Macena Barton papers
name: label: Creator
content: Barton, Macena, 1901-1986
label: Names
content: Bulliet, C. J. (Clarence Joseph), 1883-1952
topic: label: Occupation
content: Painters -- Illinois -- Chicago
label: Occupation
content: Portrait painters -- Illinois -- Chicago
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Women painters
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Macena Barton papers were donated in 1986 by James Romano and in 2020 by Harlan J. Berk, who purchased the estate of Macena Barton.
creator: label: Creator
content: Barton, Macena, 1901-1986
setName: label: See more items in
content: Macena Barton papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of portraitist Macena Barton measure 1.7 linear feet and date from 1839 to 1985 with one artwork dating from circa 1670. Found are biographical materials on Barton and her extended family, correspondence, personal business records, scattered writings and notes, photographs, printed material, and five clippings scrapbooks. Also found are administrative records on artist groups co-founded by Barton including the Chicago No-Jury Society of Artists and The Women Artists' Salon of Chicago.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Macena Barton (1901-1986) was a painter and portraitist in Chicago, Illinois. Born in Michigan, Barton studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She began her career as a still-life and portrait painter and claimed to be the first American woman to paint a nude self-portrait. In her later career, Barton focused on surrealism. She was romantically involved with Chicago art critic Clarence J. Bulliet.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.7 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1839-1985
label: Date
content: circa 1670
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.bartmace
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Portions of the collection were microfilmed upon receipt on Reel 4079. The collection was merged and processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2025 with received support from the Judith Godwin Arts Foundation
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Portions of the material is available on microfilm reel 4079 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibray loan.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of portraitist Macena Barton measure 1.7 linear feet and date from 1839 to 1985 with one artwork dating from circa 1670. Found are biographical materials on Barton and her extended family, correspondence, personal business records, scattered writings and notes, photographs, printed material, and five clippings scrapbooks. Also found are administrative records on artist groups co-founded by Barton including the Chicago No-Jury Society of Artists and The Women Artists' Salon of Chicago.