Richards, William Trost, b. 1833 d. 1905
Illustrator, Painter, PrintmakerPhiladelphia, Pa., Newport, R.I. (Show Bio)
William Trost Richards papers, 1848-1920
1.8 linear ft. (on 5 microfilm reels)
Reel(s): 2296-2299, & 3470
Family and professional correspondence, writings, business files, printed material, photographs, and other miscellaneous materials documenting the career of landscape and seascape painter William Trost Richards.
Correspondence files date from 1851 to 1917 and include family correspondence between Richards and his wife Anna as well as with their children. Of note are letters written by William Trost Richards to his wife while he was in Europe, which include many illustrations of his travels. Also found is general correspondence of a personal and professional nature between Richards and friends, artists, art dealers, and collectors, many of whom played a prominent role in Philadelphia society. Correspondents include Fidelia Bridges, George Cochran Lambdin, William H. Willcox, art dealer Samuel Putnam Avery, and President of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Edward Coates. Also found are numerous letters to and from his major patron and collector, George Whitney, and from his friend and patron, Elias Lyman Magoon. Items of note in the miscellaneous correspondence include, an 1877 letter from Thomas Eakins, an 1881 letter from Alexander Lawrie, and an 1883 letter from Charles Lanman.
Writings include essays written by Richards, homemade magazines written and illustrated by the Richards family, and writings by his wife Anna and others. Business files contain financial, legal, and real estate records, and printed material contains an exhibition catalog from 1976, news clippings, and event programs. Miscellany found in this collection include artwork by others, and inventory of paintings by others, compiled by Richards, and an interview transcript with Miriam Thayer Richards. Photographs include images of Richards, his wife Anna, and their home in Newport, Rhode Island.
The bulk of the collection was donated in 1980 by Mrs. James B. Conant, Richards's granddaughter, and microfilmed on Reels 2296-2299 upon receipt. The inventory of paintings by other artists was donated by Victor Spark in 1954 and microfilmed on Reel 3470. The collection was fully processed and a finding aid prepared by Erin Corley in 2005 as part of the Terra Foundation for American Art Digitization Project. Previously microfilmed and unmicrofilmed gift portions were merged, arranged, and described in accordance with archival standards.
How to Use this Collection
- Microfilm reels 2296-2299, & 3470 available for use at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
- Please read the Finding Aid for more detailed information on this collection.
- Selected images of documents in this collection are online.
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