Archives of American Art

Henry Botkin papers

Summary
Collection ID:
AAA.botkhenr
Creators:
Botkin, Henry, 1896-1983
Dates:
1917-1979
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
3.5 Linear feet
(on 10 microfilm reels)
4 Sound tapes
7 & 5 in.
Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
Biographical material (1945-1965), letters (1917-1979), notes (1950-1970), writings (1944-1970), business records (1927-1977), art works (1932-1964), subject files (1952-1955), scrapbook (1927-1939), printed material (1923-1977), and photographs (1922-1968) documenting Botkin's career and his friendship with George and Ira Gershwin and other entertainment and artistic figures.
Scope and Contents
Among the correspondents and subjects of photographs or letters are: George and Ira Gershwin, their sister Frances Godowsky, Botkin's brother Benjamin, Botkin's daughter Toinette Botkin Laurent, and grandson Alexander Laurent, composer Harold Arlen, Fanny Brice and her son William Brice, artists Chaim Gross, Saburo Hasegawa, Hans Hofmann, Karl Knaths, Paul Manship, Paul Mocsanyi, Robert Motherwell, Louise Nevelson, Barnett Newman, Pablo Picasso, Wallace Putnam, Abrahmam Rattner, Hugo Robus, Arnold Schoenberg, Jack Shadbolt, John Von Wicht, and Abraham Walkowitz. Also included are photographs of Botkin's studio, night picnic in Provincetown attended by many artists; and material relating to American Abstract Artists, New School Art Center, Provincetown Art Association, and the Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors. [See Finding Aid for information on location of items on the microfilm].
Scope and Contents
UNMICROFILMED: 3 untranscribed interviews of Botkin, 1 done for the "Today" show, NBC, June 4, 1965; 1 for Colette Roberts "Meet the Artist" Program, undated, and 1 by an unidentified interviewer. Also included is an untranscribed monologue, Oct. 11, 1970.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Painter; New York, N.Y. and Provincetown, Mass. Born in Boston and attended art schools there from 1913-1917. From 1917-1920, he attended the Art Students League and was employed as an illustrator for prominent magazines until 1929. Traveling abroad between 1926 and 1933, he attained his first one-man show in 1927 at the Billiet Galleries in Paris. Through his cousin, composer George Gershwin, Botkin became acquainted with people active in the performing arts, such as Harold Arlen, Fanny Brice, Harry Kurnitz, and Bert Lahr. Botkin was also involved in the American Abstract Artists, Artists Equity Association, Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors, and Gallery 256 in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
Administration
Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm reels D388, N69-67 - N69-68, N69-91, N70-25, N70-48, 2895-2897, and 4314 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Reproduction Note
Some photocopies.
Existence and Location of Originals
Portions returned to Botkin after microfilming.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated 1969-1982 by Henry Botkin and by his son Glenn and his assistant Rene Barilleaux. Many items were returned to Botkin after microfilming.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Patrons must use microfilm copy. Use of untranscribed tapes requires an appointment at the Washington, D.C. office.
Related Materials
Henry Botkin papers also at Syracuse University.
More Information
Other Finding Aids
Other Finding Aids
Microfilm inventory available in all Archives of American Art offices.
Keywords
Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art, Abstract Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Drawings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Composers Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- Massachusetts -- Provincetown Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artists' studios -- New York (State) Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arlen, Harold, 1905-1986 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Botkin, Benjamin Albert, 1901-1975 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brice, Fanny Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brice, William, 1921-2008 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gershwin, George, 1898-1937 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gershwin, Ira, 1896-1983 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Godowsky, Frances Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gross, Chaim, 1904-1991 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hasegawa, Saburō, 1906-1957 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hofmann, Hans, 1880-1966 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Knaths, Karl, 1891-1971 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Laurent, Toinette Botkin Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mocsanyi, Paul Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Motherwell, Robert Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Nevelson, Louise, 1899-1988 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Newman, Barnett, 1905-1970 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Picasso, Pablo, 1881-1973 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Putnam, Wallace, 1899-1989 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Schoenberg, Arnold, 1874-1951 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Siqueiros, David Alfaro Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Shadbolt, Jack, 1909- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Von Wicht, John, 1888-1970 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rattner, Abraham Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Robus, Hugo, 1885-1964 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
American Abstract Artists Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artists Equity Association Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gallery 256 (Provincetown, Mass.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Repository Contact
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions