The collection is arranged chronologically into eight series. Series 1: Correspondence, 1946-1985 (1.3 linear feet; Box 1-2) Series 2: Writings, 1947-1971 (0.1 linear feet; Box 2) Series 3: Personal Business Records and Professional Activity, 1968-1974 (0.2 linear feet: Box 2) Series 4: Printed Material, 1944-1980 (0.3 linear feet: Box 2) Series 5: Photographs, circa 1940-1985 (0.6 linear feet: Box 2-3, 5) Series 6: Scrapbooks, circa 1944-1972 (0.7 linear feet; Box 3, 5) Series 7: Artwork, circa 1944-1985 (0.1 linear feet; Box 3, 5, OV) Series 8: Interviews 1970-1971 (0.4 linear feet; Box 3-4)
Access Note / Rights:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Summary:
The papers of painter and educator Esther Rolick measure 3.7 linear feet and date from 1940 to 1985. The papers document Rolick's career through correspondence with friends and colleagues; writings, including unpublished illustrated books for children; business records; printed material and scrapbooks of clippings and exhibition catalogs; artwork including a sketchbook; photographs of artwork, travels around the world, and personal photographs; and sound recordings of interviews with prominent African American artists.
Citation:
Esther G. Rolick papers, 1940-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Additional Forms:
Portions of the collection are available on 35mm microfilm reels 827-828, and 950 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.
Some of the sound recordings in this collection were digitized for research access and are available at the Archives of American Art offices.
Funding:
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
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:
New York realist painter and educator Esther G. Rolick (1922-2008) taught art for two decades at Mercy College, where she helped to develop programs including a class, "Black Music and Art," for which she interviewed prominent Harlem artists and musicians.
Language Note:
Some of the correspondence is in Spanish.
Provenance:
The Esther G. Rolick papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by Esther Rolick in a series of installments between 1970 and 1985.
Location Note:
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
