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  2. Guy Pène Du Bois papers, circa 1900-1963, bulk 1920-1963
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Guy Pène Du Bois papers, circa 1900-1963, bulk 1920-1963

Contents and Arrangement

Creator

Occupation

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Series 1:Biographical Material, 1929-1954
4 Folders
Box 1

Biographical materials consist of certificates, a curriculum vitae, passport, and a photograph of two unidentified women.
Materials are arranged by document type.
DescriptionContainerSelect
Certificates, 1940-1942
1
1
Curriculum Vitae, circa 1935-1954
1
2
Passport, 1929-1930
1
3
Photograph, Two Unidentified Women, circa 1940-1954
1
4
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Series 2:Correspondence, 1908-1958
0.5 Linear feet
Box 1

Correspondence is primarily with Pène Du Bois' family, friends, and business associates. The series includes significant correspondence from fellow art critic Royal Cortissoz; artists Raphael Soyer and Edward Hopper; and writers Samuel Duff McCoy, Lincoln Isham, and Newton Booth Tarkington. The over 180 letters to Lincoln Isham detail Pène Du Bois' daily life, in addition to covering his thoughts on writing, philosophy, politics, and news of his family.
Other correspondents of note include C.W. Kraushaar Art Galleries and Pène Du Bois' son, the children's book illustrator William Pène Du Bois. There are also letters of condolences addressed to Pène Du Bois' daughter, Yvonne McKenney.
Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by correspondent.
DescriptionContainerSelect
A Miscellaneous, 1940-1949
1
5
American Artists Group Inc., 1939-1954
1
6
B Miscellaneous, 1929-1952
1
7
Bartlett, Clay, 1949-1950
1
8
C Miscellaneous, 1936-1945
1
9
Carnegie Institute, 1937-1949
1
10
Cooper Union, 1942-1954
1
11
Cortissoz, Royal, 1930-1933
1
12
C.W. Kraushaar Art Galleries, 1940-1947
1
13
D Miscellaneous, 1940-1941
1
14
Du Bois, George, 1951-1956
1
15
Du Bois, Guy Pène, 1941-1954
1
16
Du Bois, William Pène, 1944-1949
1
17
Du Bois, William Pène and Jane, 1950-1953
1
18
Du Bois, William Pène and Willa, 1953-1956
1
19
Duncan, Rita Jean, 1950-1954
1
20
Duncan, Robert, 1949-1955
1
21
E-H Miscellaneous, 1939-1954
1
22
Hopper, Edward, 1931-1954
1
23
I Miscellaneous, 1950
1
24
Isham, Lincoln and Lea, 1942-1955
1
25-27
J-M Miscellaneous, 1908-1954
1
28
Macy, George, 1945
1
29
McCoy, Samuel Duff and Neely, 1949-1953
1
30
Merritt, Nancy Lucas, 1951-1954
1
31
N-P Miscellaneous, 1939-1954
1
32
Q-S Miscellaneous, 1939-1952
1
33
Soyer, Raphael, 1951-1955
1
34
T Miscellaneous, 1930-1940
1
35
Tarkington, Newton Booth, 1943-1946
1
36
U Miscellaneous, 1950
1
37
U.S. Treasury Department, 1936-1938
1
38
V-W Miscellaneous, 1940-1950
1
39
Watson, Forbes, 1932-1953
1
40
X-Z Miscellaneous, 1940
1
41
Unknown and Illegible, circa 1940-1954
1
42
Condolences, A-Z, 1958
1
43-44
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Series 3:Writings, circa 1900-1954
1.1 Linear feet
Box 1-4

Writings include book drafts of Pène Du Bois' autobiography, Artists Say the Silliest Things, 2 bound journals dating from 1913-1955, journal entries, 35 essays on various art related topics, 8 short stories, and various writing fragments and notes. The journal entries are primarily writing exercises in essay style and cover diverse topics of fashion, character studies, art history, and current events.
Materials are arranged by document type.
DescriptionContainerSelect
Book, Artists Say the Silliest Things, Part One, circa 1930-1940
1
45-46
Book, Artists Say the Silliest Things, Part One (copy 1, incomplete), circa 1930-1940
1
47
Book, Artists Say the Silliest Things, Part One (fragments), circa 1930-1940
1
48
Book, Artists Say the Silliest Things, Part One (handwritten draft, incomplete), circa 1930-1940
1
49
Book, Artists Say the Silliest Things, Part Two, circa 1930-1940
1
50-51
Book, Artists Say the Silliest Things, Part Two (copy 1), circa 1930-1940
1
52
Book, Artists Say the Silliest Things, Part Two (copy 2, incomplete), circa 1930-1940
1
53
Book, Artists Say the Silliest Things, Part Two (handwritten draft), circa 1930-1940
1
54
Book, Untitled, Chapters 1-2, circa 1920-1954
1
55
Book Proposals, circa 1940-1954
1
56
Book Reviews, circa 1920-1954
1
57
Essay, "Apes and Angels in Art", circa 1930-1954
1
58
Essay, "Art and Decoration", circa 1930-1954
1
59
Essay, "Art and the Decline of the Bourgeoise", circa 1930-1954
1
60
Essay, "Art is Art and Life is Life", circa 1930-1954
1
61
Essay, "Children's Books", circa 1930-1954
1
62
Essay, "Classicism", circa 1930-1954
1
63
Essay, "Clothes and War and Art", circa 1930-1954
1
64
Essay, "Contrasts and Contemporaneous Art", circa 1930-1954
1
65
Essay, "Decoration", circa 1930-1954
1
66
Essay, "Eclectics", circa 1930-1954
1
67
Essay, "Disordered Notes of an Ex Art Critic", circa 1930-1954
1
68
Essay, "Essay Written for an American", circa 1930-1954
2
1
Essay, "Eyes are Windows", circa 1930-1954
2
2
Essay, "Forbears of the Fashionable Linguists", circa 1930-1954
2
3
Essay, "High Art and Hillbillies", circa 1930-1954
2
4
Essay, "Holley and the Square", circa 1930-1954
2
5
Essay, "Note on Fashion", circa 1930-1954
2
6
Essay, "Note on Modern Art", circa 1930-1954
2
7
Essay, "Note on Statues", circa 1930-1954
2
8
Essay, "Note on the American Scene Painting", circa 1930-1954
2
9
Essay, "On the Satirist", circa 1930-1954
2
10
Essay, On Artists and World Affairs, circa 1930-1954
2
11
Essay, On Children's Book Fair, circa 1930-1954
2
12
Essay, On Denys Wortman, circa 1930-1954
2
13
Essay, On French Modernism, circa 1930-1954
2
14
Essay, On Intellectualism, circa 1930-1954
2
15
Essay, On Seeing Art, circa 1930-1954
2
16
Essay, On Space, circa 1930-1954
2
17
Essay, On Style and Fashion, circa 1930-1954
2
18
Essay, "Realism", circa 1930-1954
2
19
Essay, "Romanticism", circa 1930-1954
2
20
Essay, "Seeing Could Be Believing", circa 1930-1954
2
21
Essay, "Seeing in Its Relation to the Visual Arts", circa 1930-1954
2
22
Essay, "Turnabout in Art", circa 1930-1954
2
23
Essay, "War and Art", circa 1930-1954
2
24
Journal Entries, 1949-1953
2
25
Journal, 1913-1925
4
Journal, 1926-1955
5
Stories, "1907 New York," "Question of Bravery," "Sailors," "The Square", circa 1930-1954
2
26
Story, "Final Flourish", circa 1930-1954
2
27
Story, "Over-Lord", circa 1930-1954
2
28
Story, "Staten Island", circa 1920-1954
2
29
Story, "Wild Horses in Harlem", circa 1930-1954
2
30
Fragments, Handwritten, circa 1920-1954
2
31-32
Fragments, Typescripts, circa 1920-1954
3
1-2
Fragments, Introductions, circa 1920-1954
3
3
Fragments, Stories, circa 1920-1954
3
4
Notes, circa 1920-1954
3
5
"Letters of Frederick von Elder," by Unknown Author, circa 1920-1954
3
6
"Moral Freedom--Natural Law," by W.W. Sherman, circa 1920-1954
3
7
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Series 4:Personal Business Records, circa 1920-1949
3 Folders
Box 3

Personal business records consist of account and sales records from C.W. Kraushaar Art Galleries, two book and publishing contracts, and miscellaneous receipts for art supply purchases.
Materials are arranged by document type.
DescriptionContainerSelect
Account Records, C.W. Kraushaar Art Galleries, 1937-1944
3
8
Contracts, 1930-1945
3
9
Receipts, circa 1920-1949
3
10
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Series 5:Printed Material, circa 1920-1963
0.3 Linear feet
Box 3

Printed material includes a brochure for the Guy Pène Du Bois School of Art, clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and miscellaneous printed material.
Materials are arranged by document type.
DescriptionContainerSelect
Brochure, Guy Pène Du Bois School of Art, 1940
3
11
Clippings, circa 1920-1963
3
12-13
Clippings, 1920-1963
3
14-18
Exhibition Announcements and Catalogs, 1954-1960
3
19
Exhibition Announcements and Catalogs, Other Artists, 1942-1943
3
20
Periodical, Magazine of Art, 1943
3
21
Miscellaneous Printed Material, 1931-1945
3
22
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Series 6:Artwork, circa 1920-1954
2 Folders
Box 3

Artwork consists of pen and ink sketches by Pène Du Bois and a print by an unknown artist.
Materials are arranged by artist.
DescriptionContainerSelect
Sketches, circa 1920-1954
3
23
Artwork by Others, 1931
3
24

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.