National Portrait Gallery

A Finding Aid to the Leah Lipton Research Material on Chester Harding

Summary

Collection ID:
NPG.CAP.00001
Creators:
Lipton, Leah
Dates:
1980-2007
bulk 1980-1986
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
2.7 Linear feet
Repository:
Research material gathered by Leah Lipton regarding portrait painter Chester Harding (1792-1866), including correspondence with reference librarians, archivists, scholars, private collectors, Harding's descendants, and others; printed material, notes, and photographs.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
These papers are the research materials of Leah Lipton on the subject of American portrait painter Chester Harding. The research material was compiled by Lipton for a biography and checklist of the work of Chester Harding, and for "A Truthful Likeness: Chester Harding and His Portraits," a catalogue and 1985 exhibition of his paintings for the National Portrait Gallery. The papers contain correspondence, biographical information on Harding, notes, writings, printed material, and photographs of artwork.
Correspondence includes letters to and from Leah Lipton with European and American museums, galleries, libraries, other cultural institutions, scholars, private collectors, and descendants of Chester Harding. The printed material in the collection includes brochures, publications, copies of correspondence and other documents relating to Harding, and scattered articles and essays on Harding. Comprising the majority of the collection are portrait files, which contain research material such as notes, correspondence, printed material and photographs related to Chester Harding's portraits. The collection also contains files containing information on biographical aspects of Harding's life, subjects related to Chester Harding, and collections with materials relating to Harding.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as six series:
Series 1: Correspondence, 1980-1986, 2002, 2007, bulk 1981-1982
Series 2: Biographical Information about Chester Harding, 1981-1984, 1987, undated
Series 3: Subject Files, 1981-1984, 1986, undated
Series 4: Places, 1981-1984, 1992, undated
Series 5: Portrait Files, 1980-1987, 1991-1992, 1996-1997, 2001, undated
Series 6: Exhibition Materials, 1981-1982, undated

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Leah Lipton is an art historian (1928-2015), who conducted significant research into the life and works of Chester Harding (1 Sept. 1792-10 Apr. 1866), American portrait painter.

Administration

Author
Molly McGuire
Processing Information
The Leah Lipton research material was processed by Molly McGuire in October 2012.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquired from Leah Lipton.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Conditions Governing Use
The Leah Lipton research material is owned by the Catalog of American Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, and is available for use by researchers. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Preferred Citation
Leah Lipton research material on Chester Harding, 1980-2007, bulk 1980-1986. Catalog of American Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Portrait painters Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Harding, Chester, 1792-1866 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Portrait Gallery
Victor Building, Suite 410
750 Ninth Street NW
MRC 973, PO Box 37012
Washington, DC 20013
NPGResearch@si.edu