Bill Maris Shibui Photographs
name: label: Creator
content: Maris, Bill, 1924-1986
label: Former owner
content: Maris, Bill, 1924-1986
label: Former owner
content: Semel, Julie, 1941-
place: label: Place
content: Japan
topic: label: Topic
content: Aesthetics, Japanese
label: Topic
content: Art, Japanese. -- United States
label: Topic
content: Interior decoration
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Gift of Julie Semel in 2023.
creator: label: Creator
content: Maris, Bill, 1924-1986
setName: label: See more items in
content: Bill Maris Shibui Photographs
abstract: label: Summary
content: Four photoprints and eleven transparencies created by Bill Maris, demonstrating "shibui" aesthetics. These photographs were possibly taken in the 1960s for the magazine House Beautiful, although they were not used.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Bill Maris (1924-1986) was a photographer, known primarily for his architectural photography. He was born in Queens, but grew up in Ohio, where his father operated a photography studio. Both his mother and one of his sisters were professional photographers, and Maris began learning about photography from a young age. During WWII, he enlisted in the army as a photographer, and after the war, he moved to New York City to continue his photography work. In New York, he met Ezra Stoller, who was known for his architectural photography. They formed a creative partnership and worked together from the early 1950s to the mid-1960s. 

During this time, Stoller was commissioned to provide photographs for the August 1960 issue of House Beautiful magazine, also known as the "shibui" issue. This issue was a culmination of years of research and travel to Japan by House Beautiful editor in chief Elizabeth Gordon, and it is often credited with introducing American audiences to the concept of "shibui," along with renewing interest in Japanese style post-WWII. The photographs in Maris's collection were not used in the August 1960 issue or its follow-up September issue, which was about how to achieve the "shibui" aesthetic with American things. However, a lacquer tray owned by Gordon is featured in one of the transparencies. Gordon later donated this tray to the Freer Gallery of Art.

After ending his business partnership with Stoller, Maris continued to provide photographs for House Beautiful, along with other magazines such as House & Garden and Traditional Home. He also continued his architectural photography and worked for clients such as I.M. Pei, Robert A.M. Stern, and Richard Meier. In 1969, he hired Julie Semel as a photography assistant, and they later became equal creative partners. They married in 1977.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 0.3 Cubic feet (1 flat box (11 transparencies and 4 photoprints) )
unitdate: label: Date
content: undated
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: FSA.A2023.02
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Home furnishings
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Arranged by format.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Home furnishings
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 1950-1960 -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Four photoprints and eleven transparencies created by Bill Maris, demonstrating "shibui" aesthetics. Maris worked with Ezra Stoller, who was credited as the primary photographer for the August 1960 issue of House Beautiful magazine, also known at the "shibui" issue. These photographs were possibly taken in the 1960s for the magazine, although they were not used. A lacquer tray featured in one of the transparencies was later donated to the Freer Gallery of Art by Elizabeth Gordon, editor in chief of House Beautiful.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: The Elizabeth Gordon Papers, FSA.A1988.03. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Elizabeth Gordon, 1988.

Lacquer tray, 17th century / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art Collection, Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Gordon Norcross, F1986.17

Bill Maris and Julie Semel Collection, 2012.MARIS. Pratt Institute School of Information On-Site Archives and Special
Collections, New York City, NY. Gift of Julie Maris/Semel.