Xanthus Smith diaries
name: label: Creator
content: Smith, Xanthus, 1839-1929
label: Names
content: Smith, Russell, 1812-1896
topic: label: Occupation
content: Painters -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
label: Occupation
content: Photographers -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
label: Topic
content: Painting, Modern -- 19th century -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
label: Topic
content: Photography -- History -- 19th century
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Microfilmed by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania for the Archives of American Art, 1955.
creator: label: Creator
content: Smith, Xanthus, 1839-1929
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Marine and landscape painter, photographer; Philadelphia, Pa.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2 Volumes ((on partial microfilm reel))
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1883-1892
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.smitxant
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Volumes
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: 35mm microfilm reel P23 (fr. 234-331) available for use at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Handwritten diary, January 1-December 31, 1883, and July 1, 1891-May 14, 1892. The entries detail the daily events of Smith, who painted in his studio almost every day, usually finishing a painting in one to three days. The entries also record his domestic life, living with his wife, children, and father, painter Russell Smith, outside of Philadelphia, Pa. He writes of his numerous paintings, often referring to his materials and techniques; of trading pictures for frames; critiques an exhibition of etchings in Philadelphia in 1883; records his investments in stocks and bonds, transactions with his dealers Haseltine and Davis & Harvey; paintings on sea shells that he sold in Atlantic City; photographing of outdoor scenes that he later used as subjects for his paintings; developing photographs; making prints; family illnesses and visits from Dr. Paxton; use of Devoe paints and canvas; a trip to Southwest Harbor, Maine, in 1883, where he made numerous outdoor studies and sketches; and numerous and futile attempts to color glass lantern slides. [This reel is mislabeled Russell Smith].