Object Details
- Creator
- Kent, Rockwell, 1882-1971
- Subject
- Wildenstein, Felix
- Phillips, Duncan
- Hays, Lee
- Untermeyer, Louis
- Zigrosser, Carl
- Robeson, Paul (1898-1976)
- DuBois, W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt)
- Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano)
- Ruggles, Carl
- Stefansson, Vilhjalmur
- Nearing, Helen
- Nearing, Scott
- Pach, Walter
- Rasmussen, Knud
- Reeves, Ruth
- Seeger, Pete
- Daniel, Charles
- Cleland, T. M. (Thomas Maitland)
- Davies, Arthur B. (Arthur Bowen)
- Chamberlain, J. E.
- Boyesen, Bayard
- Chase, William Merritt
- Freuchen, Peter
- Gellert, Hugo
- Gottlieb, Harry
- Hartley, Marsden
- Fitzgerald, James
- Keller, Charles
- Miller, Kenneth Hayes
- Henri, Robert
- Jones, Dan Burne
- United American Artists
- United Office and Professional Workers of America
- United Scenic Artists
- National Farmers' Union (U.S.)
- National Maritime Union of America
- American Artists' Congress
- Artists' Union (New York, N.Y.)
- Artists League of America
- Citizens' Committee for Government Arts Projects
- Farmers Union of the New York Milk Shed
- Federal Art Project
- Federal Writers' Project
- Macbeth Gallery
- International Workers Order
- Place of publication, production, or execution
- United States
- Physical Description
- 88 Linear feet
- Arrangement
- The collection is arranged into six series. Series 1 is arranged alphabetically. The arrangement of the remaining series is explained in each series description. Note that sealed materials that became available in 2000 were microfilmed separately on reels 5740-5741, but have integrated into this finding aid. Series 1: Alphabetical Files, circa 1900-1971, undated (Reels 5153-5249, 5256, 5740-5741) Series 2: Writings, 1906-1978, undated (Reels 5249-5252, 5741) Series 3: Art Work, 1910-1972, undated (Reels 5252, 5741) Series 4: Printed Matter, 1905-1993, undated (Reels 5252-5254) Series 5: Miscellaneous, 1859-1969, undated (Reels 5254, 5741) Series 6: Photographs, circa 1840-1970, undated (Reels 5254-5255, 5741)
- Access Note / Rights
- The microfilm of this collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website. Use of material not microfilmed or digitized requires an appointment.
- Summary
- The Rockwell Kent papers measure 88.0 linear feet and date from circa 1840 to 1993 with the bulk of the collection dating from 1935 to 1961. The collection provides comprehensive coverage of Kent's career as a painter, illustrator, designer, writer, lecturer, traveler, political activist, and dairy farmer.
- Citation
- Rockwell Kent papers, circa 1840-1993, bulk 1935-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
- Additional Forms
- This site provides access to the papers of Rockwell Kent in the Archives of American Art that were digitized in 2008 from 106 reels of microfilm, and total 160404 images.
- Researchers should note that the legibility of some materials is poor due to the microfilm quality.
- 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.
- Biography Note
- Rockwell Kent (1882-1971), an energetic and multitalented man, pursued many interests and careers during his very long and active life. At various times he was an architect, draftsman, carpenter, unskilled laborer, painter, illustrator, printmaker, commercial artist, designer, traveler/explorer, writer, professional lecturer, dairy farmer, and political activist.
- While studying architecture at Columbia University, Kent enrolled in William Merritt Chase's summer school at Shinnecock Hills, Long Island. He then redirected his career ambitions toward painting and continued to study with Chase in New York. Kent spent a summer working and living with Abbott H. Thayer in Dublin, New Hampshire, and attended the New York School of Art, where Robert Henri and Kenneth Hayes Miller were his teachers.
- Critically and financially, Kent was a successful artist. He was very well known for his illustration work--particularly limited editions of the classics, bookplates, and Christmas cards. He was a prolific printmaker, and his prints and paintings were acquired by many major museums and private collectors. During the post-World War II era, Kent's political sympathies resulted in the loss of commissions, and his adherence to artistic conservatism and outspoken opposition to modern art led to disfavor within art circles. After many years of declining reputation in this country and unsuccessful attempts to find a home for the Kent Collection, Kent gave his unsold paintings--the majority of his oeuvre--to the Soviet Union, where he continued to be immensely popular.
- An avid traveler, Kent was especially fascinated by remote, Arctic lands and often stayed for extended periods of time to paint, write, and become acquainted with the local inhabitants. Between 1918 and 1935, he wrote and illustrated several popular books about his experiences in Alaska, Tierra del Fuego, and Greenland. In the 1930s and 1940s, Kent was much in demand as a lecturer, making several nationwide tours under the management of a professional lecture bureau; he spoke mainly about his travels, but among his standard lectures were some on "art for the people."
- In 1927, Kent purchased Asgaard Farm at AuSable Forks, New York, in the Adirondacks, where he lived for the remainder of his life, operating a modern dairy farm on a modest scale for many years.
- As a young man, Kent met Rufus Weeks, became committed to social justice, and joined the Socialist Party. Throughout his life, he supported left-wing causes and was a member or officer of many organizations promoting world peace and harmonious relations with the Soviet Union, civil rights, civil liberties, antifascism, and organized labor. Kent was frequently featured as a celebrity sponsor or speaker at fund-raising events for these causes. In 1948, he ran unsuccessfully as the American Labor Party's candidate for Congress. Kent's unpopular political views eventually led to the dissolution of his dairy business, resulted in a summons to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee, and prompted the U.S. State Department to deny him a passport, an action that subsequently was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Kent wrote two autobiographies, This Is My Own (1940) and It's Me, O Lord (1955). In 1969, he was the subject of an oral history interview conducted by Paul Cummings for the Archives of American Art.
- Language Note
- English .
- Provenance
- In 1969, Rockwell Kent donated his papers to the Archives of American Art; textile samples were received in 1979, and his widow gave additional papers in 1971 and 1996. Letters to Rockwell Kent from wives Frances and Sally, sealed during Sally Kent Gorton's lifetime, became available for research after her death in 2000, and further material was donated to the Archives of American Art in 2001 by the Estate of Sally Kent [Shirley Johnstone] Gorton.
- Digitization Note
- This site provides access to the papers of Rockwell Kent in the Archives of American Art that were digitized in 2009 from 106 reels of microfilm. The papers have been scanned in their entirety, and total 160,404 images.
- Location Note
- Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
- Record number
- (DSI-AAA_CollID)9557
- (DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211757
- AAA_collcode_kentrock
- Type
- Poems
- Sketches
- Business records
- Photographs
- Drawings
- Theme
- Lives of artists
- Archives of American Art
- Topic
- Designers -- New York (State)
- Mural painting and decoration
- Politics and culture
- Authors -- New York
- Art, Modern -- 20th century -- United States -- Political aspects
- Dairy farms
- Federal aid to the arts
- Illustrators -- New York (State)
- Illustration of books
- Works of art
- Art and war
- Commercial art
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Art and the war
- Theme
- Lives of artists
- Record ID
- AAADCD_coll_211757
