Paul Sample papers
Object Details
- Creator
- Sample, Paul, 1896-1974
- Occupation
- Illustrators -- Vermont -- Norwich
- Painters -- Vermont
- Topic
- Drawing -- Vermont -- Norwich
- Art, American -- 20th century
- Provenance
- Papers were lent and donated for microfilming in 1971 by Paul Sample and donated in 1974 by his widow Sylvia Sample. The bulk of the microfilmed material and additional papers were donated between 1971 and 1974 by Paul and Sylvia Sample.
- Creator
- Sample, Paul, 1896-1974
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- Paul Sample papers
- Sponsor
- 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.
- Summary
- The Paul Sample papers measure 3.2 linear feet and date from 1890-1974 and document the life and work of Paul Sample through biographical materials, correspondence, writings, exhibition and gallery files, project and commission files, printed materials, photographic materials, and artwork.
- Biographical / Historical
- Painter and Illustrator Paul Sample was born on September 4, 1896, in Louisville, Kentucky. Sample is known for his unique portrayal of New England via his own blend of Social Realism and Regionalism. In 1921 Sample graduated from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire where he studied architecture. While enrolled at Dartmouth Sample spent a year in the Naval Reserves during World War One. While visiting his brother at a sanatorium in Saranac Lake, New York, Sample contracted tuberculosis which later influenced his works. While at Saranac, Sample studied under Jonas Lie, after which he studied at the Art Students League of Los Angeles and the Otis Art Institute in California where his works reflected social issues connected with the Great Depression. Sample's talent earned him a position at the University of Southern California's School of Architecture, and he later served as chair of the art department while also teaching night classes at the Chouinard School of Art. In 1938 Sample returned to Dartmouth to become the Artist in Residence, a position he held until 1962. During World War Two, Sample produced paintings and artworks for various magazines and publications. Sample is also known for creating the cover art for Carl Sundburg's novel Remembrance Rock and he was inducted into the National Academy in 1941. Sample died on February 26, 1974, at the age of 78 in Norwich, Vermont.
- Extent
- 3.2 Linear feet
- Date
- circa 1890-1974
- Archival Repository
- Archives of American Art
- Identifier
- AAA.samppaul
- Type
- Collection descriptions
- Archival materials
- Sketchbooks
- Citation
- Paul Sample papers, circa 1890-1974. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
- Arrangement
- This collection contains 8 series: Series 1: Biographical Materials, circa 1925-1974 (0.1 Linear feet: Box 1) Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1929-1973 (0.1 Linear feet: Box 1) Series 3: Writings, circa 1932-1972 (0.3 Linear feet: Box 1) Series 4: Exhibition and Gallery Files, circa 1931-1974 (0.2 Linear feet: Box 1) Series 5: Project and Commission Files, circa 1954-1971 (0.1 Linear feet: Box 1) Series 6: Printed Materials, circa 1930-1974 (0.6 Linear feet: Box 1-2, OV 6, BV7) Series 7: Photographic Materials, circa 1890-1972 (0.3 Linear feet: Box 2) Series 8: Artwork, circa 1931-1972 (1.5 Linear feet: Box 3- 5)
- Processing Information
- This collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared, by Allessandra Liberati in 2023.
- Rights
- 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.
- Existence and Location of Copies
- Material lent for microfilming is available on 35mm microfilm reel(s) 333-335 and 1197 at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
- Genre/Form
- Sketchbooks
- Scope and Contents
- The Paul Sample papers measure 3.2 linear feet and date from circa 1890-1974. Biographical Materials are composed of Sample's resume, lists of his artworks, documents relating to his parents Wilbur and Elfie, Sample's press passes for his position as a press correspondent and artist during World War Two, honors and awards, an interview, and Sample's obituary. Correspondence consists of letters between Sample and his friends, family, and supporters of his art. Writings includes the notes and manuscripts for various speeches by Sample, personal writings and diary entries, the manuscript of a book written about Sample by John D. Condit, and miscellaneous notes. Exhibition and Gallery files includes planning documents and correspondence with various galleries and receipts for exhibitions. Project and Commission Files contains documents regarding specific projects Sample worked on including planning, correspondence, and receipts. Printed Materials includes various pieces of foreign and US currency dating to World War 2, exhibition announcements, newspaper clippings, and magazine and journal clippings and articles referencing Sample and his artwork which are also present in the included scrapbook. Also included are various reproductions of his artwork. Photographic Materials includes photographs of Sample, his family, and his friends as well as photographs of Sample's artwork. Artwork contains sketches, sketchbooks, and watercolors by Sample.
- Restrictions
- 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 born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
- Related Materials
- The archives also hold an oral history interview of Paul Sample conducted 1971 October 10, by Robert F. Brown.
- Separated Materials
- The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material donated for microfilming (reels 333-335 and 1197) including: correspondence, exhibition catalogs, writings, biographical data, clippings, and photographs (reels 333-335) and two sketchbooks containing watercolor and pencil sketches of Iceland (reel 1197).
- Record ID
- ebl-1596310305834-1596310305836-0
- Metadata Usage
- CC0
In the Collection
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