Biographical material, extensive diaries, correspondence, notes, writings, business records, sketchbooks and drawings, project files, scrapbooks, printed materials, photographs and slides, motion picture film, and videotape relating to Weem's education and career as a sculptor. Also included are ca. 1 foot of papers of Weems' aunt, watercolorist Katharine Ward Lane (1862-1893), including letters, diaries, sketchbooks and photographs.
REEL 724: Biographical sketch, 1974; letters from Frederic Bartlett, George Demetrios, Walker Hancock, Leon Kroll, Lee Lawrie, Moissaye Marans, Adolph Alexander Weinman, and others; four sketchbooks, 1954-1965, containing pencil drawings of animals; a scrapbook of clippings, 1924-1941; and printed material.
UNMICROFILMED: Biographical material includes sketches and documents, and biographical information on Weems grandfather, Basil Lanneau Gildersleeve, and father, Gardiner Lane. Diaries (74 v.), 1906-1983, contain entries relating to art studies and her development as a sculptor; some include clippings and photographs. Correspondence, 1898-1989, includes letters from Gifford Beal, Margaret French Cresson, Charles Grafly, John Gregory, Walker Hancock, Malvina Hoffman, Anna Hyatt-Huntington, Paul Manship, Brenda Putnam, Gurdon Tarbox, and Adolph Weinman, discussing Weems' work and participation in various sculpture organizations. There are four notebooks on art history; recipes for clay and plaster; notes on patinas for bronze; lecture notes; lists of Weems' works and exhibitions; an exhibition guest book, 1931-1957; poems, 1933-1981; invoices and receipts, 1919-1981; copyright records, 1928-1978; and art work, including 15 v. of sketchbooks, 1913-1964, drawings and tracings of animal figures. and a copper printing plate mounted on a wood block.
Fourteen project files contain letters, drawings, photographs, and printed material on: an enlarging machine, the Saltus Medal for Merit, the frieze and Rhinoceros sculpture for the Biological Laboratories at Harvard, 1930-1942, including 7 reels of 16mm motion picture film (with script transferred to VHS), the Lotta Fountain, 1939-1974, Legion of Merit Medal, 1949-1952, War Department project, 1946, Goodwin Medal, 1949-1952, Wallace Goodrich Plaque, 1954, Hospital Teaching Clinic, 1955, Boston Museum of Science, 1964-1965, "Dolphins by the Sea" for the New England Aquarium, 1969-1979, Heredities Limited, 1971-1974, and the Museum School, 1977.
Included are two scrapbooks, one of clippings about the work of other artists and one containing poems, clippings of landscapes, animals, works by others, and autographed photographs of actresses Katharine Cornell and Anna May Wong and sculptor Brenda Putnam. Printed material includes clippings, 1911-1989; exhibition announcements and catalogs, 1922-1981; bulletins, programs, brochures on artists, organizations, Brookgreen Gardens, and supplies; reproductions of art works, and the books, Odds Were Against Me (1985, Weems autobiography, and Enrique Monjo (1955), inscribed by Mongo.
Photographs and slides, 1902-1988, are of Weems, family members, artists Charles Grafly, Walker Hancock, and Anna Hyatt-Huntington, Weems' house "The Chimneys," her studio, gardens, animals, works of art by Weems and others, exhibit installations, and views of New York City, Washington, D.C., Monticello, the University of Virginia, and Brookgreen Gardens. Nine albums, 1920-1980, contain photographs of an art class, Weems in her studio, her home, her friends, scenic views, and works of art. Videos and film include a videotape (5 min., U-matic) of an interview of Weems; a film, "From Clay to Bronze," showing the creation of Weems' sculpture "Dark Warrier" (transferred to VHS); motion picture film of the making of the sculpture "Rhinoceros" (transferred to digital betacam, VHS and DVD), and a home movie of a day at the beach, circa 1935.
The papers' of Weems' aunt, Katharine "Kitty" Ward Lane (d. 1893), include Lane's letters, 1898-1893, to her brother (Weems' father) and to other family members; a travel diary from Germany, 1886; notes; financial records, 1891-1892; 10 sketchbooks; printed material; and photographs, 1865-1893, of Lane, early views of Saranac Lake, and 9 views of the Columbia Exposition, 1893.
Biographical / Historical:
Sculptor; Boston, Mass. Died 1989. Specialized in animal sculpture. Studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston under Charles Grafly, Anna Hyatt-Huntington, George Demetrios, and Brenda Putnam. She married F. Carrington Weems in 1947. Named after her aunt, watercolor painter Katharine Ward Lane, who died in 1893.
Provenance:
Material on reel 724 lent for microfilming by Weems, 1974. The four sketchbooks on reel 724 were subsequently donated in 1989. Unmicrofilmed papers were donated 1975 and 1982 by Weems, and in 1989 by her estate. Eighteen diaries (1961-1965, 1967-1976 [1969 not included], 1978, and 1981-1983) and an apppointment book for 1966 donated by the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College, 1991.
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.
Occupation:
Animal sculptors -- Massachusetts -- Boston Search this
Brookgreen Gardens (Murrells Inlet, South Carolina)
United States of America -- South Carolina -- Georgetown County -- Murrells Inlet
Date:
1983 Jul.
Local Call Number(s):
10533
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Brookgreen Gardens (Murrells Inlet, South Carolina)
United States of America -- South Carolina -- Georgetown County -- Murrells Inlet
Date:
1977 Apr.
Local Call Number(s):
10550, 10551
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Brookgreen Gardens (Murrells Inlet, South Carolina)
United States of America -- South Carolina -- Georgetown County -- Murrells Inlet
Date:
[between 1976 and 1986]
Local Call Number(s):
10559
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Weinman, Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander), 1870-1952 Search this
Extent:
1.1 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on two reels))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Interviews
Date:
1916-1981
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence (1916-1981); business records (1922-1971); notes (undated and 1929); interview transcript (1978); printed material (1929-1981); and photographs (1920-1945).
REELS 3612-3613: Correspondence concerning work done by the Continis for sculptors, including letters from Bryant Baker, A. Stirling Calder, Rudolph Evans, James Earle Fraser, John Gregory, Walker Hancock, Anna Hyatt Huntington, Gaston Lachaise, Bruce Moore, A. Phimister Proctor, Richard Recchia, David Rubins, and Adolph Weinman; photographs of the Contini family and of works of art, including "End of the Trail" by James Earle Fraser and works by Rudolph Evans, Anna Hyatt Huntington, and Richard Recchia (1920-1945); Attilio Contini's address book; and a notebook listing works of art.
Also, receipts and invoices addressed to various sculptors (1922-1971) and a contract for work on Frederic Remington's sculpture "Coming Through the Rye" for the National Cowboy Hall of Fame; a transcript of an interview with Cesare Contini conducted by George Gurney on August 26, 1978; clippings (1950-1981), exhibition catalogs (1929-1939), and 2 programs for the unveiling of the Martin Luther monument in Baltimore, Maryland (1936) and the Bing Crosby statue in Spokane, Washington (1981).
UNMICROFILMED: Three undated photographs mounted on board of historical panels at the West Point Library executed by Laura Gardin Fraser.
Biographical / Historical:
Plaster casting firm; New York, N.Y. Following training in Italy, Attilio (1884-1960) and his son Cesare (b. 1907) came to America and operated A. Contini and Son, New York, N.Y, making plaster molds for sculptures by wide group of artists, including James Earle Fraser, Ivan Mestrovic, Herbert Haseltine, A. Stirling Calder, Adolph Weinman, Gaston Lachaise, and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney.
Provenance:
Donated 1984 by Cesare Contini.
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.
REEL D34: Material collected by Stevens, in answer to his requests for information for his projected book, "Autobiography of Modern Artists." Included are letters, notes, photographs, articles, exhibition annoucements, clippings and biographical data. Included among the photos are Alson Clark, Leon Dabo, John Flanagan by Ording, Lillian Genth by Haeseler, H. Siddons Mowbray by Rockwood, and Adolf A. Weinman by De Witt Ward, ca. 1905-1910.
REEL 3472: A letter to Stevens, from Fernand Harvey Lungren, Jan. 9-15, 1911, describing his art background, his work in the Southwest, California, and the desert, and his hope to show Stevens his paintings in Toledo.
Biographical / Historical:
Museum director; Toledo, Ohio. Stevens was the first director of the Toledo Museum of Art.
Provenance:
Donated 1954 & 1976 by the Toledo Museum of Art.
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.
Transcripts and handwritten drafts of interviews of 86 artists and architects associated with the National Academy of Design, conducted by Lockman. Also included are a few biographical sketches.
Interviewees include: Mrs. Edwin Austin Abbey, Wayman Adams, Robert I. Aiken, Ernest Albert, Alonzo R. Beal, Edward A. Bell, Edwin H. Blashfield, Roy H. Brown, George E. Browne, Arnold Brunner, Alexander S. Calder, Carleton T. Chapman, Benjamin West Clinedinst, Alphaeus Cole, Timothy Cole, Irving E. Couse, Robert B. Crane, Charles C. Curran, B. Franklin De Haven, William R. Derrick, Louis P. Dessar, Thomas W. Dewing, Frederick I. Dielman, Edward Dufner, John W. Dunsmore, Jared B. Flagg, John G. Flanagan, August R. Franzen, Daniel C. French, Sherry E. Fry, Edward Gay, Cass Gilbert, Walter Granville-Smith, Chester Harding, Childe Hassam, Charles W. Hawthorne, William H. Howe, Henry S. Hubbell, William H. Hyde, William S. Jewett, Francis C. Jones, Dora Wheeler Kieth, William Fair Kline, Jonas Lie, Louis Loeb, Will H. Low, Edward McCartan, Frederick MacMonnies, Herman A. MacNeil, Gari Melchers, Francis Luis Mora, H. Siddons Mowbray, Raymond P. R. Neilson, George G. Newell,Robert H. Nisbet,
Ivan G. Olinsky, Willard Dryden Paddock, Walter L. Palmer, Arthur Parton, William McGregor Paxton, Ernest C. Peixotto, Joseph Pennell, Edward H. Potthast, Henry Prellwitz, Wilhelm F. Ritschel, Henry Rittenberg, Frederick Roth, Carl Rungius, Emily Sartain, John Sartain, William Sartain, Henry B. Snell, Robert Spencer, Egerton Swartwout, Douglas Volk, Bessie & Robert Vonnoh, Horatio Walker, Harry Watrous, Adolph Weinman, Charles D. Weldon, William Whittemore, Irving Wiles, Frederick B. Williams, and Cullen Yates.
Biographical / Historical:
DeWitt Lockman was a portrait painter, New York, N.Y. He studied in Europe, 1891-1892 and 1901-1902; a pupil of James H. Beard, Nelson N. Bickford and William Sartain; and was president of the National Academy of Design and records secretary of the New York Historical Society.
Provenance:
Lent 1973 by the New York Historical Society.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Topic:
Artists -- United States -- Interviews Search this
Architects -- United States -- Interviews Search this
Adolph Weinman's notes from a speech to the President of the National Academy of Design and Members
Creator:
Weinman, Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander), 1870-1952 Search this
Type:
Writings
Date:
ca. 1939
Citation:
Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander) Weinman. Adolph Weinman's notes from a speech to the President of the National Academy of Design and Members, ca. 1939. Adolph A. Weinman papers, 1890-1959. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander) Weinman. Adolph A. Weinman to Frances Marsh, 1937 March 23. Adolph A. Weinman papers, 1890-1959. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander) Weinman. Adolph Weinman at the Art School of the Art Students League, New York City, ca. 1888-1897. Adolph A. Weinman papers, 1890-1959. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Weinman, Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander), 1870-1952 Search this
Type:
Correspondence
Date:
1936 December 13
Citation:
Joseph Emile Renier. Joseph Emile Renier to Adolph A. Weinman, 1936 December 13. Adolph A. Weinman papers, 1890-1959. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Weinman, Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander), 1870-1952 Search this
Extent:
8.6 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1905-circa 1954
Summary:
The papers of New York City sculptor Charles Keck (1875-1951) measure 8.6 linear feet and date from circa 1905-circa 1954. The papers provide scattered documentation of Keck's life through thirteen letters, two speeches, lists of artwork with price and sales information, printed material, and photographic material, including photos of Keck and his studio, and a collection of 1003 glass plate negatives, primarily of Keck's artwork, which document the wide range of work he produced throughout his prolific career.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of New York City sculptor Charles Keck (1875-1951) measure 8.6 linear feet and date from circa 1905-circa 1954. The papers provide scattered documentation of Keck's life through thirteen letters, two speeches, lists of artwork with price and sales information, printed material, and photographic material, including photos of Keck and his studio, and a collection of 1003 glass plate negatives, primarily of Keck's artwork, which document the wide range of work he produced throughout his prolific career.
Keck's thirteen letters include two from Alexander Stirling Calder and one from Homer Saint-Gaudens. His lists of artwork include details of contracts, payments, and prices.
Photographs include Keck, his wife, Anne Keck, two photos from a circa 1920 Beaux Arts ball, photographs of Keck at work in his studio, including one taken at the American Academy in Rome, three group photographs of Keck, Adolph Weinman, Milton Horn, and others, and photos taken at the unveiling of Keck's monument in Raleigh, North Carolina, that include President Harry S. Truman and Margaret Truman.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as two series.
Series 1: Personal Papers, 1920-circa 1954 (0.3 linear feet; Box 1)
Series 2: Photographic Material, circa 1905-circa 1948 (8.3 linear feet; Boxes 1-22)
Biographical / Historical:
New York City sculptor Charles Keck (1875-1951) was known for his statuary and relief sculpture, including military and presidential statues, busts, and memorials, medal relief sculpture, and memorial tablets.
Keck was born in New York City, and began his art training at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League of New York. He also worked in the studio of Augustus Saint-Gaudens from 1893-1898. In 1899 he won the Prix de Rome and studied sculpture at the American Academy in Rome from 1901-1904. On returning to the United States in 1905, he opened a studio in New York City, from which he worked for the remainder of his life.
Keck's most famous works include a figure of Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee, Alabama (1922), a seated figure of Abraham Lincoln at Wabash, Indiana (1926), a statue of World War II chaplain, Father Francis D. Duffy in Times Square, New York (1937), and equestrian statues to Andrew Jackson in Kansas City (1934) and Independence (1949), Missouri. His relief work included designs of state medals, seals, and coins, memorial tablets such as his USS "Maine" tablet, and friezes for the Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, and the Bronx Building in New York.
Keck received many awards during his career, including the Annual Gold medal for Sculpture of the Architectural League of New York (1926), and was a member of professional art organizations including the National Academy of Design, the National Sculpture Society, the American Federation of Arts, and others.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reel D105) including scrapbooks containing clippings, speeches, photographs, and some correspondence. Items were returned to the donor after microfilming and are not further described in the container listing of this finding aid.
Provenance:
The collection was loaned for microfilming, and the bulk of it was later donated, between 1962-1972 by Anne C. Keck, widow of Charles Keck.
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.
Occupation:
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Citation:
Charles Keck papers, circa 1905-circa 1954. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing and digitization of portions of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and The Walton Family Foundation. The glass plate negatives were digitized with funding provided by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
Weinman, Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander), 1870-1952 Search this
Extent:
0.8 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1892-circa 1915
Summary:
The photographs and papers of sculptor Karl Francis Theodore Bitter and his pupil and colleague Gustave Gerlach measure 0.8 linear feet and date from circa 1892-circa 1915. The collection documents the work and studio practice of Bitter and Gerlach primarily through photographs and a photograph album, in addition to paper records including a proposal and lists of work completed for two international expositions, news clippings, and two drawings by Bitter on his personal stationary.
Scope and Contents:
The photographs and papers of sculptor Karl Francis Theodore Bitter and his pupil and colleague Gustave Gerlach measure 0.8 linear feet and date from circa 1892-circa 1915. The collection documents the work and studio practice of Bitter and Gerlach primarily through photographs and a photograph album, in addition to paper records including a proposal and lists of work completed for two international expositions, news clippings, and two drawings by Bitter on his personal stationary.
Papers include lists of artwork for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, and the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, in St. Louis, Missouri.
Photographs number approximately 250 and document the studio practice and work of Karl Bitter and Gustave Gerlach during Gerlach's tenure in Bitter's studio. Photos include images of Bitter, Gerlach, Isidore Konti, Joseph Sibbel, and other sculptors and studio assistants, and depict important works in progress such as Bitter's Alexander Hamilton and monumental sculpture for the 1901, 1904, and 1915 expositions, including Bitter's Standard Bearer (1901) and Adolph Weinman's Destiny of the Red Man (1904).
As a child Gerlach's daughter, Margarett, evidently spent time watching her father at work. She compiled this collection of photographs and papers and provided historical context in notes on the versos of some of the items.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as two series.
Series 1: Papers, circa 1892-circa 1915 (7 folders; Box 1)
Series 2: Photographs, circa 1895-circa 1915 (0.7 linear feet Boxes 1-2, OVs 3-4)
Biographical / Historical:
Austrian born sculptor Karl Bitter (1867-1915) was active in New York City, New York. He exhibited his works at worldwide expositions and examples of his sculpture and memorials can be found throughout the United States. Sculptor Gustave Gerlach (b. 1866) was a pupil and colleague of Bitter's and was also active in New York City.
Karl Theodore Francis Bitter was born in Vienna, Austria, where he trained as a sculptor. While serving in the Austrian military in 1889, Bitter immigrated to the United States and applied for citizenship. Ultimately, Bitter settled in New York City and worked as an assistant in a home decorating firm while establishing his reputation as a sculptor. After working as a sculptor at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and as director at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, in 1901, Bitter was named head of the sculpture programs at both the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri, and the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, California. Bitter was awarded the silver medal of the Paris Exposition, 1900; the gold medal of the Pan-American Exposition, 1901; and the gold medal at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904.
Bitter offered work to sculptor Gustave Gerlach after seeing some of his sculpture. Gerlach subsequently assisted Bitter at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition as superintendent of sculpture, and at the 1904 and 1915 expositions. Following Bitter's sudden death in 1915, Gerlach proposed the execution of a memorial fountain for him in Weehawken, New Jersey, based on an original design by Bitter. However, due to anti-German sentiment in the United States at that time, Gerlach was unable to proceed with the memorial and ultimately returned the money he had raised for the fountain.
Bitter and Gerlach worked with many prominent sculptors of the day, including Isidore Konti, Adolph Weinman, and Alexander Stirling Calder who was named acting-chief of the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. Bitter and Calder both employed the services of renowned model Audrey Munson.
Related Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds the Karl Theodore Francis Bitter Papers, 1887-circa 1977.
Provenance:
The papers were donated in 2019 by Mary K. McGuigan and John F. McGuigan Jr., art historians and collectors in Milford, Pennsylvania, who purchased the collection at auction. The collection was originally complied by Gustave's daughter, Margarett.
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.
Citation:
Photographs of Karl Francis Theodore Bitter and Gustave Gerlach, circa 1892-circa 1915. 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 measures 10.3 linear feet, dates from 1890 to 1959, and documents the career of early twentieth century sculptor Adolph A. Weinman. Found within the papers are scattered biographical materials; project files for Weinman's sculpture and commissions; correspondence with colleagues, friends and family, and letterpress books containing copies of letters concerning specific sculpture commissions; files concerning Weinman's membership in the National Sculpture Society and the National Academy of Design; records concerning works of art held by dealers and in exhibitions and other miscellaneous financial materials; notes and a notebook; writings and speeches by Weinman; sketches and sketchbooks; printed materials; photographs and glass negatives. This material not only reflects the diversity of projects executed by this prolific sculptor, but illustrates the process of creation for many of his more important works.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of American sculptor Adolph Weinman measure 10.3 linear feet and date from 1890 to 1959. Found within the collection are scattered biographical materials; project files for Weinman's sculpture and commissions; correspondence with colleagues, friends and family, and letterpress books containing copies of letters concerning specific sculpture commissions; a substantial body of files concerning Weinman's membership in the National Sculpture Society and the National Academy of Design; records concerning works of art held by dealers and in exhibitions and other miscellaneous financial materials; notes and a notebook; writings and speeches by Weinman; sketches and sketchbooks; printed materials; photographs and glass negatives. This material not only reflects the diversity of projects executed by this prolific sculptor, but illustrates the process of creation for many of his more important works.
Much of the collection (6.0 linear feet) consists of project files documenting many of Weinman's sculpture and commissioned public and architectural pieces through correspondence, contracts, financial records, notes, drawings, printed material, and photographs. A complete list of each project or sculpture file is found in the Container Listing. Also found are scattered biographical materials, general correspondence, files relating to Weinman's membership in the National Sculpture Society and the National Academy of Design, scattered financial files, notes and writings, art work, printed materials, and photographs.
Arrangement:
Most materials have been arranged in chronological order, except for artwork and photographs which are arranged primarily according to subject matter. Glass plate negatives from the Project Files Series and Photographs Series have been removed and housed separately in Boxes 10-13 and are so noted in the Series Description/Container Listing Section at the appropriate folder title. Oversized material from various series has been housed in Box 14 and OV folders 15-22 and are listed with each appropriate series.
Series 5: Notes, 1918-1952 (Box 3; Reel 5887; 14 folders)
Series 6: Writings, 1929-1952 (Box 3; Reel 5887; 14 folders)
Series 7: Artwork, 1892-1933 (Boxes 3, 14, OVs 16-19; Reels 5887-5888; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 8: Project Files, 1896-1955 (Boxes 3-8, 10-14, OVs 15-22; Reels 5888-5891; 6.0 linear feet)
Series 9: Printed Material, 1891-1959 (Box 8, OV 21; Reel 5892; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 10: Photographs, 1903-1950 (Boxes 9, 13, OV 21; Reel 5892; 0.2 linear feet)
Biographical Note:
American sculptor, Adolph Alexander Weinman was born on December 11, 1870 in Germany and came to New York City in 1880. At the age of fifteen, he attended evening classes at Cooper Union. He later studied at the Art Students League. When he was twenty years old, he entered the studio of Philip Martiny and later worked with Olin Warner, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Charles Henry Niehaus, and Daniel Chester French. In 1904, Weinman opened his own studio, and in the same year created the Destiny of the Red Man for the St. Louis Exposition. In 1923, he moved his studio to Forest Hills, New York, where he lived until his death.
Among Weinman's more notable sculpture commissions are the General Alexander Macomb Memorial in Detroit, Michigan, Alexander Johnston Cassatt and Samuel Rea for the Pennsylvania Railroad Terminal in New York City, the Seated Lincoln for Hodgenville, Kentucky, and sculptural group Riders of the Dawn at Brookgreen Gardens, South Carolina. In 1915, he designed The Rising Sun and Descending Night fountains for the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. In the following year he designed the "Mercury" dime and "Walking Liberty" half dollar for the U. S. Mint. Weinman also created friezes for the U. S. Supreme Court building, and pediments for the National Archives building, the U. S. Post Office Department Building, and for the Jefferson Memorial, all in Washington, D. C.
Weinman was a member of many organizations, including the National Sculpture Society, of which he was president from 1927 to 1930, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the National Institute of Arts and Letters, the National Academy of Design, and the New York City Art Commission.
Adolph A. Weinman died on August 8, 1952, in Port Chester, New York.
Separated Material:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of materials lent for microfilming. Reel 283 contains biographical materials, a contract, correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks, and miscellaneous materials, dating 1888-1952. Reel 414 includes correspondence exchanged between Weinman and the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Medallic Art Company between 1930 and 1952. Lent materials were returned to the lenders and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
In 1971 and 1972, Adolph Weinman's sons, Howard and Robert A. Weinman, lent the Archives of American Art material for microfilming. Howard Weinman also donated material in 1972 and Robert A. Weinman gave papers in 1976.
Restrictions:
A digitized version of the microfilm of this collection is available online via the Archives of American Art website.
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:
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews Search this
Adolph A. Weinman papers, 1890-1959. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the digitization of the microfilm of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
Weinman, Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander), 1870-1952 Search this
Container:
Reel 5886, Frame 1147-1242
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1951
Collection Restrictions:
A digitized version of the microfilm of this collection is available online via the Archives of American Art website.
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:
Adolph A. Weinman papers, 1890-1959. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the digitization of the microfilm of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
Weinman, Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander), 1870-1952 Search this
Container:
Reel 5886, Frame 1243-1294
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1952
Collection Restrictions:
A digitized version of the microfilm of this collection is available online via the Archives of American Art website.
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:
Adolph A. Weinman papers, 1890-1959. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the digitization of the microfilm of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
Weinman, Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander), 1870-1952 Search this
Container:
Reel 5886, Frame 1295-1317
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1923-1946
Collection Restrictions:
A digitized version of the microfilm of this collection is available online via the Archives of American Art website.
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:
Adolph A. Weinman papers, 1890-1959. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the digitization of the microfilm of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
Weinman, Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander), 1870-1952 Search this
Container:
Reel 5886, Frame 1318-1412
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1947-1948
Collection Restrictions:
A digitized version of the microfilm of this collection is available online via the Archives of American Art website.
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:
Adolph A. Weinman papers, 1890-1959. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the digitization of the microfilm of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
