Katharine Lane Weems papers
name: label: Creator
content: Weems, Katharine Lane, 1899-1989
label: Names
content: Lane, Katharine Ward, 1862-1893
topic: label: Occupation
content: Sculptors -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Occupation
content: Watercolorists -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Women painters
label: Topic
content: Women sculptors
label: Topic
content: Animal sculpture
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Katharine Lane Weems papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in multiple installments from 1975 through 1991. The bulk of the collection, consisting of unmicrofilmed papers, were donated in 1975 and 1982 by Weems, and in 1989 by her estate. Material on reel 724 was lent for microfilming by Weems in 1974 and the four sketchbooks on reel 724 were subsequently donated in 1989. Eighteen diaries (1961-1965, 1967-1976 [1969 not included], 1978, and 1981-1983) and an apppointment book for 1966 donated by the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College, in 1991.
creator: label: Creator
content: Weems, Katharine Lane, 1899-1989
setName: label: See more items in
content: Katharine Lane Weems papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of sculptor Katharine Lane Weems, based in Boston, measure 15.6 linear feet and date from 1868-1989. The papers include biographical material, extensive diaries, correspondence, writings, personal business records, sketchbooks and drawings, project files, scrapbooks, printed materials, photographs and slides, motion picture film, and videotape relating to Weem's career as a sculptor. Also included are papers of Weems's aunt, watercolorist Katharine Ward Lane, which consists of letters, diaries, sketchbooks and photographs.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Katharine Lane Weems (1899-1989) was a sculptor based in Boston, Massachusetts. She specialized in animal sculpture and studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, under Charles Grafly and George Demetrios, and also received instruction from Anna Hyatt Huntington and Brenda Putnam. She married F. Carrington Weems in 1947. 

Weems won numerous awards and medals for her work. She undertook several major projects and commissions over the course of her career including but not limited to her work for The Biological Laboratories at Harvard University (a set of friezes, door designs, and two large bronze rhinoceros sculptures), the Dolphins of the Sea sculpture at the New England Aquarium, and the Lotta Fountain at the Boston Esplanade Plaza. Weems was a member of the Massachusetts Arts Commission and her work is a part of museum collections across the country. She died in 1989.

Weems was named after her aunt, watercolor painter Katharine Ward Lane (1862-1893).
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 15.6 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1868-1989
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.weemkath
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
label: Type
content: Motion picture film
label: Type
content: Diaries
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 10 series.

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1909-1984 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 1, 15, OV 18, FC 26)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1898-1989 (1.7 linear feet; Boxes 1-3)

Series 3: Diaries, 1906-1983 (3.9 linear feet; Boxes 3-6)

Series 4: Writings, 1933-1981 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 7, 15)

Series 5: Personal Business Records, 1919-1981 (0.3 linear feet; Box 7)

Series 6: Project Files, 1912-1979 (3.3 linear feet; Boxes 7-8, 15, OVs 18-21, RD 22-24, FC 25)

Series 7: Printed Materials, 1911-1989 (1.3 linear feet; Boxes 8-9, 16, OV 21, FCs 22-24)

Series 8: Sketches and Drawings, 1913-circa 1989 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 9-10, 17, OV 21)

Series 9: Photographic Materials, 1902-circa 1989 (2.6 linear feet; Boxes 10-12, 17, MGPs 5-6)

Series 10: Katharine Ward Lane Papers, 1868-1893 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 13-14, MGP 1)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection received a preliminary level of arrangement by Jean Fitzgerald after donation. The collection was processed and described in a finding aid by Rihoko Ueno in 2025.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Portions of the collection are available on 35mm microfilm reel 724 at Archives of American Art offices. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sketchbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Motion picture film
label: Genre/Form
content: Diaries
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of sculptor Katharine Lane Weems, based in Boston, measure 15.6 linear feet and date from 1868-1989. The papers include biographical material, extensive diaries, correspondence, writings, personal business records, sketchbooks and drawings, project files, scrapbooks, printed materials, photographs and slides, motion picture film, and videotape relating to Weem's career as a sculptor. Also included are papers of Weems's aunt, watercolorist Katharine Ward Lane, which consists of letters, diaries, sketchbooks and photographs.
separatedmaterial: label: Separated Materials
content: The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming on reel 724. Reel 724 contains a biographical sketch, 1974; letters from Frederic Bartlett, George Demetrios, Walker Hancock, Leon Kroll, Lee Lawrie, Moissaye Marans, Adolph Alexander Weinman, and others; four sketchbooks, 1954-1965, containing pencil drawings of animals; a scrapbook of clippings, 1924-1941; and printed material. The four sketchbooks were donated to the archives but the location of the rest of the material on the reel has not been confirmed but presumably donated as part of the later installments and integrated with the rest of the collection material.