The collection is arranged into 4 series: Series 1: Diploma, 1881 (Box 1, OV 3; 1 folder) Series 2: Correspondence, 1878-1914, 1952-1961 (Box 1; 5 folders) Series 3: Photographs, circa late 1800s (Boxes 1-2; 0.2 linear feet) Series 4: Artwork, circa 1870-late 1800s (Box 1-2, OV 3; 0.3 linear feet)
Access Note / Rights:
Use of the original papers requires an appointment.
Summary:
The papers of Boston area portrait painter Rose Lamb date from circa 1870 to 1961, with the bulk of the material dating from circa 1870 to 1900, and measure 0.8 linear feet. The collection contains a diploma; letters from artists, writers, historians, and others, including nine letters from former teacher and friend William Morris Hunt; photographs of unidentified people and artwork by Lamb; and original artwork, including a sketchbook, charcoal drawings, watercolors, and two oil paintings.
Citation:
Rose Lamb papers, circa 1870-1961, bulk 1870-1900. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Additional Forms:
The papers of Rose Lamb in the Archives of American Art were digitized in 2009, and total 224 images.
Photocopies of letters from originals found at outside archival repositories have not been scanned.
Funding:
Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.
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:
Also available at the Archives of American Art are the Aimée Lamb (niece of Rose Lamb) papers, 1888-1991. Original letters to Rose Lamb from Mary Cassatt and Childe Hassam are available at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Biography Note:
Rose Lamb (1843-1927) was a portrait painter and drawing instructor of Boston, Massachusetts. Lamb was born in Boston to a prominent family and was a student of William Morris Hunt and Helen Knowlton during the 1870s. Though she did not exhibit often during her lifetime, she was a successful portraitist specializing in portraits of children. Lamb was an active member of Boston society, befriending many artists, writers, and other cultural figures, and her portraits were in great demand among prominent Boston families. She traveled to Europe in 1881, 1890, and 1914, perhaps taking art classes while there in 1881. In 1884, and possibly later, she assisted George Bartlett as a drawing instructor at the South Boston School of Art. In 1900 she suffered a severe illness and stopped painting. For the remainder of her life she instead pursued travel and social activities. Rose Lamb died in 1927.
Language Note:
English .
Provenance:
This collection was donated by Aimée and Rosamond Lamb, nieces of Rose Lamb in installments, primarily from 1980 to 1985. They donated the nine letters to Lamb from William Morris Hunt in 1976.
Digitization Note:
The papers of Rose Lamb in the Archives of American Art were digitized in 2010. The papers have been scanned in their entirety, and total 224 images.
Location Note:
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001