John Wheat Papers
An inventory of the collection at Syracuse University
Finding aid created by: MRC
Date: 25 Jan 2011
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Finding aid created by: MRC
Date: 25 Jan 2011
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Overview of the Collection |
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| Creator: | Wheat, John Potter. |
| Title: | John Wheat Papers |
| Dates: | 1954-1969 |
| Quantity: | 0.25 linear ft. |
| Abstract: | American painter. Collection contains artwork (original and photographs), correspondence, printed material and biographical material, including a diary from Vietnam in late 1968. |
| 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 |
John Potter Wheat (1920-1980) was an American painter known for his landscapes and mural paintings. As Official Combat Artist for Vietnam, many of his paintings had military themes.
Wheat studied at the Art Students League and the Yale School of Fine Arts, and his work has been shown at the Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum, Chicago Art Institute, Corcoran Gallery, and National Academy of Design, among others. He received numerous awards over his career: the American Academy of Arts and Letters Purchase Prize, the American Watercolor Society Silver Medal, and the Allied Artists of American Gold Medal, and more than 25 other national and international awards.
Wheat served in World War II in the Office of Strategic Services, and was the Offical Combat Artist in Vietnam for the Chief of Military History. Several of his pieces reside in the United States Army Historical Collection in Washington, D.C.
The John Wheat Papers contains artwork, biographical material and printed material.
Artwork contains numerous original pen-and-ink and color sketches and drawings, along with photographs of many other drawings and of Wheat's paintings. There is also a folder of photographs of paintings annotated with information about their then-current locations and owners. Many of the paintings represent Vietnam subject matter -- soldiers, tanks, battles, marching troops, POWs, and more.
Biographical material contains awards and certificates, including a photocopy of a U.S. Army "Certificate of Appreciation for Patriotic Civilian Service" and an original certificate from the Royal Academy for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in London, naming Wheat a Fellow of the Academy. Also included here is Wheat's typed diary from November to December of 1968, recording his experiences in Vietnam as Offical Combat Artist, and some miscellaneous items such as a biographical sketch and a few photos of him in Vietnam.
Correspondence consists of an assortment of letters from galleries, museums, art dealers and similar individuals. Most of the letters document or announce awards and recognitions Wheat received.
Printed material contains clippings about Wheat and a number of exhibit announcements and catalogs.
Correspondence is in chronological order. Material in the other series is in no particular order.
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.
Persons
Vassos, John, 1898-1989.
Wheat, John Potter.
Corporate Bodies
United States. -- Army -- Art collections.
Subjects
Combat -- 20th century -- Pictorial works.
Mural painting and decoration -- United States -- 20th century.
Painters -- United States.
Painting, American -- 20th century.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal narratives.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Pictorial works.
War in art.
Genres and Forms
Clippings (information artifacts)
Diaries.
Drawings (visual works)
Photographs.
Occupations
Painters.
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
John Wheat Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Gift of John Wheat, 1966, 1970.
Artwork
Biographical material
Correspondence
Printed material
| Artwork | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Drawings, original 1966, undated | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Drawings, photographs of - Vietnam subject matter, pen-and-ink; originals done in 1968, date of photographs unknown | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Paintings, photographs of - Vietnam subjects | ||||||||||
| Originals of these paintings date from 1968 during Wheat's four weeks in Vietnam. The subject matter includes soldiers, military equipments, marching troops, POWs and more. The photographs are affixed to sheets of paper with typed details on date, location, Corps area and comments on the event portrayed. The subdivision by owner or repository reflects Wheat's original arrangement. | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Paintings, photographs of - miscellaneous subjects | ||||||||||
| Originals of these paintings date from 1942 to 1966, but the photographs are undated. Most are annotated by Wheat on the back with dates, locations, or other information. Many have Spanish or Mexican themes such as picadors, toreadors and bulls. | |||||||||||
| Biographical material | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Awards and certificates 1958, 1969 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Diary, Vietnam Nov-Dec 1968 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Miscellaneous - typed chronology, two photographs (one taken in Vietnam), and a flier from the dealer who represented Wheat | ||||||||||
| Correspondence | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Miscellaneous 1954-1966 | ||||||||||
| Printed material | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Clippings 1956-1957, undated | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Exhibits 1966, undated - one item includes brief paragraph on Wheat by John Vassos | ||||||||||