Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in America
Archives related to: Julien Levy Gallery
| title | Julien Levy Gallery records, 1857-1982 | repository | Philadelphia Museum of Art |
| description | This collection documents the career of prominent art gallery owner Julien Levy. The records date from 1857 to 1983 and include correspondence, exhibit announcements and invitations, scrapbooks, gallery financial ledgers, audio-visual materials, and personal papers such as letters, diaries, appointment books and calendars. The material in this collection reflects the course of Levy’s life, beginning with childhood letters and elementary school papers, and ending with Levy’s obituary and memorials. The records follow Levy, fresh from Paris, as he opens his gallery in New York and quickly becomes one of the most well-known and respected art dealers in the United States. This star-studded collection features correspondence with some of the most celebrated artists of the Surrealist and other art movements, including Salvador Dali, Arshile Gorky, Frida Kahlo, Man Ray, and Marcel Duchamp. The bulk of material dates from 1933 to 1949, and the 1970s. Researchers should note that the collection contains few records from the 1950s and early 1960s. The collection is divided into seven series: “I. Correspondence,” “II. Subject files,” “III. Exhibition announcements and ephemera,” “IV. Financial records,” “V. Scrapbooks,” “VI. Diaries and calendars,” and “VII. Audio/Visual Materials.” The “I. Correspondence” series contains letters, postcards, and notes that document Julien Levy’s career as gallery owner and art dealer, as well as his relationships with business associates, patrons, artists, family, and friends. The series is further divided into two subseries: “a. General correspondence” and “b. Personal correspondence.” Researchers should note that personal correspondence can also be found interspersed with the general correspondence. Levy’s general and personal correspondence were initially organized by Marie Difilippantonio, Levy’s assistant (check). This order has been maintained, however, it is important for researchers to be aware that the order is not strictly alphabetical. Correspondents who are represented by a single letter are frequently filed under the first two letters of their last name. For example, Annie W. Allen is filed under “Al’s: Allen“ which is filed after “Alvarez.” Researchers should therefore perform a key word search in order to ensure that the correspondent for whom they are looking is located. Furthermore, as a result of Difilippantonio's excellent description, the content of these letters are described to a limited degree. A keyword search will provide access not only to letters written to and from the artist, but also to letters in which the artist was discussed. Subseries “b. Personal correspondence,” contains correspondence between Julien Levy and various family members, including his parents, Isabelle Isaacs Levy and Edgar A. Levy, and his sons, Jerrold, Javan and Jonathan. The correspondence in this subseries documents the passionate and volatile relationships with each of Levy’s three wives: Joella Lloyd Levy, Muriel Streeter Levy, and Jean Farley Levy. The records related to Levy’s father, Edgar A. Levy, offer insight into Levy’s tumultuous early years, including his leaving Harvard University, his early travels to Paris, and his first two marriages (and subsequent divorces). The subseries also contains a substantial amount of correspondence with Joella Levy’s mother, artist and writer Mina Loy, with whom Levy developed a close professional and personal relationship. The material dates from 1857 to 1981 and is arranged alphabetically by correspondent’s last name. Researchers are advised to perform a key word search in order to ensure that the correspondent/artist for whom they are looking is located. Series “IV. Financial records,” consists of ledger books maintained by Julien Levy, personally, as well as for the Julien Levy Gallery. These books contain information on artwork owned by Levy, and include the date of sale and sale price of the pieces. Some of the books also reflect the financial interaction between Levy and his artists. The ledger books date from circa 1925 to 1978 and are listed chronologically. The “V. Scrapbooks” series includes scrapbooks containing memorabilia from Levy’s career as a gallery owner and art dealer. The books include newspaper articles about the Gallery and the artists Levy represented, as well as exhibit announcements and catalogs, similar to materials found in series “III. Exhibition announcements and ephemera.” The materials date from circa 1925 to 1941 and are arranged alphabetically by scrapbook type and then chronologically. The “VI. Diaries and Calendars” series contains Julien Levy and Jean Farley Levy’s appointment books and calendars. The bulk of materials dates from the 1970s, and continues beyond Julien’s death in 1981. There are a few diaries that date from the late 1940s and 1950s that were shared by Julien and Jean. It is likely, considering some of the personal notations inside, that Julien consulted these diaries as he wrote his memoirs. The appointment books and calendars provide insight into the later years of Levy’s life. The materials are arranged chronologically and date from 1948 to 1981. Series “VII. Audio / visual materials” contains some undated VHS tapes, compact discs, and CD-ROMs of digitized materials related to Julien Levy, possibly including home video of Levy and his gallery events, interviews conducted about Levy and digital reproductions of exhibition announcements. Most of the digitization of the materials seems to have been done by the Julien Levy Foundation, before the records were transferred to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The processors of this collection did not review the materials; researchers should consult the Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives concerning accessibility of these materials. Biographical Note: Julien Levy (1906-1981) was a pioneering New York art dealer of the 1930s and 1940s. He was introduced to the art world in Paris by Marcel Duchamp, whom he had met in New York in 1926. In Paris he met photographers and artists, including Man Ray, Berenice Abbot, and Joella Haweis, daughter of Dadaist muse Mina Loy, who became his wife. Upon his return to the United States, Levy worked briefly at the Weyhe Gallery before opening the Julien Levy Gallery at 602 Madison Avenue. In 1932, Levy mounted “Surrealisme,” which introduced the Surrealist art movement to New York. Levy was born in 1906 in New York. He attended Harvard University, where he studied museum administration as a student of Paul Sachs. He did not complete his course of study, however, deciding instead to travel to France in 1927. There he met and befriended artists Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp and others, and was introduced to the work of French photographer Eugene Atget. It Atget’s photographs, that inspired him to become an art dealer. While in France, he also met his wife, Joella Haweis, and her mother, Mina Loy, who would eventually serve as his gallery representative in Paris. When Levy returned to New York, he worked briefly in the print room of the Weyhe Gallery, as Carl Zigrosser’s assistant. At this time, he also became partial owner of the Atget photograph archive, which had been rescued by photographer Berenice Abbott from Atget’s studio just after his death in 1927. Levy mounted an exhibition of Atget photographs at Weyhe, and it was after this he decided to open his own gallery. Using money he inherited from his mother, Levy open his gallery in 1931. In 1937, he moved the gallery to 15 East 57th Street, and in 1943 he relocated again to 42 East 57th, where the gallery remained until it closed in 1949. In the beginning, Levy exhibited and sold the work of American and European photographers, including Atget, Stieglitz, Nadar and Henri Cartier-Bresson, promoting photography as an art form, as Alfred Stieglitz had done. In 1932, Levy held the first Surrealism show in New York, displaying works from a variety of mediums, including photography, painting, sculpture, collage and books. This show introduced major artists of the Surrealist movement, most notably Salvador Dali, whose painting “The Persistence of Memory” Levy had purchased the previous year. In addition to promoting Dali’s work, Levy was the first New York dealer to exhibit the works of many important Surrealist-influenced artists, including Joseph Cornell, Frida Kahlo and Arshile Gorky. After closing his gallery in 1949, Levy turned to teaching. He held teaching positions at Sarah Lawrence College and SUNY Purchase. He also wrote several books: Surrealism, Eugene Berman, Arshile Gorky, and Memoir of an Art Gallery. |
| extent | Julien Levy Gallery records |
| formats | Business Papers Personal Papers Correspondence Financial Records Audio/Visual Materials |
| access | This collection is open for research use. |
| record link | http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017/d/pacscl/PMA_PMA005 |
| record source | http://www.philamuseum.org/archives/?page=2 |
| finding aid | Available at the repository, Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives, or the repository's website. |
| acquisition information | Gift of the Jean and Julien Levy Foundation for the Arts, Inc., June 23, 2008 |
| updated | 03/16/2023 10:30:07 |
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| title | BMA Institutional file. Julien Levy Gallery | repository | The Brooklyn Museum Libraries and Archives |
| description | The file may include any of the following materials: announcements, clippings, photographs, press releases, brochures, reviews, invitations, small exhibition catalogs and checklists under 50 pages, other ephemeral material./ Files compiled by BMA library staff from circa 1917 to the present. Preferred citation: Brooklyn Museum of Art Library Collections. BMA institutional files. |
| extent | 1 folder |
| formats | Ephemera |
| access | Contact the Brooklyn Museum Libraries and Archives for access restrictions. |
| record source | https://library.nyarc.org/permalink/01NYA_INST/ai54l4/alma991007122579707141 |
| updated | 11/29/2022 15:49:51 |
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| title | Subject file : JULIEN LEVY GALLERY: miscellaneous uncataloged material. | repository | The Museum of Modern Art |
| description | The folder may include announcements, clippings, press releases, brochures, reviews, invitations, and other ephemeral material. |
| extent | 1 folder |
| formats | Ephemera |
| access | Contact repository for restrictions and policies. |
| record source | https://library.nyarc.org/permalink/01NYA_INST/ai54l4/alma991010239049707141 |
| updated | 11/29/2022 15:49:51 |
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| title | Joseph Cornell papers, 1804-1986, bulk 1939-1972 | repository | Archives of American Art |
| description | The Joseph Cornell papers measure approximately 24.5 linear feet and date from 1804 to 1986, with the bulk of the material dating from 1939-1972. The collection documents the life, work, interests, and creative activities of the self-taught artist, who was best known for his shadow box constructions, assemblages, and collages. Papers include correspondence, diaries, source material, notes, writings, photographs, printed material, two- and three-dimensional ephemera, art works, and books, as well as a limited amount of legal and financial records, and some miscellaneous personal and family papers (which comprise a series of biographical material). The collection also includes the papers of his sister, Betty Cornell Benton, relating to the handling of Cornell's estate and the personal papers of his brother, Robert Cornell. Cornell's correspondence is typically with family, friends, artists, dealers, collectors, galleries, museums, admirers, individuals whom he admired, "helpers," and various charitable institutions. Correspondence generally concerns the creation, exhibition, sale, and reception of Cornell's art work; his "explorations" and other research and collecting activities; his preoccupations with certain individuals and motifs; his usual practices of giving gifts of art work to those he liked or admired and making donations to charities in aid of those less fortunate; and his relationships and shared interests with family, friends, and colleagues. Also found is correspondence between and amongst various other members of the Cornell family, including, most notably, Robert Cornell's letters to his sisters, Elizabeth (typically addressed as Nell) and Helen. Dating from 1941 to 1972, Cornell's diaries span almost the entirety of his career as an artist, which began in earnest when he left his job at the Traphagen textile studio in 1940 to pursue art full-time and ended with his death in 1972. The diaries record his day-to-day experiences (usually comprising his thoughts, feelings, impressions, and ideas); and reflect on his various art projects (boxes, films, and collages) and creative activities ("explorations," and various other research, collecting, and publishing ventures). They also explore many of the themes and underlying concerns of his art work; and document his intense preoccupations with certain individuals, his wide-ranging interests, and the interconnectedness of his ideas and activities. Cornell's style of writing in the diaries tends to be stream-of-conscious with entries being composed of phrases, rather than complete sentences and with the progression of passages being more poetic and associative than either logical or narrative. He tended to compose by hand, occasionally typing up his notes into more formal entries, and also to use abbreviations for oft-repeated words and initials for individuals. At times, his handwriting can be difficult to read, and his references can be difficult to decipher. It was also common practice for him to review or revisit previous entries at various points in time, often making revisions or comments on them with dated annotations in the margins or on the reverse side of a page. Cornell's source material is largely comprised of files of newspaper and magazine clippings, cutouts, notes, writings, book excerpts, photostats (or stats), prints, postcards, art reproductions, and other printed material. Some files are devoted to people (ballerinas, actresses, singers, artists, and writers) and topics (astronomy, romantic and modern ballet, birds, films, literature, music, plants, and science, among others). Other files relate to specific art works, "explorations," publishing projects, and exhibitions. Source material documents Cornell's preoccupation with certain individuals (past and present), events, subjects, and motifs; the development of some of his major "explorations" and their influence on his various artistic and commercial projects; and his work on certain box constructions and collages, publishing ventures, and exhibition catalogues. Source material also sheds light on Cornell's efforts to gain access to the past; his interest in the symbolism of images and objects; the linkages he found between seemingly unrelated things; and the connections between his many creative endeavors. Ephemera and artifacts include various objects, mementos, and items of memorabilia, some of which were accumulated by Cornell (in much the same way that he collected his source material) and some of which are of uncertain origin. For Cornell, items such as these were not merely inanimate objects, but were instead evocative of past worlds and capable of bringing the past into the present (an idea which he often expressed in his diaries as the "metaphysique d'ephemera"). He seems to have used some of these items in a layout he designed for Good Housekeeping. Other items may have been used as source material for some of his box constructions. The collection also houses photographs of Cornell, his family, art work, other artists, and friends, as well as photographs taken by various individuals and publicity photographs from the New York City Ballet. Also found are scattered works of art, including collage fragments and Rorschachs (or ink blot drawings) by Cornell, collages by Cornell's sister, Betty Cornell Benton, on which he collaborated, and a box by Christine Kaufman, which was a gift to Cornell. The books in the collection most likely comprise the remainder of Cornell's library, which was transferred to the Joseph Cornell Study Center, and include some that seem to have belonged to his sister, Betty. Printed material includes various publications and clippings collected by Cornell apart from that which he collected as source material. Writings about Cornell include an article by the poet, Mina Loy, and copies of various theses, presentations, and articles by graduate students in art history received by Benton (who assisted them in their research). The Joseph Cornell Estate Papers consist of correspondence relating to Betty Cornell Benton's administration of the part of Cornell's estate for which she was responsible and legal documents relating to her various legal disputes with the executors of the estate, as well as a limited amount of printed material, some of which was originally accumulated by Cornell and subsequently shared with Benton, and miscellaneous papers belonging to Benton and their mother, Helen S. Cornell. Estate Papers provide insight on the exhibition and sale of Cornell art works after his death; the disposition of his belongings (including art work, papers, books, records, and source material); and Benton's efforts to foster and safeguard the memory and legacy of Cornell. The Robert Cornell Papers include correspondence, writings, art works, photographs, printed material, and scattered financial and personal records, documenting the full and creative life Robert led despite being confined to a wheelchair. Their inclusion in the collection suggests the family's effort to foster Robert's memory. Arrangement and Series Description The collection is arranged into eleven series: Series 1: Biographical Material, 1918-1972, 1975 (Box 1; 0.8 linear feet) Series 2: Correspondence, 1909-1982 (Boxes 1-5; 4.2 linear feet) Series 3: Diaries, 1941-1973 (Boxes 6-10; 5 linear feet) Series 4: Source Material, 1804-1972 (Boxes 11-18, 25-28, OV 29; 8.5 linear feet) Series 5: Ephemera and Artifacts, 1858-1946 (Boxes 18, 23; 0.8 linear feet) Series 6: Photographs, circa 1905-1972 (Boxes 18, 28; 0.3 linear feet) Series 7: Art Works, circa 1966-1971 (Boxes 19, 23; 0.2 linear feet) Series 8: Books and Printed Material, 1806-1968 (Boxes 19, 23; 0.5 linear feet) Series 9: Writings about Cornell, 1950, circa 1975-1980 (Box 19; 0.3 linear feet) Series 10: Joseph Cornell Estate Papers, circa 1911, 1944-1986 (Boxes 19-22; 3.5 linear feet) Series 11: Robert Cornell Papers, 1924-1965 (Boxes 24, 28; 0.4 linear feet) Cite as: Joseph Cornell papers, 1804-1986, bulk 1939-1972. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution Separated and Related Materials: The bulk of Cornell's source material resides in the Joseph Cornell Study Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum, along with his library and record collection. Cornell's sister, Betty Cornell Benton, donated a portion of this material directly to SAAM (then known as the National Museum of American Art), occasioning the creation of the Study Center circa 1978. The bulk of the source material and library that she donated to AAA, including approximately 66 linear feet of three-dimensional and non-textual source material and 50 linear feet of books, was transferred to the Study Center in 1994 and 1995. Originals of loaned material returned to the donor after microfilming include: some unidentified and miscellaneous correspondence; significant correspondence between Joseph Cornell and Helen S. Cornell; significant correspondence between Helen S. Cornell, family members and others; and some of Joseph Cornell's family correspondence and general correspondence from the Robert Cornell papers. The loaned material is available on microfilm reels 1055-1058 but is not described further in the Series Descriptions/Container Listing of this finding aid. The Archives holds several collections of different provenance that relate to Joseph Cornell, including the small collections of Allison Delarue (comprised of two letters from Cornell, available on reel 2803), Muriel Streeter Schwartz (comprised of two letters from Cornell, available on reel 4283), Wayne Andrews (comprised of letters from Cornell and printed material), and Marion Netter (comprised of items received from Cornell). In addition, photographs of Cornell can be found amongst the Hans Namuth photographs and papers. Also found within the Archives is a transcribed interview of Cornell's sister, Elizabeth Cornell Benton, conducted on April 21, 1976 as part of the oral history program. |
| extent | Use of the original papers requires an appointment. |
| formats | Personal Papers Business Papers Correspondence Photographs Diaries |
| access | Use of the original papers requires an appointment. |
| record link | http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/joseph-cornell-papers-5790 |
| record source | http://collections.si.edu/ |
| finding aid | Available at the repository, Archives of American art, and on their website. |
| acquisition information | The Joseph Cornell papers were donated and microfilmed in several installments from 1974 to 1989 by Joseph Cornell's sister, Betty Cornell Benton. Most, but not all, of the correspondence, which was loaned for microfilming in 1974, was subsequently donated in 1989. Additional material was donated in 2004 by the Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation. |
| updated | 11/12/2014 11:30:17 |
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| title | Man Ray postcards and ephemera, 1921-1983. | repository | The Getty Research Institute |
| description | Forms part of: Brown, Jean, 1911-1994. Jean Brown papers, 1815-1995 (bulk 1916-1985). (Special Collections, accn. no. 890164). Collection includes 3 postcards from Man Ray to Paul Eluard (1937-38); exhibition announcements from Librairie Six (1921), Galerie Surréaliste (1928), Julien Levy Gallery (1932), Aux Cahiers d'Art (1935), Galerie Rive Droite (1959) and many others; and clippings. |
| extent | ca. 50 items.. |
| formats | Ephemera Postcards |
| access | Open for use by qualified researchers. |
| record source | http://primo.getty.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=GRI&afterPDS=true&institution=01GRI&docId=GETTY_ALMA21133765890001551 |
| updated | 11/12/2014 11:30:17 |
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| title | Siegel-Antheil Gallery, 8517 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California, from Julen [sic] Levy Gallery, 1936-1937 (JPB 94-1 no. 124) | repository | Billy Rose Theatre Division |
| description | List of 28 works by 11 surrealist artists, dated 1936. Accompanied by calendar of 9 concerts, 1937 Apr. 22-Aug. 19. Found in: Antheil, George, 1900-1959. George Antheil papers. Biographical and Historical Note: George Antheil was an American composer. In 1936 he went to Hollywood to write film music, and opened a short-lived art gallery. LOCATION Performing Arts - Music CALL # JPB 94-1 no. 124 |
| extent | 1 item ([3] leaves) |
| formats | Inventories Typescript Photocopies |
| access | In poor condition, photocopy provided |
| record link | http://catalog.nypl.org/record=b14143323~S1 |
| record source | http://catalog.nypl.org/record=b14143323~S1 |
| finding aid | http://catnyp.nypl.org/record=b5736959 |
| updated | 11/12/2014 11:30:17 |
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| title | Arts Club Records, 1892-1995 | repository | Newberry Library |
| description | Planning files, publicity, business records, informational records, and a small amount of original artwork from the Arts Club of Chicago. Since 1916, the Club has been serving its mission by mounting exhibitions and hosting music performances, dance performances, lectures, receptions, film screenings, and plays, and its records reflect these activities. Minutes from the various Club committees show the early stages of planning each seasons' events, and files within each of the artistic series detail the day-to-day logistics of creating each event. The Membership files reveal the wide variety of Chicago-area (sometimes nationwide) artists, art patrons, and enthusiasts who were active in the Club. Other series, such as Historical, Cards and Catalogue Books, and Scrapbooks, provide information to the long public history of the Club's activities through newsclippings, photographs, and printed matter. Narrative descriptions of the subject matter, types of material, and arrangement of each series are available through the Organization section of the finding aid. History of The Arts Club 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. The Club has always had a two-tiered membership system; professional artists pay lower dues than patrons, ensuring that artists remain a vital component of Arts Club membership. Since its inception, The Arts Club has had seven locations around Chicago. Currently it is in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago at 222 W. Superior Street, and retains the steel interior staircase designed by architect Mies van der Rohe for its previous space at 109 E. Ontario Street. Its exhibits are open to the public, and the Club still maintains a rigorous exhibit and event schedule. |
| extent | 1.0 cubic ft. |
| formats | Exhibition Files Writings Financial Records Correspondence Printed Materials |
| access | The 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 link | http://www.newberry.org/collections/FindingAids/artsclub/ArtsClub.html |
| record source | http://www.newberry.org/collections |
| finding aid | Online and in repository |
| acquisition information | Gift, Arts Club of Chicago, 1972, with subsequent donations. |
| updated | 11/12/2014 11:30:17 |
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| title | Artist File: Arshile Gorky | repository | Whitney Museum of American Art |
| description | The Library continues to add material to its files, including articles, biographies, bibliographies, photographs, reviews, small catalogs, invitations, and correspondence. Extensive documentation of work and career. Correspondence includes controversy with Emily Genauer's review in the NY Herald Tribune. Research notes from Lloyd Goodrich and Ethel Schwabacher for exhibition and book. Catalogs include the Julien Levy Gallery, Grand Central School of Art and issues of Color and Rhyme focusing on the artist. Photographs include many of family and friends, along with his work and, in particular, the mural at the Newark airport. Bio/History: The vertical files of the Whitney Library originated with the Museum's founding in 1930 and include research materials on 20th century American art. Central to the collection are the files of the American Art Research Council, an agency administered by the Whitney Museum between 1942 and 1948, in cooperation with thirty museums and university art departments, to document and authenticate American art. The library now serves as a repository for the AARC records. The Council compiled records of the works of leading American artists, including information as to medium, size, signature, date, history, owners, exhibitions, reproductions and auction sales. Associated materials: Whitney vertical files, 1931-1976, are also available on microfilm at the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. |
| extent | 41 folders |
| formats | Ephemera Clippings Writings Exhibition Catalogs |
| access | Contact the repository directory for further details. |
| record source | http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/122574722 |
| updated | 11/12/2014 11:30:17 |
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