Newberry Library - E.A. Burbank papers [box 04], 1897-1949

E.A. Burbank papers [box 04], 1897-1949

Overview

Image w/ Text

Add to collection

Download

Share PDF

Get link

Title E.A. Burbank papers [box 04], 1897-1949

Creator Burbank, E. A. (Elbridge Ayer), 1858-1949

Date 1897-1949

Place Arizona--Ganado, New Southwest, West United States

Subjects Indian reservations, Portrait painting, Trading posts

Description The Edward E. Ayer Collection also contains 1,242 drawings and 25 oil paintings executed by E.A. Burbank.

Summary About 350 letters (1897-1914) written by Burbank from various Indian villages, trading posts, and towns to his uncle Edward E. Ayer and two scrapbooks (1945-1949) of incoming correspondence. The outgoing correspondence includes Burbank's reports on his painting progress, his travels and experiences in the West, his acquisition of Indian crafts such as rugs and pottery, and mention of his painting exhibitions. The letters were written predominately from Oklahoma Territory, the Southwest, and the Dakotas. In his first letters, dated March 1897, Burbank relates his experience painting the Apache chief Geronimo at Fort Sill, OK. In later letters he describes painting other famous chiefs including Red Cloud and Joseph. Many letters were written from John Lorenzo Hubbell's trading post in Ganado, Ariz. where Burbank established a temporary studio. The scrapbooks include incoming correspondence to Burbank at the Hotel Manx in San Francisco. They also contain miscellaneous clippings including reviews of his newly-published reminiscences and a few reproductions of his later sketches. The two scrapbooks, kept in rough chronology, 1945-1949, contain incoming correspondence to Burbank at the Manx Hotel in San Francisco, as well as miscellaneous material. Correspondence consists primarily of fan letters, postcards, thank you notes and requests for artwork, and miscellany consists of clippings, a few reproductions of Burbank's later pictures and some memorabilia. Also added to the collection are a few items relating to Burbank's death and his friendship with Herbert Hamlin, publisher of the Pony Express Courier in San Mateo, California.

Biographical/Historical Note American painter and illustrator. Elbridge Ayer Burbank was born in 1858 in Harvard, Illinois. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and in Germany, where he developed his technique in life drawing and portraiture. At first specializing in portraits of African Americans, in 1897 Burbank was commissioned by his uncle Edward E. Ayer, to do a series of portraits of prominent Indigenous chiefs in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona. Accepting the commission, Burbank began his career as an Indigenous portrait authority. He painted Apache Chief Geronimo five times, the only artist to paint the old warrior from life. This began his most productive and successful period as a painter of Indigenous Americans. By 1902, Burbank was roaming the west and southwest, seeking out Native peoples, painting and drawing. He depicted not only the great chiefs but also ordinary individuals, groups and ceremonies of more and 125 tribes. Burbank made friends wherever he traveled, among them was Juan Lorenzo Hubbell of the famed Hubbell Trading Post, a hub for artists, ethnologists and tourists. There he did red chalk drawings of Navajos and many of the patterns for their rugs. During the Depression, Burbank supported himself by drawing and selling scenes for postcards and greeting cards, pictures of famous Americans, and copies of his Indigenous studies. His reproductions were inexpensive, and were widely distributed and collected. His last years were spent at the Manx Hotel in San Francisco, where he died in 1949, after having been struck by a cable car.

Extent 1.5 linear feet (4 boxes)

Format Correspondence, Manuscripts, Portraits

Citation Please refer to the catalog record or finding aid for citations. Though it is not required when repurposing Newberry content, please use the credit "From the Newberry Library," and provide a link back to the item in our digital collections website. This helps us track how our collections are used, and provides justification for adding more digitized content in the future

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number VAULT Ayer MS 120

BibID 137178

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

IIIF Resource Type Manifest

Unique Identifier NL111OC1

Help "Need help finding, searching, sharing, or downloading? Check out our help page!"

Selected

Click here to refresh results