Finding aid for the Ludwig Goldscheider papers, 1911-1981 (bulk 1925-1973)
Finding aid prepared by Carl Wuellner.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Ludwig Goldscheider papers
Date (inclusive): 1911-1981 (bulk 1925-1973)
Number: 840066
Creator/Collector:
Goldscheider, Ludwig, 1896-1973
Physical Description:
6.0 linear feet
(13 boxes)
Repository:
The Getty Research Institute
Special Collections
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, California, 90049-1688
(310) 440-7390
Abstract: Art historian, poet, and translator, and co-founder, director, designer, and editor of the Phaidon Press. Collection includes
letters, drafts, and manuscript revisions of books, photographic materials, annotated books, and personal papers primarily
documenting Goldscheider's writings on art and artists.
Request Materials: Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the
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Language: Collection material is in
English
Biographical/Historical Note
Ludwig Goldscheider (1896-1973) was a notable historian of art, a poet and translator, and one of the most influential art
book publishers of the twentieth century. He co-founded the Phaidon Verlag publishing house with his father-in-law, Bela Horowitz,
in Vienna in 1923. He wrote or otherwise oversaw production of a number of important art books for Phaidon beginning in the
1930's. These were distinguished by an abundance of high-quality illustrations, many of which were chosen by Goldscheider,
as well as the use of large formats. The visual impact and richness of these large-sized editions did much to determine the
development and general style of the modern form of the popular art book.
Goldscheider moved to London in 1938, remaining closely associated there with the Phaidon Press, Ltd. as editor, designer,
and author, and assumed general management of the company after Horowitz's death in 1955. His monographic and other art historical
studies for Phaidon were mostly on Italian Renaissance artists (notably Michelangelo and Leonardo) but topics ranged from
ancient (Roman Portraiture) to modern subjects (Oskar Kokoschka), since one of his aims as an art historian was to demonstrate
a continuity between Modernism and the art of past epochs. His broad art historical knowledge gained him wide recognition
as a connoisseur and advisor, which many European and American scholars, collectors, dealers, and museum specialists readily
acknowledge in their letters to him.
He died in London in 1973, only a few months after attending the opening of Phaidon's Golden Jubilee celebrations in honor
of the firm's fiftieth anniversary. The Phaidon Press continues to publish.
Administrative Information
Access
Open for use by qualified researchers.
Publication Rights
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa840066
Preferred Citation
Ludwig Goldscheider Papers, 1911-1981, Getty Research Institute, Research Library, Accession no. 840066.
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa840066
Acquisition Information
Acquired in 1984.
Processing History
The Ludwig Goldscheider Papers were acquired in 1984 and partially processed by Getty Center staff. Carl Wuellner completed
processing the archive in March-April 1996. Four books from the archive were transferred to the Getty Center Library.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Ludwig Goldscheider Papers consist of correspondence, writings on art and artists (including manuscripts for publications,
photographs for study and book illustration), published books (many with annotations for revisions) and personal papers.
Correspondence consists mostly of letters and copies of letters to Goldscheider from individuals associated with Phaidon and
other publishing houses, as well as art historians, collectors, museum personnel, critics, and dealers. These present evidence
of the esteem others held for Goldscheider as a scholar and connoisseur of art and as editor and publisher of scholarly art
books. There are also copies of a small number of letters written by Goldscheider. The majority of these are to his wife,
Annie Goldscheider, and are of a personal, intimate nature.
The bulk of the archive consists of writings on art. These include scholarly material for a number of Goldscheider's monographs
on artists and other books and articles. There are manuscripts and notes, galley sheets and final printed copies for works
by Goldscheider on Michelangelo, Leonardo, Velazquez, Vermeer, Botticelli, Roman Portraits, and El Greco. The archive also
includes notes for his translations of aphorisms, and original poetry by Goldscheider and other authors in drafts and final
published form.
The archive holds photographic material intended for study and for book illustrations. Formats include original photographs
and slides, infrared and X-ray exposures, and printed reproductions. The bulk of these are of the Le Brooy collection of Michelangelo
wax and terra-cotta models and for his book on Botticelli (see Appendix: Books by Goldscheider for reference).
A number of books are included which are annotated in Goldscheider's hand for revision. These include monographs on artists.
An assortment of personal papers includes family portraits and other personal photographs, immigration and naturalization
papers, travel visas and other state documents, bank account papers, and personal address books. There are also publicity
materials related to Phaidon's Golden Jubilee celebrations held in London in 1973.
Arrangement note
The papers are organized in 5 series:
Series I: Correspondence;
Series II: Writings and Poetry;
Series III: Book Illustrations and Photographs;
Series IV: Books;
Series V: Personal Papers
Indexing Terms
Subjects - Names
Botticelli, Sandro, 1444 or 5-1510
Kokoschka, Oskar , 1886-1980
Leonardo, da Vinci, 1452-1519
Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1475-1564
Velázquez, Diego, 1599-1660
Subjects - Topics
Art publishing--History--20th century
Art, Renaissance--Italy
Art, Roman
Contributors
Beyer, Hubertus von, 1912-1974
Clark, Kenneth, 1903-1983
Douglas, R. Langton (Robert Langton), 1864-1951
Dumont, Reinhold Neven, 1936-
Fegers, Hans, 1911-
Ganz, Paul Leonhard
Hendy, Philip, Sir, 1900-
Klumbies, Heinrich
LeBrooy, Paul James
Novotny, Fritz, 1903-1993
Parker, K. T. (Karl Theodore), 1895-1992
Phaidon Press
Popham, A. E. (Arthur Ewart), 1889-1970
Schimert, Gustav
Stone, Irving, 1903-1989
Ungar, Frederick
Unwin, Stanley, Sir, 1884-1968
Witsch, Joseph Caspar, 1906-1967
Bibliography: Selected Books by Ludwig Goldscheider
Die schönsten deutschen Gedichte (1924)
Ruhe auf der Flucht: Aphorismen und Schlussreime (1924)
El Greco (1938)
Roman Portraits (1940)
Donatello (1941)
Leonardo da Vinci (1943)
The Paintings of Michelangelo (1939)
The Sculptures of Michelangelo (1940)
Michelangelo Drawings (1951)
The Left Arm of Michelangelo's "Notte" (1955)
Johannes Vermeer: Paintings (1958)
Rembrandt: Paintings, Drawings, and Etchings (1960)
A Survey of Michelangelo's Models in Wax and Clay (1962)
Kokoschka (1963)
Series I.
Correspondence,
1925-1981, undated
Physical Description:
1.0 linear feet
(2 boxes)
Scope and Content Note
Letters to and by Goldscheider.
Arrangement note
Arranged chronologically.
Box 1, Folder 1
Letters to Goldscheider,
1925-1939
Box 1, Folder 2
Letters to Goldscheider,
1940-1944
Box 1, Folder 3
Letters to Goldscheider,
1945-1949
Box 1, Folder 4
Letters to Goldscheider,
1950-1959
Box 1, Folder 5-6
Letters to Goldscheider,
1960-1964
Box 2, Folder 1-2
Letters to Goldscheider,
1965-1969
Box 2, Folder 3
Letters to Goldscheider,
1970-1973
Box 2, Folder 4
Letters to Goldscheider,
undated
Box 2, Folder 5
Letters by Goldscheider,
1939-1966, undated
Box 2, Folder 6
Letters by and to others,
1933-1981, undated
Box 2, Folder 7
Incomplete or fragmentary letters,
undated
Series II.
Writings: Art and Poetry,
undated
Physical Description:
4.0 linear feet
(7 boxes)
Scope and Content Note
Notes, drafts of books, miscellaneous notes, poetry, and printed matter.
Arrangement note
Arranged topically.
Box 2, Folder 9
Michelangelo models from the Le Brooy collection
Box 3, Folder 1
Michelangelo lecture and models from the Le Brooy collection
Box 3, Folder 3
Michelangelo's Sculptures and Michelangelo Drawings
Box 3, Folder 4-5
Michelangelo
Scope and Content Note
Including a copy of Goldscheider's
Farewell to the Casa Pietri. (One item with severe water damage.)
Box 3a, Folder 1
Michelangelo
Scope and Content Note
items are water-damaged, have stuck pages.
Box 3a, Folder 4
"Vorbemerkung" to
Roman Portraits
Box 4, Folder 1
Ancient Roman life, early Leonardo, St. Zenobius Chapel, and miscellaneous
Box 4, Folder 2
Veronese, Donatello, Velasquez, and miscellaneous
Box 4, Folder 3
Roman portraiture, Botticelli, Velazquez, Donatello, Veronese
Box 4, Folder 4
Art of antiquity, Botticelli, and miscellaneous
Box 4, Folder 5
El Greco, Botticelli, Bellini, and miscellaneous
Box 4, Folder 7
Oskar Kokoschka and miscellaneous
Box 4, Folder 8
Notes on "Vermeers Lehrer"
Box 4, Folder 9
Lecture on holdings in the Berlin print room
Box 4, Folder 10
Essay,
Anfänge der Interieur Malerei
Box 5, Folder 1
Dutch art, aphorisms, and miscellaneous
Box 5, Folder 2
Art and life in antiquity, miscellaneous
Miscellaneous notes and poetry
Box 6, Folder 1
Vermeer, Michelangelo, Brancusi, and miscellaneous
Box 6, Folder 2
The "Sleeping Paris" theme, Titian, Tintoretto, and Vermeer
Box 6, Folder 4
Michelangelo and miscellaneous
Box 6, Folder 5
Poems by Ludwig Goldscheider
Box 6, Folder 6
Poems by Hubertus von Beyer and unidentified authors
Box 7, Folder 1
Articles on Kokoschka, Leonardo, and Michelangelo
Box 7, Folder 2
Articles from
Encyclopedia Britannica and
Geographical Magazine; on Holbein; on Franz von Baader by Carl Linfert; eulogy for Joseph Caspar Witsch
Box 7, Folder 3
Reviews of Goldscheider books
Box 7, Folder 4
Reviews of Goldscheider books
Series III.
Book illustrations and photographs,
undated
Physical Description:
1.0 linear feet
(2 boxes)
Scope and Content Note
Book illustrations and photographs.
Arrangement note
Arranged by type of materials.
Box 8
Book illustrations
Scope and Content Note
Offset reproductions for
Botticelli.
Box 9, Folder 1-2
Photographs of wax and terra-cotta models by Michelangelo
Box 9, Folder 3
Photographs and transparencies of wax and terra-cotta models by Michelangelo
Box 9, Folder 4
Photographic, X-ray and infrared exposures of a painting attributed to El Greco; photograph of a portrait attributed to Holbein
Series IV.
Books,
1924-1966
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
(1 box)
Scope and Content Note
Annotated books on art/artists.
Arrangement note
Arranged topically.
Box 10, Folder 1
Die Schönsten deutschen Gedichte (Vienna: Phaidon),
1924
Box 10, Folder 2
A Survey of Michelangelo's Models in Clay and Wax (London: Phaidon),
1962
Box 10, Folder 3
Leonardo da Vinci (London: Phaidon),
1959
Scope and Content Note
Annotated with manuscript revisions.
Box 10, Folder 4
Kokoschka (London: Phaidon),
1963-1966
Scope and Content Note
With manuscript revisions for second edition.
Box 10, Folder 5
Leonardo da Vinci (Cologne: Phaidon),
1960
Scope and Content Note
Proof copy with revisions.
Box 10, Folder 6
De Vries, A.B.
Jan Vermeer van Delft (London: B.T. Batsford),
1948
Series V.
Personal papers,
undated
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
(1 box)
Scope and Content Note
Printed matter, clippings, photographs, documents, sketches, and other personal items.
Arrangement note
Arranged topically.
Box 11, Folder 1
Personal papers, receipts, business cards
Box 11, Folder 3
Personal and family photographs
Box 11, Folder 4
Immigration and naturalization papers, passport, travel visas and related State documents
Box 11, Folder 5
Phaidon Press sales flyers; announcements, news clippings, and photographs of Phaidon Golden Anniversary celebrations
Box 11, Folder 6
Obituaries of Ludwig Goldscheider
Box 11, Folder 7
Bank account passbook and statements, tax receipt, insurance papers, publishing contract
Box 11, Folder 8
Three personal address books
