Archives of American Art

Hess family papers

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.hesshess
Creators:
Hess family
Dates:
1850-1973
Languages:
William Hess' correspondence and diaries are in French.
Physical Description:
132 Items
(on 1 microfilm reel)
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
86 sketches by Benedict Hess, 17 by Elisa Hess, 4 by William Hess, 1 by Abraham Hess, and a photograph of the Albert Hess Gilding Shop, Fairview, New Jersey. Also included are correspondence and a diary, 1860-1863, of William Hess written while serving in the Civil War; and genealogical material about the family.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Hess family was originally from Germany and Paris. Benedict Hess was the first to come to the U.S., and was a landscape and portrait painter. His wife, Elisa, was a voice teacher and painted still lifes. Their children also painted a little. The family ran a small art school.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm roll 669 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Existence and Location of Originals
Originals returned to the lender, Winifred Hess Manzer, after microfilming.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The lender, Winifred Hess Manzer, is the daughter of Albert Hess.

Using the Collection

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

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Painters Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hess, Benedict, 1817-1870 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hess, Abraham Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hess, Albert, 1857-1924 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hess, Elisa, 1817-1890 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hess, William, 1838-1964 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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