Asher, Elise, b. 1914 d. 2004

Elise Asher papers, 1923-1994

1.6 linear ft. (partially microfilmed on 2 reels)
Reel(s): 4938-4939

Biographical material, letters, business records, writings, art work, printed material, and photographs.

REELS 4938-4939: Biographical material, 1923-1976, includes a teacher's report, 3 resumes, and an award certificate. Letters, 1941-1988, are from Asher's colleagues and primarily concern their art-related activities and interactions. Notable correspondents include Fritz Bultman, Helen Frankenthaler, Philip Guston, Hans Hofmann, Norman Mailer, Robert Motherwell, Louise Nevelson, Mark Rothko, Theodoros Stamos, Jack Tworkov, and Kurt Vonnegut.

Business records, 1955-1988, consist of miscellaneous loan agreements and receipts. Writings, 1973-1979, include poems and artist's statements by Asher, and miscellaneous writings about her. Art work, undated, consists of 2 collages by James Rosati and a watercolor by Emil White. Printed material includes clippings, 1953-1989, exhibition announcements and catalogs for Asher, 1952-1989, an exhibition catalog and price list for Nanno De Groot, 1982, press releases, 1976-1986, brochures, 1950-1976, puppet show programs, 1929-1930, a published poem "The Long Boat" by Stanley Kunitz, ca. 1987, and 3 books, The Meandering Absolute, by Asher, 1955, This Book is a Movie, edited by Jerry Bowles and Tony Russell, 1971, and The Provincetown Artists Cookbook, by Christopher Busa, 1988.

Photographs consist of 6 images of Asher, 1951-1973, including one with Mark Rothko in his studio, and one with William Carlos Williams. There are also photographs and 38 slides of art work, 1971-1973, and 2 photographs of an exhibition installation at The Contemporaries Gallery, 1966.

UNMICROFILMED: Exhibition catalogs and announcements, 1979-1992; The Visionary Gleam, a book written and illustrated by Asher, 1994; and clippings, 1988-1992, including a profile of Asher.

Donated 1975-1995 by Elise Asher. Microfilming (reels 4938-4939) completed with funds provided by the Helena Rubinstein Foundation.

How to Use this Collection

• Microfilmed portion must be consulted on microfilm. Use of unmicrofilmed portion requires an appointment.
• Microfilm reels 4938-4939 available for use at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
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