The papers of New York art dealer and consultant Stephan Bourgeois measure 4.2 linear feet and date from 1908 to circa 1964. The papers include biographical material, correspondence, writings, personal business records and printed material.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of New York art dealer and consultant Stephan Bourgeois measure 4.2 linear feet and date from 1908 to circa 1964. The papers include biographical material, correspondence, writings, personal business records and printed material.
Biographical material includes an address book, biographical statement, passport, a few photographs and some miscellaneous artifacts.
Correspondence consists of Stephan Bourgeois's letters to and from museums, clients and other art dealers. There is business correspondence with lawyers and art dealers in Cologne, Germany. Alphabetical correspondence mostly dates from Stephan Bourgeois's time in New York City on the subject of art and exhibitions. There is also correspondence regarding specific paintings.
Writings consists of notebooks on artists, writings about various art subjects, research and writings on El Greco, notes on places and sociology, and finally miscellaneous notes.
Personal business records include income tax records, bills and receipts, material related to requesting compensation from the German government, and miscellaneous financial records.
The bulk of the printed material consists of exhibition catalogs from Bourgeois Galleries. There are a few articles about Stephan Bourgeois, catalogs from other galleries, and assorted clippings.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as five series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1908-circa 1964 (7 folders; Box 1)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1928-1962 (0.6 linear feet; Box 1)
Series 3: Writings, circa 1910-circa 1964 (2.9 linear feet; Boxes 1-4)
Series 4: Personal Business Records, circa 1910-circa 1964 (0.3 linear feet; Box 4)
Series 5: Printed Material, 1915-1961 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 4-5)
Biographical / Historical:
Stephan Bourgeois (1881-1964) was an art dealer, historian, writer and gallery owner based in New York City.
Stephan Bourgeois was born in 1881 in Cologne, Germany. He came from a long line of prominent art dealers and collectors. Bourgeois studied law at the University of Geneva, Switzerland and later studied art history at the University of Strasbourg in France as well as the universities of Bonn and Berlin in Germany. After his studies, he traveled extensively and then settled in Paris, France. In 1906, he began his career as an art dealer and consultant for museums and private collections.
Bourgeois immigrated to the United States in 1910 and lived in New York City. From 1911 to 1933, he was the founding director of Bourgeois Galleries. Bourgeois Galleries specialized in Old Master paintings as well as modern art, and featured artists such as Degas, Delacroix, Corot, Cezanne, Renoir, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec, Albert Gleizes, Joseph Stella, Oscar Bluemner, Mario Toppi, and others.
After the gallery closed its doors in 1933, Bourgeois continued his work as an art historian, art dealer, and consultant. He lectured at numerous art institutions and universities such as the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia University, and New York University. Bourgeois wrote several books including Evolution of Images in Art and Two Polarities of Modern Art: Henri Rousseau and Pablo Picasso. He was especially interested in the life and art of El Greco and he organized an exhibition about him at Knoedler Gallery in 1941 and later wrote a book about the artist. Bourgeois died in 1964.
Provenance:
The Stephan Bourgeois papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in 1980 by Mrs. Stephan Bourgeois, widow of Bourgeois.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
Occupation:
Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Gallery owners -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Art historians -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Genre/Form:
Business records
Photographs
Citation:
Stephan Bourgeois papers, 1908-circa 1964. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
