are posthumous and include inventories, loan and consignment forms, sales and appraisal records, and scattered correspondence.

Printed material includes exhibition catalogs, magazine and newspaper clippings about Bob Thompson, blank postcards of artwork, posters, and press releases.

There are photographs of Bob Thompson, family, and friends, including many artists, shot in various locations in New York City and Provincetown, as well as in Spain, France, and Italy. There are images of Thompson's Rivington Street studio, the Billiard Palace and the Slugs Jazz Club in New York City, exhibitions, events, street scenes, and artwork. There are four photographs albums, one of the Thompson's wedding, two of exhibitions (one is disbound), and one personal album with many photographs of friends and family, including the artist's mother Bessie Thompson and wife Carol Thompson.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 7 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1953-2003 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Carol Thompson's Correspondence, 1971-2000 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 3: Writings, 1949-1998 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 4: Exhibition Files, 1978-2001 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 5: Personal Business Records, 1965-2001 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 6: Printed Material, 1960-2005 (0.7 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, 4, OV 5)

Series 7: Photographs, 1951-2000 (0.7 linear feet; Boxes 2-4)

Biographical / Historical:

Bob Thompson (1937-1966) was an African American figurative painter who worked primarily in New York City.

Thompson was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1937. He attended Boston University as a pre-med student, but quit the program and returned to Kentucky to attend the University of Louisville and study painting under German expressionist artist Ulfert Wilke. As a student, he spent a summer in Provincetown, Massachusetts and immersed himself in the art communities there. In 1958, Thompson moved to New York City and reunited with several artists he had met in Provincetown and participated in some of the earliest "happenings," somewhat informal art events or gatherings usually involving performance art and music, in 1960. He became a regular at the jazz clubs The Five Spot and Slugs and became friends with several jazz musicians. Many of Thompson's paintings reflect his interest in jazz. He also formed friendships with writers Allen Ginsberg and LeRoi Jones. In 1960, he had his first solo exhibition at the Delancy Street Museum.

The same year as his first solo exhibition, Thompson married Carol Plenda and the couple lived in Paris from 1961-1962 after he received a Whitney Foundation fellowship. They lived in Ibiza, Spain the following year. Thompson painted prolifically while abroad, and when he returned to New York City in 1963, he brought many paintings with him. He quickly found representation by Martha Jackson Gallery and the gallery featured Thompson's work in solo exhibitions in 1963-1965. His reputation grew and more exhibitions across the country followed.

In late 1965, Thompson and his wife traveled to Rome, Italy, where he continued to study art and paint. Thompson died in Rome in 1966 at the age of 28 from a drug overdose not long after receiving gall bladder surgery.

Provenance:

The collection was donated by Elaine Plenda, the artist's sister-in-law, in 2006, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Use of video recording requires advance notice. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Rights:

"Bob Thompson Happening" (1965) video: Permission to publish, quote or reproduce requires written permission from Joanne Elkin. 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:

Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Topic:

African American artists  Search this

Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this

Genre/Form:

Video recordings

Photographs

Citation:

Bob Thompson papers, 1949-2005. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by The Walton Family Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Identifier:

AAA.thombob

See more items in:

Bob Thompson papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw95cbba908-2706-4ba6-8bb0-58c271c29d62

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-thombob

Creator:

Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969  Search this

Names:

Baskin, Leonard, 1922-2000  Search this

Delano, Jack  Search this

Evans, Walker, 1903-1975  Search this

Osborn, Robert Chesley, 1904-1994  Search this

Rivera, Diego, 1886-1957  Search this

Robbins, Jerome  Search this

Soyer, Raphael, 1899-1987  Search this

Extent:

25.1 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Motion pictures (visual works)

Sketchbooks

Video recordings

Drawings

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1879-1990

bulk 1933-1970

Summary:

The papers of social realist painter, photographer, printmaker, and teacher Ben Shahn (1898-1969) measure 25.1 linear feet and date from 1879-1990, with the bulk of the material dating from 1933-1970. The bulk of the collection consists of over 14 linear feet of incoming letters from artists, writers, colleagues, publishers, art organizations, galleries, and universities and colleges. Also found are biographical materials, project and source files, printed material, artwork by Shahn and others, photographs taken of and by Shahn, interview transcripts, sound recordings of interviews and a motion picture film.

Scope and Contents note:

The papers of social realist painter, photographer, illustrator, printmaker, and teacher Ben Shahn (1898-1969) measure 25.1 linear feet and date from 1879-1990, with the bulk of the material dating from 1933-1970. The bulk of the collection consists of over 14 linear feet of incoming letters from artists, writers, colleagues, publishers, art organizations, galleries, and universities and colleges. Also found are biographical materials, project and source files, printed material, artwork by Shahn and others, photographs taken of and by Shahn, interview transcripts, sound recordings of interviews and a motion picture film.

Biographical material and family records include a 1924 passport for Shahn and his first wife, Tillie, biographical sketches of Shahn, and award certificates received by him.

Letters are primarily written to Shahn from family members, artists, writers, colleagues, publishers, art organizations, galleries, and universities and colleges. Notable correspondents include Leonard Baskin, Alexander Calder, Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans, Joseph Hirsch, Leo Lionni, John Bartlow Martin, George and Marian Nakashima, Clifford Odets, Charles Olson, Robert Osborn, Diego Rivera, Jerome Robbins, Selden Rodman, James Thrall Soby, Raphael Soyer, and William Carlos Williams. A small number of scattered letters from Shahn can also be found throughout the series.

Project files document approximately twenty-one of Shahn's commissions, including murals for the community center at Jersey Homesteads, the Bronx Central Annex Post Office, the Social Security Building in Washington D.C. , and the William E. Grady Vocational High School. The files also document his involvement in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Roosevelt, in addition to projects for schools, temples and private homes.

Financial and legal records include consignment records, loan agreements, royalty statements and receipts for artwork sold.

Notes and writings are by Shahn and others including Alan Dugan, W. H. Ferry, Theodore Gusten, and John Bartlow Martin. They include lists of artwork, many of which are annotated.

Artwork includes a sketchbook and several unbound sketches and lettering by Shahn, in addition to drawings and prints by others including Shahn's children, Mario Casetta and Stefan Martin.

Source files contain printed material and photographs relating to topics depicted by Shahn in his artwork such as children, dams, farming, houses, industry, mines and miners, slums, war and workers. These files also contain scattered photographic prints by FSA and OWI photographers including Shahn, Jack Delano, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Russell Lee, Carl Mydans, Marion Post Wolcott, Arthur Rothstein, and John Vachon.

Printed material includes news clippings covering Shahn and his career as well as subjects of interest to Shahn. Also found are exhibition catalogs and announcements for exhibitions for Shahn and others, and reproductions of Shahn's artwork including publications illustrated by him.

Photographs are of Shahn, his family and friends and colleagues including Alexander Calder, Jerome Robbins, Charles Sheeler, David Smith and William Zorach. Also included are photographs taken by Shahn of New York City and for the FSA in the 1930s, as well as photographs of artwork by Shahn. Photographs by others include one photo each by Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Russell Lee and Arthur Rothstein.

The collection also contains transcripts of eight radio, television and motion picture interviews of Shahn and a reel of 16mm motion picture film from the BBC-TV program "Monitor," in addition to sound recordings of interviews of Shahn by Tony Schwartz and Arlene Francis. Artifacts include a Christmas greeting in the form of a sock.

Arrangement note:

The collection is arranged as 12 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical and Family Records, 1879-1984 (Box 1, OV 36; 0.2 linear ft.)

Series 2: Letters, 1929-1990 (Boxes 1-25, 35, 43, OVs 36-38; 14.5 linear ft.)

Series 3: Project Files, 1933-1975 (Boxes 25-26; OVs 36-37; 1.03 linear ft.)

Series 4: Financial and Legal Records, 1934-1988 (Boxes 26-27, 35; 0.81 linear ft.)

Series 5: Notes and Writings, circa 1933-1988 (Boxes 27-28, 43; 1.72 linear ft.)

Series 6: Artwork, circa 1930s-1965 (Boxes 28, 35; 11 folders)

Series 7: Source Files, circa 1900s-1960s (Boxes 28-30, 35; 1.81 linear ft.)

Series 8: Printed Material, 1912-1988 (Boxes 30-33, 35, OV 39; 3.22 linear ft.)

Series 9: Photographs, circa 1900-1969 (Boxes 33-35; 0.86 linear ft.)

Series 10: Interview Transcripts, 1943-1968 (Box 34; 0.25 linear ft.)

Series 11: Audio and Video Recordings, 1959-1968 (Box 34; 0.25 linear ft.)

Series 12: Artifacts, circa 1930s-circa 1960s (Box 34; 2 items)

Biographical/Historical note:

Ben Shahn (1898-1969) was a social realist painter, muralist, printmaker, photographer, illustrator, and educator who worked primarily in Brooklyn, New York and New Jersey. He was most active in the 1930s through the 1950s and worked on several federally funded arts projects, including the Farm Security Administration's photographic documentation project of rural America during the Depression.

Ben Shahn was born in Kovno, Lithuania and immigrated with his family to the United States in 1906 where he settled in Brooklyn, and later Roosevelt, New Jersey, after becoming a naturalized citizen in 1918.

Following an apprenticeship as a lithographer from 1913-1917, Shahn studied at New York University, the City College of New York, and the National Academy of Design from 1919-1922. He married Tillie Goldstein in 1922 and they had two children, Judith and Ezra.

Two years after Shahn's first solo exhibition at the Downtown Gallery in 1930, his Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti, a series of 23 gouaches about the Sacco and Vanzetti trial of the 1920s, was exhibited at the Downtown Gallery to critical and public acclaim. The exhibition marked the beginning of Shahn's reputation as one of the most important social realist painters in America. Shahn's commitment to social and political justice found a natural outlet in mural painting when, in 1933, he was hired to assist Diego Rivera on the labor and industry mural Man at the Crossroads, for New York City's Rockefeller Center. The mural was destroyed amid controversy in 1933 before it was completed, but Shahn had learned much about the art of fresco painting during the project and was inspired by the potential of the mural as a unique art form for presenting life's struggles and stories to a large public audience. Between 1933 and 1937 Shahn worked on various murals for other buildings, including New York's Central Park Casino (circa 1934) and Riker's Island Prison (1934), none of which saw completion. In 1937, however, the Farm Security Administration (FSA) commissioned Shahn to execute a mural for the Community Center in the town of Jersey Homesteads, later Roosevelt, New Jersey, which Shahn completed in 1938. Shahn settled in Jersey Homesteads the following year and remained there for the rest of his life. Other important mural commissions followed for the Bronx Central Post office (1939) and the Social Security Building in Washington DC (1942).

One of Shahn's assistants on the Jersey Homesteads mural was Bernarda Bryson, whom he had met in 1933 when she came to New York to interview Rivera about the Rockefeller Center mural controversy for an Ohio newspaper. Shahn and Bryson became lifetime companions and had three children, Susanna, Jonathan and Abigail, although they did not marry until shortly before Shahn's death in 1969. Shahn and Tillie Goldstein were divorced in 1944.

Shahn had enrolled with the federal Public Works of Art Project in 1934, and between 1935 and 1938 he and Bryson travelled across country as Shahn photographed poverty-stricken areas and documented rural life for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and the Resettlement Agency. Shahn's interest in photography developed in the early 1930s when, encouraged by his friendship with Walker Evans, he began photographing street scenes and people in New York City. He later used the images as the basis for many of his prints and paintings.

In 1942 Shahn began working for the Office of War Information (OWI) and was instructed to produce posters and pamphlets explaining to citizens the necessities of wartime, such as the need for secrecy and food rationing. Ultimately, only two of Shahn's posters were ever used; the rest were rejected as being too harsh for their intended audience. Shahn later worked for the Congress of Industrial Organization Political Action Committee (CIO-PAC), producing posters for the 1944 campaign to re-elect Roosevelt, who he believed in deeply. He was promoted to director of the CIO's Graphic Arts Division for the 1946 congressional campaign following Roosevelt's death, but that job ended when the election went poorly for the Democratic party.

Shahn returned increasingly to painting and a retrospective of his work was held at the Museum of Modern Art in 1947. He also became more active in academia as an accomplished writer, teacher and lecturer. He received honorary doctorates from Princeton University and Harvard University, and become the Charles Eliot Norton professor at Harvard in 1956. Shahn's Norton lectures were collected and published as the influential The Shape of Content in 1957. He also began to work as a commercial artist for a variety of companies and publications including CBS, Time, Harper's, and the Container Corporation of America. Shahn believed, however, that the artist's ideas and integrity must always be reflected in his commercial art. He refused to compromise on this point and was very selective in his choice of commercial commissions. Shahn illustrated many books and articles, designed sets for stage productions such as New York Export: Opus Jazz, choreographed by Jerome Robbins, and designed mural mosaics for synagogues, universities and private homes.

Since the 1930s Shahn had been represented by Edith Halpert at the Downtown Gallery, but his relationship with her was always contentious on the subject of payments Shahn received for commercial work, and became increasingly so as his income from such sources increased. Finally, in 1968, Shahn wrote to Halpert telling her that after ten years of "an accumulation of ill-feeling, discomfort and recrimination between us" he felt compelled to end their dealer-artist relationship.

By the time of Shahn's break with Halpert his health had begun to fail. He died of a heart attack following surgery in a New York City hospital on March 14, 1969.

Related Archival Materials note:

The Archives of American Art holds four oral history interviews with Ben Shahn: 1964 Apr. 14 interview conducted by Richard K. Doud for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project in which Shahn speaks of his travels and work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and the American image as portrayed by FSA; 1965 Jan. 17 interview; 1965 Oct. 3. interview conducted by Harlan Phillips for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project; and 1968 Sept. 27 interview conducted by Forrest Selvig. Most of these interviews have transcripts available online.

The Archives also holds the Bernarda Bryson Shahn papers, circa 1947-2005, and two oral history interviews with Bernarda Bryson Shahn: 1983 Apr. 29 and 1995 July 3.

Separated Materials note:

The Archives of American Art also holds material lent for microfilming (reel N70-6) including addresses and essays by Shahn, seven royalty statements, and three letters from publishers. Many of the writings found on this reel were included in subsequent donations. All other lent material was returned to the lender and is not described in the collection container inventory.

Provenance:

The Ben Shahn papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in several installments between 1967-1991 by Shahn's widow, Bernarda Bryson Shahn who also lent materials for microfilming in 1969. Jean Shahn, Ben Shahn's daughter-in-law and estate representative, donated additional material in 2018 and 2021.

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 -- New Jersey -- Roosevelt  Search this

Painters -- New York (State) -- Brooklyn  Search this

Photographers -- New York (State) -- Brooklyn  Search this

Photographers -- New Jersey -- Roosevelt  Search this

Printmakers -- New Jersey -- Roosevelt  Search this

Printmakers -- New York (State) -- Brooklyn  Search this

Educators -- New York (State) -- Brooklyn  Search this

Educators -- New Jersey -- Roosevelt  Search this

Muralists -- New York (State) -- Brooklyn  Search this

Muralists -- New Jersey -- Roosevelt  Search this

Topic:

Social realism  Search this

Genre/Form:

Motion pictures (visual works)

Sketchbooks

Video recordings

Drawings

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Ben Shahn papers, 1879-1990, bulk 1933-1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art

Identifier:

AAA.shahben

See more items in:

Ben Shahn papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw983b06d9b-dd51-45bc-9b11-09b06a88f6c6

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-shahben

Measurements:

justrite with blade: 5 7/16 in x 1/2 in x 3/16 in; 13.81125 cm x 1.27 cm x .47625 cm

bard - parker without blade: 4 7/8 in x 1/2 in x 3/16 in; 12.3825 cm x 1.27 cm x .47625 cm

knife: 1/4 in x 3/16 in x 5 3/8 in; .635 cm x .47625 cm x 13.6525 cm

box: 13/16 in x 7/8 in x 6 3/16 in; 2.06375 cm x 2.2225 cm x 15.71625 cm

Object Name:

knife

knife, opthalmic

Other Terms:

Surgery

Credit Line:

From R.N. Taylor M.D., thru Mystic Seaport, Inc.

ID Number:

1977.1223.045

Accession number:

1977.1223

Catalog number:

1977.1223.045

See more items in:

Medicine and Science: Medicine

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-5cee-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmah_729816

Measurements:

overall: 1/4 in x 2 3/8 in x 7 1/8 in; .635 cm x 6.0325 cm x 18.0975 cm

Object Name:

scissors

Other Terms:

Surgery

Credit Line:

Dr. Joseph Blinder

ID Number:

MG.309903.35

Catalog number:

309903.31

Accession number:

309903

See more items in:

Medicine and Science: Medicine

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-78d4-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmah_735326

Maker:

Arnold, Francis  Search this

Physical Description:

wood, mahogany (overall material)

metal, brass (overall material)

fabric, velvet (overall material)

metal, steel (overall material)

Measurements:

overall: 3 in x 16 1/4 in x 7 5/8 in; 7.62 cm x 41.275 cm x 19.3675 cm

Object Name:

Amputation Set

amputation set

surgical set

Other Terms:

Amputation Set; Surgical Set

Subject:

Surgery  Search this

Credit Line:

Gift of The Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of the State of Maryland

ID Number:

MG.302606.219

Accession number:

302606

Catalog number:

302606.219

See more items in:

Medicine and Science: Medicine

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a8-f427-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmah_1055035