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Eugenie Gershoy Papers

An inventory of her papers at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: --
Date: May 1966

Biographical History

Eugenie Gershoy (1901-1983) was a Russian-American sculptress and painter. Born Jan. 1, 1901, in Krivoi Rog, Russia, Ms. Gershoy emigrated to the United States with her family in 1903. Ms. Gershoy (nicknamed "Johnny") won a scholarship to the Art Students League in New York where she studied under A. Stirling Caldwell, Kenneth Hayes Miller, and Boardman Robinson (1921-1922); she later lived for several years in the artists' colony at Woodstock, New York, where she was influenced by the noted sculptor John Flanagan.

Joining the Federal Art Project in 1936, Miss Gershoy developed the dextrine, glue, and plaster composition known as "polychrome," and her polychrome papier-mache sculptures were commissioned by numerous clients over the years. Ms. Gershoy also taught at the New Orleans Art School (1941-1942), California School of Fine Arts (1946), and in public schools in San Francisco. She was also an avid traveler, visiting or studying in England and France (early 1930s), Mexico and Guatemala (1947, 1948, and 1961), Paris (1951), and Africa, India, and the Orient (1955).

Ms. Gershoy's work has been exhibited in both solo and group shows in galleries and museums throughout the United States, including the Baltimore Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Dallas Museum of Art, Isaac Delgado Museum in New Orleans, Wichita Museum of Fine Arts, Whitney Museum of American Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and many others. Her work is in the permanent collections of many major museums and galleries, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum of Modern Art.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Eugenie Gershoy Papers consists of biographical material, correspondence, subject files, manuscripts, photographs, and published material.

The majority of Correspondence is incoming, including family and friends, galleries and museums, and fan mail. There is a small amount of outgoing correspondence. Subject files consists of pamphlets, newsletters, paintings and sketches (other than Miss Gershoy's), a printer's plate of "Can-Can Dancer," and other related items. Manuscripts include color tryouts, illustrations, notes, sketches, and working drawings. Photographs are of Ms. Gershoy's paintings and sculpture as well as of her family and friends. Published material includes clippings about Ms. Gershoy, published photographs of her and her work, reviews, and a few clippings about others.

Arrangement of the Collection

Incoming correspondence is arranged alphabetically by author, outgoing chronologically. Subject files are arranged alphabetically subject. Manuscripts are arranged alphabetically by type of manuscript. Published material is subdivided by type.

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.

Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has made a concerted effort over the years to ensure that its manuscript and rare books holdings complement each other. As a result, many of our manuscript collections are supported by books, pamphlets, serials and other items which are cataloged in the Rare Books Collection. Please be sure to search Libraries Search for these related materials.

Subject Headings

Persons

Gershoy, Eugenie, 1901- -- Archives.

Corporate Bodies

Federal Art Project.

Subjects

Art, American -- 20th century.
Art, American.
Painters -- United States.
Painting, American -- 20th century.
Russian Americans.
Sculptors -- United States.
Sculpture, American -- 20th century.
Women artists -- United States.
Women painters -- United States.
Women sculptors -- United States.

Genres and Forms

Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Drawings (visual works)
Pamphlets.
Photographs.
Sketches.

Occupations

Artists.
Painters.
Sculptors.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Eugenie Gershoy Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Table of Contents

Correspondence

Subject files

Manuscripts

Photographs

Published material

Inventory