Richmond Barthé unpublished biography and photographs, circa 1915-circa 1975

Scope and content:

The series chiefly consists of a 137-page draft biography on African American sculptor Richmond Barthé, in typescript form, completed by art historian Marcia M. Mathews sometime around 1975, accompanied by 134 photographs of Barthé's sculptures, as well as a few family portraits.

The highly-researched biography covers the life and career of Barthé, from his birth in Mississippi in 1901 to his age at the time the draft was completed, 75 years, thus the estimated date of 1975 for the draft's completion. Appended are footnotes and a bibliography. The work offers many insights on Barthé's career and struggles as an African American artist; it also offers details about the community of friends who supported him, which included many gay artists and theater people. Although the work was unpublished as a monograph, Mathews wrote an article about Barthé in the South Atlantic Quarterly (#74, 1975) entitled "Richmond Barthé, sculptor." .

The rest of the series comprises 134 professional glossy photographs of Barthé's sculptures and a few paintings, almost all 8x10 inch gelatin silver prints. They typically include a title for the work penciled in on the verso in an unknown hand; less commonly, they include a date, probably of the work's completion, and occasionally, a photographer's name; in twelve photos the name is that of Eric Pollitzer of Hempstead, N.Y.

There are also color snapshots of Barthé in Florence, 1971, of what appears to be an early solo exhibit (1930s?), as well as early portraits of Barthé (1915, 1935), his mother, and stepfather.

Subjects for the sculptures are almost always Black figure studies such as males and female nudes, dancers, athletes, family groups, and busts; others are of commissioned sculptures of Black authors, inventors, celebrities, and other figures. There are also race-related themes and religious sculptures (Barthé was a practicing Catholic).

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