Nancy Douglas Bowditch papers, circa 1860-1985

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A Finding Aid to the Nancy Douglas Bowditch Papers, 1888-1979, in the Archives of American Art, by Jayna Hanson

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Funding for the processing 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

Nancy Douglas Bowditch (1880-1979)worked primarily in the New Hampshire area as a painter, author, and costume and set designer. Bowditch's father was painter George de Forest Brush and she married painter William Robert Pearmain, who died at an early age.

Nancy Douglas Bowditch was born to Mary and George de Forest Brush on July 4, 1880 in Paris, France. Early in her life, she often served as a subject of her father's paintings. Along with her parents and siblings, Nancy traveled between New York City, Dublin, New Hampshire and Europe throughout her childhood. The family lived in the artist coloby of Dublin, New Hampshire where Nancy became close friends with their neighbor Samuel Clemens' (Mark Twain) daughter Jean Clemens.

Nancy also met and became close to one of her father's pupils, William Robert Pearmain while traveling through Europe in 1907. Two years later, Nancy married Robert at the Brush family farm in Dublin, New Hampshire. Together, they had one daughter, Mary Alice whom they called Polly. Robert developed a strong political interest in growing anarchist movements and, in 1912, gave up painting and went to Pittsburgh to work in a factory. Shortly after, he became seriously ill and, upon the advice of a doctor, moved back to New Hampshire with Nancy. He soon died from Leukemia in September 1912. In 1918, Nancy married Dr. Harold Bowditch from Boston, Massachusetts. With her second husband, Nancy had a son whom she named after her father, George de Forest Bowditch.

Professionally, Nancy worked as a painter, wrote plays, and designed theatrical sets and costumes. In 1971, Bowditch published a biography of George de Forest Brush entitled The Joyous Painter. Nancy Douglas Bowditch died in 1979.

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Overview of the Collection

Scope and Contents

The papers of painter, author, and designer Nancy Douglas Bowditch measure 3.9 linear feet and date from 1888 to 1979. The papers reflect Bowditch's relationship with her first husband William Robert Pearmain and her father George de Forest Brush, and other family members. The majority of the collection consists of Bowditch's correspondence with family and friends and her notes and writings, particularly concerning her father and her biography of him, The Joyous Painter, and her unpublished biography of her husband. There is also correspondence between Pearmain and his family. Also found are scattered family and biographical materials and personal business records; artwork by William Robert Pearmain, Bowditch, and George de Forest Brush; printed materials; and photographs of family and works of art.

A large portion of the collection consists of the correspondence of Nancy Douglas Bowditch, William Robert Pearmain, George de Forest Brush as well as that of other members of the Brush, Pearmain and Bowditch families including: Harold Bowditch, Selma Bowditch, Georgie Brush, Jane Brush, Mary Brush, Tribbie Brush, Mary Alice (Polly) Pearmain, and Jack Pearmain. The majority of Nancy Douglas Bowditch's correspondence is from family and friends. Notable correspondents include Jane Clemens, Barry Faulkner, Rockwell Kent, Abbot Handerson Thayer and family, and Nelson C. White. Also found are Nancy's letters to her first husband, Robert. William Robert Pearmain's correspondence contains letters from his parents, siblings, and some letters from his father-in-law. A few letters are from Pearmain to his family. George de Forest Brush's correspondence includes letters from friends and a few copies of letters written by Brush.

Writings and notes are primarily by Nancy Douglas Bowditch, the majority of which pertain to her biography of George de Forest Brush, The Joyous Painter. Also found is a short unpublished biography of Robert Pearmain by Bowditch. Other writings are by George de Forest Brush, Tribbie Brush, Barry Faulkner, and William Robert Pearmain. Artwork consists of approximately 78 drawings and sketches by William Robert Pearmain, 5 drawings and paintings by Nancy Bowditch, and one drawing by George de Forest Brush. Within printed materials are exhibition announcements and catalogs for George de Forest Brush, Barry Faulkner, Stephen Parrish, and Abbot Handerson Thayer. Photographs depict members of the Brush family, the Pearmain family, friends, and works of art by Bowditch, Brush, Pearmain and Douglas Volk.

Arrangement and Series Description

The collection is arranged into 7 series:

• Series 1: Biographical Information, 1909-1956 (Box 1; 6 folders)
• Series 2: Personal Business and Financial Records, 1908-1974 (Box 1; 3 folders)
• Series 3: Correspondence, 1895-1979 (Box 1-2; 1.6 linear feet)
• Series 4: Writings and Notes, circa 1900-circa 1970s (Box 2-3; 1.0 linear feet)
• Series 5: Artwork, 1898-1950 (Box 3, 6-7; 4 folders)
• Series 6: Printed Material, 1889-1974 (Box 3-4; 0.2 linear feet)
• Series 7: Photographs, 1888-1968 (Box 4-5, 8; 0.4 linear feet)

Subjects and Names

Provenance

The Nancy Douglas Bowditch papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in several installments by Nancy Douglas Bowditch between 1968 and 1979. Bowditch's daughter, Mary A. Marlowe donated additional materials in 1982.

Separated and Related Materials

Also among the collections at the Archives of American Art are the William Robert Pearmain and Pearmain family papers, 1888-1955 and an oral history with Nancy Douglas Bowditch conducted on January 30, 1974 by Robert F. Brown.

How the Collection was Processed

Portions of the collection were microfilmed as separate accretions on reels 439, 2826-2831 and 3134; this film is no longer in circulation. In 2009, all accretions were merged and fully processed and described by Jayna Hanson with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

How to Use the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

Ownership & Literary Rights

The Nancy Douglas Bowditch 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.

How to Cite this Collection

Nancy Douglas Bowditch papers, 1888-1979. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

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Detailed Description and Container Inventory

Series 1: Biographical Information, 1909-1956 (Box 1; 6 folders)

Found are invitations to Nancy's and Robert Pearmain's wedding, American consolate registration cards pertaining to the Bowditch family (circa 1914), biographical sketches on George de Forest Brush, a portion of a ship's register that carried the Brush family to Europe, Polly Pearmain's wedding invitation, and certificates from the International Correspondent School and an obituary for William Robert Pearmain.

Series 2: Personal Business and Financial Records, 1908-1974

This series consists of scattered personal business records that include deeds of gift from various institutions and agreements from the publishing of The Joyous Painter. Also found are scattered bills and a lease from 1911 signed by William Robert Pearmain.

Series 3: Correspondence, 1895-1982 (Box 1-2; 1.6 linear feet)

Correspondence is between Nancy Douglas Bowditch and family and friends. There are smaller amounts of the correspondence of Harold Bowditch, Selma Bowditch, George de Forest Brush, Georgie Brush, Jane Brush, Mary Brush, Tribbie Brush, Mary Alice Pearmain, Jack Pearmain, Sumner Pearmain and William Robert Pearmain. Notable correspondents include Abbot Handerson Thayer and his family, Jane Clemens, Nelson C. White, and Barry Faulkner. Additional letters are from Rockwell Kent and Margaret Sanger.

The correspondence is arranged into 4 subseries:

• Subseries 1: Nancy Douglas Bowditch, 1903-1979
• Subseries 2: William Robert Pearmain, 1904-1912
• Subseries 3: George de Forest Brush, 1895-1918
• Subseries 4: Other Family Members, 1904-1979

Subseries 1 Nancy Douglas Bowditch, 1903-1979

This subseries contains the correspondence of Nancy Douglas Bowditch as well as outgoing letters to William Robert Pearmain. Letters from George de Forest Brush and Robert Pearmain to Nancy are found in this subseries.

Subseries 2 William Robert Pearmain, 1904-1912

The majority of letters in this subseries are written to Pearmain from his mother Alice, his father Sumner, and brother Jack. Letters from George de Forest Brush to his son-in-law Robert Pearmain are found in this subseries.

Subseries 3 George de Forest Brush, 1895-1918

This subseries contains scattered correspondence between Brush and friends and some family members.

Subseries 4 Other Family Members, 1904-1944

Found are letters written between various family members related to Nancy Bowditch.

Series 4: Writings and Notes, circa 1900-1975, (Box 2-3; 1.0 linear feet)

The majority of this series consists of drafts, editing notes, and research notes for Nancy's biography of her father, The Joyous Painter. Also found are general notes and a typescript of a biography of William Robert Pearmain which contains original photographs of the Pearmain family. Writings by others are found in a separate subseries.

The Writings and Notes series is arranged into 2 subseries:

• Subseries 1: by Nancy Douglas Bowditch, circa 1910-1975
• Subseries 2: by Others, circa 1900-circa 1970s

Subseries 1 by Nancy Douglas Bowditch, circa 1910-1975

Subseries 2 by Others, circa 1900-circa 1970s

Series 5: Artwork, 1898-1950 (Box 3, 6-7; 4 folders)

Artwork is by Nancy Douglas Bowditch, William Robert Pearmain, and George de Forest Brush. Nancy Douglas Bowditch's work consists of one sketch, one study, and three completed drawings of William Robert Pearmain and Alan Seeger. Pearmain's artwork comprises twenty-four sketches including one watercolor, twelve studies, and forty-two completed drawings. Also found is one pencil sketch by Brush.

Series 6: Printed Material, 1889-1974 (Box 3-4; 0.2 linear feet)

This series consists of materials concerning Nancy Douglas Bowditch, George de Forest Brush, Barry Faulkner, Stephen Parrish, and Abbot Handerston Thayer. Also found is a collection of clippings kept by William Robert Pearmain and the calling cards of various family members and friends.

Series 7: Photographs, 1888-1968, (Box 4-5, 8; 0.4 linear feet)

Found are photographs of members of the Brush and Pearmain families as well as Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), Barry Faulkner, and Abbot Handerson, Gerald, Gladys, and Mary Thayer. Other photos depict the Brush family farm in Dublin, New Hampshire; Nancy and Robert's home; and landscapes. Photographs of works of art by Nancy Douglas Bowditch, George de Forest Brush, and Douglas Volk are also found.