Oral history interview with Raymond E. Lewis

Object Details

General: Originally recorded on 5 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 9 digital wav files. Duration is 4 hrs., 41 min.

Provenance: These interviews are part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.

Sponsor: Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.

Biographical / Historical: Raymond Lewis is an art dealer from San Rafael, Calif.

Type: Collection descriptions; Archival materials; Pages; Sound recordings; Interviews

Existence and Location of Copies: Transcript: 35mm microfilm reel 3417 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.

Scope and Contents: An interview of Raymond E. Lewis conducted 1981 Dec. 7-1982 Jan. 7, by Paul J. Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art.; Lewis speaks of his childhood in New York, moving to California, his early plans to become a veterinarian, his education in art history at Berkeley, and teaching art in high schools. He discusses his move to Boston and work at Childs Gallery; his 1952 return to California, where he started his own print gallery; collectors who became clients of the print shop; lack of coverage of the graphic arts in art history education; the differences between "old masters" galleries and contemporary art galleries; and the importance of hands-on experience with prints.