I recently spent a little time on a foray back into
processing an archival collection (usually I am fully immersed in the Archives
of American Art's oral histories).
Rather serendipitously as soon as I dug into working on an addition to
the Morris
Louis and Morris Louis Estate papers,
more additions to the collection came
raining from the sky! Every week, it seemed, a courier would drop off another
box. In one of those downpours came a
box of photographs and slides. These images will help to form a more complete
story of Morris Louis – and his marriage to, and relationship with, Marcella
Brenner (née
Bernstein).
Marcella Brenner and Morris Louis seated in an armchair, ca.1950 /
unidentified photographer.
Morris Louis and Morris Louis Estate papers,
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
|
Marcella supported Morris and his art. She worked while he
stayed in their 2 bedroom apartment and painted. Yes, he taught painting
classes in Baltimore and privately, too. But he was not the primary
breadwinner. Upright notes he drove Marcella to work every day, then went home and painted.
By the time she returned home in the evening he was done. No one saw Morris
working. No one saw his studio. Not even Marcella. There are no known photos of Morris working
or of his studio—this documentation just doesn't exist. Furthermore, Morris'
work was so large, and the space he was working in was so small, it is doubtful he saw an entire painting he was working on until it was
stretched and hung for a gallery.
Let's jump forward. After Morris's death in 1962, Marcella
asked the Bernstein family for full control of the estate and the family
granted her this right. (Years later, after Morris had gained some notoriety,
they would regret this decision and a lengthy
court case would follow.)
unidentified
photographer.
Morris Louis and Morris Louis Estate papers,
Archives of American
Art, Smithsonian Institution.
|
unidentified
photographer.
Morris Louis and Morris Louis Estate papers,
Archives of American
Art, Smithsonian Institution.
|
The images to the right were taken during the estate inventory in 1966 at the Santini Brothers warehouse where Louis' paintings were stored. These images are the closest we come to seeing his work in a raw form. Here are the giant canvases in various forms of storage – rolled and unrolled, unstretched, and on the floor with men handling them. A very different scene than what we're used to—perfectly hung works on white walls in a gallery. (Don't get too close! No touching!)
We also get to see those people who were closest to Louis in life. Present is art critic Clement Greenberg, who gave many of the paintings titles at Morris' request. One of the other men in the room looks like Morris' brother whom he grew up with in Baltimore. And here we see Marcella supporting Morris even in death. She made Morris Louis--with help from Andre Emmerich, Clement Greenberg, and others. But without Marcella "in the picture" I doubt he would have risen to such high acclaim and importance in the art world.
We also get to see those people who were closest to Louis in life. Present is art critic Clement Greenberg, who gave many of the paintings titles at Morris' request. One of the other men in the room looks like Morris' brother whom he grew up with in Baltimore. And here we see Marcella supporting Morris even in death. She made Morris Louis--with help from Andre Emmerich, Clement Greenberg, and others. But without Marcella "in the picture" I doubt he would have risen to such high acclaim and importance in the art world.
Jennifer Snyder works with oral history interviews at the Archives American Art.
Blogs across the Smithsonian will give an inside look at the Institution’s archival collections and practices during a month long blogathon in celebration of October’s American Archives Month. See additional posts from our other participating blogs, as well as related events and resources, on the Smithsonian’s Archives Month website.
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