Irving Petlin papers, circa 1960-2014

Collection Information

Size: 6.0 linear feet

1 artifact

Summary: The papers of painter Irving Peltin measure 6.0 linear feet and date from circa 1960-2014. Included are personal and professional correspondence with artists and collaborators; writings and notes by Petlin; project files regarding the war in Vitenam and other projects; sketches and book illustrations by Petlin; photographs of works of art and gallery shows; printed material including exhibition catalogs, announcements, and clippings about Petlin; and an artifact, A piece of The Peace Tower- Mark Di Suvero.

Biographical/Historical Note

Irving Petlin (1934-2018) was a painter in Chicago, Illinois and New Haven, Connecticut and spent time in New York. Petlin specialized in the medium of pastel. He first studied art in his native Chicago, Illinois where he was friends with Leon Golub, and then in New Haven, Connecticut where he worked with Josef Albers. He was principal organizer of the "Artists Protest Movement Against the War in Vietnam," and the 1966 "Peace Tower," with Mark di Suvero in Los Angeles, California. In New York, he was a member of the Art Workers Coalition. He also collaborated on the making of anti-war posters.

Provenance

The collection was donated in 2019 by Sarah Peltin, Petlin's daughter.

Restrictions on Access

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.

How to Cite This Collection

Irving Petlin papers, circa 1960-2014. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.