About the Burgoyne Diller papers

A Finding Aid to the Burgoyne Diller Papers, 1924-1968, in the Archives of American Art, by Jean Fitzgerald (Download PDF Version, 72 KB )

Biographical Information | Description of the Collection | How to Use the Collection | Series Descriptions

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Biographical Information [+]

Born in New York City in 1906, Burgoyne Diller was brought up in Michigan and attended Michigan State College. He returned to New York in 1926 and studied at the Art Students League from 1928 to 1932, with Hans Hofmann. Diller made his first geometrical paintings in the 1930s, which were influenced by the rigid formulas of Piet Mondrian's "pure plastic art." Diller's work evolved into an abstract mode of configurations of lines, angles, and primary colors. Diller was one of the original members of the American Abstract Artists. READ MORE

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Description of the Collection

Overview - Scope and Contents

The Burgoyne Diller papers measure 1.0 linear feet and date from 1924-1968. The collection documents the abstract painter's career and includes two letters, a notebook, four annotated sketchbooks, art work, and clippings. The collection primarily consists of art work, including hundreds of drawings that document the development of Burgoyne Diller's unique artistic style.

Arrangement and Series Description

The collection is arranged as four series. Series 1 and 4 are arranged chronologically. Series 2 consists of a single dismantled notebook which maintains the creator's original arrangement. Series 3 has been arranged in a numerically consecutive order introduced by the donor, Kenneth W. Prescott. There are gaps in art work's numerical sequences.

• Series 1: Letters, 1940 (Box 1; 1 folder)
• Series 2: Notebook, 1932-1933 (Box 1; 6 folders)
• Series 3: Art work, 1924-1964, undated (Box 1-3; OVS 4-9; 33 folders)
• Series 4: Clippings, 1926-1968, undated (Box 2; 10 folders)

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Subjects

This collection is indexed in the online catalog of the Archives of American Art under the following index terms. People, families and organizations are listed under "Subjects" when they are the topic of collection contents and under "Names" when they are creators or contributors.

• Subjects-Topical:
  
  • Painting, Abstract
  • Neoplasticism -- United States
  • Art, Modern -- 20th century -- United States
  • Painters -- New York (State) -- New York

• Types of Materials:
  
  • Sketches
  • Works of art
  • Drawings

Provenance

The Burgoyne Diller papers were donated by the Grace Diller estate via William C. LaCrone, executor, in 1992. Some of the papers were donated by the Diller estate via art historian Kenneth W. Prescott, in 4 installments dating 1983-2000.

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How the Collection was Processed

The collection was processed by Jean Fitzgerald in October 2002.

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How to Use the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The Burgoyne Diller 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.

The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment and is limited to the Washington, D.C. research facility.

Related Collections

Burgoyne Diller collection of printed material, 1932-1961.

How to Cite this Collection

Burgoyne Diller papers, 1924-1968. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

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Series Descriptions

Series 1: Letters, 1940 (Box 1; 1 folder)

Box
1 (hol)		Christmas card, letter from José Gutierrez, 1940

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Series 2: Notebook, 1932-1933 (Box 1; 6 folders)

This dismantled notebook includes Hans Hofmann's notes about lectures and theories and is illustrated with diagrams and drawings. Also found are miscellaneous booklets.

Box
1 (hol)		Notebook cover, 1932-1933
1 (hol)		Pages of notes displaying 9 diagrams, 1932-1933
1 (hol)		Pages of notes, including Hofmann's theories, displaying 13 diagrams and 4 drawings, 1932
1 (hol)		Drawing and 5 booklets concerning artists' materials, 1932-1933
1 (hol)		Pages of notes displaying 4 diagrams and a drawing, 1932-1933
1 (hol)		Pages of notes displaying 5 drawings, 1932-1933

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Series 3: Art Work, 1924-1964, undated (Box 1-3, OV 4-9; 33 folders)

This series consists of 4 sketchbooks, and hundreds of drawings, collages, and a lithograph that document the development of his unique artistic style. The media of the art work includes pencil, charcoal, conte crayon, pastel, ink, and cardboard strips.

Box
1 (hol)		Annotated sketchbooks, 1 and 2, 1924-1926, undated
1 (hol)		Annotated sketchbooks, 3 and 4, 1933
1 (hol)		Drawings, unnumbered, 1964, undated (see also Box 3)
1 (hol)		Drawings and a collage (numbered 1-91 RES through 158-91 RES), 1930-1963 (11 folders; see also Box 3 and OV 6)

Box
2 (pam)		Drawings and a collage (numbered 159-91 RES through 179-91 RES), 1930-1963 (2 folders; see also Box 3 and OV 6)
2 (pam)		Drawings, a collage, and a lithograph (numbered d1 through d51), 1949, undated (6 folders; see also Box 3 and OV 6)
2 (pam)		Drawings (numbered 43 through 199), undated (5 folders; see also OV 7, OV 8, OV 9)
2 (pam)		Drawings (numbered 201 through 260), undated (2 folders; see also Box 3)
2 (pam)		Drawings (numbered 424 through 488), undated (3 folders; see also Box 3 and OV 9)

Box
3 (sol)		Oversized drawings and collages, unnumbered and numbered, 1930-1963 (8 folders)

Box
OV 4		Oversized drawings and collage, unnumbered, undated

Box
OV 5		Oversized drawings, unnumbered, undated

Box
OV 6		Oversized drawings, a collage, and a lithograph, numbered, 1930-1963, undated

Box
OV 7		Oversized drawings, numbered, undated

Box
OV 8		Oversized drawings, numbered, undated

Box
OV 9		Oversized drawings, numbered, undated

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Series 4: Clippings, 1926-1968, undated (Box 2; 10 folders)

This series consists of clippings that document Diller's career.

Box
2 (pam)		Clippings, 1926-1968, undated (10 folders)

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