An interview of Richard Haas conducted 2009 Jan. 13 and Mar. 16, by Avis Berman, for the Archives of American Art's U.S. General Services Administration, Design Excellence and the Arts oral history project, at Haas' studio, in New York, N.Y.
Haas discusses his early interest in architecture; his family connection to Frank Lloyd Wright; attending Taliesin for two summers in 1955 and '56; Meeting Joseph Friebert while an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; taking studio classes and experimenting with different art styles and techniques; the influence of Abstract Expressionism and Post-Impressionism on his artworks; joining the ROTC program and painting his first mural at Fort Leonard Wood, MO; viewing the murals of Thomas Hart Benton and John Steurt Curry; going to graduate school at the University of Minneapolis, MN and meeting Jack Tworkov and Peter Busa; visiting Mexico on his honeymoon and viewing the murals of "Los Tres Grandes"; teaching art at Michigan State and developing his series, Boxes; the evolution of his art while teaching at Bennington college in Vermont and the shift from architectural drawings into murals; moreover, Haas speaks about the rise of street art in the 1970s and '80s in New York; his first mural at 112 Prince Street; his collaboration with Doris Freeman; the political challenges associated with doing public art; the collaborative process between the artist and architect; the importance of location when choosing a mural and the work's relationship to its environment; furthermore, Haas discusses his GSA projects in Kansas and West Virginia; his other mural commissions, particularly White House Detention Center, 1997; and the impact of technology on the medium. Throughout the conversation, Haas speaks about fellow artists Richard Serra, James Rosinquist, Malcolm Myers, as well as architects Philip Johnson, Grant Marani and Tim Vreeland.
Biographical / Historical:
Richard Haas (1936- ) is a trompe l'oeil muralist from New York, N.Y. Haas was educated at the University of Wisconsin and University of Minnesota.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
Topic:
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews Search this
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 born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Braunstein/Quay Gallery records, 1956-2011. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
1.1 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 2 reels))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1882-1985
bulk 1882-1931
Scope and Contents:
Biographical material, letters, notes and writings, a monograph design, printed material, a scrapbook, and photographs.
REEL 2813: Eighteen letters to Haberle regarding the exhibition and sale of his work, 1891-1901; and a letter from J. William Middendorf to Haberle's son-in-law, Victor Demmer, concerning a Haberle exhibition at the Whitney Museum of Art, 1966.
UNMICROFILMED: Biographical material; an autobiographical account, 1925; letters to Haberle from colleagues discussing his work, 1870-1915; letters from Haberle to his wife Sarah "Sadie" Haberle, 1893-1898, and his daughter Vera, 1898; and letters to Vera and Victor Demmer and Gladys Haberle Fresnada concerning Haberle's work, 1960-1971, from Alfred Frankenstein and others; notes and writings including poems, 1925, musical annotations, a card file on writing, 8 pages from a travel journal, 1931, and "directions for finishing the painting donated to New Britain."
Also included are a monogram design, 1903; photographs of Haberle, members of his family, 1894, works of art, 1888, views of 2 houses, 1960, and artists in their studios including Georges Clairin, Benjamin Constant, Jean Léon Gérome, Mihaly Munkacsy, and Georges Rochegrosse; clippings, 1887-1970; a scrapbook containing greeting cards and stickers; and printed material, 1874-1932.
Biographical / Historical:
Still-life painter, art instructor; New Haven, Conn. Haberle was apprenticed to a lithography and engraving company during the 1870s, studied at the National Academy of Design between 1884 and 1885 and later founded the New Haven Sketch Club, where he also taught. He specialized in trompe l'oeil still-life paintings, producing most of this work between 1887 and 1900. Deteriorating eyesight caused him to paint broader, more traditional still-lifes and landscapes in later life.
Provenance:
Material on reel 2813 was donated 1969 by Mrs. Vera Haberle Demmer, the daughter of John Haberle. Material on reel 3753 lent, and unmicrofilmed material donated 1986 by James and Claudia Mize, descendants of Haberle.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm.
Authorization to quote, publish or reproduce requires written permission until 2019. Contact the Archives of American Art Reference Services department for additional information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Katharine Kuh papers, 1875-1994, bulk 1930-1994. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
Authorization to quote, publish or reproduce requires written permission until 2019. Contact the Archives of American Art Reference Services department for additional information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Katharine Kuh papers, 1875-1994, bulk 1930-1994. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
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:
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:
Diana Fuller Papers and Gallery Records, 1958-2004. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
Roy Lichtenstein. Roy Fox Lichtenstein letter to Leo and Toiny (Antoinette) Castelli, 1973 Aug. 13. Leo Castelli Gallery records, circa 1880-2000. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The papers of still life artist John Frederick Peto and his family date from circa 1850 to 1983 and measure 2.1 linear feet. Within the papers are scattered biographical materials, a few letters to and from Peto, and his daughter Helen Peto Smiley's correspondence with galleries, scholars, and others concerning Peto's artwork. Also found are news clippings, exhibition catalogs, and other printed material, photographs and glass plate negatives of Peto, his family, and his artwork, and one small oil sketch fragment. Much of the collection documents the mid-twentieth century renewed interest in Peto's artwork.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of still life artist John Frederick Peto and his family date from circa 1850 to 1983 and measure 2.1 linear feet. Within the papers are scattered biographical materials, including his marriage certificate, a memorial poem written by Samuel Callan, Helen Peto Smiley's notes about her father's artwork, and other brief writings about Peto and trompe-l'oeil painting. Correspondence includes a few letters to and from Peto, his daughter Helen Peto Smiley's correspondence with galleries, scholars, such as art critic Alfred Frankenstein, and others concerning Peto's artwork, and miscellaneous correspondence. Printed material consists of news clippings about Peto, his family, and fellow artist William Harnett, exhibition catalogs, reproductions of artwork, and other items. Photographs and glass plate negatives depict Peto in his studio, with family, and with Harnett, as well as his family, his home and studio in Island Heights, New Jersey, and his artwork. Also found is one small fragment of an oil sketch, unsigned and undated.
Much of the collection, including Helen Peto's notes and correspondence, the printed material, and photographs of artwork document the mid-twentieth century renewed interest in Peto's artwork.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into 5 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1870s-1983 (Box 1, OV 5; 9 folders)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1862-1983 (Box 1; 4 folders)
Series 3: Printed Material, 1880-1983 (Box 1, OV 5; 11 folders)
Series 4: Photographs, circa 1850-1980 (Box 2-7, OV 5; 1.3 linear feet)
Series 5: Artwork, circa late 1800s (Box 4; 1 folder)
Biographical Note:
John Frederick Peto (1854-1907) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Thomas Hope Peto and Catherine Peto. He was raised by his mother's family, the Hamms, and lived with them until his marriage. Little is known about his early life; he was listed as a painter in the Philadelphia City Directory in 1876 and was enrolled in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1878. During this time he also became friends with fellow artist William Harnett and was greatly influenced by Harnett's trompe l'oeil still life paintings. During the 1880s Peto maintained a studio and exhibited several works at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts annual exhibition. Like Harnett, he painted trompe l'oeil still life paintings, most notably, rack-looking structures or shelves that depicted a variety of items, many of them autobiographical. Peto also lived briefly in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he met Christine Pearl Smith, and they were married in 1889. He received very little recognition for his paintings in Philadelphia, and in 1889 he and his wife moved to Island Heights, New Jersey so that he could make money playing the cornet at religious revivals held there. In 1893 they had a daughter Helen. Though he lost interest in the professional art world and fell into obscurity, Peto continued painting and sold many works to the local drug store and business people, until his death in 1907.
Recognition of Peto's contribution to the trompe l'oeil genre didn't occur until over forty years after his death. During research on the paintings of William Harnett, art critic Alfred Frankenstein discovered that numerous paintings thought to be painted by Harnett had forged signatures and were actually painted by Peto. Frankenstein published an article in the Art Bulletin in 1949 about his discoveries that renewed interest in the work of Peto and the trompe l'oeil genre.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 2004 by Gregory Bejarano, John Frederick Peto's great-grandson.
Restrictions:
The collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Glass plate negatives are housed separately and not served to researchers.
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.
This series contains biographical material documenting John Frederick Peto's life and career as an artist. Included are the certificate for his marriage to Christine Pearl Smith, two of his business cards, and written agreements with his daughter Helen giving her a clock and his cornet. Also found are items about his death in 1907, including his obituary, a lock of his hair "taken as he lay in his casket in his studio," and a memorial poem written by Samuel Callan. Helen Peto Smiley's notes on her father's artwork includes lists of artwork and prices, and miscellaneous items. Other writings include a brief essay on trompe-l'oeil painting in the United States, draft exhibition captions for Peto's artwork, and a brief biography of Peto written for an exhibition. Also found are a few items belonging to John Frederick Peto's father, Thomas Hope Peto, including business cards, and a ticket to the Centennial Exhibition in 1876 which includes his photograph.
Arrangement note:
Items are arranged in chronological order.
Collection Restrictions:
The collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Glass plate negatives are housed separately and not served to researchers.
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:
John Frederick Peto and Peto family papers, circa 1850-1983. 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.
The collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Glass plate negatives are housed separately and not served to researchers.
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:
John Frederick Peto and Peto family papers, circa 1850-1983. 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.
The reality of appearance; the trompe l'œil tradition in American painting, by Alfred Frankenstein. Published by New York Graphic Society Ltd. for an exhibition organized by University Art Museum, Berkeley, in conjunction with National Gallery of Art [and others
Author:
University of California, Berkeley University Art Museum Search this
Frankenstein, Alfred V (Alfred Victor) 1906-1981 Search this
