Archives of American Art

Edward Melcarth papers

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.melcedwa
Creators:
Melcarth, Edward, 1914-1973
Dates:
[ca. 1930-1974]
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
7.3 Linear feet
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Biographical information, photographs, correspondence, writings, works of art, printed material, sound recordings and miscellany regarding Edward Melcarth. Photographs are of Melcarth, family, friends, and his work, as well as photographs taken by Melcarth, mostly in the 1940's and 1950's, of Coney Island, New York City, Venice, Germany, and subjects Peggy Guggenheim, Sam Wagstaff, Eugene Berman, John La Touche, Anabelle Gamson and Walter Steumpfig. Correspondence between Melcarth and his mother regard his acquaintences Peggy and Hazel Guggenheim, and Norman Parkinson. Other correspondents include Gore Vidal and Gael Greene, New York magazine food critic, and artist Richard Taddei. Also included are letters from artists Lief Anderson, Peter Carello, Pablo Pristeno, Ernst Teves, from playwright William Inge, from actors George Maharis, Ronald Staba and Joseph Newlin, Henry Allen Moe, R. Kirk Askew, agent John Schafner, and Charles B. Moses. Writings include 146 manuscripts of Melcarth's short stories, novels, poems, song lyrics, essays, books and travel articles for the New York Sun. Works of art include sketchbooks and loose sketches. Printed material consists of scrapbooks, clippings, exhibition catalogs and announcements. Sound recordings consist of interviews and speeches by Melcarth on 4 sound tape reels and 2 cassettes. Also included are a list of Melcarth's works sold by Durlacher Bros., 1948-1962, with price and purchaser, Melcarth's will, and a surrogate court statement on his personal property.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Painter, photographer, educator, writer; New York, N.Y. Born Edward Epstein, 1914, in Louisville, Kentucky. Studied in London, Paris and at Harvard. Taught at Parsons School of Design, Columbia University, University of Washington (Seattle), University of Louisville and the Educational Alliance Art School. Melcarth died in 1973.

Administration

Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated 1971 by Edward Melcarth, in 1977 and 1978 by a friend, Robert Morgan, in 2000 by Albert La Tucha, a friend of Melcarth's and in 2007 by Richard Taddei, Melcarth's fromer student.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.

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