Clara Fasano papers
name: label: Creator
content: Fasano, Clara, 1900-1990
label: Names
content: United States. Works Progress Administration
topic: label: Occupation
content: Sculptors -- Italy
label: Occupation
content: Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Women sculptors
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Clara Fasano papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by Clara Fasano in 1972 and 1978. Two portraits of Fasano by Joseph Stella received with the papers were transferred to the National Museum of American Art.
creator: label: Creator
content: Fasano, Clara, 1900-1990
setName: label: See more items in
content: Clara Fasano papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The Clara Fasano papers are 2.7 linear feet and date from circa 1920-1979. They illustrate Fasano's career as a sculptor in both Cervaro, Italy and New York City through biographical materials, correspondence, writings and exhibition and gallery files, printed and photographic materials, and artwork.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Clara Fasano (1900-1990) was a sculptor who worked primarily in New York City. She was born in Castellaneta, Italy to a long line of sculptors and carvers. She specialized in terracotta figures with religious and allegorical themes. Her family immigrated to the United States when Fasano was three years old where her father earned a living as an architectural ornamentor in New York City. In 1936 Fasano married Jean De Marco, a fellow sculptor, and moved to Greenwich Village. 

Fasano studied at the Cooper Union Art School, the Art Students League, and Adelphi College in New York City and at the Académie Colarossi and Academie Julian in Paris. She also studied under Arturo Dazzi in Rome. Fasano taught art at the Dalton School in New York City and at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. In the 1930s, she began to exhibit her work in New York City. 

During the Great Depression Fasano was one of the first sculptors to work on the Public Works of Art Project under the New Deal. She created a plaque in 1934 commemorating Governor Donegan for the Port Richmond Highschool on Staten Island. Fasano also worked on the Federal Art Project under which she created a plaster relief titled "The Family" for the Middleport, Ohio post office. 

Fasano was a member of the Sculptors Guild and participated in its 1940 and 1941 exhibitions and was awarded the Daniel Chester French medal in 1965 from the National Academy of Design. She was also awarded the Dessie Greer prize in 1968. Other organizations she was a member of are the National Sculpture Society, the Audubon Artists, and the National Association of Women Artists. Fasano died in 1990.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2.7 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1920-1979
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.fasaclar
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
label: Type
content: Diaries
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collection is composed of seven series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1920-1979 (.3 Linear feet: Boxes 1 and 4)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1939-1978 (.8 Linear feet: Box 1)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1955-1968 (.1 Linear feet: Box 2)

Series 4: Exhibition and Gallery Files, circa 1941-1978 (.2 Linear feet: Box 2)

Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1933-1976 (.3 Linear feet: Box 2)

Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1920-1972 (.6 Linear feet: Boxes 2-3)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1920-1972 (.4 Linear feet: Boxes 3-4)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: This collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared, by Allessandra Liberati in 2023.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Portions of the collection are available on 35mm microfilm reels 862-863 and 906 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: Sketchbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Diaries
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The Clara Fasano papers measure 2.7 linear feet and date from circa 1920-1979. Biographical materials include Fasano's resume, an appointment book for 1971, materials related to Who's Who in America, and various awards and certificates. Correspondence is in English and Italian and is with Fasano's husband Jean De Marco, Leo Cherne, the Archives of American Art, and others. Writings include a diary and lists of institutional gifts to the Archives of American Art and Syracuse University. Exhibition and gallery files consist of exhibition materials including those related to the National Academy of Design, National Academy of Sculpture, and a photo album for the Stituto Italiano di Cultura Traveling Exhibition. Printed material includes membership booklets, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and various publications featuring Fasano's artwork. Photographic material consists of photographs of Fasano and her artwork, as well as her friends. Artwork includes designs for the Federal Art Project, figure drawings, sketches, and a self-portrait.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Clara Fasano's papers can also be found in Syracuse University's collections.