William Chapin Seitz papers, circa 1930-1995

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A Finding Aid to the William Chapin Seitz Papers, circa 1930-1995, 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

William Chapin Seitz (1914-1974) was an art historian and scholar, painter, educator, and museum curator who worked primarily in New York and Virginia. He completed the first dissertation on Abstract Expressionism while a student at Princeton University in 1955.

Born in 1914 in Buffalo, New York, William Chapin Seitz studied at the Albright Art School at the University of Buffalo and the Art Institute of Buffalo. Seitz met artist Irma J. Siegelman, whom he married in 1938. Due to the Depression, he left school and worked with the Federal Arts Project in New York City in the 1930s and worked as an aircraft fuel cell deigner for the Hewitt Rubber Company during World War II. Returning to the University of Buffalo after the war, Seitz completed his undergraduate degree and remained by accepting a teaching job.

Although he saw success as a painter and exhibited in one-man shows, Seitz focused his career in academia and enrolled at Princeton University for a graduate degree in Art History. Princeton faculty held divided views on Seitz's desire to write a dissertation on the Abstract Expressionist movement and debated the subject for over a year. Seitz's dissertation topic was eventually approved and in addition to writing the first dissertation on Abstract Expressionism, Seitz received the first PhD in Modern Art from Princeton. Seitz remained at Princeton as an assistant professor and advised students such as Frank Stella.

In 1960, he accepted a job as a curator at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. At MOMA, Seitz curated The Art of Assemblage (1961), The Responsive Eye (1965), and an exhibition on Monet (1960). Other MOMA exhibitions focused on artists Mark Tobey, Arshile Gorky, and Hans Hofmann. Additionally, he served as director of the Rose Art Museum of Brandeis University from 1965-1970. During that time, Seitz organized the United States exhibition at the Ninth Biennial in Sao Paulo (1967) and the Seventh Biennial of Canadian Painting (1968). In 1971, Seitz returned to teaching at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia and was the Visiting Kress Professor at the National Gallery of Art from 1972-1973.

In addition to his successes in painting, education, and the curatorial field, Seitz was an accomplished writer. He published many articles, essays, and books on art and artists including Art in the Age of Aquarius, on which he worked until his death.

William Seitz died of cancer in 1974.

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Overview of the Collection

Scope and Contents

The papers of educator, painter, and art historian William Chapin Seitz measure 32.1 linear feet and date from circa 1930-1995. The collection includes biographical information, correspondence, notebooks, subject and people files, thesis research files, interviews and lecture recordings, teaching files, personal business records, scattered printed materials, photographs, and artwork. The bulk of the papers focus on Seitz's research and teaching career.

Biographical materials consist of resumes and CV's, identification cards including one from the WPA, documents from the memorial held at the University of Virginia for Seitz, poetry written by Irma for William on their wedding anniversaries, and x-rays.

The majority of Seitz's correspondence is professional and concerns job offers and opportunities, lectures requests, recommendation letters for Seitz and for others by Seitz, the Kress Fellowship, exhibitions, awards, and organizations. Also found are posthumus materials to Irma Seitz concerning book royalites. Personal correspondence is scattered and includes condolence letters sent to Irma.

Personal business records focus on Seitz's personal art collection, copyright information, publishing records including royalty statements, reports, scholarship and fellowship information, and professional organization membership records.

The bulk of the collection consists of research and writing files which include notebooks, subject and people files, thesis research files and drafts, general research which include writings by Seitz, card files, and recordings of lectures and interviews. Subject and people files may include correspondence, printed materials, research notes, photographs, works of art, and writings concerning and by artists, art historians, curators, subjects, and art movements. Research files are found for Dore Ashton, Alfred H. Barr Jr., William Baziotes, Bruce Conner, Rene D'Harnoncourt, Marcel Duchamp, Arshile Gorky, Adolph Gottlieb, Rockne Krebs, George Segal, James Rosati, and Frank Stella among many others. Also found are research materials on Claude Monet, some of which are written in French.

Teaching files contains extensive reference material likely used by Seitz during his career as well as correspondence, exams, and lecture materials used in specific classes.

Printed material is scattered and includes clippings, exhibition announcements, and articles. Exhibition announcements and catalogs are for Seitz's personal works and for exhibitions he curated.

The bulk of the photographs are of works of art by William Seitz, Irma Seitz, and others which were likely owned by Seitz. Also found are phtographs of exhibition installations at the Univeristy of Virginia and scattered photographs of Seitz with others.

Artwork include several pencil sketches by Seitz, two works by Ellen Banks-Woodson, and a sketch by Phil Elliott.

Arrangement and Series Description

The collection is arranged as 8 series:

• Series 1: Biographical Information, 1930s-1974 (Box 1; 7 folders)
• Series 2: Correspondence, 1945-1995 (Boxes 1-2; 1.6 linear feet)
• Series 3: Personal Business Records, circa 1947-1990 (Boxes 2-3; 0.4 linear feet)
• Series 4: Research and Writing Files, 1940s-1970s (Boxes 4-26; 23.5 linear feet)
• Series 5: Teaching Files, 1945-1970s (Boxes 27-31, OV1; 5 linear feet)
• Series 6: Printed Material, 1937-1984 (Boxes 31-2; 0.5 linear feet)
• Series 7: Photographs, 1940s-1981 (Box 32, 33; 11 folders)
• Series 8: Artwork, circa 1950s-1972 (Box 32, 33; 6 folders)

Subjects and Names

Provenance

The William Chapin Seitz papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by Seitz's widow, Irma Seitz, in 1975 and 2003. A transcript of an interview with Mark Tobey by Seitz was donated by Rebecca Massie Lane in 1988. Seitz gave these transcripts to Lane for her graduate work and they remined in her possession after his death.

Separated and Related Materials

The Museum of Modern Art Archives in New York City holds the William C. Seitz papers which contain exhibition files and records relating to an interview with Marcel Duchamp. Correspondence relating to the debate concerning the viability of Seitz's dissertation are found in the Alfred H. Barr, Jr. papers also at the Museum of Modern Art Archives.

How the Collection was Processed

The collection was processed by Jayna Hanson in 2011 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. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.

Ownership & Literary Rights

The William Chapin Seitz 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

William Chapin Seitz papers, circa 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

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Detailed Description and Container Inventory

Series 1: Biographical Information, 1930s-1974 (Box 1; 7 folders)

This series contains William Seitz's resumes and CV's; identification cards including a Works Progress Administration for New York City card; materials concerning a memorial held after Seitz's death at the University of Virginia including correspondence, artwork, writings, speeches, clipings, and condolence cards; poetry written by Irma Seitz for William on the anniversary of their marriage; and x-rays.

Series 2: Correspondence, 1945-1995 (Boxes 1-2; 1.6 linear feet)

This series consists of incoming and copies of outgoing correspondence, the bulk of which is professionally focused. Correspondence relates to job opportunities, recommendations for Seitz and for others by Seitz, correspondence from organizations to which Seitz belonged, and materials sent and received while serving as the Kress Fellow at the National Gallery of Art, at the Rose Art Musuem, and as associate curator at the Museum of Modern Art. Researchers should note that more correspondence can be found within the Research and Writing Files series. Also found are condolence letters sent to Irma Seitz.

Correspondence is arranged into rough chronological order. Materials organized by Seitz are labeled by subject at the beginning of this series with general correspondence at the end.

Series 3: Personal Business Records, circa 1947-1990 (Boxes 2-3; 0.4 linear feet)

This series consists of materials relating to William Seitz's personal art collection, including donations, gifts, loans, inventories, and appraisals; copyright information; royalty statements and other materials relating to Seitz's published works; fellowship, grant, and scholarship materials; a project report for the art museum of the University of Washington; and travel papers.

Series 4: Research and Writing Files, 1940s-1970s (Boxes 4-26; 23.5 linear feet)

William Chapin Seitz's research and writing files comprise the bulk of the collection and span the 1940s-1970s. Files are found for artists, art movements, museums, art historians, and others. Contents of the files vary but typically include correspondence, notes, writings, printed materials, photographs, and sound recordings of lectures and interviews. Research files are found for Dore Ashton, Alfred H. Barr Jr., William Baziotes, Bruce Conner, Rene D'Haroncourt, Marcel Duchamp, Arshile Gorky, Adolph Gottlieb, Rockne Krebs, George Segal, James Rosati, and Frank Stella among many others. Also found are research materials on Claude Monet, some of which are written in French.

The series is arranged as 6 subseries:

• 4.1: Notebooks, 1957-1968
• 4.2: Subject and People Files, 1940s-1970s
• 4.3: Thesis Writings and Research, 1950s
• 4.4: General Research, 1950s-1970s
• 4.5: Card Files, 1940s-1960s
• 4.6: Interview and Lecture Recordings, 1960s-1970s

4.1: Notebooks, 1957-1968

This subseries consists of notebooks used by Seitz during trips, concerning exhibitions, research, etc. The titles of each notebook were written on the front by Seitz. Notebook V and XI are missing.

4.2: People and Subject Files, 1940s-1970s

This subseries comprises the bulk of the William Chapin Seitz papers. People and subject files are organized in rough alphabetical order and include a wide variety of types of materials, such as correspondence, printed materials, research files, notes, photographs, works of art, and writings concerning and by the artists, art historians, museum professionals, subjects, and movements.

4.3: Thesis Writings and Research, 1950s

This subseries contains drafts, research materials, correspondence, exams, proposals, and outlines concerning William Seitz's thesis.

4.4: General Research, 1950s-1970s

This subseries contains lecture materials, writings and drafts of writings, book reviews, notes, bibliographies, and materials from binders kept by Seitz on various subjects.

4.5: Card Files, circa 1940s-1960s

This subseries contains five boxes of index cards used by William Chapin Seitz to organize references to works of art, artists, subjects, movements, locations, and bibliographic references.

4.6: Interview and Lecture Sound Recordings, 1960s-1970s

This subseries contains 30 recordings of lectures, interviews, and music on sound tape reels (1/4 in. tape) and sound cassettes. Labels for lectures have been taken from the boxes in which the reels were housed, and have not been verified. Recordings have not been digitized and use of materials requires advanced notice.

Series 5: Teaching Files, circa 1945-1970s (Boxes 27-31, OV1; 4.9 linear feet)

This series is comprised of lecture notes, outlines and class materials used by Seitz while teaching at the University of Buffalo, the Univeristy of Virginia, Brandeis University, and for a seminar on Robert Motherwell at Oberlin College; a copy of a thesis written by William C. Agee while at Princeton University; course number specific binders of notes that do not reference any particular school; and subject specific binders of notes that were likely used as reference materials for teaching.

Series 6: Printed Material, 1937-1984 (Box 31-32; 0.5 linear feet)

This scattered series consists of articles, clippings, reproductions of works of art and exhibition materials concerning or by Seitz.

Series 7: Photographs, 1940s-1981 (Box 32, 33; 11 folders)

This series consists of scattered photographs of Seitz with others, likely friends and colleagues; photographs of installations of works of art at the University of Virginia exhibition for Seitz; works of art by William Seitz, Irma Seitz, and others (likely works owned by Seitz).

Series 8: Artwork, circa 1950s-1972, (Box 32, 33; 6 folders)

This series consists of sketches probably by Seitz, two works by Ellen Banks-Woodson, and one pencil sketch by Phil Elliott.