Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Sidney C. Woodward Papers, 1823-1963, bulk 1915-1932, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.woodsidn
Creators:
Woodward, Sidney C., 1890-1963
Dates:
1823-1963
bulk 1915-1932
Languages:
Collection is in English.
Physical Description:
3.5 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of art critic, editor, and gallery director Sidney Woodward date from 1823 to 1963, bulk 1915-1932, and measure 3.5 linear feet. The majority of the collection consists of personal and professional correspondence and collected letters that pertain to Woodward's relationships with various artists, galleries, and arts organizations. Also included in this collection are two biographical documents; lecture notes and collected writings; printed material including books relating to the topic of art, exhibition catalogs, and newspaper clippings; a few personal photographs and reference photographs of paintings; and scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings, art reproductions, and printed material from the Casson Galleries.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of art critic, editor, and gallery director Sidney Woodward date from 1823 to 1963, bulk 1915-1932, and measure 3.5 linear feet. The majority of the collection consists of personal and professional correspondence and collected letters that pertain to Woodward's relationships with various artists, galleries, and arts organizations. Also included in this collection are two biographical documents; lecture notes and collected writings; printed material including books relating to the topic of art, exhibition catalogs, and newspaper clippings; a few personal photographs and reference photographs of paintings; and scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings, art reproductions, and printed material from the Casson Galleries.
Artists that Woodward corresponded with and collected letters from include Ernest L. Blumenschein, Harrison Cady, Robert Henri, C. Lewis Hind, Rockwell Kent, John La Farge, Hermann Dudley Murphy, Violet Oakley, Water Pach, Elizabeth Robins Pennell, and Chauncey Foster Ryder, among many others. A significant number of letters in this collection were sent by his brother, marine painter Stanley, during his service in both World Wars.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 6 series.
  • Missing Title
  • Series 1: Correspondence and Collected Letters, 1823-1963 (2.2 linear feet; Box 1-3)
  • Series 2: Biographical Material, 1918 (1 folder; Box 3)
  • Series 3: Writings, circa 1880-1940 (0.1 linear feet; Box 3)
  • Series 4: Printed Material, circa 1880-1963 (0.4 linear feet; Box 3-4)
  • Series 5: Photographs, 1910s-1940s (4 folders; Box 4)
  • Series 6: Scrapbooks, circa 1920-1940 (0.7 linear feet; Box 5, BV 6-7)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Sidney C. Woodward (1890-1963) was an art critic and editor in Boston, MA. Woodward collected letters and autographs from notable artists, as well as manuscripts relating to art and theater.
Woodward was born on December 11, 1890, in Malden, Massachusetts, son of Alice E. (Colesworthy) and Frank E. Woodward. He was one of eight children and a twin of Stanley, marine painter and illustrator. Woodward was an art critic and editor for the Boston Post, Boston Herald, and Christian Science Monitor; and gallery director of Casson Galleries, and Irving & Casson's art gallery in Boston, MA.

Administration

Author
Sara Pezzoni
Immediate Source of Acquisition
A portion of the collection was purchased by the Archives of American Art from Sidney Woodward in 1963. Additional material was donated in 1975 by Mrs. Sidney C. Woodward.
Existence and Location of Copies
Portions of the collection are available on 35 mm microfilm reels D194-D196 and 439-440 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
The collection was processed to a minimal level and a finding aid prepared by intern Sara Pezzoni in 2015. The collection has been minimally rearranged and retains the existing/original folder titles when possible. All materials have been rehoused in archival folders and boxes for long-term stability, but often staples and other fasteners have not been removed. Materials within folders have not been rearranged.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Sidney C. Woodward papers, 1823-1963, bulk 1915-1932. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
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.
Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment.

More Information

Other Finding Aids

Other Finding Aids
Microfilm reels D194-D196: An inventory is available at Archives of American Art offices.


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art -- Collectors and collecting Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art critics -- Massachusetts -- Boston Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gallery directors -- Massachusetts -- Boston Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Editors -- Massachusetts -- Boston Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hind, C. Lewis (Charles Lewis), 1862-1927 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Murphy, Hermann Dudley, 1867-1945 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pach, Walter, 1883-1958 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pennell, Elizabeth Robins, 1855-1936 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Casson Galleries Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Blumenschein, Ernest Leonard, 1874-1960 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Henri, Robert, 1865-1929 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
La Farge, John, 1835-1910 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cady, Harrison, 1877-1970 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ryder, Chauncey F., 1868-1949 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Woodward, Stanley Wingate, 1890-1970 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kent, Rockwell, 1882-1971 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Oakley, Violet, 1874-1961 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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