Dean Cornwell papers
name: label: Creator
content: Cornwell, Dean, 1892-1960
label: Names
content: Broder, Patricia Janis
topic: label: Occupation
content: Illustrators -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Occupation
content: Painters -- New York (State)
label: Occupation
content: Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Mural painting and decoration, American
label: Topic
content: Mural painting and decoration -- 20th century -- United States
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Papers were donated in 1984 by Lucy Cornwell, daughter of Dean Cornwell.
creator: label: Creator
content: Cornwell, Dean, 1892-1960
setName: label: See more items in
content: Dean Cornwell papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of Dean Cornwell measure 3.9 linear feet and date from circa 1893-1981. They illustrate his career through biographical material, correspondence, writings, printed and photographic material, and artwork.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Dean Cornwell (1892-1960) was a muralist, painter, and illustrator who worked primarily in New York. 

Cornwell was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He began his career as a cartoonist for the Louisville Herald and then moved to Chicago where he studied at the Art Institute and worked for the Chicago Tribune. In 1915 he moved to New Rochelle, New York where he studied under Harvey Dunn at the Art Students League of New York. Eventually he traveled to London where he began to study mural painting under Frank Brangwyn. 

Cornwell was a teacher at the Art Students League in New York, served as President of the Society of Illustrators (1922-1926), and was elected to its Hall of Fame in 1959. In 1934, he was elected Associate Academician into the National Academy of Design, and became a full Academician in 1940. He also served as president of the National Society of Mural painters from 1953 to 1957. At the peak of his career, he earned the nickname "Dean of Illustrators". 

Cornwell's artwork was featured in multiple publications including Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar, Redbook, and Good Housekeeping. He painted many murals during his career including those found in the Sir Walter Raleigh Room in the Hotel Warwick, the Lincoln Memorial Shrine in Redlands, and the General Motors Mural at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. 

Cornwell died on December 4th, 1960 at the age of sixty-eight in New York City.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 3.9 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1893-1981
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.corndean
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collecton contains six series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1930-1961 (.1 Linear feet: Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1933-1981 (.2 Linear feet: Box 1)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1930-1978 (.7 Linear feet: Box 1)

Series 4: Printed Material, circa 1924-1970 (1.1 Linear feet: Box 2, OV 5, and OV 6)

Series 5: Photographic Material, circa 1893-1960 (1.7 Linear feet: Boxes 2-4, OV 7, and OV 8)

Series 6: Artwork, circa 1934 (.1 Linear feet: Box 3)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: This collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared, by Allessandra Liberati in 2023.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Portions of the collection are available on 35mm microfilm reels 3781-3783 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.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The Dean Cornwell papers measure 3.9 linear feet and date from circa 1893-1981. Biographical material consists of a resume, obituaries for Cornwell, estate papers referencing various inheritances, multiple membership and award certificates, and material relating to a Who's Who in America article featuring Cornwell. Correspondence is to and from Dean Cornwell and is with artists and business associates. Writings include various essays by Cornwell as well as multiple diaries. Also included are the transcript of a biography about Cornwell titled  Dean Cornwell: Dean of Illustrators (1978) by Patricia Janus Broder and two article drafts. Printed material consists of exhibition announcements and catalogs, printed reproductions of Cornwell's artwork, news clippings, and two scrapbooks of artwork by others. Photographic material includes personal photographs and photographs of Cornwell as well as photographs of his mural projects. Also included are a set of fifty-seven glass plate negatives which depict various drawings by Cornwell. Artwork includes a folder of sketches.