Peter Hopkins papers
name: label: Creator
content: Hopkins, Peter, 1911-1999
label: Names
content: Art Students League (New York, N.Y.) -- Faculty
label: Names
content: Beach, Joseph
label: Names
content: Hopkins, Charles
topic: label: Topic
content: Paianters -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Educators -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Art -- Philosophy
label: Topic
content: Art -- Study and teaching
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in 2009 by the artist's neighbor, James McGuane.
creator: label: Creator
content: Hopkins, Peter, 1911-1999
setName: label: See more items in
content: Peter Hopkins papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The Peter Hopkins papers measure 2.4 linear feet and date from 1823-2001, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1935-1994. Writings, letters and diaries make up most of the collection. Printed materials relate to exhibitions of Hopkins' artwork and theatrical performances of his wife, Gertrude Beach Hopkins. There also are writings by both Hopkins and his wife that appeared in the Christian Science Monitor. Of particular interest is a group of vintage family photographs and family papers dating from the 19th century, as well as diaries Hopkins kept while traveling and working in a mental hospital in inland China in the mid 1930s.
bioghist: label: Biographical Note
content: Peter Hopkins (1911-1999) was an artist, educator and writer, who lived and worked in Greenwich Village in New York City.

Hopkins, the son of a theatrical producer, was educated at the prestigious Hotchkiss School. Despite limited formal education, he became a lecturer at the Art Students League of New York and an instructor at the New York Phoenix School of Design. Hopkins' paintings were exhibited in the 1950s-1960s. Hopkins wrote numerous unpublished manuscripts and was a columnist with the Christian Science Monitor in the 1970s. He was married to Gertrude Beach Hopkins (d.1997) an actress, who in later years was a poet.

Peter Hopkins (1911-1999) was an artist, educator and writer, who lived and worked in Greenwich Village in New York City.

Hopkins, the son of a theatrical producer, was educated at the prestigious Hotchkiss School. Despite limited formal education, he became a lecturer at the Art Students League of New York and an instructor at the New York Phoenix School of Design. Hopkins' paintings were exhibited in the 1950s-1960s. Hopkins wrote numerous unpublished manuscripts and was a columnist with the Christian Science Monitor in the 1970s. He was married to Gertrude Beach Hopkins (d.1997) an actress, who in later years was a poet.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2.4 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1823-2001
label: Date
content: bulk 1935-1994
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.hopkpete
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Sketches
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Diaries
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 11 series. Records are generally arranged by material type and chronologiclly thereafter.

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1823-1995 (Box 1; 0.1 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1934-2001 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, 1908-1997 (Boxes 1-2; 0.7 linear feet)

Series 4: Diaries, 1945-1998 (Box 2; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 5: Subject Files, 1966-1990 (Box 2; 3 folders)

Series 6: Printed Material, 1945-1980 (Box 2; 2 folders)

Series 7: Scrapbook, 1949-1997 (Box 2; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 8: Artwork, 1943-circa 1980s (Box 2; 1 folder)

Series 9: Sketchbooks, 1963-1982 (Box 2; 2 folders)

Series 10: Photographic Materials, 1864-1990s (Box 3; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 11: Sound and Video Recordings, circa 1976-1977 (Box 3; 0.3 linear feet)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed by Harriet E. Shapiro in 2012.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sketches
label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Diaries
label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
scopecontent: label: Scope and Content Note
content: The Peter Hopkins papers measure 2.4 linear feet and date from 1823-2001, with the bulk of materials dating from 1935-1994. Writings, letters and diaries make up most of the collection. Printed materials relate to exhibitions of Hopkins' artwork and theatrical performances of his wife, Gertrude Beach Hopkins. There also are writings by both Hopkins and his wife that appeared in the Christian Science Monitor. Of particular interest is a group of vintage family photographs and family papers dating from the 19th century, as well as diaries Hopkins kept while traveling and working in a mental hospital in inland China in the mid 1930s.

Manuscripts by Hopkins include his theories on perspective (the subject of his lectures at The Art Students League of New York) and the artistic methods of great masters. Hopkins also wrote about his theories concerning anthropological matters, world politics, over population, and the meaning of life. Much of Hopkins' correspondence concerns his efforts to explore career opportunities and find audiences for his ideas and writings.

The collection contains one intact scrapbook consisting of materials spanning Hopkins' art career, a substantial quantity of photographs and slides of Hopkins' paintings, some drawings and sketches, and a few sound and video recordings. In addition, there are writings by fathers of the couple, Charles R. Hopkins and Joseph Beach.