Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Caesar, Doris.
Title:	Doris Caesar Papers
Dates:	1926-1977
Quantity:	6.0 linear ft.
Abstract:	Spanning 1926 to 1977, the Doris Caesar Papers comprises biographical material, correspondence-subject files, artwork, writings, and memorabilia of the New York-born sculptor (1892-1971). Correspondents include Alexander Archipenko, Alexander Calder, Frank Kacmarcik, William Pachner, and James A. Porter. The collection illuminates Caesar's personal life and the evolution of her artistic career.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

American sculptor (1892-1971), specialized in the portrayal of the female figure and saints.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

Arranged alphabetically, the Correspondence-subject files (Box 1) consists of incoming letters and outgoing holograph drafts, as well as other documents relating to artwork. Among the correspondents are architect James T. Canizaro; art associations (Atlanta Art Association, Audubon Artists, inc., National Association of Women Artists, Inc.); art dealers (Curt Valentin, Erhard Weyhe); art galleries and museums (Addison Gallery of American Art, Busch-Reisinger Museum of Germanic Culture, Dayton Art Institute, Des Moines Art Center, Grand Rapids Art Gallery, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Lawrence Art Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museu de Arte, Newark Museum, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Portland Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art); artists (Alexander Archipenko, Vernon L. Bobbitt, Alexander Calder, Dorothea S. Greenbaum, Frank Kacmarcik, William Pachner, James A. Porter); and authors and critics (Carlyle Burrows, Geoffrey Bush, Robert M. Coates, Howard Devree, Charles Z. Offin). Other correspondence includes that of clients (Father Judge Mission Seminary, Morris Gross, Rudolph E. Langer, Litchfield Savings Society, Billy Rose, St. Bernard's Church, Saint Gregory's Priory, Saint John's Abbey, Saint Louis Priory, St. Paul's School, Dorothy and James S. Schramm, Saul Solomon, Frank Sommer, Utica Public Library); educational institutions (Albion College, Connecticut College, Grinnell College, Howard University, Syracuse University, Wellesley College, Williams College); museum curators (John I. H. Baur, Henry Bryan Caldwell, Bartlett Harding Hayes, Leona E. Prasse, James L. Whitehead, Carl Zigrosser); photographer Rohn Engh; and typographer Elmer Adler.

Artwork encompasses original sketches, photographs, and reproductions of Caesar's works. Photographs include those of exhibitions (1950-1967) and sculpture, which is subdivided by early works, general works (in alphabetical order by title), and portraits (arranged by name of person).

Autobiographical reminiscences partially documented by photographs, notes on sculpture, published and unpublished poems, and a statement on art constitute Writings. Memorabilia comprises a list of earnings from art sales, photographs, printed material, and scrapbooks. A portrait of Caesar by Willard Warren Cummings, her art studios (1926-1968), and personal life are depicted by Photographs. Printed material includes a book and newspaper clippings about Caesar (1926-1969), exhibition catalogs for group and one-person shows (1931-1969), an exhibition poster from Petit Palais, and reviews of her artwork and poetry (1931-1966). While the originals are restricted in the interest of preservation, photographs and photocopies reproduce Caesar's two Scrapbooks in their entirety (1931-1970).

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

The originals are restricted in the interest of preservation. Photographs and photocopies reproduce Caesar's two scrapbooks in their entirety (1931-1970).

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Doris Caesar Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Doris Caesar, 1963-1970.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: ASE
Date: Oct 1993
Revision history: 6 Jun 2005 - EAD file created (MRR); 19 Feb 2013 - oversize container numbers/arrangements revised (MBD)

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Inventory

	Biographical Material
Box 1		Biographical Material

	Correspondence-subject files
Box 1		Addison Gallery of American Art (Andover, Mass.) 1941, 1953, 1957
		Adler, Elmer
			See Calle del Cristo
		Albion College (Albion, Mich.)
			See Bobbitt, Vernon L.
Box 1		Archipenko, Alexander 1931, undated
Box 1		Atlanta Art Association 1954, 1955
Box 1		Audubon Artists, inc. 1961
		Baur, John I. H.
			See Whitney Museum of American Art
Box 1		Bobbitt, Vernon L. 1958, 1960
Box 1		Burrows, Carlyle 1956
Box 1		Busch-Reisinger Museum of Germanic Culture (Cambridge, Mass.) 1958
Box 1		Bush, Geoffrey 1957
Box 1		Calder, Alexander 1955
Box 1		Caldwell, Henry Bryan 1960, 1962
Box 1		Calle del Cristo (San Juan, Puerto Rico) 1960-1963, undated
Box 1		Canizaro, James T. 1961, 1964
Box 1		Coates, Robert M. 1956
Box 1		Connecticut College 1958, 1960, undated
Box 1		Dayton Art Institute (Ohio) 1950, 1958
Box 1		Des Moines Art Center (Iowa) 1964, 1965
Box 1		Devree, Howard 1957, undated
Box 1		Engh, Rohn and Jeri 1964
Box 1		Father Judge Mission Seminary (Monroe, Va.) 1961, undated
			See also Canizaro, James T.
Box 1		Grand Rapids Art Gallery (Michigan) 1960
Box 1		Greenbaum, Dorothea S. 1939
Box 1		Grinnell College (Iowa) 1965
Box 1		Gross, Morris undated
		Hayes, Bartlett Harding
			See Addison Gallery of American Art
Box 1		Howard University (Washington, D. C.) 1958
Box 1		Kacmarcik, Frank 1959-1964, undated
Box 1		Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (Michigan) 1965
Box 1		Langer, Rudolph E. 1950
		Lawrence Art Museum (Williamstown, Mass.)
			See Williams College
Box 1		Litchfield Savings Society (Connecticut) 1950
Box 1		Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N. Y.) 1951
Box 1		Museu de Arte (Sao Paulo, Brazil) 1958, 1959
Box 1		National Association of Women Artists, Inc. 1953, 1960
Box 1		Newark Museum (New Jersey) 1950, 1958, 1977
Box 1		Offin, Charles Z. 1939, 1951, 1952
Box 1		Pachner, William undated
Box 1		Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 1953, 1958
Box 1		Philadelphia Museum of Art 1949, 1958
		Porter, James A.
			See Howard University
Box 1		Portland Museum of Art (Maine) 1958, 1960
Box 1		Prasse, Leona E. 1962
Box 1		Rose, Billy 1955, undated
Box 1		St. Bernard's Church (Hazardville, Conn.) 1955, 1959, 1962
Box 1		Saint Gregory's Priory (Three Rivers, Mich.) 1964-1966, undated
Box 1		Saint John's Abbey (Collegeville, Minn.) 1959-1965, undated
Box 1		Saint Louis Priory (Creve Coeur, Mo.) 1962, 1964-1965, undated
Box 1		St. Paul's School (Concord, N. H.) 1964, undated
Box 1		Schramm, Dorothy and James S. 1960, undated
Box 1		Solomon, Saul 1951
Box 1		Sommer, Frank 1953, 1959, 1962
Box 1		Syracuse University 1964-1965, 1969, undated
Box 1		Utica Public Library (Utica, N. Y.) 1958
Box 1		Valentin, Curt 1941, 1954
Box 1		Wellesley College (Massachusetts) 1953
Box 1		Weyhe, Erhard 1945-1965, undated
Box 1		Whitehead, James L. 1959-1964
Box 1		Whitney Museum of American Art (New York, N. Y.) 1951-1961
Box 1		Williams College (Williamstown, Mass.) undated
		Zigrosser, Carl
			See Philadelphia Museum of Art
		A-Z (1 folder)

	Artwork
Oversize 1-2		Original drawings and sketches (mixed pencil-charcoal-watercolor-pastel) - mainly nudes and figures (65 items)
		Photographs
Box 2			Exhibitions 1950-1967
			Sculpture
Box 2				Early works (untitled)
				General
Box 2					By title - A-R (6 folders)
Box 3					By title - S-Z (5 folders)
Box 3					Untitled
						See also Memorabilia: Photographs: Art Studios
Oversize 3					Oversize photos of sculpture
Box 3		Portraits (by name of person) - A-Z
Box 3		Reproductions 1933-1969, undated

	Writings
Box 4		Autobiographical reminiscences - holograph
Box 4		Autobiographical reminiscences with photographs - holograph
Box 4		Notes on sculpture 1951-1968, undated - Incorporates photographs, artwork reproductions, sketches, exhibition invitation (2 folders)
		Poems
Box 4			Certain Paths; Phantom Thoughts 1934, 1937 (2 vols. in boxed set)
Box 4			Untitled holograph and typescript statement on art - holograph undated

	Memorabilia
		Financial
Box 4			Statement of earnings from art sales 1958-1963
		Photographs
Box 4			Art studios 1926-1968, undated
Box 4			Artwork by others - Cummings, Willard Warren - portrait of Doris Caesar
Box 4			Personal 1928, undated 1961, undated
		Printed material
Box 4			Books - Doris Caesar / Martin H. Bush
Box 4			Clippings 1932-1969, undated
			Exhibition catalogs
Box 5				Group shows 1942-1964 (7 folders)
Box 5				One-person shows 1931-1969
Oversize 1			Exhibition poster - Petit Palais - "New York Six" 1950
Box 6			Reviews 1931-1966, undated
		Scrapbooks
Oversize 4			Originals 1931-1970 (2 books)
Box 6			Photographic and photocopied reproductions 1931-1970 (2 volumes in 2 folders)

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