General Correspondence
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Parsons, Betty, 1900-1982
setName: label: See more items in
content: Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers
label: See more items in
content: Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers / Series 7: Betty Parsons Personal Papers / 7.3: Correspondence
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1922-1983
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.parsbett, Subseries 7.3.1
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Letter files are arranged alphabetically, and postcards and Christmas cards and other correspondence with artwork, are arranged by decade or alphabetically.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: This series has been digitized in entirety.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: Files mostly consist of correspondence with friends and artists with whom Parsons had a personal relationship, although letters touching upon gallery business are scattered throughout. As close friends, many of the artists shared details about their personal and family life, travels, work, and careers. Gallery artist correspondents include Larry Bigelow, Alexander Calder, and William Condon. Of particular note are letters from Ad Reinhardt discussing his work in relation to the gallery and exhorting Parsons to fight for her (and his) rightful place in history. Another significant and prolific correspondent is the English artist Adge Baker, with whom Parsons had a romantic relationship. The two lived together for several years in the house that Parsons purchased shortly after she arrived in Paris in 1923. Although they separated in 1932, they remained life long friends. There are also personal letters from Marjorie Liebman and Aline Porter that include details about Parsons's romantic relationships with both women, as well as details about their careers. Another prolific correspondent is artist Etienne Ret.

Notable friends and other correspondents include heiress and world-class speed boat racer Joe Carstairs, the Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava (Lindy Guinness), art critic Rosalind Constable, and art and literary critic Dale McConathy, who briefly worked for Parsons as a gallery assistant. Personal correspondence also includes Christmas cards, postcards, telegrams, and third party correspondence to gallery employees and Lee Hall, Parsons's biographer and gallery artist. Many of the Christmas cards include original artwork in a variety of media, and have been arranged with other artwork sent to Parsons by various artists over the years.