Archives of American Art

Mamie Harmon papers relating to Kimon Nicolaides

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.harmmami
Creators:
Harmon, Mamie, 1906-1993
Dates:
1935-1985
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
2 Linear feet
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Correspondence; a sketchbook, loose sketches and studies; lists of works of art; printed material; a scrapbook; photographs; and miscellany concerning Nicolaides. Also included are papers collected by Mamie Harmon for the purpose of editing Jules Heller's book manuscript Printmaking Today published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1973. Nicolaïdes's abstract pencil studies; figure studies from classes with Nicolaïdes at the Art Students League; correspondence regarding Bridaham's research on Nicolaïdes; correspondence and printed material concerning Nicolaïdes book "The Natural Way to Draw", edited by Harmon; photographs of Nicolaïdes, Harmon, Theresa C. Brakeley, Abraham Rattner, and others; notes and collected comments about Nicolaïdes; his "closing remarks to the class" (mimeograph); his scrapbook, n.d.; correspondence regarding planned or potential Nicolaïdes exhibitions; lists of works of art and slides and photographs of works of art; magazine articles and other printed material; correspondence, clippings and notes regarding Jean S. Roosevelt's art collection; Harmon's New Hampshire landscape studies and sketchbook, summers 1935-1936; and Harmon's letters to her mother from 1934 to 1940, mentioning her art studies and Nicolaïdes. Also included is printed material regarding bookmaking and typography; correspondence, photographs, and printed material concerning Harmon's editorial work and illustrations for Funk and Wagnalls; off-prints of articles on folk art by Harmon; and miscellany.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Painter, art editor; New York, N.Y. Harmon was a student of Nicolaides at the Art Students League, N.Y. and edited his book, "The natural way to draw: a working plan for art study" Boston: Houghton Miffin Co., 1941. Mamie Harmon was a student of Kimon Nicolaïdes (1892-1938) at the Art Students League and studied with him in the summers in New Hampshire, 1935 and 1936. Harmon was an art editor, book illustrator, and painter. She worked with Nicolaïdes on the manuscript of his now classic book The Natural Way to Draw. When he died in 1938, he left the manuscript unfinished. Harmon completed the manuscript through its publication in 1941. Some of the figure studies in this collection were reproduced as examples in The Natural Way to Draw. Harmon also helped organize a memorial exhibition for Nicolaïdes at the G. R. D. Studio in New York in 1939. According to the donors, Nicolaïdes's pencil studies in this collection were part of that memorial exhibition. Harmon was associated with the G.R.D. Studio, a non-profit gallery founded by Jean S. Roosevelt. Nicolaïdes was the art director of the G.R.D. Studio. Theresa C. Brakely was Harmon's longtime companion.

Administration

Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated 2003 and 2004 by Carolyn K. Harmon and Thomas L. Harmon, Jr. Mamie Harmon was Thomas L. Harmon's aunt.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Prints -- Technique Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketchbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Nicolaïdes, Kimon, 1892-1938 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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