Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Barbara Latham Papers, circa 1900-1972, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.lathbarb
Creators:
Latham, Barbara, 1896-1989
Dates:
circa 1900-1972
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
3.4 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of illustrator and painter Barbara Latham date from circa 1900 to 1972 and measure 3.4 linear feet. The collection documents Latham's career through biographical material, correspondence, writings and notes, printed material, photographs, and artwork. Artwork includes sketches and original Christmas cards, six sketchbooks, pencil and pen sketches, and prints. Works by others include four oil paintings by Henry Leigh-Ross and drawings by Howard Cook.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of illustrator and painter Barbara Latham date from circa 1900 to 1972 and measure 3.4 linear feet. The collection documents Latham's career through biographical material, correspondence, writings and notes, printed material, photographs, and artwork. Artwork includes sketches and original Christmas cards, six sketchbooks, pencil and pen sketches, and prints. Works by others include four oil paintings by Henry Leigh-Ross and drawings by Howard Cook.
Biographical material is scattered and also includes sales records of Latham's prints. Correspondence is with family, friends, and colleagues. Correspondents include Howard Cook, Allen Latham, Amalia M. de Schulthess, and the Vancil Foster Christmas Cards company. Writings by Latham are short stories. Book files are for publications illustrated by Latham and may include drafts and proofs.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 6 series.
  • Series 1: Biographical Material, 1928-1970 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)
  • Series 2: Correspondence, 1902-1972 (Box 1, 5; 0.5 linear feet)
  • Series 3: Writings and Notes, 1934-1965 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)
  • Series 4: Printed Material, 1925-1972 (Boxes 1-2, 6; 0.5 linear feet)
  • Series 5: Photographs, circa 1900-circa 1960s (Box 2; 3 folders)
  • Series 6: Artwork and Sketchbooks, 1907-1963 (Boxes 2-4, 6-7; 2.0 linear feet)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Barbara Latham (1896-1989) was an illustrator and painter active in Taos, New Mexico. She illustrated many children's books and designed Christmas cards from the 1920s to 1940s.
Barbara Latham was born in Walpole, Massachusetts to Allen and Caroline Walker Latham. Her parents were naturalists and she was influenced by the natural surroundings of the farmhouse in which she was raised. Latham received a scholarship to study art at eight years old at the Norwich Free Academy. She continued her education at Pratt Institute and the Art Students League during their regular and summer sessions.
Latham married fellow painter Howard Cook. They settled in Taos and Sante Fe, New Mexico. She painted the natural landscape of New Mexico and designed Christmas cards for the Norcross Company. She was well known for her work as a children's book illustrator and her paintings may be found in museums around the United States.
Barbara Latham died in Sante Fe, New Mexico in 1989.

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
Existence and Location of Copies
Portions of the collection are available for use on 35mm microfilm reels 2839-2841 and 3244 at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of the material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Barbara Latham donated her papers to the Archives of American Art in 1972-1973.
Processing Information
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2021.

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.
Correspondence with Harriet Latham Robinson is access restricted: written permission is required.
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.
Preferred Citation
Barbara Latham papers, circa 1900-1972. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Related Materials
Barbara Latham's papers relating to her work as a children's book illustrator are located in the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Women painters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketchbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Illustrators -- New Mexico Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- New Mexico Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women illustrators Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Leith-Ross, Harry, b. 1886 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cook, Howard Norton, 1901-1980 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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