Barbara Swan papers
name: label: Creator
content: Swan, Barbara, 1922-
label: Names
content: Kumin, Maxine, 1925-
label: Names
content: Sexton, Anne
topic: label: Occupation
content: Illustrators -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Occupation
content: Poets
label: Occupation
content: Lithographers -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Occupation
content: Painters -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Women painters
label: Topic
content: Women illustrators
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Material on reels 826-827 was lent for microfilming in June of 1974 by Barbara Swan and returned after filming. She donated the photographs of Ellsworth Kelly in December 1974, and the remaining papers in 1992.
creator: label: Creator
content: Swan, Barbara, 1922-
setName: label: See more items in
content: Barbara Swan papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of illustrator and painter Barbara Swan date from 1927 to 1992 and measure 2.0 linear feet. Found are biographical materials including scattered photographs and a scrapbook; correspondence with family, letters from friends, and professional correspondence; writings by others and a diary by Swan; and printed material.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Barbara Swan (1922-2003) was a draftsman, illustrator, lithographer, and painter in Boston, Massachusetts. She studied at the School of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and later in France and Italy. She painted portraits of many artists and writers. Additionally, Swan collaborated with poets and writers including Maxine Kumin and Anne Sexton and illustrated their published works. She was married to Alan Fink, the founder of Alpha Gallery.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2 Microfilm reels
label: Extent
content: 2 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1927-1992
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.swanbarp
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Microfilm reels
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 4 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1927-1980 (Box 1; 1 folder, 1 microfilm reel)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1939-1992 (Box 1-2; 1.4 linear feet, 2 microfilm reels)

Series 3: Writings and Notes, 1944-1988 (Box 2; 1 folder, 1 microfilm reel)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1937-1989 (Box 2; 0.6 linear feet, 1 microfilm reel)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Portions of the collection were microfilmed on Reels 826-827 and were returned to Barbara Swan after filming. The microfilm was described in a finding aid by Jayna Josefson in 2025 and the microfilm was digitized in 2025 with funding provided by Smithsonian Collections Information System (CIS) IRM Pool Fund. The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2025 with support from the Judith Godwin Arts Foundation
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Portions of the collection have been microfilmed on reels 826-827. The microfilm has been digitized and is available on the Archives of American Art website.
originalsloc: label: Existence and Location of Originals
content: Materials microfilmed onto reels 826-827 were returned to Barbara Swan after filming.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of illustrator and painter Barbara Swan date from 1927 to 1992 and measure 2.0 linear feet. Found are biographical materials including scattered photographs and a scrapbook; correspondence with family, letters from friends, and professional correspondence; writings by others and a diary by Swan; and printed material.