Finding aid for the Leonardo Olschki papers, 1924-1987, undated
Finding aid prepared by Teresa Morales and Emmabeth Nanol
Descriptive Summary
Title: Leonardo Olschki papers,
Date (inclusive): 1924-1987, undated
Number: 890138
Creator/Collector:
Olschki, Leonardo, 1885-1961
Physical Description:
9.5 linear feet
(17 boxes)
Repository:
The Getty Research Institute
Special Collections
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, California, 90049-1688
(310) 440-7390
Abstract: German-Italian romance philologist, orientalist, and scholar of medieval and renaissance texts. His papers comprises research
papers, his manuscripts, correspondence, clippings, and some personal documents. Annotated proofs for English, German, and
Italian editions of
Marco Polo's Asia and
Genius of Italy are included, along with research notes and related correspondence. Other papers concern some of Olschki's
many research interests and his teaching at the University of Heidelberg and the University of California, Berkeley.
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Language: Collection material is in
English
Biographical/Historical Note
Leonardo Olschki was a German-Italian romance philologist, a scholar of medieval and renaissance texts and Italian-German
literary relations, and an orientalist. He taught at the University of Heidelberg until 1932, and at the University of California
at Berkeley.
Administrative Information
Access
Open for use by qualified researchers.
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Leonardo Olschki Papers, 1924-1987, undated, Research Library, The Getty Research Institute, Accession no. 890138.
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa890138
Acquisition Information
The Getty acquired the Leonardo Olschki papers in 1989.
Processing History
Teresa Morales processed the collection and wrote the container list in 1995. Emmabeth Nanol further processed the collection
in 2012 under the supervision of Andra Darlington.
Scope and Content of Collection
Leonardo Olschki's archive contains his research papers and manuscripts, personal and professional correspondence, clippings,
some personal items, and the correspondence of his wife Kate with editors and scholars after his death.
Olschki's correspondence is with friends, editors, and fellow scholars. Some correspondence (1953) refers to his dismissal
from the University of Heidelberg in 1932; other letters and documents (1950s) relate to the loyalty oath issue at University
of California, Berkeley concerning accusations of communist ties against faculty. Research papers include transcriptions of
texts he used in his research, notes related to his writing projects, and texts of his lectures. Several files of research
and notes relate to his Marco Polo in Asia book. Two reels of microfilm contain 42 pages of Chinese poetry and an 81 pages
copy of a 13th century Latin document that describes journeys of Italians to the Far East. Included in his papers are reviews
and commentaries on his published writings, with some related correspondence. The Olschki papers contain proof volumes and
complete printed copies with Olschki's extensive annotations for his books,
Genius of Italy(with English, Italian and German versions) and
Marco Polo's Asia. (English and Italian editions). Kate Olschki's correspondence is with editors and scholars and concerns the re-publication
of her husband's work, and a biography of Olschki. These files include an inventory (1972) of Olschki's library.
Arrangement note
Organized in 7 series:
Series I. Memorabilia, 1924-1987, undated;
Series II. Personal and professional correspondence, 1933-1984, undated;
Series III. Research materials and manuscripts, 1924-1984, undated;
Series IV. Critiques and commentaries of Olschki's work, 1927-1970, undated;
Series V. Business correspondence of Kate Olschki, 1961-1987;
Series VI. Book:
Genius of Italy, 1947-circa 1958;
Series VII. Book:
Marco Polo's Asia, 1957-1960
Indexing Terms
Subjects - Names
Columbus, Christopher
Pius XII, 1876-1958, Pope
Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?
Subjects - Corporate Bodies
American Oriental Society
Subjects - Topics
Chinese poetry
Church buildings--Italy
Grail
Grail legends
Loyalty oaths--California
Loyalty oaths--United States
Myth of felt
National socialism and education
Philologists
Private libraries
Subjects - Places
Asia--Description and travel
Asia--Study and teaching
Italy--Civilization
Mongolia--Discovery and exploration
Mongolia--History
Subjects - Titles
Genius of Italy
Grail castle and its mysteries
Marco Polo's Asia
Genres and Forms of Material
Microfilms
Photographic prints
Photographs, Original
Scores
Contributors
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Arnoldo Mondadori editore
Cornell University Press
Evans, Arthur, 1942-
Guillén, Jorge, 1893-1984
Kantorowicz , Ernst Hartwig, 1895-1963
Kaschnitz, Marie Louise, 1901-1974
Kristeller, Paul Oskar, 1905-1999
Nin-Culmell, Joaquín , 1908-2004
Pantheon Books
Sansoni (Firm)
University of California Press
Wilson, William J.
Series I.
Memorabilia,
1924-1987, undated
Physical Description:
0.6 linear feet
(2 boxes)
Scope and Content Note
The series contains personal items, including awards, personal photographs, music written in Olschki's honor, and a guestbook.
Arrangement note
Arranged according to honors and awards received with the exception of a grouping of personal photographs.
Honor from the Republica of Italy,
1958, undated
Box 1, Folder 1
Medal,
undated
Scope and Content Note
Green leather presentation box with honor medals.
Box 15*, Folder 1
Commendation,
1958 June 2
Scope and Content Note
Includes telegram from San Francisco Italian Consulate General.
Personal photographs,
1924-1987, undated
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs of Olschki and his wife, Olschki's father, friends, colleagues, Pope Pius XII and Pope John Paul XXIII.
Box 1, Folder 2
Black-and-white photographs,
1924-1966, undated
Scope and Content Note
Includes identification cards and some correspondence.
Box 16, Folder 1
Color photographs,
1959-1987, undated
Box 1, Folder 3
Order of merit,
1958
Scope and Content Note
Medal and certificate, awarded to Olschki.
Box 1, Folder 4
"Homenaje à Leonardo Olschki" by Joaquín Nin-Culmell,
1955
Scope and Content Note
Music sheets.
Box 1, Folder 5
Guest book,
1951-1954
Scope and Content Note
Bound notebook signed by friends.
Series II.
Personal and professional correspondence,
1933-1984, undated
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
(1 box)
Scope and Content Note
Most letters are with editors and scholars and concern Olschki's work. A few letters are related to his dismissal from the
University of Heidelberg in 1932. Other letters and documents concern the University of California, Berkeley and its faculty
loyalty oath requirement. Some personal letters offer Olschki congratulations and birthday greetings. Olschki's letters to
Paul Kristeller are photocopies.
Arrangement note
Materials grouped according to names, projects, and institutions they pertain with unclassified and congratulatory letters
at the end.
General and scholarly,
1936-1976
Box 2, Folder 3
Ernst Hartwig Kantorowicz,
1943-1964
Scope and Content Note
Includes a black-and-white photograph of Olschki.
"Loyalty Oath,"
1949-1950
Box 2, Folder 4
Correspondence
Scope and Content Note
Related material in Box 14*, folder 1.
Box 2, Folder 5
Myth of Felt,
1946-1961, undated
Scope and Content Note
Includes printed order forms for the publication, notes and clippings.
Box 2, Folder 6
University of Heidelberg,
1947-1958
Scope and Content Note
Regarding dismissed compensation.
Box 2, Folder 8
Marie Luise Kaschnitz,
1954-1959
Box 2, Folder 9
Landels & Weigel,
1954-1956
Scope and Content Note
Regarding legal suit against University of California, Berkeley.
Regarding
L'Italia e il Suo Genio,
1951-1960
Box 2, Folder 12
Regarding
L'Asia di Marco Polo,
1947-1961
Regarding
Songs for Exercise,
1959-1961
Box 2, Folder 13
Correspondence,
1959-1961
Scope and Content Note
Includes several correspondence in Chinese.
Box 15*, Folder 3
Chinese decorative papers and calligraphy,
1959-1960
Box 2, Folder 14
Regarding
Le Conte du Graal de Chrétien de Troyes,
1961-1962
Box 2, Folder 15
Congratulatory correspondence,
1959-1960
Scope and Content Note
Includes congratulations regarding 75th birthday, Medal of Honor award.
Box 2, Folder 16
Unclassified correspondence,
1954-1956
Box 14
Paul Oskar Kristeller,
1933-1984
Scope and Content Note
Circa 142 photocopied letters including 5 letters from Kate Olschki to Kristeller.
Series III.
Research materials and manuscripts,
1924-1982, undated
Physical Description:
3.4 linear feet
(4 boxes)
Scope and Content Note
Series contains lectures, notes, transcriptions, clippings, articles, and manuscripts for writing projects. Several research
materials relate to Olschki's book
Marco Polo in Asia including 2 microfilm rolls.
Arrangement note
Arranged topically with miscellaneous articles and general bibliographic materials at the end.
Archivum Romanicum,
1924-1935
Box 3, Folder 2
"Ci falt la geste que Turoldus declinet,"
1935
Box 3, Folder 3
Dante e l'Oriente notes,
1938
Box 3, Folder 4
Notes on the work by Herman Pérez de Olivás,
circa 1943
Research materials on Bishops of Ferrara,
1959
Box 3, Folder 6
The Old Man of the Mountain,
undated
Scope and Content Note
Notes, manuscript
Marvels of the West,
1959
Box 3, Folder 10
Correspondence and notes on American Oriental Society
Box 3, Folder 12
American Oriental Society, Seattle Symposium,
1959
Scope and Content Note
Manuscripts of paper presented and correspondence.
Box 3, Folder 13
Preface for
Songs for Exercise,
1959
Scope and Content Note
Preface in English, German, Italian for book by Shih-Hsiang Chen
Marco Polo's Asia,
1954-1981, undated
Box 3, Folder 14
Photocopies of transcriptions
Scope and Content Note
Three pages of Chinese characters, four pages Italian text.
Box 3, Folder 16
Mongol culture,
undated
Scope and Content Note
Miscellaneous notes.
Box 3, Folder 17
Research articles,
1952-1954, undated
Scope and Content Note
"Der Throntabernakel: Aus der 300 jährigen Geschichte eines Herrschersymbols" by Professor A. Alföldi, Bern, pages 76-86;
L'Italia che scrive, October 1954 (whole issue).
Graphic materials,
undated
L'Asia di Marco Polo illustrations,
undated
Box 3, Folder 19
Black-and-white photographs and notes
Box 3, Folder 20
English translation,
undated
Scope and Content Note
Photocopy of the translated manuscript; book cover; text for the illustration; notes.
Box 3, Folder 21
Addenda, corrections, related correspondence,
1962-1963
Box 3, Folder 22-23
Reviews and criticisms,
1954-1961
Scope and Content Note
Clippings, typewritten copies of articles.
Box 3, Folder 24
Papers about the film,
1961
Scope and Content Note
Notes, clippings, correspondence.
Box 3, Folder 25
Papers about the television miniseries,
1981
Scope and Content Note
Clippings.
Box 3, Folder 26
L'Etna nelle Tradizioni orientali del medio evo,
1959-1960
Scope and Content Note
Multiple manuscripts, notes.
The Grail castle and its mysteries,
1951-1961
Box 3, Folder 28
"L'Enigma del Pescatore,"
1951-1961
Scope and Content Note
Notes, manuscripts, book circulation slips, clippings.
Box 4, Folder 1
"Castle of the Fisher King and Its Mysteries,"
1961
Scope and Content Note
Typewritten manuscripts, notes, appendix, proof copy of the publication.
Box 4, Folder 2
L'Italia e il Suo Genio,
1964, undated
Scope and Content Note
Photographs, inventory, correspondence.
Box 4, Folder 3
Articles regarding presence of Middle Eastern culture in the Far East,
1938, 1960s, 1980s
Box 4, Folder 4
Chinese Emperors Bosait and Calet,
undated
Scope and Content Note
Latin documents with transcriptions from circa 1325.
Box 4, Folder 5
Miscellaneous articles and clippings,
1945-1960
Box 4, Folder 6
General bibliographic annotations,
circa 1957
Box 4, Folder 7-9
Issues of various periodicals and offprints,
1942-1982
Scope and Content Note
Articles by Olschki in
Comparative literature,
The Saturday review,
The Romanic review, and
Il pensiero politico. Offprints with articles by others from
La revue des arts and
Bulletin de l'Institut royal du patrimoine artistique.
Issues of The American way,
School and society,
Simiolus, and
New Mexico. Prospectus for the journal
Ceramics.
Series IV.
Critiques and commentaries of Olschki's work,
1927-1976, undated
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
(1 box)
Scope and Content Note
Series comprises reviews and clippings of Olschki's publications and related correspondence.
Arrangement note
Arranged topically.
Genius of Italy,
1946-1976, undated
Box 5, Folder 1-2
Correspondence with publishers,
1950-1976
Publication agreement and memoranda,
1947-1969, undated
Critiques and commentary,
1946-1960
Box 5, Folder 8
"A Poesia Italiane del Cinquecento" by Michele Losacco and "La Logical Phantastica di Giordano Bruno",
1927-1933
Box 5, Folder 9
Cose fiorentine,
1945
Scope and Content Note
Newspaper clippings.
Box 5, Folder 10
Guillaume Boucher,
1947-1952
Scope and Content Note
Notes, reviews, articles, letters.
Box 5, Folder 11
Galileo,
1954-1959
Scope and Content Note
Correspondence, clippings.
Box 5, Folder 12
Grail castle and its mysteries,
1966-1971
Scope and Content Note
Clippings, reviews.
Series V.
Business correspondence of Kate Olschki and an inventory,
1961-1987
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
(1 box)
Scope and Content Note
Contains letters dealing with the issues of re-publication of Olschki's work after his death. Letters with Arthur Evans includes
a biography of Olschki. An inventory of Olschki's library taken on July 16, 1972 is also found in this series.
Arrangement note
Arrangement according to senders' names with the exceptions of three groupings: reproduction permission, miscellaneous, and
an inventory of Olschki's library.
Reproduction permissions,
1961-1977
Box 6, Folder 1
"Galileo's philosophy of science,"
1961-1967
Box 6, Folder 2-3
Grail castle and its mysteries
1961-1977
Box 6, Folder 4
Genius of Italy,
1966-1971
Box 6, Folder 5
Professor Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti,
1967
Box 6, Folder 6
Carl Winter University Publications,
1967
Box 6, Folder 7
Correspondence,
1968-1987
Box 6, Folder 8
Biography of Olschki by Arthur Evans,
1977
Box 6, Folder 9
Professor Hans Rheinfelder,
1967-1972
Box 6, Folder 10
Paul Oskar Kristeller,
1984
Box 6, Folder 12
Inventory of Olschki library,
1972 July 16
Series VI.
Book:
Genius of Italy,
1947-circa 1958
Physical Description:
3.2 linear feet
(5 boxes)
Scope and Content Note
The series contains proof copies, and annotated (by Olschki) publication copies of Olschki's book, in English, Italian and
German versions.
Arrangement note
Arranged according to language editions.
German edition,
1947-circa 1958
Box 7
Photocopies of publication,
circa 1958
Scope and Content Note
Photocopied text in 4 bound volumes with annotations.
Box 8
Italien: Genius und Geschichte,
1947
Scope and Content Note
2 annotated volumes, comb-binding covered with masking tape.
Box 10, Folder 1-2
Incomplete manuscripts,
1947
Scope and Content Note
Typewritten of chapters XVI and XVII with extensive annotations.
Box 9
Photocopies of publication,
circa 1947
Scope and Content Note
Five 8 1/2 × 11 inch pressboard binders with annotations.
Box 10, Folder 3-9
Manuscripts with annotations,
1947
Box 11, Folder 1-6
Italian edition,
1947
Scope and Content Note
Manuscript with annotations.
Series VII.
Book:
Marco Polo's Asia,
circa 1957-1960
Physical Description:
0.8 linear feet
(2 boxes)
Scope and Content Note
Five volumes of heavily annotated publications: 3 volumes, Sansoni Editore (Florence), 2 volumes with blank pages interleaved
for notes and addenda, 1 without; 1 volume, San Giorgio Maggiore (Venezia); 1 volume with blank pages interleaved, University
of California Press (Berkeley).
Arrangement note
Arranged according to languages.
Italian edition,
circa 1957
Box 12
G. C. Sansoni - Editore, Firenze
Scope and Content Note
3 volumes of heavily annotated publications, 2 with blank pages interleaved for notes and addenda.
Box 13
San Giorgio Maggiore, Venezia
Scope and Content Note
1 volume of heavily annotated volume.
Box 13
English edition,
1960
Scope and Content Note
1 volume with slightly annotated and blank pages interleaved, University of California Press (Berkeley).
