Archives of American Art

Selected art related papers from the Simon Gratz Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.gratsimo
Creators:
Gratz, Simon
Dates:
[ca. 1770-1921]
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
3 Reels
ca. 500 items (on 3 partial microfilm reels)
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Selected letters, sketches, writings, clippings and printed material collected by Simon Gratz, primarily from the "Painters, sculptors, and engravers" section (ca. 400 items) of the Cultural life, arts and sciences autograph series. Other sections filmed include Benjamin West correspondence; Charles Thomson correspondence; Joshua Humphreys letters; and one or more letters from the following categories: American miscellaneous, European painters and sculptors, Chaplains colonial wars and revolution, Roman Catholic prelates, British Authors, British literary misc., European explorers and antiquaries, American poets, Univ. presidents, American scientists, American authors, American prose, American literary misc., U.S. Senators, and others.
Scope and Contents
The Painters, sculptors, and engravers section contains ca. 400 items, primarily letters, of prominent eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth century American artists, such as Albert Bierstadt, William Merritt Chase, Thomas Cole, John Singleton Copley, Asher B. Durand, Charles Willson Peale, John Singer Sargent, Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, John Trumbull, and others. Many of the letters are addressed to Albert Rosenthal. Also included are sketches, writings, clippings, and printed material pertaining to the artists. The Benjamin West papers, 1877-1819, (reel P23, fr. 1-85) include letters to West, letters from and about West, and cards, a certificate, and engraving of him.
Scope and Contents
The Charles Thomson papers (reels P21, fr. 800-813 and P22, fr. 1-7) include material relating to craftsmen in New York and Philadelphia, 1784-1787; correspondence with Joseph Delaplaine, 1816-1817, concerning Delaplaine's having a portrait of Thomson painted by Bass Otis; a letter to Thomson from G.P. Norris, Jr., Jan. 26, 1819, referring to Trumbull's painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence; and bills from cabinetmaker Alexander Anderson. The Humphreys' letters are from Charles Willson Peale, Mar. 4, 1795, and William Rush, Apr. 30, 1795.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm reels P21 (fr. 773-813), P22 (entire), and P23 (1-84) available for use at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Existence and Location of Originals
Originals in: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Simon Gratz Collection.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Lent for microfilming 1955 by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.

More Information

Other Finding Aids

Other Finding Aids
Microfilm inventory available at all Archives of American Art offices.


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art, Modern -- 17th-18th centuries -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art, Modern -- 19th century -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artists -- United States Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bierstadt, Albert, 1830-1902 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Chase, William Merritt, 1849-1916 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cole, Thomas, 1801-1848 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Copley, John Singleton, 1738-1815 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Delaplaine, Joseph, 1777-1824 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Durand, Asher Brown, 1796-1886 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Humphreys, Joshua, 1751-1838 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Otis, Bass, 1784-1861 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Peale, Charles Willson, 1741-1827 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rosenthal, Albert, 1863-1939 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Stuart, Gilbert, 1755-1828 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sully, Thomas, 1783-1872 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Trumbull, John, 1756-1843 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Thomson, Charles, 1729-1824 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sargent, John Singer, 1856-1925 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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