An interview of Audrey McMahon conducted 1964 Nov. 18, by Harlan Phillips, for the Archives of American Art.
McMahon speaks of her pre-Federal Art Project experiences; her early involvement with the WPA; how it functioned; and political problems with the WPA. She recalls Juliana Force, Edward Bruce, Holger Cahill.
Biographical / Historical:
Audry McMahon (1900?-1981) served under Holger Cahill as Regional Director of the WPA Federal Art Project for New York and New Jersey from 1935-1939.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hrs., 21 min.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Interview of Paul Burlin, conducted on December 5-6, 1962, by Dorothy Gees Seckler, for the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Burlin speaks of his childhood education in England; working for the magazine Delineator; his education at the National Academy of Design; his travels in the American Southwest; his early exhibitions in New York; his first wife's writings on folk music; visiting Europe before the first World War; discovering Cubism and Fauvism; working on the WPA under the Whitney Museum; joining and then leaving the American Artists' Congress in protest; his thoughts on overtly political art; exhibiting at the Downtown Gallery; his image-making process; and his critique of Pop art. Burlin also recalls James Huneker, Franz Boas, Albert Gleizes, Henri Matisse, Edith Halpert, Georgia O'Keeffe, and others.
Biographical / Historical:
Paul Burlin (1886-1969) was a painter in New York, New York.
General:
Originally recorded on 5 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 5 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 39 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.
Biographical material, correspondence files, writings, photographs, and printed material.
Biographical material includes Zeigler's Works Progress Administration identification card, 1936, obituaries, 1952, a biographical sketch, pages from an engagement book, 1914-1917, and an address book.
Correspondence, 1920-1941, relates to Zeigler's freelance painting, mural designs for Tiffany Studios, mural commissions for churches and other public and private commissions, including the Chapel of the Transfiguration Glendale, Oh. (1927-1928), St. Michael's Church, N.Y.C. (1929); Calvary Church, Cincinnati, Oh. (1936-1937), the "Faerie Queene" murals in the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Md. (1933-1941); WPA-FAP projects in New York State (1933-1937), including murals for Washington Hall, West Point Military Academy, the Stony Point Battlefield Museum, Stony Point-on-the Hudson, and the Newburgh Free Academy, Newburgh. Among the correspondents are architects responsible for the designs of the buildings, such as Ralph Adams Cram and O.H. Murray, individuals associated with the execution of the projects, including Charles Osgood and Joseph L. Wheeler; and WPA adminstrators Edward Bruce and Juliana Force.
Printed material includes clippings, ca. 1910-1948, regarding Zeigler's works of art and his involvement in the war effort and local politics; exhibition catalogs and programs, ca. 1925, 1940-1968; and reproductions of Zeigler's illustrations for bookplates, Christmas cards, magazines, including Gunter's Magazine, Harper's Weekly, and Life, ca.1890-1900, and for limited edition books by such authors as Jane Austen, Honore' de Balzac, Amelia E. Barr, Theophile Gautier, Charles Kingsley, and William Stearns Davis, ca.1890-1915.
Photographs consist of three portraits of Zeigler, ca. 1930-1940, and photographs of works by him, ca.1900, 1915, 1993, and by others ca. 1900-1913. Also included are portrait of actor Fritz Leiber, ca. 1900, a snapshot of Percy and Ella Grainger, 1929.
Also included are copyrights for Zeigler's art work, 1911, 1944, 1945, 1979; an unpublished typescript of a short story by Zeigler, "Story of the Son of Roland"; a sketch of a suit of armor created by Zeigler, ca. 1945; a project file regarding a statue of "Ushabti," created by Zeigler, 1923-1924; and a guestbook from an exhibition at the Vanderbilt Galleries, 1941.
Biographical / Historical:
Illustrator, muralist; Baltimore, Md. Studied at the Maryland Institute of Art and was founding member of the Charcoal Club of Baltimore. He began his career as an illustrator and later specialized in mural painting.
Provenance:
Donated 1979 and 1994 by Audrey Z. Archer-Shee; Zeigler's daughter.
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.
The papers of modernist painter and printmaker George Constant measure 4.6 linear feet and date from 1912-2007, with the bulk of the material dating from 1932-1978. They consist of biographical material, inventories of artwork, audio interviews and recorded statements on art, personal and business related correspondence, holiday cards, printed material, an exhibition related video recording, and photographs of Constant, his family and friends, and his work.
Scope and Contents note:
The papers of modernist painter and printmaker George Constant measure 4.6 linear feet and date from 1912-2007, with the bulk of the material dating from 1932-1978. They consist of biographical material, inventories of artwork, audio interviews and recorded statements on art, personal and business related correspondence, holiday cards, printed material, an exhibition related video recording, and photographs of Constant, his family and friends, and his work. A small portion of the correspondence and printed materials are written in Greek.
Biographical material includes artist statements written and recorded by Constant, two audio interview recordings discussing his philosophies on art and his work, inventories of artwork, personal property deeds and legal correspondence, and other miscellaneous material.
Correspondence is predominantly in the form of business and personal letters, postcards, and holiday cards received from family and friends. These include correspondence from Constant's daughter, Georgette Preston, and extended family members. Other frequent personal correspondents include Milton and Sally Avery, Lewis Balamuth, Margaret Brunning, David Burliuk, Nathaniel Burwash, Rhys Caparn, Julia Shaw Patterson Carnell, Phillip Cavanaugh, Morris Davidson, Charles Eaton, Vilko Gecan, Marchal Landgren, Roy Neuberger, Walter Pach, Nell Perret, Constantine Pougialis, Wallace Putnam and Consuelo Kanaga, Hi Simons, and Helen Slosberg. Business related correspondents include Audubon Artists, Art Institute of Chicago, Brooklyn Museum, Carnegie Institute, Dayton Art Institute, Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors, Ferargil Galleries, Guild Hall, Heckscher Museum, Lyman Allyn Museum, Metropolitan Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Spanish Refugee Appeal, and the Whitney Museum. Other business correspondence related to Constant's work with the WPA are also included in the series.
Printed material includes books and booklets on American and Greek art, including a limited print edition of George Constant by George Constant, clippings and articles reviewing Constant's work, exhibition announcements and catalogs of Constant's shows, periodicals profiling his artwork, and dance and theater related programs that Constant consulted on.
Photographs include black and white prints of Constant and his family and friends in St. Louis, Missouri, Dayton, Ohio, and in and around his studio in Shinnecock Hills, New York. The collection also includes photo stills from his 1965 exhibition at the Parrish Art Museum and a comprehensive set of black and white prints, a handful of color prints, and several color slide sheets of Constant's artwork from the 1920s to 1978.
Arrangement note:
The collection is arranged into 4 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1923-2007 (Box 1; 17 folders)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1930-1979 (Box 1-2; 1.4 linear feet)
Series 3: Printed Material, 1927-2005 (Box 2-3; 2 linear feet)
Series 4: Photographic Material, 1912-1978 (Box 4-6; 1 linear foot)
Biographical/Historical note:
Greek American George Zachary Constant (1892-1978) worked from his studios in Shinnecock Hills, and New York City, New York as a painter and printmaker. A founder and lifelong member of the Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors, Constant worked for the Work Projects Administration (WPA) during the Depression and early years of World War II, and exhibited regularly at major galleries and museums from the 1920s to 1970s.
Born in Arahova, Greece, Constant was raised by his two uncles after the death of his parents in 1896. In school and at the monestary one of his uncles led, Constant showed an early interest in classical Greek aesthetics. At the age of eighteen, he immigrated to the United States and continued his art studies at Washington University before transferring to the Art Institute of Chicago. From 1918 to 1922, Constant taught at the Dayton Art Institute and continued to produce and exhibit his work locally. In 1922, he moved to New York, joined the Society of Independent Painters, and became close friends with Society founder and art critic Walter Pach. During the 1920s, his etchings were shown at the Valentine and Downtown Galleries, and at the New Art Circle of J.B. Neumann, where he presented his first one man gallery show in 1929.
From the 1930s to 1940s, Constant produced prints, watercolors, and oil paintings for the WPA, many of which were purchased by museums and public institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum. During this same period, Constant exhibited his work at the Boyer Gallery in the late 1930s, and at the Ferargil Gallery from the 1940s to early 1950s. In the decade between 1955 and 1965, Constant also worked on color and set design for seventeen dance productions created by the choreographer Alwin Nikolais. In the last two decades of his career, Constant produced works from his studio in Shinnecock Hills, New York and continued to exhibit at numerous galleries, including Grace Borgenicht Gallery, Guild Hall, Mari Galleries, Tirca Karlis Gallery, and Artium Gallery.
Provenance:
The papers of George Constant were donated by the artist in 1969 and 1978. Additional materials were donated in 2001 and 2007 by his daughter Georgette Preston.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
The Dane Chanase papers measure 2.4 linear feet and date from circa 1916-1976. The papers document Chanase's career as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) muralist in New York through biographical material; correspondence; writings including a travel diary to Palestine and extensive notes on art, color and expressionism as well as notes on topics of personal interest; and subject files on art related theories and concepts as well as research pertaining to mural locations. Also found are subject files on Sheva Ausubel who was an American painter, textile artist and Chanase's wife; printed materials which include reference clippings, information on other artists and document a number of Chanase's interests in science and society; transparencies of paintings by the artist and photographs of other artist's murals as well as topics of interest such as early computers and industrial labor. Also included are large preperatory drawings for a WPA mural in Columbus High School, Washington D.C. as well as other pencil, pen and watercolor sketches.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Works Progress Administration (WPA) muralist Dane Chanase measure 2.4 linear feet and date from circa 1916-1976. Included are drafts and completed biographical summaries and an illustrated letter from Chanase to a W. Dee and a letter from Chanase to Charmion von Wiegand regarding his participation in the Federal Arts Program. The writing series consists primarily of extensive notes on various subjects of scientific and artistic interest to Chanase such as physics, color, expressionism and mechanical technology. Also found are artist statements and notes on art including a notebook that contains writings on various mediums of art including etching, fresco and ceramics. Subject files reflect topics of interest or research for mural projects in New York and subjects such as the history of the post office, kinetic color, optics, lights and vision as well as document Chanase's wife Sheva Ausubel's career as an artist. Printed Material are mostly comprised of newspaper and magazine clippings related to mural research and reference, other artists and scientific and social topics of interest. Also included are post cards, booklets and photographic reproductions. Photographic material contains two slides of paintings by Chanase as well as photographs of murals by other artists, people performing industrial labor, early computers, and various bridges. The Artwork series contains large prepratory drawings for a WPA mural at Columbus high school in Washington D.C., as well as smaller prepratory sketches for unnamed murals, and assorted sketches in pencil, pen and watercolor.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as seven series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1974 (1 Folder; Box 1)
Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1933-1943 (2 Folders; Box 1)
Series 3: Writings, circa 1920-1965 (0.5 Linear feet; Box 1)
Series 4: Subject Files, circa 1924-1974 (0.3 Linear feet; Box 1)
Series 6: Printed Material, circa 1916-1974 (0.7 Linear feet; Box 2)
Series 7: Photographic Material, circa 1916-1956 (0.2 Linear feet; Box 2)
Series 8: Artwork, circa 1921-1974 (0.6 Linear feet; Box 2, Rolls 1-3)
Biographical / Historical:
Dane Chanase (1894-1975) was a Works Progress Administration (WPA) muralist, printmaker and sculptor from Palermo, Italy who moved to New York City in 1932 where he began working for the New York division of the Works Progress Administration. His wife Sheva Ausubel (1896-1957), was also a New York WPA artist known for her weavings and tapastry designs. Some locations of Chanase's WPA murals include the Welfare Island Hospital, New York, Baron de Hirsch Trade School, New York, and Columbus High School, Washington, D.C. In addition to his murals, Chanase exhibited at the 1930 Salon d'Automne in Paris, France and his work is in the collections of the Los Angeles Museum of Art; Bezalel National Museum; Brooklyn Museum; Library of Congress; and the New York Public Library.
Provenance:
Donated in 1977 by Genie and Moshe Szajngarten who occupied Chanase's former residence.
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:
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:
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Genre/Form:
Drawings
Citation:
Dane Chanase papers, circa 1916-1976. 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.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Extent:
1.2 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1936-1989
Summary:
The scattered papers of painter and muralist Tracy Montminy measure 1.2 linear feet and date from 1936 to 1989. Found are biographical materials, photocopies of letters received, photographs of murals, and printed material. Also found are four study drawings for a mural in City Hall, Medford, Massachusetts.
Scope and Contents:
The scattered papers of painter and muralist Tracy Montminy measure 1.2 linear feet and date from 1936 to 1989. Found are biographical materials, photocopies of letters received, photographs of murals, and printed material. Also found are four study drawings for a mural in City Hall, Medford, Massachusetts.
Arrangement:
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
Biographical / Historical:
Tracy Montminy (1911-1992) was a muralist and painter in Columbia, Missouri. Also known as Elizabeth Tracy, Montminy produced multiple murals for the Works Progress Administration.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 1989 and 1992 by Tracy Montminy.
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.
Biographical materials, correspondence, business records, writings, art works, photographs, and printed material.
Biographical material includes ID cards and an autobiographical statement. Correspondence, 1935-1964, includes letters sent to Nickelsen as Supervisor for the WPA Massachusetts Federal Art Project; correspondents include Beaumont Newhall and muralist Elizabeth Tracy. Project files regard mural and stained glass commissions, among them the East Boston murals; Nebraska capitol murals; Springfield, Mass. Museum of Fine Arts library murals; Worcester, Mass. Parcel Post Building murals; and stained glass commissions, ca.1938-1942. Files contain correspondence, art work, including large mural cartoons, reference photographs, photographs of works of art, and printed material. Also included are a list of mural ingredients and notes; business records, 1927-1937; photocopies of articles and writings, 1930-1967; art work by Nickelsen including stained glass rendering and mural drawings by Elizabeth Tracy Montminy; exhibition catalogs, clippings, photographs of Nickelsen and his art work, including one of him painting a window for St. Patricks Church, N.Y. in the Charles Connick Studio, Boston, 1950; and of Montminy and her murals.
Biographical / Historical:
Stained glass artist; mural painter; Boston, Mass. Born in Hamburg, Germany. Initially studied at the stained-glass studio of his father, John R. Nickelsen, and later went to the State Art School, Hamburg. He came to the United States in 1922 and attended the Art Students' League, N.Y. and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Participated as an artist and as a supervisor on the WPA Art Project in Boston, and was associated with the stained-glass design firm of Charles J. Connick Associates for many years.
Provenance:
Donated 1991-1999 by Nickelsen's widow, Ingeborg R. Nickelsen.
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.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Container:
Box 26, Sheet 2-67
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1857
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Historic American Merchant Marine Survey, 1936-1937, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Collection Creator:
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Extent:
2 Items (4.9" x 7.0")
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
1925
Scope and Contents:
Photograph by Prof. Wilkes
Arrangement:
In Series ?, Box 18, Notebook region 2, photo 2-171-11 & 12
Local Numbers:
AC0240-0000008 (AC Scan No.)
AC0240-0000009 (AC Scan No.)
Restrictions:
Unrestricted research use by appointment. Photographs must be handled with cotton gloves unless protected by sleeves.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Extent:
1 Item (5.0" x 7.0")
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Place:
East Kingston (N.H.)
New Hampshire
Date:
1936-1937
Scope and Contents:
Photograph by A. L. Belcher, East Kingston, New Hampshire.
Arrangement:
In Series ?, Box 18, Notebook region 2, photo 2-171-14
Local Numbers:
AC0240-0000010 (AC Scan No.)
Restrictions:
Unrestricted research use by appointment. Photographs must be handled with cotton gloves unless protected by sleeves.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Collection Creator:
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Extent:
2 Items (11.9" x 9.4")
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
1936-1937
Scope and Contents:
Photograph by Frederick Farley
Arrangement:
In Series ?, Box 19, Notebook region 5, photo 2-171-14
Local Numbers:
AC0240-0000011 (AC Scan No.)
AC0240-0000012 (AC Scan No.)
Restrictions:
Unrestricted research use by appointment. Photographs must be handled with cotton gloves unless protected by sleeves.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Container:
Box 26, Sheet 2-68
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1857
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Historic American Merchant Marine Survey, 1936-1937, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Container:
Box 26, Sheet 2-69
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1859
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Historic American Merchant Marine Survey, 1936-1937, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Container:
Box 26, Sheet 2-70
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1860
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Historic American Merchant Marine Survey, 1936-1937, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Container:
Box 26, Sheet 2-71
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1863
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Historic American Merchant Marine Survey, 1936-1937, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Container:
Box 26, Sheet 2-72
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1865
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Historic American Merchant Marine Survey, 1936-1937, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Container:
Box 26, Sheet 2-74
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1868
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Historic American Merchant Marine Survey, 1936-1937, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
United States. Works Progress Administration Search this
Container:
Box 26, Sheet 2-80
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1870
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Historic American Merchant Marine Survey, 1936-1937, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
