Walter Gay papers
name: label: Creator
content: Gay, Walter, 1856-1937
label: Names
content: Gay, Matilda Travers
topic: label: Topic
content: Painters -- France -- Paris
label: Topic
content: Expatriate painters -- France -- Paris
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Walter Gay papers were donated in two 1980 accessions. Scrapbooks, transcripts and photographs of Gay were donated by Mrs Bronson (Sophie Gay) Griscom, niece of Walter Gay. Sketchbooks, photocopies of a scrapbook, photocopies of letters, and a photograph of artwork were donated by John Gay, nephew of Walter Gay.
creator: label: Creator
content: Gay, Walter, 1856-1937
setName: label: See more items in
content: Walter Gay papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of expatriate painter Walter Gay measure 1.2 linear feet and date from 1870-1937, and 1980  with some photocopied items and a photograph dated 1980. The collection includes photocopies of two letters, scrapbooks assembled by Gay's wife, Matilda Gay, with correspondence, photographs,  exhibition catalogs, price lists for artwork, and clippings, photocopies of a scrapbook of clippings, four of Gay's sketchbooks, three photographs of Gay and a photograph of a painting by Gay.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Expatriate painter Walter Gay (1856-1937) was born in Hingham, Massachusetts. He married heiress Matilda E. Travers, and in 1876 the couple moved to Paris where Gay became a pupil of Leon Bonnat. The couple lived in an apartment on the Left Bank and in 1907 purchased Chatea Le Breau near the Forest of Fontainebleau.

Gay painted figure studies of French peasant life but was best known for his interiors of turn of the century private homes furnished by decorators such as Elsie de Wolfe and novelist Edith Wharton, who formed part of the large and stylish circle of friends in which the Gays circulated.

Gay received honorable mention in the Paris Salon of 1885 and a gold medal in 1888. He became an Officer of the Legion of Honor and his works can be found in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Tate Gallery, London.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.2 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1870-1937
label: Date
content: 1980
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.gaywaltp
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Due to the small size of the collection the papers are arranged as one series.

Series 1: Walter Gay Papers, 1870-1937, 1980 (Boxes 1-4; 1.2 linear feet)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The Walter Gay papers were microfilmed on Reels 2137-2130, and Reel 2802 after accession. All accessions were merged and processed and a finding aid prepared by Stephanie Ashley in June 2014. The collection was processed and digitized in 2014 with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: The collection was digitized in 2015 and is available via the Archives of American Art's website.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Sketchbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of expatriate painter Walter Gay measure 1.2 linear feet and date from 1870-1937, and 1980 with some photocopied items and a photograph dated 1980. The collection includes photocopies of two letters, scrapbooks assembled by Gay's wife, Matilda Gay, with correspondence, photographs,  exhibition catalogs, price lists for artwork, and clippings, photocopies of a scrapbook of clippings, four of Gay's sketchbooks, three photographs of Gay and a photograph of a painting by Gay.