Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the John Weichsel Papers Concerning the People's Art Guild, 1905-1965, bulk 1905-1929, in the Archives of American Art

Summary
Collection ID:
AAA.weicjohn
Creators:
Weichsel, John, 1870-1946
Dates:
1905-1965, bulk 1905-1929
bulk 1905-1929
Languages:
The collection is in English
Physical Description:
0.6 Linear feet
Repository:
The John Weichsel papers concerning the People's Art Guild measure 0.6 linear feet and date from 1905-1965 with the bulk of the material dating from 1905-1929. The papers consist almost entirely of the records of the People's Art Guild, founded by Weichsel, and include administrative records, correspondence, writings and notes, business and financial records, printed material, and artwork.
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
The John Weichsel papers concerning the People's Art Guild measure 0.6 linear feet and date from 1905-1965 with the bulk of the material dating from 1905-1929. The papers consist almost entirely of the records of the People's Art Guild, founded by Weichsel, and include administrative records, correspondence, writings and notes, business and financial records, printed material, and artwork.
People's Art Guild records include the constitution, membership lists, and correspondence with Gifford Beal, George Bellows, Oscar Bluemner, Stuart Davis, Robert Delaunay, Leon Kroll, Standon Macdonald-Wright, Jules Pascin, John Sloan, Willard Wright and Marguerite and William Zorach, among others. Writings about the Peoples Art Guild are by Weichsel and his grandson John Weichsel. There are also lists of artists and works of art. Also found are very scattered business and financial records, printed materials, and artwork in the form of sketches for exhibition announcements.
Arrangement
Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 6 series.
    Missing Title
  • Series 1: Administrative Records, 1915-1917 (2 folders; Box 1)
  • Series 2: Correspondence, 1905-1922 (0.3 linear feet; Box 1)
  • Series 3: Writings and Notes, 1915-circa 1919, 1965 (4 folders; Box 1)
  • Series 4: Business and Financial Records, 1915-1917 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1-2)
  • Series 5: Printed Material, 1915-circa 1948 (0.2 linear feet; Box 2)
  • Series 6: Artwork, 1915-1916 (1 folder; Box 2)
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
John Weichsel (1870-1946) was an arts administrator and founded the artists' cooperative People's Art Guild of New York City in 1915.
John Weichsel was born in Poland and ultimately settled in New York City. The People's Art Guild was founded by Weichsel as an artist's cooperative focused on improving and expanding knowledge of art and the art world among the general public, believing this would increase art appreciation and patronage.
Administration
Author
Jayna M. Josefson
Sponsor
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated in 1960 and 1963 by Dr. H. S. Weichsel and John Weichsel, the son and grandson of Dr. John Weichsel. At an unknown later date, grandson John Weichsel donated his 1965 thesis on the Peoples Art Guild.
Existence and Location of Copies
Portions of the collection are available on 35 mm microfilm reels N60-1 to N60-2, 3, and 1079 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of the material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Processing Information
Several accretions of the papers were microfilmed shortly after receipt onto reels N60-1-N60-2, 3, and 1079. In 2013, the accretions were integrated and processed to a minimal level by Jayna Josefson with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Terms of 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.
Preferred Citation
John Weichsel papers concerning the People's Art Guild, 1905-1965, bulk 1905-1929. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Keywords
Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Arts administrators -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketches Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arts organizations -- New York (State) Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Davis, Stuart, 1892-1964 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Zorach, William, 1887-1966 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bellows, George, 1882-1925 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bluemner, Oscar, 1867-1938 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
People's Art Guild Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Van Dine, S. S. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Weichsel, John, 1938?- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Beal, Gifford, 1879-1956 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Zorach, Marguerite, 1887-1968 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pascin, Jules, 1885-1930 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kroll, Leon, 1884-1974 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sloan, John, 1871-1951 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Macdonald-Wright, Stanton, 1890-1973 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Delaunay, Robert, 1885-1941 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Repository Contact
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions