Seymour Lipton papers
name: label: Creator
content: Lipton, Seymour, 1903-1986
topic: label: Occupation
content: Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Seymour Lipton papers were donated by Michael and Alan Lipton, Seymour Lipton's sons, in 1990.
creator: label: Creator
content: Lipton, Seymour, 1903-1986
setName: label: See more items in
content: Seymour Lipton papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of sculptor Seymour Lipton measure 9.2 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 1991. The papers document his career as a sculptor through biographical material; correspondence with friends, art organizations, and galleries; writings such as diaries, journals, poetry, manuscripts, and writings by other artists; personal business records with individuals and organizations; professional activity with art organizations; activity with museums and art galleries; printed material such as newspaper and magazine clippings, exhibition announcements, and exhibition catalogs; artwork; and photographs and slides of family life and artwork.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Seymour Lipton (1903-1986) was an American abstract expressionist sculptor. He was a member of the New York School who gained widespread recognition in the 1950s. He initially trained as a dentist but focused on sculpture from 1932. His early choices of medium changed from wood to lead and then to bronze, and he is best known for his work in metal.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 9.2 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1900-1991
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.liptseym
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Interviews
label: Type
content: Motion pictures
label: Type
content: Video recordings
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into nine series with the writing series being divided into four sub-series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1905-1986 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 1, 9-11, FC 13-19)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1927-1985 (0.7 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 3: Writings, 1927-1986 (2.2 linear feet; Boxes 1-4)

Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1962-1985 (0.3 linear feet; Box 4)

Series 5: Professional Activity, 1947-1982 (0.2 linear feet; Box 4)

Series 6: Gallery Activity, 1948-1968 (0.2 linear feet; Box 4)

Series 7: Printed Material, 1927-1991 (2.8 linear feet; Boxes 4-7, 12-13)

Series 8: Artwork, 1915-1928 (0.1 linear feet; Box 7)

Series 9: Photographs, 1900-1988 (1.9 linear feet; Boxes 7-8, 11)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Ricky Gomez in 2019. Additional finding aid description of the film recordings was completed by Kirsi Ritosalmi-Kisner in 2024.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Portions of the collection are available on 35mm microfilm reels D385-D386, N69-68, N69-90, and 3091 at the Archives of american Art offices and through interlibrary loan. 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: Interviews
label: Genre/Form
content: Motion pictures
label: Genre/Form
content: Video recordings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of sculptor Seymour Lipton measure 9.2 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 1991. The papers document his career as a sculptor through biographical material; correspondence with friends, art organizations, and galleries; writings such diaries, journals, poetry, manuscripts, and writings by other artists; personal business records with individuals and organizations; professional activity with art organizations; gallery activity with museums and art galleries; printed material such as newspaper and magazine clippings, exhibition announcements, and exhibition catalogs; artwork; and photographs and slides of family life and artwork. 

Biographical material consists of resumes, a will, awards, passports, documents on family history, film reels and video cassettes of home movies and Lipton at work on sculptures, and sound recordings of interviews with Lipton. Correspondence consists of letters to and from colleagues, museums, and galleries. Writings consist of draft manuscripts "Beauty - The Invisible Bridge," poetry, writings on art, lectures and speeches, and notes and notebooks on various topics in art.

Personal business records consist of contracts with art institutions, invoices for materials used in works, shipping and packaging receipts, and documents pertaining to royalties. Professional activity files consist of materials related to commissioned work for various companies and some museums. Gallery activity files consist of materials related to exhibitions at various museums and galleries.

Printed material consists of magazine and newspaper clippings, two scrapbooks, exhibition announcements, and exhibiton catalogs. Artwork is primarily drawings Lipton created while in high school. Photographs and slides are of Lipton and his family, Lipton's artwork, and Lipton posing with his artwork.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Also found in the Archives of American Art are two oral history interviews with Seymour Lipton. The first was conducted by Dorothy Seckler between April 28 and May 20, 1964. the second was conducted by Sevim Fesci in 1968.