Object Details
- Creator
- Neumann, J. B. (Jsrael Ber)
- Subject
- Beckmann, Max
- Baskin, Leonard
- Albers, Josef
- Rattner, Abraham
- Namuth, Hans
- Morrison, Helen Balfour
- Kandinsky, Wassily
- White, Clarence H.
- Schmid, Elsa
- Artlover
- Gehenna Press
- New Art Circle
- Place of publication, production, or execution
- United States
- Physical Description
- 2.1 Linear feet, 4 boxes
- Arrangement
- This collection is arranged as 5 series. Series 1: Correspondence, 1925-1961 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1) Series 2: Writings, 1919, 1954-circa 1960 (5 folders; Box 1) Series 3: Printed Materials, 1910-1967 (1.7 linear feet; Box 1-4) Series 4: Artwork, 1919-circa 1960 (3 folders; Box 3-4) Series 5: Photographic Materials, 1905-circa 1950 (0.2 linear feet; Box 3-4)
- Access Note / Rights
- Use of original papers requires an appointment.
- Summary
- The papers of gallery director, art dealer and publisher Jsrael Ber Neumann (1887-1961) measure 2.1 linear feet and date from 1905 to 1967. The papers document Neumann's career as the director of galleries in Berlin and Munich, Germany (1910-1924) as well as the New Art Circle gallery in New York City (1924-1952). Neumann was a respected art dealer, publisher of Artlover periodical, founder of Gehenna Press, and frequent lecturer. Found within his papers are correspondence with artists and museums, writings, printed materials mostly comprised of exhibition catalogues, artwork, and photographic materials.
- Citation
- J. B. Neumann papers, 1905-1967. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
- Additional Forms
- Portions of the collection and material lent for microfilming are available on 35mm microfilm reels NJBN-1- NJBN-5, N69-93-N69-94, 3533, and 3947 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
- Funding
- Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation
- Use Note
- 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.
- Related Materials
- The Archives of American Art also holds a collection of Josef Albers letters to J. B. Neumann, 1934-1947 on microfilm reel 911.
- Additional J.B. Neumann papers are also located at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The museum microfilmed a portion of these papers and donated a copy of that film to the Archives. This material may be viewed on reel NJBN5 at Archives of American Art offices, affliate centers, and via interlibrary loan. Also available at the Archives of American Art are materials lent for microfilming (reels NJBN-1- NJBN-5) including correspondence with numerous artists, art critics, museum directors and others. The materials on reel NJBN-1- NJBN-4 were returned to Neumann's wife, Elsa Schmid and the original material on reel NJBN-5 is located at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, NY. Loaned material is not described in the collection container inventory.
- Biography Note
- J. B. (Jsrael Ber) Neumann (1887-1961) was a gallery director, art dealer and publisher. After immigrating to the U.S., Neumann founded the New Art Circle Gallery in New York City. Before then, he had art galleries in Berlin, Munich, Dusseldorf and Bremen, Germany.
- J. B. Neumann was born in Austria in 1887. His father was an oil and lumber dealer. Neumann initially studied business but later apprenticed to a book and picture dealer when he was nineteen. While working as a clerk in a large bookstore in London, Neumann had the opportunity to work at the rare book dealer's table in the British Museum. The job allowed him to assess and handle fine and rare books, starting a lifelong passion, and Neumann went on to amass a substantial personal library.
- In 1910, Neumann returned to Berlin, Germany and in 1911 opened a book and art shop where he exhibited the work of Edvard Munch and others. Neumann had many friends who were artists and in 1915-1916 he was secretary to the Berlin Secession, a prominent German artist association. By 1922 Neumann had branch offices in Bremen, Dusseldorf and Munich.
- Neumann immigrated to America in 1923 and left the Berlin gallery to the directorship of Karl Nierendorf and the Munich gallery to Günther Franke. Neumann settled in New York City and one year later he opened a 57th Street gallery and bookshop, first called J.B. Neumann's Print Room and later the New Art Circle gallery. He supported numerous artists, including Wassily Kandinsky, Max Beckmann, Paul Klee, and Georges Rouault. Elsa Schmid, Neumann's wife, was an artist who worked in mosaics.
- Neumann also worked as a publisher. He created the printing company Gehenna Press and published a series of periodicals including Bilderhefte (Berlin, 1920-1922) and Artlover (New York, 1926-1945, 1959). The New Art Circle gallery closed circa 1952 and, after working as its director for nearly three decades, Neumann became a consultant for museums and collectors. He was also a lecturer and he frequently spoke about art at universities, museums and galleries.
- Neumann died in Rye, New York on April 28, 1961. He is survived by his widow, Elsa Schmid (d. 1970); two sons, Peter and Albrecht; and a daughter, Mrs. Johanna Lam.
- Language Note
- The collection is in English and German.
- Provenance
- Neuman's wife, Elsa Schmid and The Museum of Modern Art lent the Archives of American Art material for microfilming in 1966-1967. The rest of the J.B. Neumann papers were donated in several installments between 1973-2007 by Eva Lee (family friend), Joy Weber, Max Weber's daughter, Neil Richmond, and Hellie Neumann, J.B. Neumann's granddaughter.
- Location Note
- Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
- Record number
- (DSI-AAA_CollID)9191
- (DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211386
- AAA_collcode_neumjsra
- Type
- Drawings
- Photographs
- Scrapbooks
- Etchings
- Theme
- Art Market
- Archives of American Art
- Topic
- Art, Modern -- 20th century -- United States -- History
- Art -- Periodicals
- Theme
- Art Market
- Record ID
- AAADCD_coll_211386
