Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Suzanne Mullett Smith Papers, 1913-1992, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.smitsuza
Creators:
Smith, Suzanne Mullett
Dates:
1913-1992
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
3.3 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of Suzanne Mullett Smith measure 3.3 linear feet and date from 1913 to 1992. The papers document her career as a painter and art historian through artist statements, a resume, correspondence, personal photographs, sketches and sketchbook, and other professional material; class and course notes, articles, and other writings; clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs and other printed material; research material related to Arthur Dove conisting of correspondence, notes, Master's Thesis, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and photographs of Dove's works.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of Suzanne Mullett Smith measure 3.3 linear feet and date from 1913 to 1992. The papers document her career as a painter and art historian through artist statements, a resume, correspondence, personal photographs, sketches and sketchbook, and other professional material; class and course notes, articles, and other writings; clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs and other printed material; research material related to Arthur Dove conisting of correspondence, notes, Master's Thesis, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and photographs of Dove's works.
Professional material includes artists statements and a resume, work with American University and the National Society of Arts and Letters, and correspondence including letters to her husband, Gordon H. Smith. Also included are some of her sketches and sketchbooks and photographs of Smith, Smith with family and friends, and Smith's wedding album.
Writings consist of class notes from Smith's studies at American University and a number of articles written by her. Articles include "A Testimony of Healing," "Art and the War, " and "(Jose Clemente) Orozco Paints."
Printed material consists of newspaper and magazine clippings, a scrapbook of clippings, and exhibition announcements and catalogs.
Research material on Arthur Dove consist of Smith's thesis statement, draft and 1944 version of her Master's thesis, correspondence with Dove, research notes, newspaper and magazine clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, photographs of Dove's works, a catalog of Dove's artwork, and an index card inventory. Also included are a number of microfilm reels of material on Dove.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged into four series.
  • Series 1: Professional Activity Files, 1913-1989 (0.8 linear feet; Box 1, 4, OV 6)
  • Series 2: Writings, 1923-1975 (0.6 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)
  • Series 3: Printed Material, 1923-1992 (0.2 linear feet; Box 2)
  • Series 4: Arthur Dove Research Material, 1932-1988 (1.6 linear feet; Boxes 2-5)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Suzanne Mullett Smith (1913-1989) was an art historian, author, and painter who lived primarily in the Washington, D.C. area. She wrote her 1944 American University Master's Thesis on Arthur Dove, entitled "Arthur G. Dove: A Study in Contemporary Art." In 1976, she completed a revised edition of this thesis.

Administration

Author
Ricky Gomez
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Material on reels 2425-2426 donated 1972 by Nathaly Baum. Material on reel 1043 lent for microfilming 1976 by Smith, and except for the 1976 revised thesis, was subsequently donated along with the unmicrofilmed material 1992 by Daisy Mullet Smith, Smith's daughter.
Existence and Location of Copies
Portions of the collection are available on 35mm microfilm reels 1043 and 2425-2426 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Processing Information
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Ricky Gomez in 2022.

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
Suzanne Mullett Smith Papers, 1913-1992. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Painting, American Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art historians -- Washington (D.C.) Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women art historians Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Alan, Charles, 1908?-1975 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dove, Arthur Garfield, 1880-1946 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jewell, Edward Alden, 1888-1947 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Phillips, Duncan, 1886-1966 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
O'Keeffe, Georgia, 1887-1986 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Stieglitz, Alfred, 1864-1946 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
American University (Washington, D.C.). Fine Arts Dept. -- Faculty Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
American Art Research Council Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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