Spears papers (ca. 0.5 ft.) include photographs of Spears and her work; writings about Spears; letters, 1935-1967; a file on the WPA; and travel notes. Blackshear's papers include: writings by and about Blackshear, including an unpublished manuscript by Blackshear, SURVEY OF ART, 1926, and an editor's proof of Helen Gardner's ART THROUGH THE AGES (3rd ed.); photographs of Blackshear and her work; travel diaries, 1920 and undated; ca. 80 sketches; a sketchbook; letters, 1925-1986; address books, 1947-1963 and undated; clippings, 1926-1967; exhibition announcements, 1929-1965; files on Gertrude Abercrombie, Alexander Archipenko, Florence Arquin, Helen Gardner, Whitney Halstead, Tom Kapsalis, Ray Yoshida, and others, containing letters, printed material, photographs of works of art, and personal photographs; and 2.0 ft. of notebooks on art.
Also included are 2.0 ft. of handmade Christmas cards to both Blackshear and Spears from Barbara Aubin, Fred Biesel, Frances Foy, Rockwell Kent, Ray Yoshida, and many others.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, lecturer, writer, educator; Chicago, Ill. As a graduate student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Blackshear worked as a teaching assistant under Helen Gardner and then continued to teach there for 35 years. She had a lifetime friendship with painter and instructor Ethel Spears.
Provenance:
Donated 1990 by William Terrell, Blackshears' nephew and executor.
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.
Processing of this collection received federal support from the Collections Care Initiative Fund, administered by the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative and the National Collections Program
Biographical material, correspondence, business records, notes and writings, sketchbooks, printed material, and photographs reflect Weinberg's career as a painter and printmaker, primarily of abstract forms based on the human figure. There are also files pertaining to Weinberg's father, Arthur Henry Kimball.
REELS 837-839: Correspondence, 1927-1970, including letters from Bert Anapol, Ben-Zion, Alice Trumbull Mason, and Paul E. Pross, Jr; 4 artist's statements; a notebook listing works of art; miscellaneous notes and typescript fragments; clippings, 1948-1970; exhibition announcements and catalogs, 1948-1970; 14 sketchbooks, 1950-1961; 4 pages from a guest book, 1959, price lists, 1960-1970, consignment receipts, 1964-1969, 2 contracts for art rental services, 1954-1960, press releases, 1959-1966, and a book jacket for LOW VOICES by Paul E. Pross, illustrated by Weinberg; material relating to her father Arthur Kimball includes a biographical account, 4 photographs of Kimball, one with Weinberg, 1908-1933, 12 photographs of works of art, 4 sketchbook pages, and 4 clippings.
REELS 4864-4865: Biographical documents; a file on Arthur Kimball containing an exhibition catalog, 1932, and 11 photographs of his art work; letters received, 1927-1983, primarily relating to exhibitions and her donation of work to art institutions; notes and writings, including ideas for inventions, 1945; 14 notebooks, 1949-1974, containing notes on art history, printmaking techniques, and lists of works; 12 lists of works, some with prices, 1967-1975; a typescript for a tape on Weinberg's biblical work; and a typescript "Thoughts and Suggestions for the Art Student"; 17 sketchbooks, 1968-1981; clippings, 1921-1983; exhibition announcements and catalogs, 1948-1983; brochures and prospectuses; and photographs of Weinberg and her work, 1950-1969.
UNMICROFILMED: Handwritten list of collectors who own Weinberg's works; lists of works owned by Evanston Hospital and the University of Illinois (Chicago); correspondence with collectors.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, printmaker; Chicago, Ill. Born in New York City, Weinberg was the daughter of Arthur Henry Kimball (originally named Kaiser), a designer, garment manufacturer, and painter. After moving to Chicago with her family in 1909, Weinberg studied printmaking with Max Kahn at the Art Institute of Chicago, with Misch Kohn at the Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and painting with Gerald Landt at the Summer School of Painting in Saugatuck, Michigan. Weinberg was also employed in advertising and public relations work and was a free-lance writer.
Provenance:
Donated 1971-1987 by Helen Joy Weinberg. Microfilmed 1994 with grants from the Henry and Lucy Moses Fund, the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, the Goldie-Anna Charitable Trust, the Samuel Bronfman Foundation, and the Louis and Anne Abrons Foundation.
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.
An interview of Margaret Burroughs conducted 1988 November 11-December 5, by Anna Tyler, for the Archives of American Art African-American artists in Chicago oral history project (1988-1989).
Discussion ranges from her childhood and early artistic training through her current activities. She reminisces about her experiences as a student at the School of the Chicago Art Institute, the arts in Chicago in the 1930s, the Grant Park Art Fair and the South Side Community Art Center. Other topics include World War II and the McCarthy era, her sabbatical in Mexico, the DuSable Museum of African American History, the Emancipation Centennial Exposition and the Afro-American Visual Roundtable.
Biographical / Historical:
Margaret Taylor Burroughs (1915-2010) was a painter from Chicago, Illinois.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 31 min.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
3.1 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 3 reels))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Sketchbooks
Date:
1859-1983
bulk 1915-1983
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence, essays, subject files, art work, clippings and other materials documenting the activities of a Chicago family of artists, the 57th Street Art Colony and the Chicago art world in the early twentieth century.
REELS 4207-4209: Biographical materials, including seven biographical accounts, a 1960 program and a 1961 certificate of honor for Frances Strain Biesel and four biographical accounts of Fred Biesel; correspondence, 1927-1963, primarily concerning activities of Fred and Frances; price lists for works of art; a 1955 estate list of the works of Charles Biesel; mailing lists; miscellaneous receipts, 1928-1961; a notebook, 1931-1934, containing addresses and financial notations concerning the sale of works of art.
writings, including two essays, "Is It Futuristic or Cubistic?" and "The 57th Street Colony," 2 untitled essays concerning the perception of modern art, a short story about an appointment with Charles Biesel, lecture notes by Fred Biesel, "War and Arts Exhibition" (Renaissance Society), an untitled lecture at the University of Chicago Art Gallery, "The Story of Modern Art" (Beverly Hills, 1957), lecture notes concerning printmaking, and a 1945 typescript annotated as the "Bohrod talk." Also included are
subject files, 1939-1962, containing correspondence and printed material on the Federal Art Project (Index of American Design), Renaissance Society, Artists Equity Association, Artists Union of Chicago, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago Society of Artists, and the 1020 Club; art works, including six sketchbooks and miscellaneous drawings, 1907-1919, by the Biesels, a sketchbook, 1859-1878, by William T. Richards, 3 prints, 1928-1932, by Emil Armin, and a 1930 print by Frances Foy;
photographs, 1919-1960, of Biesel family members, friends, a costume party with John Sloan (2), art classes,1920 and 1950, at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Layton School of Milwaukee, "The Ten" opening reception at the Marshall Field Galleries, 1929 (2), Artists Equity members and activities, 1947-1948 (3), and of works of art;
and printed materials, including a scrapbook of clippings, 1915-1916, compiled by Charles Biesel, a scrapbook, 1926-1931, concerning "Ten Artists", clippings, 1897-1962, exhibition announcements and catalogs, 1921-1983, for Biesel and others, including 11 catalogs from the Chicago No-Jury Society of Artists, a 1923 souvenir program for the No-Jury Artists "Cubist Ball", and miscellany.
UNMICROFILMED: Papers, 1934-1944, relating to Fred Biesel's work for the Works Progress Administration Federal Art Project in Illinois, including correspondence with John Walley, Increase Robinson, George Thorp, Franklin D. Roosevelt and others; printed material, 1934-1941, including the newsletter "Chicago Artist," 1937, published by the Artists Union of Chicago, and several exhibition catalogs of the National Exhibition of the Index of American Design; a 25 p. typescript of a speech by Holger Cahill; a teachers handbook with silk-screen illustrations of "Let the Artist Speak"; business records including project proposals for the W.P.A.; and Biesel's letter of resignation, 1943.
Biographical / Historical:
Family of artists. Charles Biesel: marine painter, student of William Trost Richards; his son, Fred Biesel, a painter and art administrator; and Fred's wife, Frances Strain Biesel, a painter and director of the Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago for many years.
Provenance:
Microfilmed material donated 1985 by Garnett Biesel, son of Fred Biesel; he donated unmicrofilmed material in 1990, after it had been used in preparation for the book The Federal Art Project in Illinois, 1935-1943 (1990), by George Mavigliano and Richard Lawson.
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.
The Elise Asher papers measure 1.6 linear feet and date from 1923 to 1994. The collection includes biographical material, letters, writings, works of art, business records, printed material, and photographs reflecting Asher's career as a poet, painter, and sculptor, and her friendships with many prominent artists of the mid-twentieth century.
Scope and Content Note:
The Elise Asher papers, 1923-1994, measure 1.6 linear feet and reflect Asher's career as a poet, painter, and sculptor, and her friendships with many of the more prominent artists of the mid-twentieth century. The collection contains biographical material, letters, writings, works of art, business records, printed material, and photographs.
Notable correspondents found in the collection include Fritz Bultman, Helen Frankenthaler, Philip Guston, Hans Hofmann, Norman Mailer, Robert Motherwell, Louise Nevelson, Mark Rothko, Theodoros Stamos, Jack Tworkov, and Kurt Vonnegut.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into seven series according to material type. The contents of each folder have been arranged chronologically.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1923-1976 (box 1, 1 folder)
Series 2: Letters, 1941-1988, undated (box 1, 2 folders)
Series 3: Business Records, 1955-1988, undated (box 1, 43 folders)
Series 4: Writings, 1973-1979, undated (box 1, 4 folders)
Series 5: Artwork, undated (box 1, 2 folders)
Series 6: Printed Material, 1929-1994, undated (boxes 1-3, 30 folders)
Series 7: Photographs, 1951-1973, undated (box 2, 5 folders)
Biographical Note:
Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1914, Elise Asher studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, Bradford Junior College, Boston College, and at Simmons College.
She began her career as a poet, culminating in a volume of her poetry entitled The Meandering Absolute. Upon her 1947 arrival in New York City, her attention turned to painting and sculpture. The Tanager Gallery mounted her first solo exhibition in 1953.
Asher was married to painter Nanno de Groot from 1949 to 1957. A year later she married poet Stanley Kunitz, whose work she often illustrated.
Provenance:
The Elise Asher papers were donated in 1975, 1976, 1989, 1990 and 1995 by the artist.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Microfilmed portion must be consulted on microfilm. Use of unmicrofilmed material requires an appointment and is limited to the Washington D.C. research facility.
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.
The papers of Martyl Langsdorf, professionally known by just her first name, Martyl, date from 1918 to 1977 and measure 2.6 linear feet. Included within the collection is correspondence; subject files; biographical data; writings and notes; sketches; photographs; exhibition catalogs and announcements; guest books; price lists; receipts; reproductions; clippings; and printed materials.
Sketches, 1936-1975, made in the United States, Mexico, Europe, and Japan. In addition there is a 1929 newspaper clipping.
Biographical data; letters, 1936-1937, to her mother Aimee Schweig from Thomas Hart Benton, John Steuart Curry, Joe Jones and Grant Wood; files of letters from Carl Holty, Horst W. Janson and Lancelot Law Whyte; a file on Charles Hawthorne containing his painting notes and a photo; subject files on the ACA Gallery, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, Art Institute of Chicago, Feingarten Gallery, Kovlar Gallery, Oriental Institute, the Renaissance Society, and the Unitarian Church of Evanston, Illinois, containing correspondence and financial material; writings and notes; sketches of Langsdorf by friends; exhibition catalogs and announcements; guest books; price lists; receipts for sales and rentals of her paintings; printed material on the St. Genevieve School of art; and photographs, ca. 1935-1970, of Langsdorf, her family, her paintings, exhibition installations, Langsdorf at work on a mural for the Unitarian Church of Evanston, Illinois, and artists Thomas Hart Benton, Arnold Blanch, Adolf Dehn, Doris Lee, Boardman Robinson, Sequieros, and others, and a photograph by Fritz Henle, 1940, of a picnic at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.
Correspondence with Edward Rowan of the Public Buidlings Administration, Section of Fine Arts, and contracts, 1940-1944, concerning Langsdorf's watercolors for the Carville, La. Marine Hospital, murals for post offices in Russell, Kansas and St. Genevieve, Missouri, and for the Recorder of Deeds Building in Washington, D.C., and for related exhibitions; a photocopy of a letter from collector Joseph Hirshhorn, Jan. 18, 1943, regarding his purchases of Langsdorf's work; general correspondence, 1958-1972; price lists; and printed material, 1937-1976, including press releases, archaelogical newsletters, exhibition announcements and clippings.
Biographical / Historical:
Martyl (1917-2013) was a painter in Chicago, Illinois. Full name is Martyl Schweig Langsdorf.
Provenance:
Material on reels 2992-2994 donated 1977 by Martyl S. Langsdorf. Material on reel 1364 lent for microfilming 1977 by Langsdorf. Unmicrofilmed material is a combination of the unfilmed portion of the 1977 gift and the 1990 transferred material from General Services Administration. The GSA received the material originally from Martyl Langsdorf for their files on New Deal 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.
Journals and diaries, correspondence, exhibition catalogs, photographs (1871-1898), and sketches and etchings by Tyler and her husband, Orno James Tyler, document her Chicago work and her days as an art student in Paris.
Reels 4182-4183 (frames 1-470): Writings include an 11-page journal (1886-1892), a 23-page journal, a 1900 diary, and Tyler's "Thought Book" (1875). Correspondence (1883-1893) with family and friends, including letters illustrated by Tyler and transcripts of letters, chronicling her experiences as an art student in Europe (1887-1889) and comments on French society and the role of women in art. Two exhibition catalogs (1891, 1894) are from the Butler Gallery, Hull House. Photographs show Tyler (1894-1898), her studio, Arthur B. Davies (1884), the homes of Tyler (1895), John Leonard Kellogg (1871) and her sister, Mabel Kellogg Rich, Tyler's mural in the Illinois State Building at the Chicago World's Fair (1893), and works of art. Thirty-nine color slides of works of art have not been microfilmed.
Reel 4183 (frames 471-952): Art works consist of 138 sketches and notes, 2 sketchbooks and 7 etchings by Tyler and 2 sketchbooks by her husband, Orno James Tyler. The 2 books are SINGING VERSES FOR CHILDREN (1897) and THE EXCELLENT BECOMES THE PERMANENT (1932).
Biographical / Historical:
Alice Kellogg studied at the Academy of Fine Arts (later the Art Institute of Chicago) and in Paris at the Academie Julian and Colarossi in 1887-1889. She won distinction for her painting in the Paris Salon, the Paris Universal Exposition of 1889, and in Chicago's World's Columbian Exposition in 1893.
Provenance:
The donor and lender, JoAnne Wiemers Bowie, is the great-grandniece of Tyler.
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.
Portrait painter; Chicago, Ill. Born 1906. Castaldo studied at the Art Students League, the Academie de la Grande Chaumiere, and privately with Leon Kroll. She was married to painter Paul Trebilcock.
Provenance:
Donated by Amaylia Castaldo Trebilcock, 1982.
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:
Portrait painters -- Illinois -- Chicago Search this
Topic:
Portrait painting -- 20th century -- United States Search this
