Elizabeth Campbell Fisher Clay papers
name: label: Creator
content: Clay, Elizabeth Campbell Fisher, 1871-1959
label: Names
content: Smith College
label: Names
content: Henri, Robert, 1865-1929
label: Names
content: Rothenstein, William, Sir, 1872-1945
topic: label: Occupation
content: Painters -- Massachusetts
label: Occupation
content: Painters -- England
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Women painters
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: This collection was donated to the Archives of American Art in 2015 by Harriet Fisher Bemus, Elizabeth Campbell Fisher Clay's daughter.
creator: label: Creator
content: Clay, Elizabeth Campbell Fisher, 1871-1959
setName: label: See more items in
content: Elizabeth Campbell Fisher Clay papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of Massachusetts painter Elizabeth Campbell Fisher Clay measure 1.9 linear feet and 0.057 GB and date from circa 1873 to circa 2015, with the bulk of materials from 1890 to 1930. This collection includes biographical materials, correspondence, writings, fifteen diaries, six travel diaries, teaching files, artwork, printed materials, and photographs.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Elizabeth Campbell Fisher Clay (1871-1959) was primarily a painter active in Massachusetts and Halifax, England.

Elizabeth Campbell Fisher Clay was born in West Dedham, Massachusetts in 1871.  Her parents were Joseph and Mary Elizabeth Fisher and she had 2 siblings, Hattie and Joseph.
 
Clay graduated from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1892.  She then attended the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the New York School of Art, where she studied under Robert Henri and William Merritt Chase from approximately 1898 to 1909.  Around this same time, Clay traveled abroad and studied art in Holland and Spain.  She also attended the Art Students League of New York and studied in Paris where she shared a studio with other art students.  Robert Henri, whom Clay considered a mentor, regularly visited the Paris studio to review the students' work. 

In 1908, Clay had a solo exhibition at Rowland's Gallery in Boston.  In 1909, she married Howard Clay in Dedham, Massachusetts. Henry was the alderman of Halifax, England, and the couple moved there sometime after their marriage.  They had three children, Howard Fisher Clay, Monica Mary, and Harriet.

Clay continued to exhibit her artwork in England for over 30 years.  She exhibited at the British Society of Women Artists, the New English Art Club, the Royal Academy of Arts, the Royal Cambrian Academy of Art, the Royal Society of British Artists, the Women's International Art Club, and the Yorkshire Union of Arts.  In Massachusetts, her artwork was in exhibitions at the Boston Art Club, the Copley Society of Art, and other venues.  

Elizabeth Campbell Fisher Clay eventually returned to the United States and passed away in Philadelphia in 1959.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.9 Linear Feet
label: Extent
content: 0.057 Gigabytes
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1873-circa 2015
label: Date
content: bulk 1890-1930
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.clayeliz
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Gigabytes
label: Type
content: Sketches
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
label: Type
content: Diaries
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 7 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1906-circa 2015 (0.1 linear feet, 0.001 MB; Box 1, ER01)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1897-1960 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 3: Writings and Notebooks, circa 1898-1959 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 4: Diaries, 1887-circa 2005 (1 linear feet, 0.016 GB; Boxes 1-2, ER02-ER03)

Series 5: Artwork, circa 1890-circa 1957 (0.3 linear feet, Boxes 2-3, OV 4)

Series 6: Printed Materials, 1894-1957 (0.1 linear feet; Box 3, OV 4)

Series 7: Photographs, circa 1873-1987 (0.2 linear feet; Box 3)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: This collection was processed by Rihoko Ueno in August, 2016.
Born-digital materials were processed by Kirsi Ritosalmi-Kisner in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sketches
label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Sketchbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Diaries
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of Massachusetts painter Elizabeth Campbell Fisher Clay measure 1.9 linear feet and 0.057 GB and date from circa 1873 to circa 2015, with the bulk of materials from 1890 to 1930. This collection includes biographical materials, correspondence, writings, fifteen diaries, six travel diaries, teaching files, artwork, printed materials, and photographs.

Biographical materials include ephemera from a Spain trip, and other miscellany.

The bulk of the correspondence consists of letters from artist Robert Henri giving advice and information about travel plans and visits.  Other correspondents include family members, the artist William Rothenstein, and a few others. 

Writings include annotated appointment calendars, art class notes, notebooks, and a book register.  Diaries and travel diaries describe Smith College, feedback from Robert Henri regarding artwork, and travels abroad to England, France, and Holland, as well as to New York and California.  There are a few sketches scattered throughout the diaries.  There is an audiocassette and digitized photographs and content related to the diaries.  There is also an annotated chronological list of the diaries.

Artwork consists of one sketchbook and several folders of loose sketches, drawings, and paintings of people and places. 

Printed materials consist of a few news clippings about Smith College, a newspaper image of an art class trip to Spain, 2 reviews of exhibitions, and a clipping about the New York School of Art.

Photographs are of Elizabeth Campbell Fisher Clay, family, friends, artists, travel, and houses.  There are three photograph albums: one of the woods around Smith College; another album of travel photographs in France and Holland that includes photographs of Clay and fellow art students painting at various locations; and an album of Paris photographs that depict the studio Clay shared with other students, friends, and a few images of Robert Henri.  Some photographs are annotated.