Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Annita Delano Papers, circa 1900-1975, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.delaanni
Creators:
Delano, Annita, 1894-
Dates:
circa 1900-1975
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
2.7 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of painter and educator Annita Delano measure 2.7 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 1975. Found are biographical material, personal and professional correspondence, writings and notes, printed material, photographs, and artwork. Writings consist of lecture notes and extensive analytical writings about European artists and works of art.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of painter and educator Annita Delano measure 2.7 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 1975. Found are biographical material, personal and professional correspondence, writings and notes, printed material, photographs, and artwork. Writings consist of lecture notes and extensive analytical notes about European artists and works of art.
Biographcial materials include resumes and scattered business records including pricelists and teaching records. Correspondence is with museums, galleries, universities, and artists. Notable correspondents include Anni Albers, Sonia and Roberty Delaunay, Barbara Morgan, Richard Neutra, and Edward Weston. Writings by Delano include handwritten notes on various art subjects and typed analytical notes. Found are 69 sketches in pencil, ink, and water color by Annita Delano and an unsigned portrait of Delano.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 6 series.
  • Series 1: Biographical Material, 1914-1975 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)
  • Series 2: Correspondence, 1909-1975 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)
  • Series 3: Writings and Notes, 1920s-1960s (Boxes 1-2; 1.0 linear feet)
  • Series 4: Printed Material, circa 1920s-circa 1960s (Boxes 2-3; 0.6 linear feet)
  • Series 5: Photographs, circa 1900-circa 1960 (Box 4; 0.1 linear feet)
  • Series 6: Artwork, circa 1910-circa 1960 (Box 4, OV5; 0.2 linear feet)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Annita Delano (1894-1979) was a painter, designer, and educator active in Los Angeles, California. She was also a founding member of the University of California Los Angeles Art Department.
Annita Delano began her involvement in the Los Angeles art community as the director of the Desmond Art Shop in 1917. Later, she served as both editor and managing editor of the publication Dark and Light (1925-1928). In 1928, she traveled to Europe where she met and became friends with Sonia and Robert Delaunay. She received the Barnes Foundation Scholarship (1930-1931) and went to Europe again where she spent some time with the Bauhaus faculty and other architects, including Joseph Albers and Richard Neutra.
Her work reflected an involvement with the environment, through theater productions and painting landscapes and murals. Delano was a founding member of the UCLA art department and remained actively involved in Southern California arts organizations until her death in 1979.

Administration

Author
Jayna M. Josefson
Sponsor
Processing of this collection received Federal support from the Collections Care Initiative Fund, administered by the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative and the National Collections Program.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Annita Delano donated her papers to the Archives of American Art in 1975-1977.
Existence and Location of Copies
The collection is available on 35mm microfilm reels 2999-3001 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Processing Information
The papers received a preliminary level of processing and were microfilmed on reels 2999-3001 at some point after receipt. The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2020.

Using the Collection

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.
Preferred Citation
Annita Delano papers, circa 1900-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
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 permissions to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Painters -- California -- Los Angeles Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Designers -- California -- Los Angeles Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Educators -- California -- Los Angeles Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women painters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women designers Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women educators Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Drawings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Delaunay, Sonia Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Morgan, Barbara Brooks, 1900-1992 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Neutra, Richard Joseph, 1892-1970 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Weston, Edward, 1886-1958 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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