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Archives of American Art
A Finding Aid to the Greta Kempton Papers, 1942-1975, in the Archives of American Art
Summary
- Collection ID:
- AAA.kempgret
- Creators:
-
Kempton, Greta, 1903-1991
- Dates:
-
1942-1975
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
1.1 Linear feet
- Repository:
The papers of portrait painter Greta Kempton measure 1.1 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1975. The papers document Kempton's career as an artist and include biographical material, correspondence, an exhibition file, printed material, photographs, and scattered writings.
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
The papers of portrait painter Greta Kempton measure 1.1 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1975. The papers document Kempton's career as an artist and include biographical material, correspondence, an exhibition file, printed material, photographs, and scattered writings.
Much of Kempton's correspondence is with members of prominent families whose portraits she painted. Photographs of Kempton are with members of the Truman and Johnson Administrations during the presentation of her portraits. Other photos are of her works of art. Writings by Kempton include recollections of her experience painting portraits of the Truman family.
Arrangement
Arrangement
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Greta Kempton (1903-1991) was a portrait painter active in New York City and Ohio. She is noted for her portraits of Harry S. Truman and his family.
Greta Kempton was born in Vienna, Austria in 1903. She came to the United States in the mid-1920s and studied at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League. Focusing on portraits, Kempton's subjects included political figures in Washington, D.C., most notably Harry S. Truman, his wife Elizabeth (Bess) Truman, and members of President Truman's cabinet.
Kempton and her husband, businessman Ambrose McNamara, retired to Medina, Ohio, where she continued to paint portraits for local and national figures. She died in New York City in 1991.
Administration
Author
Jayna M. Josefson
Sponsor
Processing of this collection received federal support from the Collections Care Initiative Fund, administered by the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative and the National Collections Program
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Greta Kempton donated her papers to the Archives of American Art in 1976 and 1977.
Processing Information
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2020.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Preferred Citation
Greta Kempton papers, 1942-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing 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
Related Materials
Related Materials
The Harry S. Truman Library also holds the Papers of Greta Kempton, 1930-91, bulk dates 1946-1991.
Keywords
| Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait painters -- New York (State) -- New York | Occupation | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Women painters | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Women artists | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Portrait painting | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Portrait painters -- Ohio | Occupation | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972 | Personal Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Archives of American Art
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Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
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