Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Nicholas Wilder Gallery Records, 1944-1984, bulk 1968-1979, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.nichwild
Creators:
Nicholas Wilder Gallery
Dates:
1944-1984
bulk 1968-1979
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
2.4 Linear feet
Repository:
The records of the Nicholas Wilder Gallery of Los Angeles measure 2.4 linear feet and date from 1944 through 1984, with the bulk of materials dating from 1968-1979. Scattered documentation of the contemporary art gallery's fourteen years of operation include artists' inventory cards, photographic transparencies, letters and correspondence, invitations, notes, business and financial documents, and printed materials.

Scope and Content Note

Scope and Content Note
The records of the Nicholas Wilder Gallery of Los Angeles measure 2.4 linear feet and date from 1944 through 1984, with the bulk of materials dating from 1968 to 1979. Scattered documentation of the contemporary art gallery's fourteen years of operation include artists' inventory cards (the bulk of the collection), photographic transparencies, letters and correspondence, invitations, notes, business and financial documents, and printed materials.
The majority of records date from the period after the gallery moved to La Cienega Boulevard to Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. Very few records pertaining to specific exhibitions or openings are included in this collection. However, there is one exhibition catalog and scattered gallery invitations which were used as scrap paper. Other materials include business records that contain financial materials and notes. Printed Materials contain popular newspapers and magazines that reflect Wilder's interests, invitations to other galleries, auction catalogs, and business cards. Correspondence includes scattered gallery correspondence, Wilder's personal correspondence and documents, and holiday cards.
The bulk of the collection consists of artist files which include inventory cards and transparencies of works of art. Information on the inventory cards and transparencies may specify: date of creation, date of accession, potential collectors, purchase records, and titles. Notable artists include: Joe Goode, Tom Holland, Robert Graham, Billy Al Bengston, Cy Twombly, Ken Price, Ed Moses, Ron Davis, John McCracken, Kenneth Noland, Helen Frankenthaler, Jules Olitski, Agnes Martin, Edward Avedisian, John Altoon, Richard Yokomi, Sam Francis, Bruce Nauman, Hans Hofmann, and David Hockney. The majority of inventory cards reflect business at the gallery in the mid-late 1970s.
Financial records originating from the James Corcoran Gallery are included in this collection. The relationship between the two establishments is unclear although it seems that the James Corcoran Gallery moved into the space previously occupied by the Nicholas Wilder Gallery.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged into four series:
  • Missing Title
  • Series 1: Business Records, 1968-1978, 1980-1984, circa 1970s (Box 1; 5 folders)
  • Series 2: Correspondence, 1974-1981, circa 1970s (Box 1; 4 folders)
  • Series 3: Printed Material, 1976-1980, circa 1970s (Box 1; 9 folders)
  • Series 4: Artist Files, 1944-1984, circa 1960s-1970s (Box 1-3; 2 linear feet)

Historical Note

Historical Note
In April 1965, Nicholas Wilder (1937-1989) founded his contemporary art gallery at 814 North La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. His interest in art started at Amherst College where he worked for the art department as a slide technician. While in graduate school at Stanford University, he worked at the Lanyon Gallery in Palo Alto, California. An initial offer of financial backing to open a gallery inspired a move to Los Angeles. Although that offer fell through, Wilder remained determined. In late 1964, Wilder sold shares of his future gallery to friends in order to secure funds. He bought the shares back shortly after opening.
The Nicholas Wilder Gallery's first show featured Edward Avedisian. The gallery expanded and featured artists from New York and California, including: Joe Goode, John McCracken, Kenneth Noland, Helen Frankenthaler, Jules Olitski, Cy Twombly, Ed Moses, Ken Price, Agnes Martin, John Altoon, Sam Francis, Billy Al Bengston, and Hans Hofmann. The gallery helped start the careers of American artists such as Robert Graham, Tom Holland, Ron Davis, and Bruce Nauman. In 1970, the gallery moved to 8225 ½ Santa Monica Boulevard. Through its fourteen years of operation, the gallery held a new show every month. Wilder's openings represented a large source of pride and he ensured that every opening reception included a stocked bar for his clients.
Initially, the gallery succeeded through Wilder's talents and passion for art. At its peak, the Nicholas Wilder Gallery sold two million dollars worth of art per year. However, in the mid-1970s a change in attitude within the art world affected sales. According to Wilder, many artists no longer painted for expression but as a viable business venture. Furthermore, he claimed that buyers would not risk collecting works from a younger or less well-known artist. In addition to these factors, Wilder attributed the decline of his gallery to his extravagance and lack of business sensibilities. Eventually, the gallery faced financial problems and Wilder recognized the need to leave the business.
The Nicholas Wilder Gallery closed on December 31, 1979. Wilder informed his employees that he would close a year in advance and ensured that all of his artists found a new gallery for representation. He moved to New York after leaving his gallery and became an artist. Nicholas Wilder passed away in 1989 from AIDS-related causes.

Administration

Author
Jayna M. Hanson
Sponsor
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Getty Foundation
Provenance
The Nicholas Wilder Gallery records were donated to the Archives of American Art in 1998 by Matthew Curtis Klebaum, a friend of Wilder's and a former employee of the James Corcoran Gallery.
Processing Information
The records were processed by Jayna M. Hanson in 2008 with funding provided by the Getty Foundation.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Nicholas Wilder Gallery records, 1944-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Restrictions on Access
The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment.
Terms of 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.

Related Material
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Nicholas Wilder conducted by Ruth Bowman on July 18, 1988.
Nicholas Wilder Gallery records, 1927-1980, are also located at the Getty Research Institute.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art dealers -- California -- Los Angeles Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artists -- California -- Los Angeles Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art galleries, Commercial -- California Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Holland, Tom, 1936- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hockney, David Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hofmann, Hans, 1880-1966 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Moses, Ed, 1926- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Frankenthaler, Helen, 1928-2011 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Nauman, Bruce, 1941- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
James Corcoran Gallery Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Martin, Agnes, 1912-2004 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
McCracken, John, 1934-2011 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Olitski, Jules, 1922- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Price, Kenneth, 1935-2012 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Noland, Kenneth, 1924- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Yokomi, Richard Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Twombly, Cy, 1928- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wilder, Nicholas Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Francis, Sam, 1923- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Graham, Robert, 1938- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Goode, Joe, 1937- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Avedisian, Edward, 1936-2007 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Altoon, John, 1925- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Davis, Ron, 1937- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bengston, Billy Al Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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