Archives of American Art

Sterling Strauser collection of Louis Eilshemius and Justin McCarthy materials

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.strastec
Creators:
Strauser, Sterling, 1907-
Dates:
1882-1934
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.4 Linear feet
(on 2 partial microfilm reels)
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Eilshemius's journal and essays, and McCarthy's sketchbooks and a scrapbook, collected by Sterling Strauser.
Scope and Contents
REEL 4398: Eilshemius's 125-page journal (1882-1884) discusses classes, student life, and sketching at Cornell University and an 1884 stay in New York City, including his studies at the Art Students League. Sixteen two- to five-page manuscripts (n.d. and 1934), titled "Experiences of Louis Eilshemius" and numbered from 2 to 18, discuss his studies at the Art Students League in New York City and the Academie Julian in Paris, technical matters, and other memories. A 1932 pamphlet by Eilshemius concerns "Some New Discoveries in Science and Art."
Scope and Contents
REEL 4408: Eight manila folders, each with 2 pages of poems concerning food and eating glued inside, were designed for lunch wagons and diners. One of the three sketchbooks contains drawings of Bethlehem Steel workers, some identified by name and shift number. A notebook (1920-1921) includes crayon and ink, watercolor, and pencil sketches; cartoons; and clippings of women. Seven pages of cartoons are attached to a manila folder. A scrapbook, labeled "made in Ritterville State Hospital, 1920," is filled with clippings of actresses, models, society women, and women athletes, some of whom are identified. Several clippings have been colored over with colored pencil.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Folk art collector and dealer, painter; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Discovered and helped popularize many folk or self-taught artists, including Justin McCarthy.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm reels 4398 & 4408 available at Archives of American Art offices, through interlibrary loan and at the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Existence and Location of Originals
Originals returned to the lender, Sterling Strauser, after microfilming.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Microfilmed in 1990 as part of AAA's Philadelphia Arts Documentation Project. Strauser purchased the Eilshemius materials from New York artist Esther Pressoir, who received the materials from Eilshemius. Strauser received the McCarthy materials directly from Justin McCarthy.

Using the Collection

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

More Information

Other Title

Other Title
Sterling Strauser collection of Louis Eilshemius writings and pamphlet (microfilm title)
Other Title
Sterling Strauser collection of Justin McCarthy materials (microfilm title)


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Folk art Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Iron and steel workers -- Pennsylvania Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketchbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art students -- France -- Paris Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art students -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Folk artists -- Pennsylvania Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Self-taught artists -- Pennsylvania -- Weatherly Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
McCarthy, Justin, 1891-1977 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Eilshemius, Louis M. (Louis Michel), 1864-1941 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bethlehem Steel Company Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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