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Henry Botkin Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: MRC
Date: 9 Apr 2010



Biographical History

Henry Botkin (1896-1983) was an American abstract, modern and expressionist painter and illustrator; he was known for his figure-views, still lifes, and non-objective paintings. He was active in artistic circles, served as president of four major art organizations (Artists Equity Association, American Abstract Artists, Group 256 Provincetown, and Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors), and in 1955 organized the first exhibition of American abstract art at the Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, Japan.


Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Henry Botkin Papers consists of biographical material, correspondence, manuscript material, photographs, published material and subject files.

Biographical material contains a biographical sketch of Botkin from the 1948 Marquis International Who's Who.

Correspondence includes letters to or from Botkin's wife and fellow painter Anna Walinska, along with a few unidentified letters.

Manuscripts contains an assortment of material by and about Botkin, including a book outline, press releases, some pencil sketches, speeches and discussions.

Photographs are of Botkin, his work, and the work of others.

The bulk of Published material is comprised of newspaper clippings by and about Botkin; there are also some reproductions of Botkin's work and some exhibit material. Two books originally with the collection have been transferred to Rare Books for cataloging.

Subject files includes financial material (bills, receipts, etc.), an essay on abstrac art in Japan by Sabro Hasagawa, a few building plans and meeting minutes from several organizations to which Botkin belonged.


Arrangement of the Collection

Alphabetical.


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

Two books (listed in inventory below) have been sent to Rare Books for cataloging.


Subject Headings

Persons

Botkin, Henry Albert, 1896-1983.

Subjects

Expressionism (Art)
Painting, Abstract.
Painting, America -- 20th century.

Genres and Forms

Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Photographs.
Press releases.

Occupations

Painters.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Henry Botkin Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Mrs. Henry Botkin, 1965.


Table of Contents

Biographical material

Correspondence

Manuscripts

Photographs

Published material

Subject files


Inventory