Correspondence, biographical and genealogical information, poems, notes, diaries, artwork, sketchbooks, photographs, business papers and printed material relating to the Longacre family, especially James Barton Longacre and Andrew Longacre.
REEL P1-P2: Correspondence and papers of James Barton Longacre, 1819-1857, mostly concerned with his position as engraver of the U.S. Mint, Philadelphia, and his publication THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY OF DISTINGUISHED AMERICANS. Letters include correspondence with Asher B. Durand, James Herring, John Neagle, Thomas Sully and George Catlin. Additional material includes diaries, sketches and designs for coinage, a biography, autobiographical notes, and printed material.
REEL 986: Five sketchbooks, ca.1861-1894, of Reverend Andrew Longacre. Sketches depict landscapes, interiors, and monogram designs made in the United States, Europe, North Africa and the Near East. In addition there is a memoranda book kept by Longacre, ca. 1890.
REELS 1046-1048: Letters, including: correspondence between James and his wife; between James and Andrew during the Civil War; and Lydia Longacre's letters from Europe, 1899-1900; and letters from Theodore Bolton to Mrs. James M. Longacre about including James in his book, EARLY AMERICAN PORTRAIT DRAUGHTSMEN IN CRAYONS. Also included are biographical notes on James; an autobiography of Andrew; poetry and writings by James; accounts of a trip to Egypt by Andrew; financial documents relating to James; artwork; designs for coins and sketchbooks by James, Andrew and Lydia and material relating to an engraving of Charles Carroll by James.
REELS 1083 & 1050: Genealogical information on the Stiles and Longacre families; letters from Andrew to his father, James Barton Longacre, and his sister, Sallie, and other family members and friends; a copy of James Barton's 1825 diary; poems and compositions by Andrew; financial and business papers, 1898-1918; 28 photographs depicting portraits of James and Andrew, Lydia E. Longacre and her miniature paintings.
REEL 3091: Two engravings by James after paintings by Benjamin West and a letter from Augusta M. Longacre to Bolton regarding Bolton's biography of James.
Biographical / Historical:
Artists; Philadelphia and New York. James Barton Longacre was an engraver and portrait painter. Chief engraver at the U.S. Mint, Philadelphia, from 1844-1869. His engravings and portraits illustrate several books including THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY OF DISTINGUISHED AMERICANS, and BIOGRAPHY OF THE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. His son, Andrew Longacre was an engraver, watercolorist, and Methodist minister. His daughter, Lydia Longacre was a miniature painter, pupil of the Art Students League of New York, under Chase and Mowbray, and under Whistler in Paris.
Provenance:
Material on reels P1-P2 lent for microfilming by the Library Company of Philadelphia; Material on reel 986 lent 1975 by Fred Longacre; material on reels 1050 and 1083 lent 1975-1976 by Mrs. Andrew Longacre who also donated the material on reels 1046-1048 in 1982; material on reel 3091 donated 1981 by the NMAA-PG Library.
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. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Correspondence, artist files and subject files relate to Oakley's activities as an artist and illustrator, and his involvement with numerous art organizations, including the Philadelphia Art Alliance, the Philadelphia Water Color Club, the Artists' War Relief Committee of Philadelphia, and the Exposition of Indian Tribal Arts. Artist files on Cecilia Beaux, Florence Este, John Taylor Arms, John McLure Hamilton, Christian Brinton, George Morrow, Leila Mechlin, John Harkrider, Alexander Robinson, and Joseph Pennell, among others, primarily contain letters. Some also include photographs and printed matter. Four inches of letters from Beaux discuss working habits, portrait commissions, life in Paris, and personal matters. Letters from Este discuss life in France during the war, French artists, exhibitions at the Philadelphia Water Color Club, and Cecilia Beaux. Other material relates to Oakley's mural for the Franklin Institute.
Arrangement:
I.Finding aid. II.Cecilia Beaux correspondence, 1907-1942. III.Research materials for Oakley's biography of Beaux. IV.Florence Este correspondence, 1914-1925. V.Subject files, 1918-1952. VI.Artist files, 1906-1953.
Biographical / Historical:
Watercolorist and illustrator; Philadephia, Pa.
Provenance:
Microfilmed in 1990 as part of AAA's Philadelphia Arts Documentation Project. The papers were donated to the Brandywine River Museum by Oakley's daughter, Lansdale Oakley Humphreys. Unfilmed portions of the papers relate to publications, the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, the National Geographic Society, French and Scandinavian organizations, and war relief efforts, among other topics.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
