Moissaye Marans papers
name: label: Creator
content: Marans, Moissaye, 1902-1977
topic: label: Occupation
content: Educators -- New York (State) -- Brooklyn
label: Occupation
content: Sculptors -- New York (State) -- Brooklyn
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Donated 1975-1976 by Moissaye Marans.
creator: label: Creator
content: Marans, Moissaye, 1902-1977
setName: label: See more items in
content: Moissaye Marans papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of sculptor and educator Moissaye Marans date from circa 1925-1977, and measure 3.0 linear feet. They document his work as a sculptor in Brooklyn, NY. Found within this collection are biographical material, including awards and resumes; correspondence with institutions and individuals interested in Marans' work, fellow artists, journalists, editors, and others; project files including plans and sketches; and personal business records comprised of contracts, inventories, receipts, meeting minutes, and more.  There is also printed material including newspaper and magazine clippings, clippings scrapbooks, and clippings from religious publications, as well as photographic material including portraits of Marans and photographs and slides of his sculptures.  The collection also contains a motion picture reel depicting Marans' studio.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Sculptor and educator Moissaye Marans (1902-1977) lived and worked in Brooklyn, New York. He was born in Romania and immigrated to New York in 1924. He attended university in Romania before immigrating, and then studied at Cooper Union, the National Academy of Design, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Beaux Arts Institute of Design in New York. He became a U.S. citizen in 1934.  

Marans created sculptures for the 1939 New York World's Fair and was a member of the Federal Art Project. He began teaching at Brooklyn College in 1955 and continued until 1975. 

Marans was best known for his sculptures with religious themes, which were installed in churches and featured in religious publications. His most famous work is the sculpture Swords Into Plowshares, which was created for the 1939 World's Fair, installed on the facade of the Community Church of New York in 1961, and chosen as the emblem of the United States Atomic Energy Commission in 1964. His sculptures were also featured at synagogues in Pennsylvania and Texas.  

Marans was a member and officer of the National Society of Sculpture and the Architectural League of New York. He received numerous awards, including from the National Academy of Design. He died in New York in 1975.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 3 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1925-1977
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.maramois
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 6 series. 

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1950-1972 (0.3 linear feet; Box 1, OV4)  

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1939-1976 (1 linear foot; Box 1-2)  

Series 3: Project Files, circa 1946-1972 (0.2 linear feet; Box 2, OV5) 

Series 4: Personal Business Records, circa 1935-1976 (0.3 linear feet; Box 2) 

Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1930-1977 (0.8 linear feet; Box 2-3, BV6, OV7)  

Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1900-1979 (0.4 linear feet; Box 3, FC8)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Caroline Anderson-Gray in 2025.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of sculptor and educator Moissaye Marans date from circa 1925-1977, and measure 3.0 linear feet.  

Biographical material includes awards, resumes, biographical sketches, and membership cards.  Correspondence includes letters between Marans and institutions and individuals interested in his work, fellow artists, journalists, editors, and others.  

Project files include designs and sketches for some of Marans' notable projects, including the Brooklyn Civic Center, the Linden (NJ) Public Library, and the sculpture Swords Into Plowshares. Personal business records are comprised of contracts, receipts for art expenses, membership documents and meeting minutes, notes and writings, contact lists, inventories, and documents related to the selection of Swords Into Plowshares as the emblem of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.  

Printed Material includes magazine and newspaper clippings, clippings scrapbooks, clippings from religious publications, and bulletins and newsletters from churches and synagogues featuring Marans' sculptures. Photographic material includes portraits of Marans and photographs and slides of his sculptures, as well as a film reel depicting his studio.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Moissaye Marans papers also at Syracuse University.