Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Russell Lynes Papers, 1930-1986, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.lyneruss
Creators:
Lynes, Russell, 1910-1991
Dates:
1930-1986
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
2.9 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of author, art critic, and art historian Russell Lynes, measure 2.9 linear feet and date from 1930-1986. The bulk of the material is related to Lynes's research for his 1973 book, The Good Old Modern: An Intimate Portrait of the Museum of Modern Art. Also included are some personal papers and photographs.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of author, art critic, and art historian Russell Lynes, measure 2.9 linear feet and date from 1930-1986. The bulk of the material is related to Lynes's research for his 1973 book, The Good Old Modern: An Intimate Portrait of the Museum of Modern Art. Also included are some personal papers and photographs.
Personal papers consist of typescript lectures and speeches on Eric Larrabee, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Dorothy Miller, and an illustrated letter from Gregorio Prestopino. Research material related to Lynes's book on the Museum of Modern Art, includes correspondence, ephemera, biographical sketches, clippings, sound recordings of interviews, and reports. Photographs are of artists in their studios, at their homes, and at exhibitions.

Arrangement

Arrangement
This collection is arranged as 3 series.
  • Series 1: Personal Papers, 1969-1986 (4 folders, Box 1)
  • Series 2: Research Material for Good Old Modern: An Intimate Portrait of the Museum of Modern Art (1973), 1930-1984 (2.6 linear feet, Boxes 1-4)
  • Series 3: Photographs, 1935-1977 (14 folders, box 2; OV 5)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Russell Lynes (1910-1991) was an author, art critic, and art historian in New York City. He was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and graduated from Yale University in 1932. Lynes worked as director of publications at Vassar College from 1936-1937, and served as assistant head principal and then head principal at the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, from 1938-1944. From 1944-1967 Lynes was an editor of Harper's Magazine. He authored many books and articles on art, architecture, and culture, and served on the boards of numerous organizations. Lynes was the brother of photographer George Platt Lynes.

Administration

Author
Christopher DeMairo
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.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Christopher DeMairo in 2019.
Existence and Location of Copies
All of the sound recordings have been digitized for research access.
Portions of the collection and material lent for microfilming are available on 35mm microfilm reels D310, N70-40, 494, 1859, 3967, and 153 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Portions of the collection were lent for microfilming from 1968-1978, and the bulk of the collection, including some of the loaned material, was donated by Russell Lynes from 1968-1989.
Separated Materials
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent by Russell Lynes and microfilmed on reels N70-40, D310, 1859, 494, 153, and 3967. This material includes papers concerning California painter and muralist Howard Warshaw, consisting of correspondence about his work and exhibitions, exhibition catalogs and announcements, sketches, photographs of works of art, published writings, material sent to Lynes for his editorial opinion, and Lynes's essay for the catalog, "Howard Warshaw: A Decade of Murals." It also includes correspondence, clippings, and estate records related to Olana, Frederick Church's estate on the Hudson River in Greenport, New York; reports, press releases, articles, clippings, and other printed material related to government sponsorship of the arts; and material related to Eugene Berman including photographs, correspondence, and exhibition catalogs and announcements.
Some of the loaned materials were returned to the donor and are not described in the collection container inventory.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Russell Lynes papers, 1930-1986. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Use
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce the typescript of Russell Lynes's lecture, "Saint-Gaudens-His Time, His Place" (1986), requires permission from George P. Lynes Platt II, College of Saint Elizabeth.
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.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Authors -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art critics -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art historians -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Miller, Dorothy Canning, 1904-2003 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions