The Smithsonian Institution

Acquisitions: Fourth Quarter 1963Source: Archives of American Art Journal, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Jan., 1964), pp. 5-6Published by: The Smithsonian InstitutionStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1557004 .

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Project of California; the WPA material in the Enoch Pratt Free Library; those in the Hall of Records, Annapolis; those in the New Jersey State

Library, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the

University of Delaware Library, ihe University of

Virginia Library.

Future Plans The enormous job of identifying the projects,

locating the records in various sections of the country and finding and interviewing the artists and admin- istrators will be completed in 1964. As the papers are located, they are arranged, catalogued, and filmed. All interviews are transcribed and the information

catalogued. This work will also continue during 1964. The Advisory Committee will meet in January to

evaluate our progress to date, to make recommenda- tions for a team of scholars to work on the material, and to discuss the publications to come out of the study.

W.E.W.

ACQUISITIONS FOURTH QUARTER - 1963

Project of California; the WPA material in the Enoch Pratt Free Library; those in the Hall of Records, Annapolis; those in the New Jersey State

Library, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the

University of Delaware Library, ihe University of

Virginia Library.

Future Plans The enormous job of identifying the projects,

locating the records in various sections of the country and finding and interviewing the artists and admin- istrators will be completed in 1964. As the papers are located, they are arranged, catalogued, and filmed. All interviews are transcribed and the information

catalogued. This work will also continue during 1964. The Advisory Committee will meet in January to

evaluate our progress to date, to make recommenda- tions for a team of scholars to work on the material, and to discuss the publications to come out of the study.

W.E.W.

ACQUISITIONS FOURTH QUARTER - 1963

1.EMIL BISTTRAM (1895- Donor: Mr. Emil Bisttram

1.EMIL BISTTRAM (1895- Donor: Mr. Emil Bisttram

) )

A native of Hungary and a student under Howard Giles, Bisttram moved to New Mexico from New York in 1931. He worked on murals in Taos under the Public Works of Art Project and the Section of Fine Arts. His papers, which deal with these activities of the 1930's include press releases, reports and other miscellaneous publications, and correspondence relat-

ing to decorations for the Taos County Court House.

2. JEANNETTE ECKMAN Donor: Miss Jeannette Eckman

Miss Eckman was Director of the Delaware WPA

projects in art, music, theatre and writing between 1936 and 1941. Her papers consist of official records of her work with unemployed persons in these fields. The reports, directives, lists, and letters of apprecia- tion, representing a typical selection of material from a WPA professional worker's project state head-

quarters, will be useful for the Archives' study of New Deal art agencies.

3. MACBETH GA,LLERY PAPERS Donor: Mr. Robert G. McIntyre

An addition to the Archives' Macbeth Gallery rec- ords, these twenty-seven letters from American artists

A native of Hungary and a student under Howard Giles, Bisttram moved to New Mexico from New York in 1931. He worked on murals in Taos under the Public Works of Art Project and the Section of Fine Arts. His papers, which deal with these activities of the 1930's include press releases, reports and other miscellaneous publications, and correspondence relat-

ing to decorations for the Taos County Court House.

2. JEANNETTE ECKMAN Donor: Miss Jeannette Eckman

Miss Eckman was Director of the Delaware WPA

projects in art, music, theatre and writing between 1936 and 1941. Her papers consist of official records of her work with unemployed persons in these fields. The reports, directives, lists, and letters of apprecia- tion, representing a typical selection of material from a WPA professional worker's project state head-

quarters, will be useful for the Archives' study of New Deal art agencies.

3. MACBETH GA,LLERY PAPERS Donor: Mr. Robert G. McIntyre

An addition to the Archives' Macbeth Gallery rec- ords, these twenty-seven letters from American artists

are responses to an invitation to a dinner for William Macbeth in April, 1909. Correspondents include Frederick S. Church, Robert Henri, John LaFarge, Jerome Myers, Howard Pyle, and Carleton Wiggins. Albert P. Ryder, who had "a pain in my eyes from

visiting the American Art Galleries," could not attend, but sent with his note a poem "inspired by a

gale at Yarmouth Port, Mass. and the harmonies it tore from the trees."

4. ROLAND P. MURDOCH COLLECTION PAPERS Donor: Mrs. Rafael Navas

are responses to an invitation to a dinner for William Macbeth in April, 1909. Correspondents include Frederick S. Church, Robert Henri, John LaFarge, Jerome Myers, Howard Pyle, and Carleton Wiggins. Albert P. Ryder, who had "a pain in my eyes from

visiting the American Art Galleries," could not attend, but sent with his note a poem "inspired by a

gale at Yarmouth Port, Mass. and the harmonies it tore from the trees."

4. ROLAND P. MURDOCH COLLECTION PAPERS Donor: Mrs. Rafael Navas

A group of sixty-five letters, statements, and clip- pings relating to works of art bought by Mrs. Navas for the Roland P. Murdoch Collection of the Wichita Art Museum. Most of these were written by leading contemporary artists in reply to Mrs. Navas' request for a personal explanation of the painting or sculp- ture involved. Edward Hopper, for example, states that his Conference at Night "had been suggested by things I had seen on Broadway in walking there at

night. The attempt to give a concrete expression to a very amorphous impression is the insurmountable

difficulty in painting. The result was obtained by improvisation, and from no known fact or scene." Some of the other writers are Peggy Bacon, Walt Kuhn, John Marin, Charles Sheeler, John Sloan, and

Reginald Marsh.

5.WILLIAM PAGE (1811-1885) Donor: Mrs. Leslie Stockton Howell

One of the best known 19th century American por- trait painters, Page was a life-long experimentalist and theorist. This collection of his papers, an initial installment from his descendants, reflects his ideas on form, color and other subjects through a long series of draft speeches and articles. Some family corre-

spondence from Page's later years and a diary kept by Mrs. Page in 1853-54 are also among the papers. A part of this acquisition comprises over forty draw-

ings and sketches Page made in Italy, including ones made for the self-portrait and portrait of his wife which hang in the Detroit Institute of Arts. A sep- arate series, thirty-six letters (1843-1845) from Charles Frederick Briggs, a minor literary figure, to James Russell Lowell, contains many references to Page as well as to other notable artists and writers.

A group of sixty-five letters, statements, and clip- pings relating to works of art bought by Mrs. Navas for the Roland P. Murdoch Collection of the Wichita Art Museum. Most of these were written by leading contemporary artists in reply to Mrs. Navas' request for a personal explanation of the painting or sculp- ture involved. Edward Hopper, for example, states that his Conference at Night "had been suggested by things I had seen on Broadway in walking there at

night. The attempt to give a concrete expression to a very amorphous impression is the insurmountable

difficulty in painting. The result was obtained by improvisation, and from no known fact or scene." Some of the other writers are Peggy Bacon, Walt Kuhn, John Marin, Charles Sheeler, John Sloan, and

Reginald Marsh.

5.WILLIAM PAGE (1811-1885) Donor: Mrs. Leslie Stockton Howell

One of the best known 19th century American por- trait painters, Page was a life-long experimentalist and theorist. This collection of his papers, an initial installment from his descendants, reflects his ideas on form, color and other subjects through a long series of draft speeches and articles. Some family corre-

spondence from Page's later years and a diary kept by Mrs. Page in 1853-54 are also among the papers. A part of this acquisition comprises over forty draw-

ings and sketches Page made in Italy, including ones made for the self-portrait and portrait of his wife which hang in the Detroit Institute of Arts. A sep- arate series, thirty-six letters (1843-1845) from Charles Frederick Briggs, a minor literary figure, to James Russell Lowell, contains many references to Page as well as to other notable artists and writers.

6. OLIVE RUSH (1873- Donor: Miss Olive Rush

6. OLIVE RUSH (1873- Donor: Miss Olive Rush

) )

Miss Rush, an active Santa Fe painter since 1920, studied under Howard Pyle and at the Art Students League, and later produced illustrations for various

Miss Rush, an active Santa Fe painter since 1920, studied under Howard Pyle and at the Art Students League, and later produced illustrations for various

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periodicals. During the 1930's she worked on murals for government buildings. Her papers extend in time from 1904 to 1963 and include over 200 letters, 100 catalogues, several lists and clippings, and three sketchbooks. The major portion of the material con- cerns her career in the Southwest between 1920 and 1950. Buyers, dealers, editors, institutions, and friends

represent the correspondents in this important regional collection acquired for the Archives by Mrs.

Sylvia Loomis, our representative in that area.

7. DOROTHY NEWKIRK STEWART (1891-1955) Donor: Dorothy Newkirk Stewart Estate

Another Santa Fe figure whose papers were turned over to us by Mrs. Loomis, Miss Stewart was chiefly known as a lithographer, block print artist, and fresco

painter. Her papers include catalogues, photographs, copies of books illustrated by her, and five sketch- books which document her interest in Southwestern and Mexican buildings, animals, and people.

8. ROY STRYKER (1893- Donor: Mr. Roy Stryker

)

Mr. Stryker, chief of the historical section of the Farm Security Administration during the 1930's, was

responsible for producing the photographs of Depres- sion scenes associated with his office. His papers consist of a series of articles and typescripts describing the

history of the project. They contribute to a further

understanding of the New Deal's efforts in the cul- tural history of the period.

9. JOHN WEICHSEL (1870-1946) Donor: John Weichsel

The papers of Dr. John Weichsel, whose People's Art Guild operated as a community art activity in New York from 1915 to 1923, were given to the Archives several years ago. In the course of preparing a thesis on the subject, his grandson discovered some additional material which he turned over to us. It

comprises six catalogues, five lists, and eighteen let- ters, including several items from Oscar Bluemner, Alfred J. Frueh, John Sloan, and Willard Huntington Wright. The Bluemner letter, written in 1934, has a sarcastic reference to his old friend, Alfred Stieglitz. The most informative pieces are two long commu- nications from Willard Huntington Wright on the Forum Show of 1916.

10. BENJAMIN WEST (1738-1820) Purchase

A comparatively early (1771) letter from West to a friend in Barbados, this five-page document is filled with personal details on his life in England. It also touches on the "Tast and munifisiance" of George III under whose "Patronage London bids faire to vie with Rome and Paris." Referring to the state of the arts at the time, West remarks on the fact that "the great necessity a man is under hear to have money in his Poket often directs the studies of youths contreary to theire geniues."

Papers Lent for Microfilm Reproduction

MUNICIPAL ART SOCIETY, Baltimore City Owner: Municipal Art Society

Three volumes of minutes of the Society meetings from 1899 to 1963. An important municipal cultural

organization, the Society arranged for murals by Blashfield, LaFarge and Turner, erected statues, organized exhibitions, contributed to fellowships, and

sponsored lectures. The minutes provide a record of these activities and include membership lists.

PUBLIC WORKS OF ART PROJECT Owner: National Archives

The Public Works of Art Project, which later evolved into the Section of Fine Arts, was the first of the New Deal art programs. These central office records include correspondence, reports, press releases, minutes of meetings, and other official documentation

relating to the establishment and activities of the

Project from 1933 to 1934. Over 20,000 pieces on thirty rolls of microfilm provide the detailed information needed for a thorough examination of this aspect of the government's involvement with the arts during the Depression period.

WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION, FEDERAL WRITERS PROJECT, STATE OF DELAWARE Owner: University of Delaware

The results of one state's WPA Federal Writers

Project gathered in typescript form in forty-eight volumes and an index. The material comprises his- torical, economic, sociological and cultural notes, investigations, and essays on Delaware compiled by a team of researchers between 1935 and 1941.

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