Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Elsie Driggs Papers, 1924-1979, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.drigelsi
Creators:
Driggs, Elsie, 1898-1992
Dates:
1924-1979
Languages:
The collection is in English
Physical Description:
0.2 Linear feet
Repository:
The scattered papers of New York City painter Elsie Driggs date from 1924 to 1979 and measure 0.2 linear feet. Included are correspondence, writings by Driggs, personal business records, printed materials, and portrait and family photographs.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The scattered papers of New York City painter Elsie Driggs date from 1924 to 1979 and measure 0.2 linear feet. Included are correspondence, writings by Driggs, personal business records, printed materials, and portrait and family photographs.
Correspondence includes letters from the Baltimore Museum of Art, Adelyn Breeskin, Alexander Brook, Edward Bruce, Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts, dealer Charles Daniel, Heckscher Museum, Montclair Art Museum, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute, Newark Musuem, Cynthia Sanford, Francis Steegmuller, Maurice Stern, Jenny Strauss, Walker Art Center, Wichita State University, and Yale University Art Gallery.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 5 series.
  • Missing Title
  • Series 1: Correspondence, 1924-1979 (3 folders; Box 1)
  • Series 2: Writings and Notes, circa 1960 (2 folders; Box 1)
  • Series 3: Personal Business Records, 1964-1979 (1 folder; Box 1)
  • Series 4: Printed Material, 1964-1978 (1 folder; Box 1)
  • Series 5: Photographs, 1925-1961 (4 folders; Box 1)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Elsie Driggs (1898-1992) was a New York City Precisionist painter, curator, and art critic.
Born in Connecticut, Elsie Driggs attended the Art Students League in New York City. She traveled through Italy where she found inspiration from the works of Piero Della Francesca. After settling in New York City, she became active in the Precisionist movement, which reacted to skyscrapers and other modern building projects. Later in her career, she painted watercolors under the federal Public Works of Art project. Driggs was married to fellow artist Lee Gatch.

Administration

Author
Jayna M. Josefson
Sponsor
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
Existence and Location of Copies
A portion of this collection is available on 35 mm microfilm reel D160 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of the material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Elsie Driggs donated her papers to the Archives of American Art in several accretions between 1963 and 1980.
Processing Information
Portions of the papers were microfilmed upon receipt. In 2013, the collection was processed and a finding aid created by Jayna Josefson with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Terms of 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.
Preferred Citation
Elsie Driggs papers, 1924-1979. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Related Materials
The Archives of American Art holds an oral history interview with Elsie Driggs conducted by Francine Tyler October 30-December 5, 1985.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Curators -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art critics -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women painters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women art critics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Breeskin, Adelyn Dohme, 1896-1986 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brook, Alexander, 1898-1980 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Daniel, Charles, 1878-1971 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bruce, Edward, 1879-1943 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Heckscher Museum Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Steegmuller, Francis, 1906-1994 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sanford, Cynthia Holthusen Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Baltimore Museum of Art Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sterne, Maurice, 1878-1957 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wichita State University Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Newark Museum Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Yale University. Art Gallery Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Montclair Art Museum Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Walker Art Center Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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