Archives of American Art

Joseph Randall Shapiro and Jory Shapiro papers

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.shapjose
Creators:
Shapiro, Joseph Randall
Shapiro, Jory
Dates:
1943-1985
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.6 Linear feet
(on 1 microfilm reel)
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Letters, scrapbooks, and printed material documenting the development of the Shapiro's art collection. Correspondence, primarily from dealers, museums, art organizations and artists, includes letters from Enrico Baj, Aaron Bohrod (recommending Ben Shahn as a muralist), George Buehr, Jose Luis Cuevas, Leon Golub, Margo Hoff, Miyoko Ito, Sidney Janis, Ellen Lanyon, Pierre Matisse, Ida Meyer-Chagall (discussing her father's work), Abbott Pattison, Irving Petlin, Abraham Rattner, and Kay Sage Tanguy (discussing her husband's work). Printed material consists of 11 exhibition announcements and catalogs (1952-1984), and clippings (1965-1985).
Scope and Contents
Four scrapbooks (1943-1955) contain clippings, some dealing with the "Art to Live With" program, exhibition catalogs, a letter from Richard Daley (1958), a 3-page typescript "Surrealism Then and Now" by Doris Lane Butler (1958), press releases (1959), and a letter from R. J. Nedved of the Illinois Society of Architects (1967).

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Born 1904. Died 1996. Joseph Shapiro began collecting in 1942 and was drawn to works in the Surrealist tradition. While establishing one of the most important art collections in Chicago, Shapiro and his wife Jory enjoyed personal friendships with artists and used their collection to educate and increase public appreciation of modern art in Chicago. Shapiro was a founder of the Museum of Contemporary Art and served on its board as President from 1967 until 1974.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm reel 3759 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Material on reel 3759 (fr. 1-320) donated 1986; and material on fr. 323-569 lent for microfilming 1986 all by Joseph R. Shapiro.

Using the Collection

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

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- Illinois -- Chicago Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Surrealism -- Collectors and collecting Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art -- Collectors and collecting Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art patrons Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Chagall, Marc, 1887-1985 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tanguy, Yves, 1900-1955 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Golub, Leon, 1922-2004 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hoff, Margo Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ito, Miyoko, 1918-1983 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Janis, Sidney, 1896-1989 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lanyon, Ellen Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Matisse, Pierre, 1900-1989 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pattison, Abbott L. (Abbott Lawrence), 1916-1999 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Petlin, Irving, 1934-2018 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rattner, Abraham Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sage, Kay Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Baj, Enrico, 1924- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bohrod, Aaron Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Buehr, George Frederick, 1905-1983 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cuevas, José Luis, 1934- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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