Stewart Klonis papers
name: label: Creator
content: Klonis, Stewart, 1901-1989
label: Names
content: Art Students League (New York, N.Y.)
label: Names
content: Klonis, Bernard, 1906-1957
topic: label: Occupation
content: Educators -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Occupation
content: Painters -- New York (State) -- New City
label: Topic
content: Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- United States
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Stewart Klonis papers were donated in 1983 by Stewart Klonis.
creator: label: Creator
content: Klonis, Stewart, 1901-1989
setName: label: See more items in
content: Stewart Klonis papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The Stewart Klonis papers measure 3.1 linear feet and date from circa 1886-1983. They illustrate his career through biographical material, correspondence, writings, personal business records, printed and photographic material, and artwork.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Stewart Klonis (1901-1989) was a painter and educator who worked primarily in New York. 


Stewart Klonis was born on December 24 in Naugatuck, Connecticut and moved to New York City in 1921. He worked for the Guggenheim Brothers Brokerage House and began studying painting at the Art Students League in 1927. In 1934, he joined its twelve-member board. Since he was the only board member with a background in finance, Klonis became the treasurer and managed to balance the books before the league went under. In 1932, Klonis helped found the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibition. As a student of the league himself, he was often part of the shows. 


In 1937, Klonis was elected president of the league before becoming executive director in 1946. During his time spent at the league he succeeded in widening the range of teaching to include abstract art in order to supplement the school's emphasis on figurative painting. In 1980, Klonis retired from his position as executive director.


Stewart Klonis died at the age of 86 in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn in 1989.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 3.1 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1886-1983
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.klonstew
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collection consists of seven series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1934-1977 (.1 Linear feet: Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1930-1982 (1 Linear foot: Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1897-1977 (.2 Linear feet: Box 2)

Series 4: Personal Business Records, circa 1933-1982 (.6 Linear feet: Box 2)

Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1886-1980 (.7 Linear feet: Boxes 2-3, OV 5)

Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1920-1980 (.2 Linear feet: Box 4, OV 6 and 7)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1956-1983 (.1 Linear feet: Box 4)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: This collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared, by Allessandra Liberati in 2023.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The Stewart Klonis papers measure 3.1 linear feet and date from circa 1886-1983. 


Biographical material includes Klonis' resume, various awards and certificates, and a file including materials on Bernard Klonis. Correspondence is with Romare Bearden, Martha Bloom, Peter Blume, Louis Bosa, Homer Boss, Frank Vincent DuMond, George Grosz, Joseph Hirsch, Reginald Marsh, Kenneth Hayes Miller, William Zorach and others, as well as regarding the 1960s proxy vote for the Art Students League. Writings consist of notes, drafts, and typescripts of articles and speeches by Klonis and others. 
Personal business records contain files on the Art Students League containing a history of the league, correspondence and printed material about the election of the Board of Control, the annual scholarship balls and the testimonial dinner for Klonis, minutes of the Board of Control meetings, reports, and financial data and building modernization plans. Also included are materials relating to multiple other art organizations, artwork appraisals, and exhibition files. 


Printed material consists of exhibition announcements and catalogs for the Art Students League and other exhibitions, clippings, and a scrapbook of clippings, exhibition catalogs, and photographs. Photographic material includes photographs of Klonis, his friends and colleagues, and the Art Students League Costume balls. Artwork includes sketches and collages by Homer Boss, Jose de Creeft, Frank Vincent DuMond, Xavier Gonzales, William Zorach, Martha Bloom, Robert B. Hale, Beatrix Sherman, and others.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: The Archives of American Art also holds two oral history interviews conducted 1970 February 3, by Paul Cummings and by Bruce Hooton in 1965.