Collection Information

Size: .2 linear ft. (on partial microfilm reel).

Summary: Letters recieved, including several from J. Edgar Hoover concerning a painting by Leonid Gechtoff, 1935-1938; two autographed photographs of Hoover; photographs of Leonid Gechtoff and his work; a scrapbook, ca. 1918-1929, containing letters, photographs, exhibition catalogs, clippings and printed miscellany; naturalization papers for Ethel Gechtoff; and material concerning her East & West Gallery in San Francisco, 1956-1958, including leases, exhibition announcements, clippings, and a price list for works of art.

Biographical/Historical Note

Leonid Gechtoff was a Russian landscape painter who emigrated to this country in 1922; settling in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1923, where he remained until his death in 1941. His wife Ethel Gechtoff ran a Gallery in San Francisco 1956-1958.

Provenance

The donor, Sonia Gechtoff, is the daughter of Leonid and Ethel Gechtoff, and also a painter.

Alternative Forms Available

Microfilm reel 2346 available 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. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

How to Cite This Collection

Leonid and Ethel Gechtoff papers, 1918-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.