Scope and Content of Collection
Arrangement note
Biographical/Historical Note
Processing History
Acquisition Information
Preferred Citation
Access
Publication Rights
Digitized Material
Related Material
Bibliography
Contributing Institution: Special Collections
Title: Arnold Eagle papers and films related to Hans Richter
Creator: Richter, Hans, 1888-1976
Creator: Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968
Creator: Eagle, Arnold
Creator: Malevich, Kazimir Severinovich, 1878-1935
Identifier/Call Number: 970021
Physical Description: 12 Linear Feet(12 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1927-1990, bulk 1946-1981
Date (bulk): 1946-1981
Abstract: This collection documents the film collaborations and friendship of German-born Dadaist, Hans Richter, and New York photographer
and cinematographer, Arnold Eagle. It includes color film footage, out-takes and audiotracks for several of Richter's post-World
War II films, as well as letters, notes, scripts, sketches, photographs, printed material and storyboards.
Physical Location: Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the
catalog record for this collection. Click here for the
access policy .
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Arnold Eagle papers and films comprise documents recording the film collaborations and personal friendship between the
German-born Dadaist, Hans Richter, and the New York photographer, Arnold Eagle. This collection includes color film footage,
out-takes and audiotracks for several of Hans Richter's post-World War II film productions including,
Dreams that money can buy,
8x8, and Richter's incomplete animation film based upon a Kasimir Malevich script of 1927. It contains documents related to Eagle's
repeated attempts to complete the Malevich animation, most notably, correspondence, film scripts, storyboards, color film
footage, and sound tracks. This documentation explains the difficulties confronted during the film's production and the reasons
for its unfinished condition. Correspondence between Richter and Eagle recount their production techniques and provide insights
into the management of the Richter estate. Additional materials include: published brochures, serials, 35mm slides, photographic
negatives, 16mm color film, synchronized sound tracks, 1/4" magnetic audio tape, and 3/4" Umatic video tape.
Arrangement note
The papers are arranged in 6 series:Series I. Correspondence and documents, 1929-1990, undatedSeries II. Documentation on
Marcel Duchamp, 1958-1974, undatedSeries III. Interviews with Hans Richter, 1966-1970, undatedSeries IV. Dreams that money
can buy, 1945-1988, undatedSeries V. 8x8, 1950-1957, undatedSeries VI. Malevich animation, 1927-1981, undated
Biographical/Historical Note
A Hungarian-born photographer and cinematographer, Arnold Eagle is known for his documentary images of Jewish emigrant and
urban life on the lower East Side of Manhattan. Eagle immigrated to Brooklyn, New York in 1929 and accepted a position working
for the WPA in 1935. During the 1940s he began working with the artist Roy Striker and was later sent as a still photographer
and cameraman to Louisiana to work with Robert J. Flaherty on his film
Louisana story. Prior to leaving for Louisiana, Eagle met Hans Richter, the German-born Dadaist and filmmaker, and began what would become
a life-long friendship. They collaborated on a number of films including:
Dreams that money can buy, 1944-1947,
8x8, 1950-1957,
A Chess sonata in eight episodes for color film, 1954-1957,
Chesscetera (Passionate Pastime), 1956-1957,
Dadascope, 1956-1961, and the creation of an animation film, 1970-1971, based on Kasimir Malevich's script of 1927. Eagle became an instructor
of cinematography at the New School for Social Research in 1955.
Processing History
Scott Wolf processed the collection in 1997. Andra Darlington processed and described the film in August 2000. Malevich films
reformatted by Film Technology, September 2001 and July 2002.
Acquisition Information
The collection was acquired in 1997.
Preferred Citation
Arnold Eagle papers and films related to Hans Richter, 1927-1990, undated, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession
no. 970021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa970021
Access
Open for use by qualified researchers, except the original films and videos, which may not be viewed until reformatting is
complete. Reformatted use copies are available for the Malevich film.
Publication Rights
Digitized Material
Selected audio and films from the collection were digitized and are available online: http://hdl.handle.net/10020/970021av
Related Material
Hans Richter papers, Getty Research Institute, Accession no. 880428.
Bibliography
Publications consulted by the cataloger.Malewitsch, Kasimir.
Suprematismus: die gegenstandslose Welt. Köln: M. DuMont Schauberg, 1962.Richter, Hans.
Begegnungen von Dada bis heute. Köln: M. DuMont Schauberg, 1973.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Art and motion pictures
Sketches
Sound recordings
Experimental films
Acetate film
Cinematography, Abstract
Dadaism in motion pictures
8 x 8 (Motion picture)
Photographic prints
Dreams that money can buy (Motion picture)
Photographs, Original
Letters (correspondence)
Motion pictures (information artifacts)
Richter, Hans, 1888-1976
Malevich, Kazimir Severinovich, 1878-1935
Eagle, Arnold
Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968