Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in America

Archives related to: Nierendorf, Karl

titlePapers of Howard Dearstyne, 1911-1986
repositoryLibrary of Congress
descriptionThe papers of Howard Best Dearstyne (1903-1979) span the years 1911-1986, with the bulk of the items concentrated in the period from 1953 to 1971. The collection relates almost exclusively to Dearstyne's research interest in the Bauhaus, the influential German art and architecture school founded by Walter Gropius in 1919. Included are correspondence, exhibit brochures and catalogs, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, reports, and a book draft.

The collection is arranged in two series, a Subject File and a Writings File. The Subject File comprises 80 percent of the collection and contains mostly secondary materials collected by Dearstyne in support of his lifelong interest in the Bauhaus and its two best-known masters, Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In this series are newspaper and magazine articles on the Bauhaus, its history, and especially its influence on the development of modern art and twentieth-century architecture. Dearstyne corresponded with many of the school's instructors and graduates, as well as with other architects, designers, and artists influenced by Bauhaus principles, and his papers include exhibit brochures and catalogs of their work, together with letters and some original artwork sent to him. Principal correspondents include Josef Albers, Hermann Blomeier, George E. Danforth, Werner Drewes, Henry Dubin, Wils Ebert, Helmut von Erffa, Werner Graeff, Ludwig Hilberseimer, Paul Klee, Kurt Kranz, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the Museum of Modern Art, Eckhard Neumann, Karl Nierendorf, Pius E. Pahl, Walter A. Peterhans, Oskar Schlemmer, and Erdmann Schmocker There is also material documenting Dearstyne's pursuit of photography as a serious art form, including magazine articles written by him and texts of his lectures. Some material in the Subject File is in German.

Dearstyne published on a wide array of subjects, including the architecture of colonial Virginia--especially Williamsburg--modern art, architectural design and city planning, design in nature, art photography, and the Bauhaus.. The Writings File includes drafts of three reports Dearstyne wrote in 1953-1954 on the King's Arms Tavern, the King's Arms Barber Shop, and the Alexander Purdie House and its outbuildings in Williamsburg. Another work, which was "in progress" during most of Dearstyne's teaching career, was Inside the Bauhaus, a history of the design school and his experience there. The only American graduate of the Bauhaus, Dearstyne was immensely affected by its teachings and concepts, especially those of its last master, Mies van der Rohe. Twenty-three years after being a student of Mies at the Bauhaus, Dearstyne became a professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology's School of Architecture, then under the direction of his former teacher. An early draft of the book and related correspondence, primarily requests for permission to publish copyrighted photographs or illustrations, are in the Writings File. Other writings by Dearstyne may be found in the Subject File.

Abstract:
Architect, architectural historian, educator, and photographer. Correspondence, writings, lectures, exhibit brochures, art catalogs, artwork, and other papers relating primarily to Dearstyne's research on the history of the Bauhaus art school, the school's influence on the development of modern art and 20th century architecture, and two Bauhaus masters, Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
extent7.2 linear feet
formatsCorrespondence Writings Ephemera Catalogs Artwork
accessContact repository for restrictions and policies.
record sourcehttp://lcweb2.loc.gov
finding aidhe finding aid is in the repository and on the repository's web site.
acquisition informationThe papers of Howard Dearstyne, architect, photographer, architectural historian, and educator, were deposited in the Library of Congress by Marjorie Smolka in 1988. The deposit was converted to a gift in 1991.
updated03/16/2023 10:29:59
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titleGeorge Grosz Papers, 1893-1981 (inclusive) 1919-1959 (bulk) (bMS Ger 206).
repositoryHoughton Library
descriptionChiefly correspondence (in German and English) of the Groszes, with noted German and American artists and authors, family and friends, art galleries, etc. Major correspondents include the artist Otto Schmalhausen (424 letters) and poet Ulrich Becher (141 letters). Schmalhausen's letters, 1932-1958, describe Germany before and after the war, and contain several sketches, as do Grosz's letters, ca.1913-1957, to him. Also a considerable amount of correspondence with other political refugees from Germany, as well as friends and relatives who remained in Germany during the war years. Other materials, such as correspondence, students' class notes, and Grosz's lecture notes, reflect his teaching at the Art Students League. Compositions include notes and drafts of essays and articles on art, and of poems; speeches and texts of radio broadcasts; and autobiographies. Grosz's exhibitions are documented both in correspondence and printed material, such as exhibition catalogues, brochures, posters, and clippings. Biographical materials include Grosz family official documents, business papers, photographs of family and friends, and postcard collection.

Historical Note
Grosz was a German-born artist, who moved to the U.S. in 1933.
extent18 linear ft.
formatsCorrespondence Diaries Notebooks Photographs Ephemera
accessContact repository for restrictions and policies.
record linkhttp://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.Hough:hou00452
record sourcehttp://hollis.harvard.edu/
finding aidElectronic finding aid available (288 KB) http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL.Hough:hou00452 Unpublished printed finding aid available in the Houghton Accessions Records, 1982-1983, under *82M-37.
acquisition informationGift of Martin O. Grosz and Peter M. Grosz; received: 1982.
updated11/12/2014 11:29:59
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titleWassily Kandinsky papers, 1911-1940 (bulk 1921-1937).
repositoryThe Getty Research Institute
descriptionThe papers consist of ca. 280 items (on ca. 470 leaves) that document Kandinsky’s teachings at the Bauhaus, his writings, his involvement with the Russian Academy of Artistic Sciences [RAKhN] in Moscow, and his professional contacts with art dealers, artists, collectors and publishers.

The most extensive part (Series I) constitutes a large body of teaching materials from 1925, the time Kandinsky taught at the Bauhaus in Dessau, until 1933, the year of the dissolution of the school under pressure from the National Socialist regime. Included are detailed teaching notes, reading lists and class rosters. The notes relate mainly to the courses Abstrakte Formelemente [Theory of Form] and Grundlehre [Preliminary Course], and focus on Kandinsky’s color theory, and on elements of line, point, plane, and composition. Also present are notes for Kandinsky’s "freie Malklasse", a course which concentrated on painting not intended as applied art. Kandinsky frequently refers to art history and to current artistic trends in the visual and performing arts. All text is in German. There are approximately forty of Kandinsky’s teaching aids, comprised of original drawings and geometrical forms in various colors.

The second series consists of Kandinsky’s undated manuscript writings, notably an unpublished Russian translation of Über das Geistige in der Kunst, typed and handwritten, with an undated proof copy with corrections, and drafts for figures in chapter IV. Also included are outlines for other texts by Kandinsky, and miscellaneous handwritten notes.

The third series relates to Kandinsky’s professional life after his return to Russia in 1914 when he was actively involved as co-founder and vice-president of the Russian Academy of Artistic Sciences in Moscow. Included are institutional records of the Academy, as well as outlines and transcripts of lectures and discussions by Kandinsky and several other Academy members. Most of the papers are dated 1921, the year in which Kandinsky and his wife left Moscow for Berlin. All material in this series is in Russian.

The fourth series consists of professional correspondence. A significant portion comprises 19 letters by Kandinsky to the New York art dealer and collector Jsrael Ber Neumann, written between 1934 and 1940, after Kandinsky’s relocation from Germany to Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris. Also present are ca. 50 letters from artists, art dealers, private collectors, art critics, editors and publishers, dating from 1911 to 1933. The letters are rich in detail related to Kandinsky’s exhibition activities and the reception of his artistic ideas, and provide information about the activities of other significant figures, including Alexej von Jawlenski, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Franz Marc, Arnold Schoenberg, and the American art collector Arthur Jerome Eddy. These materials are in German, with a few letters in French or English.

Biographical or Historical Notes:
The Russian-born artist, Wassily Kandinsky [Vasilii Vasil’evich Kandinski ] is considered one of the creators of abstract painting. He taught at the Bauhaus between 1922 and 1933.
extent2 linear ft.
formatsBusiness Papers Printed Materials Writings Correspondence
accessOpen for use by qualified researchers
record linkhttp://archives2.getty.edu:8082/xtf/view?docId=ead/850910/850910.xml;query=;brand=default
record sourcehttp://hdl.handle.net/10020/cat76560
finding aidUnpublished finding aid available in the repository: item level control.
acquisition informationAcquired by the repository in 1985.
updated11/12/2014 11:29:59
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titleArts Club records, 1892-1995.
repositoryNewberry Library
descriptionMainly exhibit planning files, but also publicity, business records, informational records, photographs, and a small amount of original artwork from the Arts Club of Chicago. Also includes files on the Club's lecture, film, and drama series.

Historical Note
The Arts Club of Chicago was incorporated in 1916. Its objectives, according to the mission drafted at its inaugural meeting, are "to encourage higher standards of art, maintain galleries for that purpose; and to promote the mutual acquaintance of art lovers and art workers." Since its inception the Arts Club has been a pioneering force in modern and avant-garde art exhibitions, performances, lectures, and events in Chicago. For example, the Arts Club was the first venue in Chicago to exhibit Picasso drawings, in 1923. Other modern art exhibitions have followed, featuring artists who were to become major names and influences in the 20th century: Georges Bracque, Alexander Calder, Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Walt Kuhn, Fernand Leger, Jacques Villon, Berthe Morisot, Constantin Brancusi, Isamu Noguchi, Louise Nevelson, etc. In addition, the Arts Club hosted musical performances or lectures by modern composers such as Sergei Prokofiev, Igor Stravinsky, Darius Mihaud, and John Cage. The Arts Club has been at the forefront of dance as well, in holding both performances and lecture/demonstrations by Martha Graham, Alicia Markova, Anton Dolin, and Merce Cunningham. Its Lecture Series has hosted writers, poets, historians, and artists since the beginning, and has included Thornton Wilder, W.H. Auden, Le Courbusier, Gertrude Stein, David Mamet, and David Sedaris.
extent92.5 cubic ft. (165 boxes, 16 oversize boxes, and 51 v.)
formatsExhibition Files Business Papers Photographs Artwork Ephemera
accessThe Arts Club Records are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 5 folders at a time maximum, and items in each folder will be counted before and after delivery to the patron (Priority I).
record linkhttp://www.newberry.org/collections/FindingAids/artsclub/ArtsClub.html
record sourcehttp://www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/
finding aidOnline and in the repository.
acquisition informationGift, Arts Club of Chicago, 1972, with subsequent donations.
updated11/12/2014 11:29:59
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titleRecords from Artist and Object Files, 1916-2007 (bulk 1940-1980)
repositorySolomon R. Guggenheim Museum Archives
descriptionThe Records from Artist and Object Files collection (1934-1993) consists of correspondence, photographs, and press clippings. The bulk of the collection is comprised of incoming and outgoing correspondence between artists whose work was supported by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum or who participated in its exhibitions, and museum staff.

Museum staff includes the directors of the museum (Hilla Rebay; James Johnson Sweeney; Thomas M. Messer; Thomas Krens; and Lisa Dennison), curatorial and administrative personnel, and Solomon R. Guggenheim. The correspondence is either typed or hand-written. While a number of the letters are quite personal in nature, the majority of the correspondence concerns the acquisition of works, arrangements for exhibitions, loans, and more general discussions regarding the nature of modern and non-objective art. Correspondence is in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. The records also include biographical questionnaires used by the museum to maintain accurate, current information on the artists represented in the collection, along with documents such as deeds of gift and licenses for copyright. Additionally, a small number of original artist sketches are present

Historical Note
The Records from Artist and Object Files collection spans the tenures of all five of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum's directors: Hilla Rebay (1939-1952), James Johnson Sweeney (1952-1960), Thomas M. Messer (1961-1988), Thomas Krens (1988-2005), and Lisa Dennison (2005-2007). Items in the collection were originally located in the Curatorial department's Artist and Object Files. The records were removed from the Artist and Object Files in 2007 by the Curatorial department and subsequently transferred to the Archives.

Preferred Citation:
Records from Artist and Object files. A0009. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Archives, New York, NY.

Location: CF
Call Number: A0009
extent2.25 cubic ft
formatsCorrespondence Legal Papers Ephemera
accessThe collection is unrestricted. The Archives are open to qualified scholars and researchers by advance appointment on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. To schedule an appointment, contactarchives@guggenheim.org. It is recommended that appointment requests are made at least two weeks prior to the visit.
record sourcehttp://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/library-and-archives/archive-collections/A0009/
finding aidOnline and in repository. Finding aid prepared by Archives Staff in July 2008.
updated11/12/2014 11:29:59
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titleLily Harmon papers, 1930-1996.
repositoryArchives of American Art
descriptionPrimarily research files and notes, subject files, interview tapes and transcripts, correspondence, writings, and other materials compiled by Harmon for a never-published biography of art dealer J.B. Neumann, titled The Art Lover.

Found are photocopies of J.B. Neuman's correspondence with Karl Nierendorf, Clifford Odets, Elsa Schmid, and Alfred Stieglitz; photocopies and other materials from the J.B. Neumann Collection at the University of Texas at Austin, Harry Ransom Humanities Center, including photocopies of the magazine published by Neumann titled Art Lover Library, 1930-1957 (volume 1, 1930 is original bound volume), copyprints and photocopies of photographs of Neumann, his family, and of other subjects; interview transcripts and audio tapes with numerous artists conducted in the mid-1980s; research notes and files; and subject files on numerous artists (all photocopies).

Harmon's personal papers include resumes; copies of letters from friends, family, dealers and others; photographs of Harmon's paintings; writings, including poems, excerpts from diaries, autobiographical essays, and her autobiography FREEHAND; photocopies of various mss. drafts of Harmon's biography of Neumann, The Art Lover, and related writings by Harmon, including The Art Dealer and the Playwright, and Synopsis of Art Lover, ca. 1987-1990 ; a transcript of an interview of Harmon conducted by Karl Fortress, 1967; magazine and newspaper clippings; exhibition announcements and catalogs; and miscellany.

Interviewees include: Dore Ashton, Sally Avery, Alfred Barr, Phillip Bruno, Al Copley, Dorothy Dehner, Bettina Drew (about Nelson Algren), Elsie Driggs (also found is a video interview and transcript of Driggs by Merryman Gatch, n.d.), Ben Hertzberg, Leonard Hutton, Lewis Isaacs, Max Kahn, Katharine Kuh, Johanna Neumann Lamm, Frances Manacher, Peter Neumann, Albrecht Neumann, Nolbert Rothbaum, Margarete Schultz, Joseph Solman, Margarete Sapanel, Hugh Stix, Ilse Vogel with Howard Knotts, and Edward M.M. Warburg.

Bio / His Notes:
Painter and sculptor; New York City. Harmon worked for the influential art dealer J.B. Neumann, and spent several years preparing a biography of him which was never published. As an artist, she lived in Europe in the early part of the century, and worked on WPA art projects in the 1930s.
extent6.0 linear ft.
formatsResearch Files Notes Subject Files Interviews Correspondence
accessUnmicrofilmed: use requires an appointment
record sourcehttp://www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/
finding aidPartial box inventory is available
acquisition informationDonated 1983 and 1998 by Lily Harmon.
updated11/12/2014 11:30:00
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titleCollection on the Estate of Karl Nierendorf, 1940-1956, 1976 (bulk 1940-1956)
repositorySolomon R. Guggenheim Museum Archives
descriptionThe Collection on Karl Nierendorf dates from 1940 to 1956 with the addition of records created in 1976.

The records are divided into two subseries. Subseries A: Nierendorf Gallery (NG) contains records that were created by or for the NG in the 1940s and collected in the 1970s by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Archives.

The records in Subseries B: Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation relate to the acquisition of the estate after Karl Nierendorf's (KN) death in 1947 and internal research circa 1976 on KN's life and exhibition history.

The records do not include information on works of art displayed at the Nierendorf Gallery prior to the purchase or works that were not included in the sale of the estate. To this date, the location of NG's New York archive, papers, or records is unknown.

Historical Abstract:
In 1948 the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation (SRGF) purchased the entire estate of New York art dealer Karl Nierendorf (KN) acquiring not only purchases made abroad on behalf of the SRGF, but also KN's gallery inventory and art objects.

Preferred Citation:
Collection on the Estate of Karl Nierendorf. A0062. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Archives, New York, NY.

Call Number:
A0062
extent1 cubic foot (2 boxes)
formatsEphemera Clippings Exhibition Files
accessThis collection is unrestricted Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Manager of the Library and Archives
record linkhttp://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/about-the-collection/new-york/karl-nierendorf-estate/1650
record sourcehttp://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/library-and-archives/archive-collections/A0062/
finding aidHeld at the repository and on the repository's Web site
updated11/12/2014 11:30:14
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