Search Results

Creator:

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2022-05-27T17:36:40.000Z

YouTube Category:

Entertainment  Search this

Topic:

Art, modern  Search this

See more by:

hirshhornmuseum

Data Source:

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

YouTube Channel:

hirshhornmuseum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_bimSUTUX21I

Creator:

Smithsonian Institution  Search this

Type:

Conversations and talks

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2021-11-15T14:31:21.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

See more by:

SmithsonianVideos

Data Source:

Smithsonian Institution

YouTube Channel:

SmithsonianVideos

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_4WX3wHJobnA

Artist:

George Peter Alexander Healy, 15 Jul 1813 - 24 Jun 1894  Search this

Sitter:

Henry Clay, 12 Apr 1777 - 29 Jun 1852  Search this

Medium:

Oil on canvas

Dimensions:

76.4cm x 63.8cm (30 1/16" x 25 1/8"), Accurate

Type:

Painting

Date:

1845

Topic:

Henry Clay: Male  Search this

Henry Clay: Law and Law Enforcement\Lawyer  Search this

Henry Clay: Politics and Government\Presidential candidate  Search this

Henry Clay: Politics and Government\US Congressman\Speaker of the House  Search this

Henry Clay: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of State  Search this

Henry Clay: Politics and Government\US Congressman\Kentucky  Search this

Henry Clay: Politics and Government\State Legislator\Kentucky  Search this

Henry Clay: Politics and Government\US Senator\Kentucky  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Object number:

19.1.21

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm402acec1a-0cbb-408f-b060-4c66d78a3113

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_19.1.21

Artist:

Hiram Powers, 29 Jul 1805 - 27 Jun 1873  Search this

Copy after:

Jean-Antoine Houdon, 1741 - 1828  Search this

Sitter:

Benjamin Franklin, 17 Jan 1706 - 17 Apr 1790  Search this

Medium:

Marble

Dimensions:

60.9cm x 40.6cm x 27.9cm (24" x 16" x 11"), Accurate

Type:

Sculpture

Date:

c. 1850

Topic:

Benjamin Franklin: Male  Search this

Benjamin Franklin: Literature\Writer  Search this

Benjamin Franklin: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman  Search this

Benjamin Franklin: Politics and Government\Congressman\Continental congressman  Search this

Benjamin Franklin: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman\Signer of Declaration  Search this

Benjamin Franklin: Science and Technology\Scientist  Search this

Benjamin Franklin: Politics and Government\Diplomat  Search this

Benjamin Franklin: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist  Search this

Benjamin Franklin: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this

Benjamin Franklin: Crafts and Trades\Printer  Search this

Benjamin Franklin: Politics and Government\Government official\Postmaster  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Object number:

19.1.50

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4547beb86-4f24-4c77-a92c-46087f3e399f

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_19.1.50

Artist:

Sir Moses Jacob Ezekiel, 28 Oct 1844 - 27 Mar 1917  Search this

Sitter:

Thomas Jefferson, 13 Apr 1743 - 4 Jul 1826  Search this

Medium:

Bronze with brown patina

Dimensions:

60.3 × 21.3 × 18.7cm (23 3/4 × 8 3/8 × 7 3/8")

Type:

Sculpture

Date:

modeled 1897, cast c. 1900-10

Topic:

Printed Material\Document  Search this

Costume\Footwear\Shoes  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Male  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Law and Law Enforcement\Lawyer  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Politics and Government\Congressman\Continental congressman  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman\Signer of Declaration  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Politics and Government\Vice-President of US  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Farmer  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Visual Arts\Architect  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Politics and Government\President of US  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Politics and Government\Cabinet member\Secretary of State  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Politics and Government\Diplomat\Minister  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Politics and Government\US Congressman\Virginia  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Politics and Government\Governor\Virginia  Search this

Thomas Jefferson: Education and Scholarship\Founder\University  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Object number:

2008.44 VMFA

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm49763318f-74a0-4744-87de-6231c166fcb0

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_2008.44_VMFA

Artist:

Dominic W. Boudet, ? - 1845  Search this

Copy after:

John Hesselius, 1728 - 9 Apr 1778  Search this

Sitter:

George Mason, 1725 - 1792  Search this

Medium:

Oil on canvas

Dimensions:

Sight: 76.2 x 63.5cm (30 x 25")

Type:

Painting

Date:

1811

Topic:

George Mason: Male  Search this

George Mason: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Object number:

37.22.1

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4e5dc5690-bead-4627-8b14-9179e1da3059

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_37.22.1

Artist:

Junius Brutus Stearns, 1810 - 1885  Search this

Sitter:

George Washington, 22 Feb 1732 - 14 Dec 1799  Search this

Medium:

Oil on canvas

Dimensions:

93.9cm x 137.2cm (36 15/16" x 54"), Sight

Type:

Painting

Date:

c. 1850

Topic:

Interior\Legislative chamber  Search this

George Washington: Male  Search this

George Washington: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Revolutionary War Army officer  Search this

George Washington: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman  Search this

George Washington: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Farmer  Search this

George Washington: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\General  Search this

George Washington: Politics and Government\President of US  Search this

George Washington: Science and Technology\Surveyor  Search this

George Washington: Congressional Gold Medal  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Object number:

50.2.1

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm40fd769b2-6abe-4bf9-80a3-b28e428fc594

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_50.2.1

Artist:

Junius Brutus Stearns, 1810 - 1885  Search this

Sitter:

George Washington, 22 Feb 1732 - 14 Dec 1799  Search this

Martha Dandridge Custis Washington, 2 Jun 1731 - 22 May 1802  Search this

Medium:

Oil on canvas

Dimensions:

102.9 × 139.7cm (40 1/2 × 55")

Type:

Painting

Date:

1849

Topic:

Costume\Jewelry\Necklace  Search this

Interior  Search this

Printed Material\Book  Search this

Costume\Dress Accessory\Glove\Gloves  Search this

Costume\Hair Accessory\Wig  Search this

Costume\Footwear\Shoes  Search this

Home Furnishings\Lighting Devices\Chandelier  Search this

Home Furnishings\Furniture\Rug  Search this

Costume\Hair Accessory  Search this

Human Figures  Search this

George Washington: Male  Search this

George Washington: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Revolutionary War Army officer  Search this

George Washington: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman  Search this

George Washington: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Farmer  Search this

George Washington: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\General  Search this

George Washington: Politics and Government\President of US  Search this

George Washington: Science and Technology\Surveyor  Search this

George Washington: Congressional Gold Medal  Search this

Martha Dandridge Custis Washington: Female  Search this

Martha Dandridge Custis Washington: Politics and Government\First Lady\First Lady of US  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Object number:

50.2.2 VMFA

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm477c3ac44-a245-4b25-a034-64994c7d0bc6

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_50.2.2_VMFA

Artist:

Mason Chamberlin, 1727 - 1787  Search this

Sitter:

Thomas Nelson, Jr., 1738 - 1789  Search this

Medium:

Oil on canvas

Dimensions:

74cm x 61.9cm (29 1/8" x 24 3/8"), Sight

Type:

Painting

Date:

c. 1754

Topic:

Costume\Headgear\Hat  Search this

Thomas Nelson, Jr.: Male  Search this

Thomas Nelson, Jr.: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman\Signer of Declaration  Search this

Thomas Nelson, Jr.: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Merchant  Search this

Thomas Nelson, Jr.: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Planter  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Object number:

54.4

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4b1515ac8-47fc-4d81-a616-cc1af7ceb790

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_54.4

Artist:

Unidentified Artist  Search this

Sitter:

William Byrd I, 1652 - 1704  Search this

Medium:

Oil on canvas

Dimensions:

120.6cm x 96.6cm (47 1/2" x 38 1/16"), Accurate

Type:

Painting

Date:

c. 1658-68

Topic:

Exterior\Landscape  Search this

Nature & Environment\Plant\Tree  Search this

Weapon\Spear  Search this

Nature & Environment\Animal\Dog  Search this

Costume\Outerwear\Cape  Search this

Nature & Environment\Rock  Search this

Equipment\Chain  Search this

William Byrd I: Male  Search this

William Byrd I: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman  Search this

William Byrd I: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Planter  Search this

William Byrd I: Politics and Government\Government official\Colonial government official  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Object number:

56.30

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4e0849656-8f92-43e6-b2d7-aa11d5d9bf24

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_56.30

Artist:

G. Rouse, 19th - 20th century  Search this

Forgery after:

Pierre Eugène Du Simitière, c. 1736 - 1784  Search this

Sitter:

George Washington, 22 Feb 1732 - 14 Dec 1799  Search this

Medium:

Wax relief

Dimensions:

28cm x 21cm (11" x 8 1/4"), Accurate

Type:

Sculpture

Date:

c. 1920-30

Topic:

Sculpture\Relief  Search this

George Washington: Male  Search this

George Washington: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Revolutionary War Army officer  Search this

George Washington: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman  Search this

George Washington: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Farmer  Search this

George Washington: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\General  Search this

George Washington: Politics and Government\President of US  Search this

George Washington: Science and Technology\Surveyor  Search this

George Washington: Congressional Gold Medal  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Object number:

60-39.5

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm48e3209e4-81ca-4623-9601-abd4acf9580b

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_60-39.5

Artist:

Jaquelin Limner, active c. 1722  Search this

Sitter:

Edward Jaquelin, 1668 - 1739  Search this

Medium:

Oil on canvas

Dimensions:

80cm x 66.1cm (31 1/2" x 26"), Accurate

Type:

Painting

Date:

c. 1722

Topic:

Edward Jaquelin: Male  Search this

Edward Jaquelin: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Object number:

LI.39.1

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4b1f5cfc0-9857-4fcf-8e39-14002b046de0

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_LI.39.1

Author:

Cruger, George  Search this

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts  Search this

Physical description:

[24] p. : chiefly ill. ; 18 cm

Type:

Books

Place:

Virginia

Date:

1977

1977]

20th century

Topic:

Prints, American--Exhibitions  Search this

Prints--Exhibitions  Search this

Printmakers  Search this

Call number:

NE535.V8 V57 1977

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_636014

Author:

Cruger, George  Search this

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts  Search this

Physical description:

[20] p. : ill. ; 18 cm

Type:

Books

Place:

Virginia

Date:

1979

1979]

20th century

Topic:

Prints, American--Exhibitions  Search this

Prints--Exhibitions  Search this

Printmakers  Search this

Call number:

NE535.V8 V57 1979

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_636015

Subject:

Ritchie, Charles  Search this

Physical description:

v. : ill., 18 cm

Type:

Exhibitions

Date:

1993

Topic:

Watercolor painting, American  Search this

Call number:

ND1839.R6 A4 1993

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_639042

Collection Creator:

Zabriskie Gallery  Search this

Container:

Box 93, Folder 5

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1977-1988

Collection Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. 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:

Zabriskie Gallery Records, 1905-2011. 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.

See more items in:

Zabriskie Gallery records

Zabriskie Gallery records / Series 7: Institution Files

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw95244eb08-f03c-419e-b383-3f765ff7a881

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-zabrgall-ref3770

Artist:

Donald Judd, American, b. Excelsior Springs, Missouri, 1928–1994  Search this

Medium:

Brass and red fluorescent Plexiglas

Dimensions:

10 units, each 6 1/8 × 24 × 27 in. (15.5 × 60.9 × 68.6 cm) with 6 in. (15.2 cm) intervals overall: 116 1/2 × 24 × 27 in. (295.9 × 61 × 68.6 cm)

Type:

Sculpture

Date:

(1969)

Credit Line:

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 1972

Accession Number:

72.154

See more items in:

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Collection

School:

Minimalism

Data Source:

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/py274f3b6d7-8301-4538-a5a0-c2e31994dd7a

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:hmsg_72.154

Collection Creator:

Hills, Patricia  Search this

Container:

Box 37, Folder 34

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1996

Collection Restrictions:

This collection is temporarily closed to researchers due to archival processing. Contact Reference 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.

Writings by Patricia Hills: The donor has retained all intellectual rights, including copyright, that she may own.

Collection Citation:

Patricia Hills Papers, circa 1900-2022, bulk 1968-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Patricia Hills papers

Patricia Hills papers / Series 8: Writings / 8.3: Talks, Not Published

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw94a58041f-dd27-4d82-8160-cff5dc68b033

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-hillspat-ref1095

Creator:

Poor, Henry Varnum, 1887-1970  Search this

Names:

Montross Gallery  Search this

Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture  Search this

Benton, William, 1900-1973  Search this

Biddle, George, 1885-1973  Search this

Billing, Jules  Search this

Burchfield, Charles Ephraim, 1893-1967  Search this

Caniff, Milton Arthur, 1907-1988  Search this

Ciardi, John, 1916-  Search this

Czebotar, Theodore  Search this

Deming, MacDonald  Search this

Dickson, Harold E., 1900-  Search this

Dorn, Marion, 1896-1964  Search this

Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968  Search this

Esherick, Wharton  Search this

Evergood, Philip, 1901-1973  Search this

Garrett, Alice Warder  Search this

Houseman, John, 1902-1988  Search this

Marston, Muktuk  Search this

Meredith, Burgess, 1907-1997  Search this

Mumford, Lewis, 1895-1990  Search this

Padro, Isabel  Search this

Poor, Anne, 1918-  Search this

Poor, Bessie Breuer  Search this

Poor, Eva  Search this

Poor, Josephine Graham  Search this

Poor, Josephine Lydia  Search this

Poor, Peter  Search this

Sargent, Elizabeth S.  Search this

Smith, David, 1906-1965  Search this

Steinbeck, John, 1902-1968  Search this

Watson, Ernest William, 1884-1969  Search this

Extent:

12.9 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Motion pictures (visual works)

Diaries

Drawings

Sketchbooks

Date:

1873-2001

bulk 1904-1970

Summary:

The papers of Henry Varnum Poor measure 12.9 linear feet and date from 1873-2001, with the bulk from the period 1904-1970. Correspondence, writings, artwork, printed material and photographs document Poor's work as a painter, muralist, ceramic artist and potter, architect, designer, writer, war artist, educator and a co-founder of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Also found is extensive information about the design and construction of Crow House, his home in New City, New York, commissions for other architectural projects, and his personal life.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of Henry Varnum Poor measure 12.9 linear feet and date from 1873-2001, with the bulk from the period 1904-1970. Correspondence, writings, artwork, printed material and photographs document Poor's work as a painter, muralist, ceramic artist and potter, architect, designer, writer, war artist, educator and a co-founder of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Also found is extensive information about the design and construction of Crow House, his home in New City, New York, commissions for other architectural projects, and his personal life.

Henry Varnum Poor's correspondence documents his personal, family, and professional life. Correspondents include family and friends, among them George Biddle, Charles Burchfield, John Ciardi, Marion V. Dorn (who became his second wife), Philip Evergood, Lewis Mumford, John Steinbeck, David Smith, and Mrs. John Work (Alice) Garrett. Among other correspondents are galleries, museums, schools, organizations, fans, former students, and acquaintances from his military service and travels. Family correspondence consists of Henry's letters to his parents, letters to his parents written by his wife, and letters among other family members.

Among the writings by Henry Varnum Poor are manuscripts of his two published books, An Artist Sees Alaska and A Book of Pottery: From Mud to Immortality. as well as the text of "Painting is Being Talked to Death," published in the first issue of Reality: A Journal of Artists' Opinions, April 1953, and manuscripts of other articles. There are also film scripts, two journals, notes and notebooks, lists, speeches, and writings by others, including M. R. ("Muktuk") Marston's account of Poor rescuing an Eskimo, and Bessie Breuer Poor's recollections of The Montross Gallery.

Subject files include those on the Advisory Committee on Art, American Designers' Gallery, Inc., William Benton, Harold Dickson, Reality: A Journal of Artists' Opinions Sales, and War Posters. There are numerous administrative files for the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture.

Artwork by Henry Varnum Poor consists mainly of loose drawings and sketches and 45 sketchbooks of studies for paintings, murals, and pottery. There is work done in France, 1918-1919, and while working as a war correspondent in Alaska in 1943. There are commissioned illustrations and some intended for his monograph, A Book of Pottery: From Mud to Immortality. Also found are a small number of watercolors and prints. Work by other artists consist of Anne Poor's drawings of her father's hands used for the Lincoln figure in The Land Grant Frescoes and interior views of Crow House by Ernest Watson.

Documentation of Poor's architectural projects consists of drawings and prints relating to houses designed and built for Jules Billing, MacDonald Deming, John Houseman, Burgess Meredith, Isabel Padro, and Elizabeth S. Sargent. Also found is similar material for the new studio Poor built in 1957 on the grounds of Crow House.

Miscellaneous records include family memorabilia and two motion picture films, Painting a True Fresco, and The Land Grant Murals at Pennsylvania State College.

Printed material includes articles about or mentioning Poor, some of his pottery reference books, family history, a catalog of kilns, and the program of a 1949 Pennsylvania State College theater production titled Poor Mr. Varnum. Exhibition catalogs and announcements survive for some of Poor's shows; catalogs of other artists' shows include one for Theodore Czebotar containing an introductory statement by Henry Varnum Poor. Also found is a copy of The Army at War: A Graphic Record by American Artists, for which Poor served as an advisor. There are reproductions of illustrations for An Artist Sees Alaska and Ethan Frome, and two Associated American Artists greeting cards reproducing work by Poor.

Photographs are of Henry Varnum Poor's architectural work, artwork, people, places, and miscellaneous subjects. This series also contains negatives, slides, and transparencies. Images of architectural work include exterior and interior views of many projects; Poor's home, Crow House, predominates. Photographs of artwork by Poor are of drawings, fresco and ceramic tile murals, paintings, pottery and ceramic art. People appearing in photographs include Henry Varnum Poor, family members, friends, clients, juries, students, and various groups. Among the individuals portrayed are Milton Caniff, Marcel Duchamp, Wharton Esherick, M. R. ("Muktuk") Marston, and Burgess Meredith. Among the family members are Bessie Breuer Poor, Marion Dorn Poor, Anne Poor, Eva Poor, Josephine Graham Poor, Josephine Lydia Poor, Peter Poor, and unidentified relatives. Photographs of places include many illustrating village life in Alaska that were taken by Poor during World War II. Other places recorded are French and California landscapes, and family homes in Kansas. Miscellaneous subjects are exhibition installation views, scenes of Kentucky farms, and a photograph of Poor's notes on glazes.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 9 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1919-1987 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1, OV 18)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1873-1985 (1.5 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Writings and Notes, circa 1944-1974 (0.6 linear feet; Boxes 2-3)

Series 4: Subject Files, 1928-1975 (0.8 linear feet; Box 3, OV 23)

Series 5: Artwork, circa 1890s-circa 1961 (3.5 linear feet; Boxes 4-6, 9-10, OV 19-22)

Series 6: Architectural Projects, circa 1940-1966 (0.7 linear feet; Box 6, OV 24-26, RD 14-17)

Series 7: Miscellaneous Records, 1882-1967 (Boxes 6, 11, FC 30-31; 0.5 linear ft.)

Series 8: Printed Material, 1881-2001 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 6-7, 11, OV 27-29)

Series 9: Photographs, 1893-1984 (2.3 linear feet; Boxes 7-8, 12-13)

Biographical Note:

Henry Varnum Poor (1888-1970), best known as a potter, ceramic artist, and a co-founder of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, was also an architect, painter, muralist, designer, educator, and writer who lived and worked in New City, New York.

A native of Chapman, Kansas, Henry Varnum Poor moved with his family to Kansas City when his grain merchant father became a member of the Kansas Board of Trade. From a young age he showed artistic talent and spent as much time as possible - including school hours - drawing. When a school supervisor suggested that Henry leave school to study at the Art Institute of Chicago, the family disagreed. Instead, he enrolled in the Kansas City Manual Training High School where he delighted in learning skills such as carpentry, forge work, and mechanical drawing. In 1905, he moved with his older brother and sister to Palo Alto, California and completed high school there. Because Poor was expected to join the family business, he enrolled at Stanford University as an economics major, but much to his father's disappointment and displeasure, soon left the economics department and became an art major.

Immediately after graduation in 1910, Poor and his major professor at Stanford, Arthur B. Clark, took a summer bicycling tour to look at art in London, France, Italy, and Holland. As Poor had saved enough money to remain in London after the summer was over, he enrolled in the Slade School of Art and also studied under Walter Sickert at the London County Council Night School. After seeing an exhibition of Post-Impressionism at the Grafton Galleries in London, Poor was so impressed that he went to Paris and enrolled in the Académie Julian. While in Paris, Poor met Clifford Addams, a former apprentice of Whistler; soon he was working in Addams' studio learning Whistler's palette and techniques.

In the fall of 1911, Poor returned to Stanford University's art department on a one-year teaching assignment. During that academic year, his first one-man show was held at the university's Old Studio gallery. He married Lena Wiltz and moved back to Kansas to manage the family farm and prepare for another exhibition. Their daughter, Josephine Lydia Poor, was born the following year. Poor returned to Stanford in September 1913 as assistant professor of graphic arts, remaining until the department closed three years later. During this period, Poor began to exhibit more frequently in group shows in other areas of the country, and had his first solo exhibition at a commercial gallery (Helgesen Gallery, San Francisco). In 1916, Poor joined the faculty of the San Francisco Art Association. He and his wife separated in 1917 and were divorced the following year. Poor began sharing his San Francisco studio with Marion Dorn.

During World War I, Poor was drafted into the U. S. Army, and in 1918 went to France with the 115th Regiment of Engineers. He spent his spare time drawing; soon officers were commissioning portraits, and Poor was appointed the regimental artist. He also served as an interpreter for his company. Discharged from the Army in early 1919, Poor spent the spring painting in Paris. He then returned to San Francisco and married Marion Dorn.

Once Poor realized that earning a living as a painter would be extremely difficult in California, he and his new wife moved to New York in the autumn of 1919. They were looking for a place to live when influential book and art dealer Mary Mowbray-Clarke of the Sunwise Turn Bookshop in Manhattan suggested New City in Rockland County, New York as good place for artists. In January of 1920, the Poors purchased property on South Mountain Road in New City. The skills he acquired at the Kansas City Manual Training High School were of immediate use as Poor designed and constructed "Crow House" with the assistance of a local teenager. Influenced by the farmhouses he had seen in France, it was made of local sandstone and featured steep gables, rough plaster, chestnut beams and floors, and incorporated many hand-crafted details. Poor designed and built most of their furniture, too. Before the end of the year, he and Marion were able to move into the house, though it remained a work in progress for many years. Additions were constructed. Over time, gardens were designed and planted, and outbuildings - a kiln and pottery, work room, garage, and new studio - appeared on the property.

In 1925, two years after his divorce from Marion Dorn, Poor married Bessie Freedman Breuer (1893-1975), an editor, short story writer, and novelist. Soon after, he adopted her young daughter, Anne (1918-2002), an artist who served as his assistant on many important mural commissions. Their son, Peter (b. 1926) became a television producer. Crow House remained in the family until its sale in 2006. In order to prevent its demolition, Crow House was then purchased by the neighboring town of Ramapo, New York in 2007.

Between 1935 and 1966 Poor designed and oversaw construction of a number of houses, several of them situated not far from Crow House on South Mountain Road. Poor's designs, noted for their simplicity, featured modern materials and incorporated his ceramic tiles. Among his important commissions were houses for Maxwell Anderson, Jules Billig, Milton Caniff, MacDonald Deming, and John Houseman.

Poor's first exhibition of paintings in New York City was at Kevorkian Galleries in 1920, and sales were so disappointing that he turned his attention to ceramics. His first pottery show, held at Bel Maison Gallery in Wanamaker's department store in 1921, was very successful. He quickly developed a wide reputation, participated in shows throughout the country, and won awards. He was a founder of the short-lived American Designers' Gallery, and the tile bathroom he showed at the group's first exposition was critically acclaimed. Poor was represented by Montross Gallery as both a painter and potter. When Montross Gallery closed upon its owner's death in 1932, Poor moved to the Frank K. M. Rehn Gallery.

Even though Poor's pottery and ceramic work was in the forefront, he continued to paint. His work was acquired by a number of museums, and the Limited Editions Club commissioned him to illustrate their republications of Ethan Frome, The Scarlet Letter, and The Call of the Wild.

Poor's first work in true fresco was shown in a 1932 mural exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Between 1935 and 1949 he was commissioned to produce several murals in fresco for Section of Fine Arts projects at the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior, The Land Grant Frescoes at Pennsylvania State College, and a mural for the Louisville Courier-Journal. Ceramic tile mural commissions included: the Klingenstein Pavilion, Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York City; Travelers Insurance Co., Boston; the Fresno Post Office, California; and Hillson Memorial Gallery, Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, Mass.

As a member of the War Artists' Unit, Poor was a "war correspondent" with the rank of major in World War II, and for several months in 1943 was stationed in Alaska. An Artist Sees Alaska, drawing on Poor's observations and experiences, was published in 1945. A Book of Pottery: From Mud to Immortality, his second book, was published in 1958. It remains a standard text on the subject. While on the faculty of Columbia University in the 1950s, Poor and other artists opposed to the growing influence of Abstract Expressionism formed the Reality Group with Poor the head of its editorial committee. Their magazine, Reality: A Journal of Artists' Opinions, first appeared in 1953 featuring "Painting is Being Talked to Death" by Poor as its lead article. Two more issues were published in 1954 and 1955.

Along with Willard Cummings, Sidney Simon, and Charles Cuttler, in 1946 Henry Varnum Poor helped to establish the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, Maine. He served as its first president. Poor and his daughter, Anne, were active members of the Board of Trustees and were instructors for many years. The summer of 1961 was Henry Varnum Poor's last as a full-time teacher, though he continued to spend summers at Skowhegan.

Henry Varnum Poor exhibited widely and received many awards, among them prizes at the Carnegie Institute, Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Architectural League of New York. Poor was appointed to the United States Commission of Fine Arts by President Roosevelt in 1941 and served a five year term. He was elected a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1943. The National Academy of Design named him an Associate Artist in 1954 and an Academician in 1963. He became a trustee of the American Craftsman's Council in 1956. The work of Henry Vernum Poor is represented in the permanent collections of many American museums including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Addison Gallery of American Art, and Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts.

Henry Varnum Poor died at home in New City, New York, December 8, 1970.

Related Material:

An oral history interview with Henry Varnum Poor was conducted by Harlan Phillips for the Archives of American Art in 1964.

Provenance:

Gift of Henry Varnum Poor's son, Peter V. Poor, in 2007. A smaller portion was loaned to the Archives in 1973 by Anne Poor for microfilming and returned to the lender; this material was included in the 2007 gift.

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. Use of 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.

Occupation:

War artists  Search this

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

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

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

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

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

Topic:

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

World War, 1914-1918  Search this

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

Genre/Form:

Motion pictures (visual works)

Diaries

Drawings

Sketchbooks

Citation:

Henry Varnum Poor papers, 1873-2001, bulk 1904-1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.poorhenr

See more items in:

Henry Varnum Poor papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96265d653-098f-4ccc-abed-0bc649c50516

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-poorhenr

Artist:

James Earle Fraser, 4 Nov 1876 - 11 Oct 1953  Search this

Sitter:

Theodore Roosevelt, 27 Oct 1858 - 6 Jan 1919  Search this

Medium:

Bronze

Dimensions:

12.25 x 10 in. (32.39 x 25.40 cm.)

Type:

Sculpture

Date:

1902

Topic:

Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses  Search this

Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Mustache  Search this

Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie\Necktie  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Male  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Politics and Government\State Legislator\New York  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Literature\Writer  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Politics and Government\Vice-President of US  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Colonel  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Natural Resource Occupations\Explorer  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Politics and Government\Governor\New York  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Politics and Government\President of US  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Education and Scholarship\Scholar\Historian  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Society and Social Change\Reformer\Environmentalist  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Rancher  Search this

Theodore Roosevelt: Nobel Prize  Search this

Portrait  Search this

Credit Line:

Owner: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Object number:

2008.123 VMFA

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Catalog of American Portraits

Data Source:

Catalog of American Portraits

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm49c200857-ab92-4f44-a42b-e98e3152b66a

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npg_2008.123_VMFA