Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Elisabeth D. Model Papers, 1939-1977, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.modeelis
Creators:
Model, Elisabeth D. (Elisabeth Dittmann), 1897-1993
Dates:
1939-1977
Languages:
Some materials are in German and Dutch.
Physical Description:
0.7 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of sculptor Elisabeth Model measure 0.7 linear feet and date from 1939 to 1977. Found are biographical materials, correspondence, a file on poet Hermann Hesse, photographs of Model and her works of art, printed material, and writings by Model including a memoir. Also found are sound recordings of two interviews conducted in 1951, one of which includes artist Lena Gurr.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of sculptor Elisabeth Model measure 0.7 linear feet and date from 1939 to 1977. Found are biographical materials, correspondence, a file on poet Hermann Hesse, photographs of Model and her works of art, printed material, and writings by Model including a memoir. Also found are sound recordings of two interviews conducted in 1951, one of which includes artist Lena Gurr.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Elisabeth Model (1897-1993) was a German-born sculptor and painter active in New York City, New York. She is known for her sculptures of human figures and busts in terracotta.
Born in Bayreuth, Bavaria, Model studied sculpture in Munich under Professors Thor and Cericioli. Later, she studied in Amsterdam at the Rijksakademie under Professor Jurgens, and in Paris under Moissi Kogan. Model, her husband, Max, and their children fled the Netherlands during World War II and moved to New York City in 1941. Model continued her career in New York and was a member of the National Association of Women Artists.

Administration

Author
Jayna M. Josefson
Sponsor
Processing of this collection received support from the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative.
Existence and Location of Copies
Portions of the collection are available on 35mm microfilm reels 2323 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.
Separated Materials
Material on Reel N69/40 and manuscripts on reel 4866 including: a scrapbook, 1946-1968, containing 2 biographical accounts, several letters from colleagues, 1955-1967, exhibition catalogs, clippings, 2 award certificates from the Brooklyn Society of Artists, 35 photographs of works of art and one photograph of Model, were returned to Elisabeth D. Model after filming and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by Elisabeth Model in 1977 and 1989 and microfilmed in 1994 with funding provided by the Henry and Lucy Moses Fund, the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, the Goldie-Anna Charitable Trust, the Samuel Bronfman Foundation, and the Louis and Anne Abrons Foundation.
Processing Information
Portions of the papers received preliminary processing upon receipt and were microfilmed on reel 2323. The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2022 with support from the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative.

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. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
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
Elisabeth D. Model papers, 1939-1977. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Related Materials
The Center for Jewish History also holds the Papers of Elisabeth Model, 1912-1993. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. holds an oral history interview with Elisabeth Model as well as two scrapbooks.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women sculptors Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
World War, 1939-1945 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women painters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hesse, Hermann, 1877-1962 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gurr, Lena, 1897-1992 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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