Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Gladys Nelson Smith Papers, 1891-1989, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.smitglad
Creators:
Smith, Gladys Nelson, 1890-1980
Dates:
1891-1989
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1.2 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of painter Gladys Nelson Smith measure 1.2 linear feet and date from 1891 to 1989. Compiled and annotated by Smith's sister Josephine Nelson, the papers were used for Nelson's memoir My Sister Gladys (1984). Found are biographical materials on Smith and the Nelson family, scattered correspondence, exhibition material, personal business records, photographs, printed material, and writings by Smith. Also found is a diary kept by Smith on a trip to Europe from 1930 to 1931 and three textbooks used by Smith as a student in which she includes painted and pencil sketches and doodles.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of painter Gladys Nelson Smith measure 1.2 linear feet and date from 1891 to 1989. Compiled and annotated by Smith's sister Josephine Nelson, the papers were used for Nelson's memoir My Sister Gladys (1984). Found are biographical materials on Smith and the Nelson family, scattered correspondence, exhibition material, personal business records, photographs, printed material, and writings by Smith. Also found is a diary kept by Smith on a trip to Europe from 1930 to 1931 and three textbooks used by Smith as a student in which she includes painted and pencil sketches and doodles.

Arrangement

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

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Gladys Nelson Smith (1890-1980) was a painter in Washington, D.C.. Born in El Dorado, Kansas, Smith studied art at the University of Kansas and followed her husband, Errett Smith to New York City where she enrolled at the Art Students League. Eventually, settling in Washington, D.C., Smith studied at the Corcoran School of Art with Edmund Tarbell. She was a member of the Landscape Club of Washington. Smith died in Chevy Chase, Maryland, in 1980.

Administration

Author
Jayna M. Josefson
Sponsor
Processing of this collection received support from the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated 1989 and 1992 by Josephine Nelson.
Processing Information
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2023 with support from the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative.

Using the Collection

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.
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.
Preferred Citation
Gladys Nelson Smith papers, 1891-1989. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Drawings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- Washington (D.C.) Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women painters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Diaries Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Nelson, Josephine Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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