2005.005 | Peter Hurd | SERMON FROM “REVELATIONS” | lithograph | 10 x 13-1/2" | 1938
2005.005 | Gordon Grant | ANY LOBSTERS TODAY? | lithograph | 9 x 12" |1946 | Donated by Ms. Susan Wayne and Miss Leslie Wayne Loftus
1986.015 | Joseph Margulies | PEACEFUL HARBOR | etching on paper | 7-1/2 x 10-1/4” | undated | Gift of Mr. Daniel Summers
1986.062 | Adolf Dehn | BLACK MOUNTAIN | lithograph on paper | 8-7/8 x 13” | undated | Gift of Mr. Daniel Summers
2005.005 | Thomas Hart Benton | I GOT A GIRL ON SOURWOOD MOUNTAIN | lithograph | 12-/12 x 9-1/8" | 1938 | Donated by Ms. Susan Wayne
1981.016 | James Kearns | MAN ON STILTS | etching on paper | 17.5 x 13” | 1968 | Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Goldberg
2005.005 | Churchill Ettinger | LOGGING IN VERMONT | etching | 7.5 x 11.5" | 1954 | Donated by Ms. Susan Wayne and Miss Leslie Wayne Loftus
2005.005 | Clarence William Anderson | FIRST DAYS | lithograph | 8-1/2 x 11-1/2” | 1954 | Donated by Ms. Susan Wayne and Miss Leslie Wayne Loftus
2005.005 | Churchill Ettinger | ACROSS THE POINT | etching | 8.125 x 10.75" | 1941 | Donated by Ms. Susan Wayne and Miss Leslie Wayne Loftus
2005.005 | De Martelly, John S. De Martelly | FOR THE LOVE OF BARBARA ALLEN | lithograph | 9.75 x 14" | 1942 | Donated by Ms. Susan Wayne and Miss Leslie Wayne Loftus
2005.005 | Lee, Doris Lee | COUNTRY WEDDING | lithograph 8 X 11-3/4" | 1944 | Donated by Ms. Susan Wayne and Miss Leslie Wayne Loftus
2005.005 | John Steuart Curry | JOHN BROWN | lithograph | 4-3/4 X 10-7/8" | 1939 | Donated by Ms. Susan Wayne and Miss Leslie Wayne Loftus
2005.005.71 | Grant Wood | APPROACHING STORM | lithograph | 12 x 9" | 1940
2005.005 | Grant Wood | APPROACHING STORM | lithograph | 12 x 9" | 1940 | Donated by Ms. Susan Wayne and MissLeslie Wayne Loftus
1986.075 | Grant Wood | FEBRUARY | lithograph | 8-7/8 x 11-3/4" | 1940 | Gift of Mr. Daniel Summers
Federico Castillon | MEMORIES | lithograph on paper | 12-5/8 x 9-3/8" | 1941 | Gift of Mr. Daniel Summers
1981.026 | Clarence Holbrook Carter | JANE REED AND DORA HUNT | etching on paper | 12 x 16” | undated | Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Goldberg
1981.015 | Jack Coughlin | OWL IN FLIGHT | etching on paper | 15.5 x 11.25” | 1968 | Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Goldberg
2005.005 |Asa Cheffetz | IN DEEP VERMONT | wood engraving | 6 x 8-7/8" | 1947 | Donated by Ms. Susan Wayne and Miss Leslie Wayne Loftus
2005.005.04 | Thomas Hart Benton | ARKANSAS EVENING | lithograph | 10 x 13" | 1941 | Donated by Ms. Susan Wayne and Miss
Leslie Wayne Loftus
1986.060 | Thomas Hart Benton | WRECK OF THE OLD ‘97 | lithograph on paper | 10-3/8 x 14-7/8” | undated | Gift of Mr. Daniel Summers
In 1934 the United States was in the grip of the Great Depression and the morale of the American people was at an all-time low. During this difficult period in American History, New York art dealer and publicist, Reeves Lewenthal, hatched a plan to form Associated American Artists (AAA). The mission of the enterprise was to make art accessible, affordable and attractive to Americans.
Lewenthal amassed a group of talented, well-known artists to initiate his plan, offering a flat artist fee of $200 to create original print stones and plates. From these the company produced limited edition etchings and lithograph prints. At the onset of AAA, these original impressions were available for five dollars each, initially sold in department stores and later through mail order.
Budding collectors sprung up across America and some of these collectors lived in and near Springfield, resulting in this collection of limited series prints.
Associated American Artists founder, Reeves Lewenthal, had access to talented artists and he knew that the market for original art in the 1930’s was small. Since most of the country was rural, many people were not exposed to galleries and could not afford original art. Even quality, color reproductions could be scarce or unavailable. AAA capitalized on the period’s popular middle class perception of art galleries, dealers and collectors as elitist. The company promoted a culture of access and equality in art collecting and positioned itself outside the dominant, traditional gallery system. The strategy worked and gave rise to a new class of art collectors.
Associated American Artists continued from 1934-1981. Within its first twenty years, the enterprise had developed an international reputation. AAA prints and reproductions were everywhere: in homes, on greeting cards, and even clothing. Through the Great Depression, World War II and the Cold War, many American’s struggled for basic needs, but the success and prominence of the AAA print program showed that beauty and visual ideas were also fundamental to Americans.
During its more than four decade span, Associated American Artists created an art series with hundreds of prints by dozens of prominent artist members. Collectors and donors who contributed to this special collection include Ms. Susan Wayne and Miss Leslie Wayne Loftus, Mr. Daniel Summers, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Goldberg, Ms. Helen Bosart Morgan, Mrs. Victoria Cooper and others. These generously donated Associated American Artists prints are now an integral part of the Springfield Museum of Art’s permanent collection and we are pleased to present them to you in this exhibition.
Submitting an Exhibition Proposal
The Springfield Museum of Art is pleased to accept applications for exhibiting work. Please complete the following information in full and Submit it. You will be contacted within 6 weeks of receivng your application.
For more information, contact Erin Shapiro at 937-325-4673.