Archives of American Art

Oral history interview with Mansfield Bascom and Ruth Esherick Bascom about Wharton Esherick

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.bascom90
Creators:
Bascom, Mansfield
Polsky, Richard
Bascom, Ruth Esherick
Dates:
1990 July 13
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
78 Pages
Transcript
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
An interview of Ruth and Mansfield Bascom concerning artist Wharton Esherick, conducted 1990 July 13, by Richard Polsky, for the Archives of American Art Philadelphia Project.
Scope and Contents
Wharton Esherick was the father of Ruth Bascom. The Bascoms discuss Esherick's childhood sketching; studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; professional life including painting, printmaking, frame carving, sculpture and furniture making; stylistic development, working methods, clients, materials, and exhibitions; his stays in Fairhope, Alabama; his "organic" life style; and the establishment of the Wharton Esherick Museum.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Mansfield Bascom married Ruth Esherick and is the son-in-law of Wharton Esherick (1887-1970), who was a sculptor, painter, printmaker, wood-carver and furniture maker from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Administration

Sponsor
Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.
Existence and Location of Copies
Transcript: 35mm microfilm reel 4777 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews of artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.

Digital Content


Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Transcript: Patrons must use microfilm copy.

More Information

General

General
Originally recorded on 2 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 3 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 15 min.


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia -- Interviews Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Printmakers -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia -- Interviews Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cabinetmakers -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia -- Interviews Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sculptors -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia -- Interviews Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wood-carvers -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia -- Interviews Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Esherick, Wharton Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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