A Finding Aid to the Imogen Cunningham Papers, 1903-1991, in the Archives of American Art
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A Finding Aid to the Imogen Cunningham Papers, 1903-1991, in the Archives of American Art Jean Fitzgerald 1995 Archives of American Art 750 9th Street, NW Victor Building, Suite 2200 Washington, D.C. 20001 https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions https://www.aaa.si.edu/ Table of Contents Collection Overview ........................................................................................................ 1 Administrative Information .............................................................................................. 1 Biographical Note............................................................................................................. 2 Scope and Content Note................................................................................................. 2 Arrangement..................................................................................................................... 2 Names and Subjects ...................................................................................................... 2 Container Listing ............................................................................................................. 5 Series 1: Biographical Material, 1907-1981, undated.............................................. 5 Series 2: Correspondence, 1909-1991, undated..................................................... 6 Series 3: Personal Business Records, 1944-1976................................................. 42 Series 4: Notes, 1959-1968................................................................................... 43 Series 5: Teaching Files, 1964-1971..................................................................... 44 Series 6: Writings, circa 1910-1976....................................................................... 45 Series 7: Interview Transcripts, 1951, undated...................................................... 47 Series 8: Printed Material, 1903-1991................................................................... 48 Series 9: Photographs, 1916-1976........................................................................ 49 Series 10: Oversized Material, 1967, 1947-1948, undated.................................... 50 Imogen Cunningham papers AAA.cunnimog Collection Overview Repository: Archives of American Art Title: Imogen Cunningham papers Identifier: AAA.cunnimog Date: 1903-1991 Creator: Cunningham, Imogen, 1883-1976 Extent: 5.9 Linear feet Language: English . Summary: The papers of photographer and teacher Imogen Cunningham, date from 1903 to 1991. The collection measures 5.9 feet of material, including correspondence, business and financial records, writings, printed matter, and photographs, and provides a good overview of Cunningham's life and career. Administrative Information Provenance The collection was donated to the Archives of American Art by Imogen Cunningham in 1974 and 1976, and by her son, Gryffyd Partridge, in 1991. Alternative Forms Available The collection is available on 35 mm microfilm reels 5034-5041 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 and the finding aid written by Jean Fitzgerald in 1995. The finding aid was modified by Stephanie Ashley in 2001 prior to EAD conversion. Preferred Citation Imogen Cunningham papers, 1903-1991. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Restrictions on Access The collection is open for research. Patrons must use microfilm copy. 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. Page 1 of 50 Imogen Cunningham papers AAA.cunnimog Biographical Note Born in Portland, Oregon on April 12, 1883, Cunningham's family moved to Seattle in 1889. Inspired by Gertrude Kasebier's work, she purchased her first camera in 1901. After studying chemistry and botany at the University of Washington, she worked for the Edward S. Curtis Studio, Seattle, from 1907 to 1909. Receiving a scholarship, Cunningham studied for a year at the Technische Hochschule, Dresden. Upon her return to Seattle in 1910, she opened a studio and had the first major exhibition of her work at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences in 1912. In 1915, Cunningham married printmaker Roi Partridge and gave birth to her first son, Gryffyd. Two years later, her family moved to California, where she gave birth to twin sons, Padraic and Rondal. In 1920, the family moved to Oakland, where her husband taught at Mills College. During the 1920s, she exhibited her art work and began photographing plant forms. Along with Ansel Adams, John Paul Edwards, Sonya Noskowiak, Henry Swift, Willard Van Dyke, and Edward Weston, Cunningham formed the f/64 Group, a society of purist photographers in 1932. During the same year she began working for Vanity Fair and other magazines and began a career as a portrait photographer, including Martha Graham, Cary Grant, Morris Graves, Alfred Stieglitz, and Spencer Tracy as her subjects. She divorced her husband in 1934. In 1947, Cunningham established a studio in her San Francisco home, and continued to exhibit extensively until her death on June 24, 1976. Scope and Content Note The papers of photographer and teacher Imogen Cunningham, date from 1903 to 1991. The collection measures 5.9 feet of material, including correspondence, business and financial records, writings, printed matter, and photographs, and provides a good overview of Cunningham's life and career. 3.6 linear feet of correspondence comprise the bulk of the collection. Arrangement The collection is arranged into ten series according to material type: Missing Title: • Series 1: Biographical Material, 1907-1981, undated (box 1; 4 folders) • Series 2: Correspondence, 1909-1991, undated (boxes 1-4; 3.6 linear feet) • Series 3: Personal Business Records, 1944-1976 (box 4; 15 folders) • Series 4: Notes, 1959-1968 (box 4; 10 folders) • Series 5: Teaching Files, 1964-1971 (box 5; 4 folders) • Series 6: Writings, circa 1910-1976 (box 5; 21 folders) • Series 7: Interview Transcripts, 1951, undated (box 5; 2 folders) • Series 8: Printed Material, 1903-1991 (boxes 5-7; 1.2 linear feet) • Series 9: Photographs, 1916-1976 (box 7; 12 folders) • Series 10: Oversized Material, 1947-1948, 1967, undated Names and Subject Terms This collection is indexed in the online catalog of the Smithsonian Institution under the following terms: Page 2 of 50 Imogen Cunningham papers AAA.cunnimog Subjects: Photographers Photography, Artistic Portrait photography Women artists Women educators Women photographers Types of Materials: Illustrated letters Interviews Photographs Names: Aalto, Alvar, 1898-1976 Adams, Ansel, 1902-1984 Andreson, Laura Bissantz, Edgar, 1901- Bourke-White, Margaret, 1904-1971 Bristol, Horace Bullock, Wynn Butler, John Davidson, 1890-1974 Coburn, Alvin Langdon, 1882-1966 Feininger, Lyonel, 1871-1956 George Eastman House Graves, Morris, 1910- Group f.64 Hellman, Lillian, 1905-1984 Henry Art Gallery Kanaga, Consuelo, 1894- Lange, Dorothea Mann, Margery Moholy-Nagy, László, 1895-1946 Newhall, Beaumont, 1908-1993 Newman, Arnold, 1918-2006 Noskowiak, Sonya, d. 1975 O'Keeffe, Georgia , 1887-1986 Partridge, Roi, 1888-1984 Schoener, Allon Sheeler, Charles, 1883-1965 Steichen, Edward, 1879-1973 Steinert, Otto, 1915- Strand, Paul, 1890-1976 Struss, Karl, 1886- Toklas, Alice B. Van Dyke, Willard Weston, Edward, 1886-1958 White, Minor Witkin Gallery Witkin, Lee D. Zorach, William, 1887-1966 Page 3 of 50 Imogen Cunningham papers AAA.cunnimog Occupations: Educators -- California -- San Francisco Photographers -- California -- San Francisco Page 4 of 50 Series 1: Biographical Material Imogen Cunningham papers AAA.cunnimog Container Listing Series 1: Biographical Material, 1907-1981, undated 4 Folders ((Box 1)) Scope and This series includes a hand-written birth certificate signed by Cunningham's parents (1934), Contents: an affidavit of birth (1950), five biographical sketches, four award certificates, a diploma for an honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts from the California College of Arts and Crafts, and miscellaneous family tree information. A copy of a letter from the Cunningham Family Bible, dated Apr 30, 1956, and a letter from Roger Cunningham dated August 8, 1968 that provides genealogical information, can be found in Series 2: Correspondence. Available Biographical materials are on reel 5034. Formats: Box 1, Folder 1-3 Biographical Material, 1907-1981 Box 1, Folder 4 Miscellaneous Family Tree Information, undated, 1970 Return to Table of Contents Page 5 of 50 Series 2: Correspondence Imogen Cunningham papers AAA.cunnimog Series 2: Correspondence, 1909-1991, undated 3.6 Linear feet ((Boxes 1-4)) Scope and Correspondence found in this series is with both family members and business colleagues, Contents: reflecting both aspects of Cunningham's life. See Appendix for a list of notable correspondents from Series