Archives of American Art

Historical American Records Survey portrait survey records

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.histreco
Creators:
Historical Records Survey (U.S.)
Dates:
1935-1942
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
4.4 Linear feet
(on 12 microfilm reels)
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Records documenting activities of the Survey to inventory portraits in America done before 1860 in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Scope and Contents
Included are research documents; correspondence; interoffice memoranda; survey manuals; press releases; clippings; photographs of works of art; short biographies of sitters and artists; ca. 15,000 of the original survey cards; first drafts of checklists and catalogs; and lists of portraits received too late to be included in the final version of the catalog.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The Historical Records Survey (HRS) had its origins in the Federal Emergency Relief Administration and the Civil Works Administration. In 1935 it came under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration Federal Writers' Project and eventually was designated as an independent program under Federal Project No. One. The projects, ideally suited for white collar workers, employed individuals to survey, classify and collect historical records. One program of the HRS was to document American portraits (sculpture, prints and paintings) done before 1860.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm reels 1238-1249 available for use at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Existence and Location of Originals
Originals returned to the State House, Boston, Mass. after microfilming.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Lent for microfilming by the Massachusetts State Library, A. Hunter Rineer, State Librarian, Boston, Mass., 1977.

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 Archives of American Art offices, filed under Historical Records Survey.


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Portraits, American Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Portrait painting, American Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
New Deal, 1933-1939 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Federal aid to the arts Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Federal aid to public welfare Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States -- Economic conditions -- 1918-1945 Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945 Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Programs (organizations) Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Agencies Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Works Progress Administration Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Work Projects Administration Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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