Archives of American Art

Thornton Oakley papers

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.oaklthor
Creators:
Oakley, Thornton, 1881-1953
Dates:
1906-1953
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
3 Linear feet
(on 4 microfilm reels)
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Correspondence, artist files and subject files relate to Oakley's activities as an artist and illustrator, and his involvement with numerous art organizations, including the Philadelphia Art Alliance, the Philadelphia Water Color Club, the Artists' War Relief Committee of Philadelphia, and the Exposition of Indian Tribal Arts. Artist files on Cecilia Beaux, Florence Este, John Taylor Arms, John McLure Hamilton, Christian Brinton, George Morrow, Leila Mechlin, John Harkrider, Alexander Robinson, and Joseph Pennell, among others, primarily contain letters. Some also include photographs and printed matter. Four inches of letters from Beaux discuss working habits, portrait commissions, life in Paris, and personal matters. Letters from Este discuss life in France during the war, French artists, exhibitions at the Philadelphia Water Color Club, and Cecilia Beaux. Other material relates to Oakley's mural for the Franklin Institute.

Arrangement

Arrangement
I.Finding aid. II.Cecilia Beaux correspondence, 1907-1942. III.Research materials for Oakley's biography of Beaux. IV.Florence Este correspondence, 1914-1925. V.Subject files, 1918-1952. VI.Artist files, 1906-1953.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Watercolorist and illustrator; Philadephia, Pa.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm reels 4394-4397 available at Archives of American Art offices, through interlibrary loan, at the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the Brandywine River Museum.
Existence and Location of Originals
Originals in Brandywine River Museum.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Microfilmed in 1990 as part of AAA's Philadelphia Arts Documentation Project. The papers were donated to the Brandywine River Museum by Oakley's daughter, Lansdale Oakley Humphreys. Unfilmed portions of the papers relate to publications, the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, the National Geographic Society, French and Scandinavian organizations, and war relief efforts, among other topics.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Arts organizations -- Pennsylvania Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Expatriate painters -- France Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- United States Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Illustrators -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Watercolorists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Morrow, George, 1869-1955 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pennell, Joseph, 1857-1926 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Robinson, Alexander, 1867-1952 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arms, John Taylor, 1887-1953 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Beaux, Cecilia, 1855-1942 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brinton, Christian, 1870-1942 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Este, Florence, 1860-1926 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hamilton, John McLure, 1853-1936 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Harkrider, John, 1900- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mechlin, Leila, 1874-1949 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Franklin Institute (Philadelphia, Pa.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Philadelphia Art Alliance Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artists' War Relief Committee of Philadelphia Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Century Association (New York, N.Y.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Council of Art Organizations of Philadelphia Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Exposition of Indian Tribal Arts, inc. Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Philadelphia Water Color Club Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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