Object Details
- Collection Creator
- Parsons, Betty
- See more items in
- Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers
- Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers / Series 7: Betty Parsons Personal Papers / 7.3: Correspondence
- Sponsor
- Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and The Walton Family Foundation.
- Date
- 1922-1983
- Archival Repository
- Archives of American Art
- Identifier
- AAA.parsbett, Subseries 7.3.1
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection Citation
- Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers, 1916-1991. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
- Arrangement
- Letter files are arranged alphabetically, and postcards and Christmas cards and other correspondence with artwork, are arranged by decade or alphabetically.
- Collection Rights
- 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.
- Existence and Location of Copies
- This series has been digitized in entirety.
- Scope and Contents note
- Files mostly consist of correspondence with friends and artists with whom Parsons had a personal relationship, although letters touching upon gallery business are scattered throughout. As close friends, many of the artists shared details about their personal and family life, travels, work, and careers. Gallery artist correspondents include Larry Bigelow, Alexander Calder, and William Condon. Of particular note are letters from Ad Reinhardt discussing his work in relation to the gallery and exhorting Parsons to fight for her (and his) rightful place in history. Another significant and prolific correspondent is the English artist Adge Baker, with whom Parsons had a romantic relationship. The two lived together for several years in the house that Parsons purchased shortly after she arrived in Paris in 1923. Although they separated in 1932, they remained life long friends. There are also personal letters from Marjorie Liebman and Aline Porter that include details about Parsons's romantic relationships with both women, as well as details about their careers. Another prolific correspondent is artist Etienne Ret. Notable friends and other correspondents include heiress and world-class speed boat racer Joe Carstairs, the Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava (Lindy Guinness), art critic Rosalind Constable, and art and literary critic Dale McConathy, who briefly worked for Parsons as a gallery assistant. Personal correspondence also includes Christmas cards, postcards, telegrams, and third party correspondence to gallery employees and Lee Hall, Parsons's biographer and gallery artist. Many of the Christmas cards include original artwork in a variety of media, and have been arranged with other artwork sent to Parsons by various artists over the years.
- Series Restrictions
- Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
- Record ID
- ebl-1503511935241-1503511935616-1
