Jayna M. Josefson
Scope and Contents
The scattered papers of art collector Elisabeth Commanday measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1949 to 1974. The collection relates to longtime friendships between Commanday and art historian Bernard Berenson, his sister Elizabeth Berenson, his companion Nicky Mariano and Mariano's sister Baroness Alda von Anrep. Found is correspondence, notes, photographs, and printed material.
Language
English
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated 1993 by Maurice Commanday, son of Elisabeth Commanday. Commanday corresponded with Berenson for nearly ten years. At his death in 1959, Berenson's companion Nicky Mariano returned to Commanday all of her letters, which she discarded, except for the earliest letter written in April 1949.
Funding
Sponsor
Processing of this collection received support from the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative.
Processing Information
The papers were microfilmed on reel 5054 after receipt. The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2022 with support from the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative.