Historical Photographs Collection
Scope and Contents
This collection of images documents multiple aspects of the history and activities of the Museum, and its collections. The collection includes photographs, negatives, prints, slides, and transparencies pertaining to Whitney educational programs, performances, special events, artworks, artists, Whitney Museum staff members, Whitney trustees, and Whitney Museum properties and galleries. The Museum’s rights and reproduction department compiled these significant images for the purposes of fulfilling image requests from staff members and the external public.
Dates
- 1905-2006
- Majority of material found in 1960-1980
Access to Collection
Collection is open for research; access requires at least 24 hours advance notice.
Extent
139 boxes
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Photographs pertaining to Whitney educational programs, performances, special events, artworks, artists, staff members, trustees, and properties. Materials encompass multiple formats, including negatives, prints, slides, and transparencies.
Organization of the Collection
This collection is organized into five series:
Series I: Education and Special Events Photographs, 1912-2006
Materials in this series are arranged into three subseries and arranged in chronological order.
- Subseries A: Education Events Photographs, 1963-1991
- Subseries B: Special Events Photographs, 1961-2006
- Subseries C: Special Events Photographs -- Oversized, 1912-1962
Series II: Artist Objects, 1905-1993
Materials in this series are arranged into four subseries. Within each subseries the folders are arranged alphabetically by the artist's last name.
- Subseries A: Artists Objects, 1905-1993
- Subseries B: Artists Objects --Oversized, 1924-1993
- Subseries C: Artists Objects --Oversized Alexander Calder, 1968-1975
- Subseries D: Artists Objects --Oversized Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, 1905-1943
Series III: Artist Portraits, circa 1945-2005
Arranged in alphabetical order by artist's last name.
Series IV: Whitney People, 1934-2009
Materials in this series are arranged into two subseries.
- Subseries A: Whitney People: Family, Staff, Trustees, 1934-2009
- Subseries B: Whitney People: Family, Staff, Trustees --Oversized, 1917-1980s
Series V: Whitney Properties, 1918-circa 1989
The photographs in this series are arranged into three subseries and losely arranged by museum property.
- Subseries A: Museum Buildings, Private Properties, undated
- Subseries B: Branch Museums, Bulwark, circa 1988-1992
- Subseries C: Museum Buildings, Private Properties --Oversized, 1918-circa 1989
Existence and Location of Copies
Digital copies of images from Series V: Whitney Properties, Box 3, are available at the Marcel Breuer Digital Archive. This includes images of the Marcel Breuer-designed Whitney Museum at 945 Madison Avenue.
- Status
- Completed
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for inherited script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Whitney Museum of American Art Archives, New York, NY Repository
Whitney Museum of American Art
99 Gansevoort St.
New York, NY 10014 United States
archives@whitney.org
