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Eugenie Gershoy papers, 1914-1983

Eugenie Gershoy papers, 1914-1983

Gershoy, Eugenie, 1901-1983 or 6

Sculptor, Painter, Ceramicist, Draftsmen (artists)

Collection Information

Size: 7.2 linear feet

Summary: Biographical material, correspondence, business records, notes, writings, art work, printed material, and photographs.

Biographical/Historical Note

Eugenie Gershoy (1901-1986) was a sculptor and art instructor in New York, N.Y. Born in Krivoi Rog, Russia, Gershoy immigrated with her family to New York City in 1903, later becoming a U.S. citizen. She attended the Art Students League and maintained a studio with Harry Gottlieb in Woodstock, N.Y. From 1936 to 1939, under the WPA Federal Art Project, she worked on murals with Max Spivak. Gershoy's first solo exhibition was at the Robinson Gallery in New York in 1940.

Provenance

Material donated by Eugenie Gershoy, 1971-1983. Funding for the microfilming of the collection was provided by the Philip Birnbaum Foundation.

Related Materials

Eugenie Gershoy papers also at Syracuse University.

A Finding Aid to the Eugenie Gershoy Papers,
1914-1983
, in the Archives of American Art
AAA.gerseuge
Author
Finding aid prepared by Jean Fitzgerald
Biographical Note
Born in Krivoi Rog, Russia on January 1, 1901, Eugenie was the youngest of the Gershoy children. The family immigrated to New York City in 1903. She later became a U.S. citizen.
With the aid of two scholarships, she attended the Art Students League and studied under A. Stirling Calder, Leo Lentelli, Kenneth Hayes Miller, Boardman Robinson, and Carl Walters. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, she maintained a studio with Harry Gottlieb in Woodstock, New York. From 1936 to 1939, under the WPA Federal Art Project, she worked in conjunction with Max Spivak on murals for the children's recreation room in the Astoria branch of the Queens Borough Public Library, New York.
Gershoy's first solo show was at the Robinson Gallery in New York in 1940. Following a year of teaching at the New Orleans Art School, she moved to San Francisco in 1942. In 1946 she taught ceramics at the California School of Fine Arts, and in May 1950, she studied at Yaddo.
In addition to visits to England and France in the early 1930s, Gershoy travelled to Mexico and Guatemala in 1947, 1948, and 1961. She worked in Paris in 1951 and toured Africa, India, and the Orient in 1955.
Eugenie Gershoy died in 1986.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into eight series according to material type. The contents of each series have been arranged chronologically.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1939-1971 (boxes 1, 8-9; 3 folders)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1914-1983, undated (boxes 1-6, 8-9; 5.8 linear ft.)
Series 3: Business Records, 1952-1978 (box 6; 5 folders)
Series 4: Notes, 1967-1970, undated (box 6; 3 folders)
Series 5: Writings, 1970, undated (box 6; 2 folders)
Series 6: Artwork, 1932-1978, undated (boxes 6, 8-9, OV 10, 26 folders)
Series 7: Printed Material, 1932-1983, undated (boxes 7, 9; 19 folders)
Series 8: Photographs, 1916-1983, undated (boxes 7, 9; 12 folders)
Scope and Content Note
The Eugenie Gershoy papers date from 1914 to 1983, measure 7.2 linear feet, and reflect Gershoy's career as a sculptor and teacher. The collection contains biographical material, correspondence, business records, notes, writings, artwork of Gershoy and others, printed material including exhibition catalogs, and photographs with subjects including Gershoy, her friends and colleagues, her studio, and her artwork.
Correspondence forms the bulk of the collection and includes correspondence between Gershoy and her siblings and their families regarding her activities, as well as with colleagues, many of whom were associated with the Woodstock Artist Association, and many of whom were museum colleagues.
Provenance
Material donated by Eugenie Gershoy, 1971-1983. Funding for the microfilming of the collection was provided by the Philip Birnbaum Foundation.
Related Material
Related material in the Archives of American Art includes a transcribed oral history interview with Eugenie Gershoy conducted by Mary McChesney for the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts Oral History Program, October 15, 1964. A link to the transcript is provided from the online catalog.
Processing Information
The collection was processed by Jean Fitzgerald in 1994. Funding for the microfilming of this collection was provided by the Philip Birnbaum Foundation.

Additional Forms Available

Microfilm reels 293 and 4966-4972 available for use at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.

Restrictions on Access

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.

How to Cite This Collection

Eugenie Gershoy papers, 1914-1983. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

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