Collection inventory

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Hiram Williams Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Williams, Hiram.
Title: Hiram Williams Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1917-1966
Quantity: 2 linear ft.
Abstract: Papers of the American painter and educator. Collection includes incoming and outgoing correspondence, original book illustrations and a painting of his parents, reproductions of Williams' artwork, financial and legal material, lists of paintings, photographs of Williams and his family, and printed material. Correspondents include Luis Eades, Hobson Pittman, and art galleries and museums.
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

Hiram Williams (1917-2003) was an American painter and art educator, known for his abstract figures and portrait work.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Hiram Williams Papers comprises biographical material, correspondence, artwork, writings and memorabilia of the American painter and educator. Focusing on the 1950s and 1960s, the collection -- which is occasionally interspersed with annotations supplied by Williams -- illuminates his artistic career and, to a lesser extent, his personal life.

Correspondence-subject files (Box 1) consists of incoming letter and outgoing carbons, as well as other material pertaining to art, from 1960 through 1966. Correspondence includes that of artists (Luis Eades, Hobson Pittman, William Stephens), patron Mildred Hawn, art galleries and museums (Atelier Chapman Kelley, Beaumont Art Museum, Carlin Galleries, Cushman Galleries, Museum of Modern Art, and others), the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, and publisher Prentice-Hall.

Artwork (Box 2) encompasses original book illustrations for Williams' Notes for a Young Painter, an original painting of his parents, and numerous reproductions of his work, including photographs and negatives of several exhibitions, a mural and paintings.

An original handwritten manuscript of an unpublished novel and miscellaneous statements on art constitute Writings.

Memorabilia (Boxes 3 and 4) comprises family mementos, financial and legal material, lists of Williams' paintings (some with prices), photographs, printed material, and teaching-related items. Family memorabilia includes Williams' baby book, his father's diary from 1938, two newspaper clippings about his parents, and incoming correspondence from his mother. Financial and legal material consists of miscellaneous contracts, receipts and bank statements. Among the Photographs are some of Williams teaching at the University of Florida and miscellaneous pictures of the artist, his family and friends. Printed material contains articles, reviews, newspaper clippings, and exhibition catalogs and invitations.

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Arrangement of the Collection

Correspondence-subject files are arranged alphabetically by correspondence. Artwork, Writings and Memorabilia are each arranged alphabetically by type of material.

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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.

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

Eades, Luis.
Pittman, Hobson, 1900-
Williams, Hiram.

Subjects

Art, American -- 20th century.
Art, American.
Painters -- United States.
Painting, American -- 20th century.
Painting, American.

Genres and Forms

Articles.
Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Exhibition catalogs.
Illustrations.
Photographs.

Occupations

Artists.
Painters.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Hiram Williams Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Hiram Williams, 1967.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: -
Date: 6 Jan 1994
Revision history: 9 Sep 2010 - converted to EAD (MRC)

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Inventory

Correspondence-subject files
Box 1 Atelier Chapman Kelley 1963, 1965
Box 1 Beaumont Art Museum 1960
Box 1 Bocour Artist Colors, Inc. 1965
Box 1 Carlin Galleries 1960-1961
Box 1 Cushman Gallery, Inc. 1960-1962, undated
Box 1 Delray Beach Library 1965
Box 1 Eades, Luis 1965
Box 1 Galleries of Frank J. Oehlschlager 1962-1963
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Box 1 Correspondence 1961-1963
Box 1 Reports 1961-1962
Box 1 Hawn, Mildred 1965-1966
Box 1 Junior Service League of Longview, Texas 1966
Kelley, Chapman
See Atelier Chapman Kelley.
Box 1 Felix Landau Gallery 1961-1962
Box 1 Museum of Modern Art 1960, undated
Box 1 Nordness Gallery 1961-1966, undated
Box 1 Nye Galleries 1961-1964, undated
Box 1 Pennsylvania State University 1962
Box 1 Pittman, Hobson 1963, undated
Box 1 Pratt Graphic Art Center 1962, 1964
Box 1 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1962-1965
Box 1 Stephens, William 1964
Box 1 Unidentified, A-Z
Artwork
Box 2 Original book illustrations for Notes for a Young Painter - ballpoint pen
Box 2 Original painting undated
Photographs and negatives
Box 2 Exhibitions 1959, undated
Box 2 Mural at Penn State University 1950-1951
Box 2 Paintings, by title (2 folders)
Box 2 Reproductions 1960, 1962, 1963
Writings
Box 2 Novel, untitled - original handwritten manuscript (2 folders)
Box 2 Statements on art 1959, 1963, 1964, undated
Memorabilia
Box 3 Family 1917, 1938, 1956-1963, undated
Box 3 Financial and legal 1962-1965 - contracts, receipts, bank statements
Box 3 Lists of paintings undated - some include prices
Box 3 Photographs 1950s-1960s
Printed material
Box 3 Articles and reviews 1952-1966, undated
Box 3 Clippings 1952-1966, undated
Box 3 Exhibition catalogs, group shows 1951-1963 (3 folders)
Box 4 Exhibition catalogs, group shows 1964-1966, undated (2 folders)
Box 4 Exhibition catalogs, one-man shows 1959-1966
Box 4 Exhibition invitations 1952-1966, undated
Teaching-related items
Box 4 University of Florida 1961-1963, 1966 (2 folders)
Box 4 University of Texas 1958
Box 4 Miscellaneous

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