Sheldon Ross Gallery records
name: label: Creator
content: Sheldon Ross Gallery
label: Names
content: Art Students League (New York, N.Y.) -- Faculty
label: Names
content: Middle Earth Gallery
label: Names
content: United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation
label: Names
content: Bearden, Romare (1911-1988)
label: Names
content: Grosz, George, 1893-1959
label: Names
content: Ross, Sheldon, 1925-2000
topic: label: Topic
content: Expressionism (Art)
label: Topic
content: Arts -- Forgeries
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The records were donated to the Archives of American Art in 2010 and 2022 by Phyllis Ross, widow of Sheldon Ross.
creator: label: Creator
content: Sheldon Ross Gallery
setName: label: See more items in
content: Sheldon Ross Gallery records
abstract: label: Summary
content: The records of the Sheldon Ross Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan, measure 2.2 linear feet and are dated 1970-2007, with the bulk of materials dating from 1976-1995. The majority of the collection consists of artists' files. About half of the materials relate to Romare Bearden's work and his relationship with Sheldon Ross, the gallery owner. Also included are artists' files regarding George Grosz and Michigan artists. The contents of artists' files vary but generally include biographical information, printed materials and photographic images. The collection also contains correspondence, exhibition files, and photographs documenting the gallery's activities.
bioghist: label: Biographical/Historical note
content: The Sheldon Ross Gallery (1975-1993), Birmingham, Michigan, and later Sheldon Ross Fine Arts and Sheldon Ross Fine Arts LLC (1993-2000) were operated by Sheldon Ross until his death in 2000. The Sheldon Ross Gallery was the only gallery in the Detroit area to consistently show German Expressionist art, emphasizing graphics. However, the gallery and Ross are best known for their early and continued support of Romare Bearden's work. The exhibition history shows a balance between an interest in local artists and an effort to offer diverse artwork from broad based sources.
function: label: Function
content: Art galleries, Commercial -- Michigan
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2.2 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1970-2007
label: Date
content: bulk 1976-1995
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.shelrosg
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Drawings
arrangement: label: Arrangement note
content: The collection is arranged in 7 Series. Materials are generally arranged by record type and chronologically thereafter.

Series 1: Gallery History, 1976-2000 (Box 1, OV 4; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1982-1999 (Box 1; 0.1 linear feet)

Series 3: Exhibition Files, 1976-1988 (Box 1; 0.1 linear feet)

Series 4: Artists' Files, 1968-2007 (Boxes 1-2, 6; 1.3 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1976-2000 (Box 2; 2 folders; OV 4; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 6: Drawings by Robert Ross, after 1975, (OV 5; 0.1 linear feet)

Series 7: Photographic Materials, circa 1970-2000 (Boxes 2-3, OV 5; 0.2 linear feet)
processinfo: label: Processing Information note
content: The collection was processed by Harriet E. Shapiro in 2011. The 2022 addition to the collection was processed and added to the finding aid by Christopher DeMairo in 2022.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: The records of the Sheldon Ross Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan, measure 2.2 linear feet and are dated 1970-2007, with the bulk of materials dating from 1976-1995. The majority of the collection consists of artists' files. About half of the materials relate to Romare Bearden's work and his relationship with Sheldon Ross, the gallery owner. Also included are artists' files regarding George Grosz and Michigan artists. The contents of artists' files vary but generally include biographical information, printed materials and photographic images. The collection also contains correspondence, exhibition files, and photographs documenting the gallery's activities.

The gallery records document its exhibition history, exhibition reviews, sales of artwork, and Ross' significant projects. Also included are photographs and slides documenting much of the artwork exhibited. Materials relating to Romare Bearden include exhibition files, writings by and about Bearden and his artwork, and correspondence between Bearden and Ross during the years 1976-1989. There are many catalogs of Bearden's solo exhibitions at galleries, museums, and institutions, as well as exhibition reviews from newspapers and magazines, and images of Bearden's works.

The gallery exhibited other well-known artists including 20th century American artists and German Expressionists, notably George Grosz, who instructed Bearden at the Art Students League in New York. Found in the records are exhibition catalogues, price lists, inventory cards and artists' background materials. Also found is correspondence with museums, artists and clients, and slides and other photographic material of artwork offered by the gallery. Of note is correspondence between Sheldon Ross and the FBI concerning Ross' participation as an expert witness in a prosecution of individuals who were involved in Romare Bearden forgeries.

There are drawings of Sheldon Ross and The Sheldon Ross Galley by his son, Robert Ross. Photographs are of Sheldon Ross and Romare Bearden, Sheldon Ross with family and friends, and the predecessor gallery, Middle Earth Gallery.