Ida Kohlmeyer papers, circa 1890-circa 1990s

Object Details

Place of publication, production, or execution: United States
Physical Description: 13.7 Linear feet
Arrangement: The collection is arranged as 7 series. Series 1: Biographical Material, 1927-circa 1990s (1.2 linear feet; Box 1, 14) Series 2: Correspondence, 1950s-1990s (0.5 linear feet; Boxes 1-2) Series 3: Writings and Notes, circa 1940-1987 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 2-3) Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1946-circa 1990s (0.6 linear feet; Box 3) Series 5: Professional Files, 1956-1995 (4.0 linear feet; Boxes 4-7) Series 6: Printed Material, 1932-1990s (5.3 linear feet; Boxes 8-12, 15-16) Series 7: Photographs, circa 1890-1997 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 12-13)
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.
Summary: The papers of sculptor, painter, and educator Ida Kohlmeyer date from circa 1890 to circa 1990s and measure 13.7 linear feet. The papers document Kohlmeyer's many exhibitions and commissioned works, and her teaching career. Found are biographical material, correspondence, writings and notes, personal business records, professional files, printed material, and photographs.
Citation: Ida Kohlmeyer papers, circa 1890-circa 1990s. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Additional Forms: Material lent for microfilming is available on 35mm microfilm reels 5280-5281 at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Funding: Processing of this collection received federal support from the Collections Care Initiative Fund, administered by the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative and the National Collections Program
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: The Archives of American Art also holds an oral history interview of Ida Kohlmeyer conducted 1989 May 17-20, by Avis Berman. The Archives of American Art also holds material lent for microfilming on reels 5280-5281. Included are miscellaneous scattered letters from Hans Hofmann, Mark Rothko, and James Johnson Sweeney, 1956-1959 and undated; letters from Lynda Benglis, 1976-1983; draft writings and lectures by Kohlmeyer, undated; and an extensive card catalog of works of art by Kohlmeyer which includes information on the title, dimensions, media, date, name and address of the owner, and sale price. Many cards have thumbnail sketches. The catalog is arranged alphabetically by title. There is also one miscellaneous card file. Loaned materials were returned to the donor and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Biography Note: Ida Kohlmeyer (1912-1997) was a painter, sculptor, and educator active in Louisiana. She was known for her brightly colored abstract expressionist paintings and sculpture.; Born Ida Rittenberg, to Polish immigrants, Ida spent her childhood in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was educated at Newcomb College, Tulane University, where she initially studied English, and returned in her mid-30s to study art. Inspired by the Abstract Expressionist movement, Kohlmeyer went on to study with Hans Hofmann and became acquainted with Mark Rothko and other notable New York City artists. She exhibited her works around Louisiana and elsewhere in the United States. A large retrospective of Kohlmeyer's work was held at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina in the mid-1980s.; Ida married Hugh Kohlmeyer and they had two daughters. She died in 1997 in Metairie, Louisiana.
Language Note: English .
Provenance: The collection was donated in 1998 by Jane K. Lowentritt, Kohlmeyer's daughter and former studio manager, except for material on reels 5280-5281 which Lowentritt lent for microfilming.
Location Note: Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

Data Source: Archives of American Art

Record number: (DSI-AAA_CollID)6123; (DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)216338; AAA_collcode_kohlida

Creator: Kohlmeyer, Ida, 1912-1997
Subject: Newcomb College. Art Dept

Theme: Women; Lives of artists

Topic: Women artists; Women painters; Women sculptors; Women educators
Theme: Women; Lives of artists

Record ID: AAADCD_coll_216338

Usage: Usage conditions apply