Adolph A. Weinman papers, 1890-1959

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A Finding Aid to the Adolph A. Weinman Papers, 1890-1959, in the Archives of American Art, by Jean Fitzgerald

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Funding for the digitization of the microfilm of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Table of Contents:

• Biographical Information
• Overview of the Collection
• How to Use the Collection
• Detailed Description and Container Inventory

Biographical Information

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.

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Overview of the Collection

Scope and Contents

The papers of American sculptor Adolph Weinman measure 10.1 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 (6.5 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 and Series Description

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 10-19 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 20 and OV folders 21-28 and are listed with each appropriate series.

The collection has been arranged into 10 series:

• Series 1: Biographical Material, 1890-1950 (Boxes 1, 20, OVs 21, 28; Reel 5884; 4 folders)
• Series 2: General Correspondence, 1897-1954 (Boxes 1-2, OV 21; Reels 5884-5886; 1.4 linear feet)
• Series 3: Organization Files, 1916-1952 (Boxes 2-3; Reels 5886-5887; 0.9 linear feet)
• Series 4: Financial Material, 1910-1953 (Box 3; Reel 5887; 3 folders)
• 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, 20, OVs 22-25; Reels 5887-5888; 0.4 linear feet)
• Series 8: Project Files, 1896-1955 (Boxes 3-8, 10-20, OVs 21-28; Reels 5888-5891; 6.4 linear feet)
• Series 9: Printed Material, 1891-1959 (Box 8, OV 27; Reel 5892; 0.4 linear feet)
• Series 10: Photographs, 1903-1950 (Boxes 9, 19, OV 27; Reel 5892; 0.2 linear feet)

Subjects and Names

Provenance

The Adolph A. Weinman papers were donated by Weinman's sons, Howard K. Weinman in 1972, and Robert A. Weinman in 1976.

Separated and Related Materials

In 1971 and 1972, Howard and Robert Weinman loaned selected documents for microfilming that are only available on microfilm reels 283 and 414. The loaned material is not included in this finding aid. Reel 283 contains biographical materials, a contract, correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks, and miscellaneous printed materials, dating from 1888-1952. Correspondence exchanged between Weinman and the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Medallic Art Company between 1930 and 1952 is available on microfil reel 414.

How the Collection was Processed

The collection received a preliminary level of processing at some point after donation and was microfilmed on reels 5884-5892. The collection was processed by Jean Fitzgerald in January 2004. The microfilm for the collection was digitized in 2006-2007 with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

How to Use the Collection

Restrictions on Use

A digitized version of the microfilm of this collection is available online via the Archives of American Art website.

Ownership & Literary Rights

The Adolph A. Weinman papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Available Formats

The microfilm for this collection has been digitized and is available online via the Archives of American Art website.

How to Cite this Collection

Adolph A. Weinman papers, 1890-1959. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

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Detailed Description and Container Inventory

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1890-1950 (Boxes 1, 20, OVs 21, 28; Reel 5884; 4 folders)

Biographical material consists primarily of membership certificates, including those from the National Academy of Design, National Institute of Arts and Letters, Art Commission of the City of New York, Commission of Fine Arts, Lincoln Fellowship of Southern California, and the Mayor's Committee for the Golden Jubilee of The City of New York. Also found are several award certificates and scattered legal documents pertaining to members of Weinman's family.

Series 2: General Correspondence, 1897-1954 (Boxes 1-2, OV 21; Reels 5884-5886; 1.4 linear feet)

Letterpress books of Weinman's outgoing letters and unbound letters exchanged with colleagues and family members. Arranged in chronological order, the letters often refer to miscellaneous projects, but are not organized according to project. Many of the letters in the Letterpress books are written on very thin tissue paper and are barely legible. Additional project-specific correspondence is organized with Project Files.

Series 3: Organization Files, 1916-1952 (Boxes 2-3; Reels 5886-5887; 0.9 linear feet)

Weinman's files documenting his membership in and presidency of the National Sculpture Society and his membership in the National Academy of Design.

Series 4: General Financial and Business Records, 1910-1953 (Box 3; Reel 5887; 3 folders)

A record book listing art work held by dealers and in exhibitions. There are also miscellaneous financial records not directly related to projects; additional financial documentation is located within the Project Files.

Series 5: Notes, 1918-1952 (Box 3; Reel 5887; 14 folders)

A notebook illustrating Weinman's studies in French. Also found are lists of art work, photographs, ideas for art work, as well as notes concerning the National Commission of Fine Arts, and miscellaneous notes.

Series 6: Writings, 1929-1952 (Box 3; Reel 5887; 14 folders)

Speeches and lectures written by Weinman, including "Commemorative Tribute to John Russell Pope," 1937, "Tribute to Anna Hyatt Huntington," 1947, and "Memorial to Charles Keck," 1952. Also included is a typescript by Archibald MacLeish, "The Power of the Spoken Word."

Series 7: Artwork, 1892-1933 (Boxes 3, 20, OVs 22-25; Reels 5887-5888; 0.4 linear feet)

This series consists of annotated sketchbooks and unbound sketches by Weinman. One etching by Emil Fuchs can be found at the end of the series.

Series 8: Project Files, 1896-circa 1955 (Boxes 3-8, 10-20, OVs 21-28; Reels 5888-5891; 6.4 linear feet)

Numerous project files for commissioned work and other sculptures arranged chronologically, with undated ones arranged at the beginning of the series. In some instances the name of the project or work of art has been supplied by the processing archivist based on image/s found in the files; known titles of works of art appear in italics. The majority of the project files contain only photographs, but several also contain a variety of documents related to the project, such as correspondence, contracts, financial records, notes, drawings, printed material, and photographs.

Also found within the series are numerous glass plate negatives housed separately, most of which have prints in their respective files and are so noted with a See Also reference. Oversized materials are also housed separately and noted with See Also references.

Series 9: Printed Material, 1891-1959 (Box 8, OV 27; Reel 5892; 0.4 linear feet)

Printed material consists of clippings, exhibition catalogs for others, a program, a book, and miscellaneous art-related booklets.

Series 10: Photographs, 1903-1950 (Boxes 9, 19, OV 27; Reel 5892; 0.2 linear feet)

Photographs of Weinman, his colleagues, his residence, and miscellaneous locations not directly related to specific projects. Photographs of Weinman with colleagues include Charles Keck and Charles Niehaus as well as views of Philip Martiny's studio, Charles Niehaus's studio, and the Roman Bronze Works. Photographs of Weinman's Forest Hills Residence/Studio include photos of a map to that location.