Peter Dean papers
name: label: Creator
content: Dean, Peter, 1934-1993
topic: label: Occupation
content: Painters -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Art, Modern -- 20th century
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Donated by Lorraine Dean, widow of Peter Dean, 1994 and 1995.
creator: label: Creator
content: Dean, Peter, 1934-1993
setName: label: See more items in
content: Peter Dean papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of figurative expressionist painter Peter Dean measure 4.2 linear feet and date from circa 1941-1995, with the bulk from 1965-1993. The papers document his career as a painter in New York through biographical material; correspondence with friends, galleries, art organizations, and other artists; diaries, essay manuscripts on Dean and other writings; financial documentation such as sales, loans and consignement records, reciepts for art handling and transportation; exhibition catalogs, news clippings, and other printed material; photographs, including over twelve hundred slides of paintings; and artwork consisting of sketches.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Peter Dean (1934-1993) was a jewish american figurative expressionist painter who lived and worked in New York City. Born in Berlin, Dean immigrated with his family to New York in 1938 in order to escape growing fascism in Germany. Dean attended Cornell University and University of Wisconsin graduating with a bachelor's degree in geology. After his studies he returned to New York City to forge a life as an artist. His work often had dark themes but was full of color and energetic fiugures often depicting either a vibrant fantasy or a specific political event such as The Vietnam War. Dean was a co-founder of the artist collective Rhino Horn, a group of figurative artists in the 1960s who emerged out of the New York School. Co-founders included Peter Passuntino and Nicholas Sperakis and active members included Joseph Kurhajec and Red Grooms. 

Dean's work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the country and the world. Of note is his inclusion in Marcia Tucker's curated exhibition Paradise Lost/Paradise Regained: American Visions of the New Decade at the Venice Biennale, 1984.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 4.2 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1941-1995
label: Date
content: bulk 1965-1993
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.deanpete
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collection is arranged as nine series.

Biographical Material, circa 1961-1993 (0.1 Linear feet: Box 1)

Correspondence, circa 1963-1993 (0.4 Linear feet: Box 1)

Diaries and Journals, 1971-1991 (1 Linear foot Box: 1-2)

Writing, circa 1966-1993 (0.25 Linear feet: Box 2)

 Exhibition Files, circa 1965-1991 (0.25 Linear feet: Box 2)

 Personal Business, circa 1956-1992 (0.6 Linear feet: Box 2-3)

Printed Material, circa 1941-1995 (0.7 Linear feet :Box 3)

Photographic Material, circa 1963-1992 (1.4 Linear feet: Box 3-5)

Artwork, circa 1941-1992 (0.1 Linear feet: Box 5)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Sabine Lipten in 2022.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of figurative expressionist painter Peter Dean measure 4.2 linear feet and date from circa 1941-1995, with the bulk from 1965-1993. Included are Dean's resumes, a biographic summary, a copy of his obituarry and an application to the Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fellowship. Correspondence is with friends, family, galleries, universities, and art institutions. Also included are illustrated holiday and greeting cards as well as letters of condolence to Dean's wife Lorraine Dean after his passing. Writings include 16 journals, 1971-1991, and manuscripts of articles on Dean. Exhibition Files document select solo and group exhibitions that Dean participated in spanning the majority of his career. Materials include correspondence, contracts, price lists and printed materials. Business records include invoices, sales receipts, and price lists. Printed matter includes exhibition catalogs of shows featuring Dean, 1970-1992, and other catalogs that he collected, 1970-1987. Photographs are of Dean, his work, and his studio, and over 1200 slides of his work. Art work consists of sketches and two painted canvases.