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Gifford Beal sketches, sketchbooks, and papers, 1889-2001, bulk 1900-1954

Contents and Arrangement

Creator

Occupation

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Series 1: Biographical Materials, circa 1900-1909, 1942, 1953
0.2 Linear feet
Boxes 1 and 5, OV 10

This series contains personal artifacts and documents of Gifford and Maud Beal, including certificates, memorabilia, and a journal.
Membership Certificates include a 1953 American Watercolor Society membership and a National Academy of Design membership from 1914, re-issued in 1942. Maud Beal's travel diary was kept during their 1908 honeymoon to Norway and the British Isles, a December, 1908 trip to Washington, DC, and a 1909 sketching trip to Cold Spring, NY. The journal is illustrated with picture postcards and contains scattered references to Beal's sketching excursions.
This series has been scanned in entirety.
Description Container Select
Membership Certificates, 1942, 1953
Oversized material housed in OV 10
1
1
Marriage Certificate, 1908
1
2
Princeton Alumni Patch, circa 1900
1
3
Travel Journal, Maud Beal, 1908-1909
Oversized material housed in Box 5
1
4
Oversized Travel Journal, Maud Beal scanned with Box 1, Folder 4
5
Oversized Membership Certificates scanned with Box 1, Folder 1
OV 10
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Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1906-1954
0.4 Linear feet
Box 1

Beal's Correspondence is divided into two groups: letters between Beal and his wife during their courtship and early marriage, and general correspondence.
Letters between Gifford and Maud Beal were written early in their relationship, and are primarily of a personal nature. Beal's letters to his wife contain scattered references to his painting and his experiences in the art world during this period. Two letters from 1906 are illustrated with small cartoons. Scattered third party correspondence of a personal nature is also found among these letters.
General correspondence contains letters from Joseph Pennell (1925); Federal Art Project staff from the Treasury Department including Ed Rowan, Edward Bruce, and Forbes Watson (1938); Walker Hancock (1951); and a series of letters signed "Hyde," from Crow Island, Massachusetts, which may have been written by Edward Hyde Cox (1953-1954). An undated letter from the artist William C. Palmer is filed at the end of the series.
Several postcards with handwritten notes are filed with picture files in the Print Materials and Subject Files.
This series has been scanned in entirety.
Description Container Select
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1906
1
5
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1906
1
6
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1907
1
7
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1907
1
8
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1907
1
9
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1908
1
10
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1908
1
11
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1908
1
12
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1908
1
13
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1909-1910
1
14
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1911-1913
1
15
Between Gifford Beal and Maud Ramsdell Beal, 1913-1914
1
16
General Correspondence, circa 1908, 1925, 1938
1
17
General Correspondence, 1939-1949
1
18
General Correspondence, 1951-circa 1954
1
19
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Series 3: Printed Materials, circa 1900-2001
0.4 Linear feet
Boxes 1, 5, OVs 11, 16

This series contains exhibition catalogs, magazines, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, postcards, and other printed materials related to the career of Gifford Beal.
Exhibition catalogs are for group and solo exhibitions by Beal, with a couple of exhibitions by others represented. A 1938 catalog contains sketches, presumably by Beal, and a few of the other catalogs contain annotations. Single sheets torn from catalogs of group shows are filed at the end of the exhibition catalog file.
Magazines with cover art by Beal include Town and Country, Christian Herald, and The Spur. Clippings contain articles about Beal's exhibitions and reproductions of his artwork. Where found, entire issues of periodicals are filed separately. Pamphlets on artists and art history are primarily small editions produced by Frederick Keppel and Co., which contain etchings of artwork. Reproductions of other artists work such as Fourain, Daumier, Ingres, Degas, Dufy, and others include clippings, prints, and postcards, some of which are annotated with handwritten messages.
The bulk of this series has been digitized. For longer published works, only the covers, title pages, and pages relevant to Gifford Beal have been digitized. Additional printed materials are found in Biographical Materials and Subject Files.
Description Container Select
Exhibition Catalogs, circa 1920-1929
1
20
Exhibition Catalogs, 1935-1938
1
21
Exhibition Catalogs, 1950-1957
1
22
Exhibition Catalogs, 1965-2001
1
23
Exhibition Catalogs, circa 1929-circa 2001
1
24
Magazines and Poster Illustrated by Beal, 1924-1945
Oversized material housed in Box 5 and OV 16
1
25
Newspaper Clippings, circa 1925-1935
Oversized material housed in OV 11
1
26
Newspaper Clippings, 1936-1940
1
27
Newspaper Clippings, 1941-circa 1968
1
28
Newspaper Clippings, Photocopies (1908 and undated), circa 2000
1
29
Pamphlets and Books on Art Subjects, circa 1914-1948
Contains "Mural Installation" by Alexander Abels
1
30
Pamphlets and Books on Art Subjects, 1927
1
31
Periodicals, circa 1934-1937
1
32
Periodicals, 1938-circa 1946
1
33
Postcards with Artwork by Beal, undated
1
34
Reproductions of Artwork by Other Artists, crica 1900-1940
Oversized material housed in Box 5
1
35
Oversized Magazines Illustrated by Beal scanned with Box 1, Folder 25
5
Oversized Reproductions of Artwork by Other Artists scanned with Box 1, Folder 35
5
Oversized Newspaper Clippings scanned with Box 1, Folders 26-28
OV 11
Oversized Poster Illustrated by Beal scanned with Box 1, Folder 25
16
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Series 4: Subject Files, circa 1889-1953
0.4 Linear feet
Boxes 1-2, OV 10-12

This series contains clippings, photographs, pamphlets, and postcards with images of frequent subjects of Beal's artwork. Contents of files are predominantly printed materials; files containing photographs are noted in the folder listing. The Circus file also contains a large circus poster and numerous programs. The Costume and Horses files contain illustrated reference books. A project file for Beal's Princeton murals also contains photographs, magazine and journal articles, and clippings about the life of engineer Joseph Henry.
Files are arranged alphabetically by subject headings assigned during processing.
The bulk of this series has been scanned with the exception of some printed material concerning artists other than Beal.
Description Container Select
Architecture, circa 1927-1941
Contains photographs
1
36
Ballet, circa 1911-1940
Oversized Material housed in OV 11
1
37
Circus, circa 1908-1941
Contains photographs; oversized material housed in OV 11 and OV 12
1
38
Circus, 1911, 1929-1937
1
39
Costume, 1927, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 11
1
40
Costume, circa 1920s
1
41
Crowds, circa 1913, 1927
1
42
Dogs, undated
1
43
Elephants, circa 1911-1931
Oversized material housed in OV 11
1
44
Horses, 1924
Oversized material housed in OV 11
1
45
Horses, circa 1912-1953
1
46
Marine Subjects, circa 1925-1939
Contains photographs; oversized material housed in OV 10 and 11
1
47
Princeton Murals, circa 1931-1941
Contains photographs
1
48
Royalty, 1911, 1912, 1953
Oversized material housed in OV 11
2
1
Tropics, circa 1920-1959
2
2
Miscellany, circa 1889-1939
Oversized material housed in OVs 11 and 12)
2
3
Oversized Materials from Subject Files scanned with Box 1, folder 47
OV 10
Oversized Materials from Subject Files scanned with Box 1, folders 37-38, 40, 44, 46-47, Box 2, folder 1 and 3
OV 11
Oversized Materials from Subject Files scanned with Box 1, Folder 38 and Box 2, Folder 3
OV 12
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Series 5: Photographs, circa 1908-1950
0.2 Linear feet
Box 2, OV 10

Photographs in this series depict Gifford and Maud Beal, Beal's artwork, and other subjects. Photographs of Beal include a passport photo and an image of him painting, and there is a single wedding photograph of his wife, Maud Ramsdell Beal. Other subjects include a snapshot of friends inscribed "Cosy, Arthur, and Little Dolly Sullivan" at the home of William Merritt Chase, a religious procession in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and a number of unidentified buildings and architectural subjects.
Photographs of works of art include paintings, murals, and sculptures. The sculptures depicted in the photographs of artwork do not appear to have been made by Beal.
Additional photographs are found in Subject Files. See series description for further details.
This bulk of this series has been scanned. Items which have not been scanned include photographs of works of art; of these, only installation views and one photograph of a mural site have been digitized.
Description Container Select
Beal at Work and Passport Photograph, circa 1940-1941
2
4
Wedding Portrait of Maud Beal, 1908
2
5
Friends at the William Merritt Chase Home in Shinnecock Hills, 1913
2
6
Gloucester, Massachusetts Religious Festival, circa 1930-1939
2
7
Miscellaneous Subjects, undated
2
8
Photographs of Works of Art
Installation and Studio Views, circa 1920-1950
2
9
Murals and Preliminary Sketches for Murals, circa 1938-1941
Oversized material housed in OV 10
2
10
Paintings and Sculpture, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 10
2
11
Oversized Photographs partially scanned with Box 2, Folders 10 and 11
OV 10
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Series 6: Artwork, circa 1900-1951
3.3 Linear feet
Boxes 2-9; OV 10, 13-20 and rolled documents 21 and 22

Artwork includes sketchbooks, loose sketches in a variety of media, and prints.
The Artwork series is arranged by type of material into 3 subseries:
  • 6.1: Sketchbooks, circa 1900-1943
  • 6.2: Loose Sketches, circa 1900-1951
  • 6.3: Prints, circa 1900-1939
The bulk of this series has been scanned. Items which have not been scanned due to size, format or fragility are some large format pastel drawings, rolled mural studies and sketches on carbon paper.

6.1: Sketchbooks, circa 1900-1943 and undated

This series contains 78 sketchbooks with pencil, charcoal, pastel, ink, and wash sketches, drawings, and studies.
Subjects are similar to those found in Beal's paintings, with many life drawings, casual sitters (probably family members), circus scenes, marine subjects, genre scenes, cityscapes, landscapes, and buildings. Two sketchbooks contain significant writings: one appears to be a lecture about art education, possibly written around 1925, and the other contains diary entries dated 1942. Scattered annotations regarding color are found throughout the sketchbooks. A sketchbook belonging to Gifford Beal, Jr., contains a couple of sketches by Gifford Beal, Sr. as well.
Where possible, sketchbooks are arranged chronologically, but the majority of dates were estimated during processing, and many remain undated. Date estimates are based largely on women's attire in drawings and the assumption that they were drawn from life and not retrospectively. Each group of sketchbooks is arranged by size, from small to large.
Description Container
Sketchbook, circa 1900
2
12
Sketchbook, circa 1902
2
13
Sketchbook, circa 1908
2
14
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-1910
Oversized material housed in Box 5
2
15
Sketchbooks, before 1920
Oversized material housed in Box 5
2
16
Sketchbooks, Before 1920
2
17
Sketchbook with Autobiographical Writings, circa 1925
2
18
Sketchbook, circa 1928
2
19
Sketchbooks, circa 1920-1929
18 volumes; oversized material housed in Boxes 6 and 7 and OV 13
2
20
Sketchbooks, circa 1930-1939
3 volumes; oversized material housed in Box 7
2
21
Sketchbook with Diary Entries, circa 1942
2
22
Sketchbook, circa 1943
2
23
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
42 volumes; oversized material housed in Boxes 8 and 9 and OV 13
2
24
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
25
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
26
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
27
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
28
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
29
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
30
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
31
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
32
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
33
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
34
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
35
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
36
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
37
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
38
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
39
Sketchbooks, circa 1900-circa 1943
2
40
Sketchbook by Gifford Beal, Jr. (son), circa 1930-1931
Oversized material housed in Box 9
2
41
Oversized Sketchbooks scanned with Box 2, Folders 15 and 17
5
Oversized Sketchbooks scanned with Box 2, folder 20
6
Oversized Sketchbooks scanned with Box 2, folders 20-21
7
Oversized Sketchbooks scanned with Box 2, folder 40
8
Oversized Sketchbooks scanned with Box 2, folders 40-41
9
Oversized Sketchbooks scanned with Box 2, folders 20 and 40
OV 13

6.2: Loose Sketches, circa 1900-1951

Loose sketches are found in a variety of media including pencil, ink, charcoal, pastel, and watercolor, and are generally unsigned and undated. Subjects are similar to those found in sketchbooks, although loose sketches are found on a variety of supports including wood board, carbon paper, and canvas. Most sketches on paper are arranged by broad subject categories, listed in the folder listing. A 1928 sketch signed illegibly by an artist other than Beal is found with Figure sketches. Most of the sketches have been digitized, however, items too large or too fragile to be handled have not been scanned.
Sketches on supports other than paper are filed separately. Sketches on carbon paper seem to have been made as a preliminary process and re-used. Large pastel and ink sketches on board range from studies to finished drawings, including several genre scenes that may have been preliminary drawings for Beal's murals. Oil sketches on board range in size from approximately 3x5 to 11x17 inches and include landscapes, marine subjects, still lifes and figures. Unlike other loose sketches, almost all of the oil sketches on wood board are signed or initialed, and one is dated 1914. Pastel drawings on canvas may have been preliminary drawings, or cartoons, for murals. All depict dancing figures in a romantic style, and one canvas is signed by Beal.
Additional sketches are found in the Print Materials series, and scattered illustrated letters are found in Correspondence.
Description Container
Figures, 1921, 1928, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 14
2
42
Genre Drawings, undated
2
43
Still Lifes, 1947, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 14
2
44
Landscapes and Architecture, 1951, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 14
2
45
Marine Subjects, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 14
2
46
Hands and Other Studies, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 14
2
47
Animals and Circus Scenes, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 14
2
48
Mural Studies, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 14, and RD 21-22
2
49
Mural Studies for Princeton Murals, circa 1943
Oversized material housed in OV 14
2
50
Large Pastel and Ink Sketches on Wood Board, undated
Oversized material housed in OVs 15-16
2
51
Oil Sketches on Wood Board, 1914, undated
Oversized material housed in Boxes 3-4
2
52
Pastel Drawings on Canvas, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 17, 18, and 19
2
53
Sketches on Carbon Paper, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 20
2
54
Oil Sketches on Wood Board
Oversized material scanned with Box 2, folder 52
3
Oil Sketches on Wood Board
Oversized material scanned with Box 2, folder 52
4
Oversized Loose Sketches scanned with Box 2, folders 42, 44-50
OV 14
Oversized Pastel and Ink Sketches on Wood Board scanned with Box 2, Folder 51
OV 15
Oversized Pastel and Ink Sketches on Wood Board scanned with Box 2, Folder 51
16
Oversized Pastel Drawings on Canvas scanned with Box 2, folder 53
OV 17
Oversized Pastel Drawings on Canvas scanned with Box 2, Folder 53
OV 18
Oversized Pastel Drawings on Canvas scanned with Box 2, Folder 53
OV 19
Oversized Sketches on Carbon Paper scanned with Box 2, Folder 54
OV 20
Oversized Mural Studies scanned with Box 2, Folder 49
21
Oversized Mural Studies scanned with Box 2, Folder 49
22

6.3: Prints, circa 1900-1939 and undated

Most of the prints are the work of artists other than Beal and are signed. Original prints are found by Arthur B. Davies, Rockwell Kent, Muirhead Bone, and Denys Wortman. Among the unsigned prints, two appear to be antique, and one is a cancellation proof which may have been made by Beal.
Description Container
Prints by Arthur B. Davies, circa 1900-1920
Oversized material housed in OV 10
2
55
Print by Rockwell Kent, 1925
Oversized material housed in OV 10
2
56
Print by Muirhead Bone, circa 1900-1910
2
57
Prints by Denys Wortman, circa 1930-1939
Oversized material housed in OV 10
2
58
Unsigned Prints, undated
Oversized material housed in OV 10
2
59
Oversized Prints scanned with Box 2, folders 55, 56, 58, 59
OV 10
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Series 7: Scrapbooks, circa 1919-circa 1951
1.1 Linear feet
Boxes 7, 23

Series consists of a scrapbook of news clippings and photographs of artwork documenting Beal exhibitions in the 1920s; two scrapbooks of photographs of works of art, some with notations by Gifford Beal, regarding owner and/or subject of the artwork; and some loose photographs and loose scrapbook pages.
This series has been scanned in entirety.
Description Container Select
Scrapbook, circa 1919-circa 1920s
Oversized scrapbook housed in Box 7
Fragile: closed to researchers
23
1
Scrapbook of Photos of Artwork, circa 1920s-circa 1950
Fragile: closed to researchers
23
2
Scrapbook of Photos of Artwork, circa 1920s-circa 1950
Fragile: closed to researchers
23
3
Scrapbook of Photos of Artwork, Loose Items and Pages, circa 1920s-circa 1950
Fragile: closed to researchers
23
4
Scrapbook of Photos of Artwork, Loose Items and Pages, circa 1920s-circa 1951
Fragile: closed to researchers
23
5
OV Scrapbook scanned with Box 23, Folder 1
7

Make a Request

  • To request an appointment to view materials, make your selections using the checkboxes and click the "Reading Room" button. Please note, you will receive the full box.
  • To request reproductions, make your selections using the checkboxes and click the "Reproduction" button.