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Archives of American Art
A Finding Aid to the Edwin and Lindy Bergman Papers, 1949-2002, in the Archives of American Art
Summary
- Collection ID:
- AAA.bergedlin
- Creators:
-
Bergman, EdwinBergman, Lindy
- Dates:
-
1949-2002
- Languages:
-
The collection is in English and French.
- Physical Description:
-
1.6 Linear feet
- Repository:
The papers of Chicago art collectors Edwin and Lindy Bergman measure 1.6 linear feet and date from 1949 to 2002. The papers document the collecting activities of the Bergmans through a collection of files on artists including Joseph Cornell, Jim Nutt, and Wilfredo Lam, and others including art dealers Julien and Jean Levy, and ballerina Tamara Toumanova.
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
The papers of Chicago art collectors Edwin and Lindy Bergman measure 1.6 linear feet and date from 1951 to 2002. The collection includes documents filed by subject/name. Files may include both personal and business correspondence; personal business records such as price lists, inventories, and invoices; clippings, exhibition announcements, exhibition catalogs, and other printed material; and photographs of artists and their artwork. Also found is a video recording of an interview of Edwin and Lindy Bergman, August 24, 1984, produced by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.
A significant portion of the series relates to Joseph Cornell, and material includes general correspondence, correspondence from Betty Benton and Anthony Peluso, clippings, and exhibition announcements and catalogs. Also represented are artists Jim Nutt and Wilfredo Lam, art dealers Julian and Jean Levy, and ballerina Tamara Toumanova. There are also files on art galleries including the Museum of Modern Art, Sidney Janis Gallery, and Galerie du Dragon in Paris.
Arrangement
Arrangement
The collection is arranged as one series.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Chicago, Illinois, art collectors Edwin Bergman (1917-1986) and Lindy (Betty Jane) Bergman (1918-2014) shared a particular interest in surrealist art and over a sixty year period assembled a major art collection which included some of Joseph Cornell's most famous works. The Bergmans began collecting art in the 1950s, and established the Bergman Gallery, designed as both a studio for undergraduates and an exhibition center. In 1982 they also established the Edwin and Lindy Bergman Joseph Cornell Gallery at the Art Institute of Chicago. Edwin Bergman was a founder and past president of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.
Administration
Author
Ricky Gomez
Sponsor
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Edwin and Lindy Bergman papers were donated in 2016 by Robert H. Bergman, Carol B. Cohen, and Betty L. Rosenfield, Edwin and Lindy Bergman's children.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Ricky Gomez in 2020.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Use
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Preferred Citation
Edwin and Lindy Bergman papers, 1949-2002. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Related Materials
Related Materials
Also found in the Archives of American Art is the Edwin Bergman Interview, August 21-December 21, 1984. Possible video duplicates of the interview are in the Edwin and Lindy Bergman papers
Keywords
| Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Interviews | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Video recordings | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Collectors -- Illinois -- Chicago | Occupation | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Art -- Collectors and collecting | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Cornell, Joseph | Personal Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Archives of American Art
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Business Number: Phone: 202-633-7950
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