Archives of American Art

Oral history interview with Arthur Rothstein

Summary

(Electronic Resource)

Oral history interview with Arthur Rothstein, 1964 May 25, Transcript
Collection ID:
AAA.rothst64
Creators:
Rothstein, Arthur, 1915-1985
Doud, Richard Keith
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project
Dates:
1964 May 25
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
31 Pages
Transcript
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
An interview of Arthur Rothstein conducted in New York, N.Y., 1964 May 25, by Richard Doud, for the Archives of American Art.
Scope and Contents
Rothstein speaks of the development of his interest in photography as a hobby while in pre-medical school during the Depression; meeting Roy Stryker and his early impressions of Stryker; the Resettlement Administration and its growth into the Farm Security Administration (FSA); the educational experience of working under Stryker's guidance; the influence of Ben Shahn and Walker Evans; the traveling experience and its influence on him; early assignments; developing as a photographer; documenting the Dust Bowl; the "skull" series and the controversy surrounding it; usage of the FSA works; the FSA's contribution to Rothstein's life and personal development; and going to work for LOOK magazine. He recalls Carl Mydans and Russell Lee.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Arthur Rothstein (1915-1985) was a photographer from New York, N.Y.

Administration

Sponsor
Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.

Digital Content

(Electronic Resource)

Oral history interview with Arthur Rothstein, 1964 May 25, Transcript

(Sound Recording)

Oral history interview with Arthur Rothstein, 1964 May 25, Digital Sound Recording (Excerpt)

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.

More Information

General

General
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 11 min.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Documentary photography -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Evans, Walker, 1903-1975 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lee, Russell, 1903-1986 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mydans, Carl Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Stryker, Roy Emerson, 1893-1975 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Farm Security Administration.Historical Section.Photographs Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Archives of American Art
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Washington, D.C. 20001
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-7950
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