Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Stewart Klonis papers, circa 1886-1983, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.klonstew
Creators:
Klonis, Stewart, 1901-1989
Dates:
circa 1886-1983
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
3.1 Linear feet
Repository:
The Stewart Klonis papers measure 3.1 linear feet and date from circa 1886-1983. They illustrate his career through biographical material, correspondence, writings, personal business records, printed and photographic material, and artwork.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The Stewart Klonis papers measure 3.1 linear feet and date from circa 1886-1983.
Biographical material includes Klonis' resume, various awards and certificates, and a file including materials on Bernard Klonis. Correspondence is with Romare Bearden, Martha Bloom, Peter Blume, Louis Bosa, Homer Boss, Frank Vincent DuMond, George Grosz, Joseph Hirsch, Reginald Marsh, Kenneth Hayes Miller, William Zorach and others, as well as regarding the 1960s proxy vote for the Art Students League. Writings consist of notes, drafts, and typescripts of articles and speeches by Klonis and others. Personal business records contain files on the Art Students League containing a history of the league, correspondence and printed material about the election of the Board of Control, the annual scholarship balls and the testimonial dinner for Klonis, minutes of the Board of Control meetings, reports, and financial data and building modernization plans. Also included are materials relating to multiple other art organizations, artwork appraisals, and exhibition files.
Printed material consists of exhibition announcements and catalogs for the Art Students League and other exhibitions, clippings, and a scrapbook of clippings, exhibition catalogs, and photographs. Photographic material includes photographs of Klonis, his friends and colleagues, and the Art Students League Costume balls. Artwork includes sketches and collages by Homer Boss, Jose de Creeft, Frank Vincent DuMond, Xavier Gonzales, William Zorach, Martha Bloom, Robert B. Hale, Beatrix Sherman, and others.

Arrangement

Arrangement
This collection consists of seven series.
  • Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1934-1977 (.1 Linear feet: Box 1)
  • Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1930-1982 (1 Linear foot: Boxes 1-2)
  • Series 3: Writings, circa 1897-1977 (.2 Linear feet: Box 2)
  • Series 4: Personal Business Records, circa 1933-1982 (.6 Linear feet: Box 2)
  • Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1886-1980 (.7 Linear feet: Boxes 2-3, OV 5)
  • Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1920-1980 (.2 Linear feet: Box 4, OV 6 and 7)
  • Series 7: Artwork, circa 1956-1983 (.1 Linear feet: Box 4)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Stewart Klonis (1901-1989) was a painter and educator who worked primarily in New York.
Stewart Klonis was born on December 24 in Naugatuck, Connecticut and moved to New York City in 1921. He worked for the Guggenheim Brothers Brokerage House and began studying painting at the Art Students League in 1927. In 1934, he joined its twelve-member board. Since he was the only board member with a background in finance, Klonis became the treasurer and managed to balance the books before the league went under. In 1932, Klonis helped found the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibition. As a student of the league himself, he was often part of the shows.
In 1937, Klonis was elected president of the league before becoming executive director in 1946. During his time spent at the league he succeeded in widening the range of teaching to include abstract art in order to supplement the school's emphasis on figurative painting. In 1980, Klonis retired from his position as executive director.
Stewart Klonis died at the age of 86 in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn in 1989.

Administration

Author
Allessandra Liberati
Sponsor
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Stewart Klonis papers were donated in 1983 by Stewart Klonis.
Processing Information
This collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared, by Allessandra Liberati in 2023.

Using the Collection

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.
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
Stewart Klonis papers, circa 1886-1983, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Related Materials
The Archives of American Art also holds two oral history interviews conducted 1970 February 3, by Paul Cummings and by Bruce Hooton in 1965.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Drawings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Educators -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- New York (State) -- New City Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art Students League (New York, N.Y.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Klonis, Bernard, 1906-1957 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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