Guide to the Irving Block Collection

Special Collections & Archives

University Library

California State University, Northridge

18111 Nordhoff Street

Northridge, CA 91330-8326

URL: https://library.csun.edu/SCA

Contact: https://library.csun.edu/SCA/Contact

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Contributing Institution: Special Collections & Archives

Title: Irving Block Collection

Creator: Block, Irving (1910-1986)

Identifier/Call Number: SC.IBC

Physical Description: 4.66 linear feet

Date (inclusive): 1945-1985

Abstract: Block was a visual effects artist, matte artist, painter, illustrator and educator who worked as an artist in the film industry and later taught at California State University, Northridge. The collection consists of visual artwork and personal papers including film production records, three 16mm films, and California State University, Northridge Santa Susana Press records.

Language of Material: English

Biographical / Historical

Irving Alexander Block (1910-1986) was born in New York City on December 2, 1910. Block was a visual effects artist, matte artist, painter, illustrator and educator. He attended New York University for his bachelor's degree and also studied at the National Academy of Design. During the 1930s he joined the Works Projects Administration's Federal Art Project. In the 1940s he moved to California and worked at 20th Century Fox as a matte shot artist. Block co-wrote the original story for the film Forbidden Planet . In 1963 he began teaching art at California State University, Northridge. Block continued teaching at CSUN until 1980, and died in 1986.

Scope and Contents

The Irving Block Collection consists of artwork and personal papers that document Block's careers as an artist and an educator. The collection is arranged into two series: Artwork (ca. 1955-1980) and Personal Papers (ca. 1945-1985).

Series I. Artwork includes original copies of Irving Block's artworks. The materials include a bronze Ray Bradbury Celebration medallion and the clay mold used to create it, as well as visual works created using pastels, mixed media, pencil, and watercolor, mostly depicting figures, nudes, landscapes, cityscapes, and portraits.

Series II. Personal Papers documents Irving Block's work in the film industry, his illustration work for California State University, Northridge Santa Susana Press, and other personal records having to do with his artwork and colleagues. The film production records in this series document Block's work in the film industry as a special effects and visual effects artist, producer, and director. These records include correspondence, hand drawn story boards, notes, matte painting artwork, photographs and slides, press clippings, and scripts. Film titles covered in the materials include Alice in Wonderland, Atomic Submarine, Caretakers, Daniel in the Lion's Den, David and Goliath, The Exiles, The First Murder, Flight to Mars, Forbidden Planet, From Caveman to Spaceman, Goya, Judgement of Solomon, Kronos, Ripley's Believe it or Not, Stranger in my Skull, The First Murder, The Tower of Babel, and Venus and Adonis. Much of the film production records pertain to the publication Fantascene. Irving Block corresponded with the creators of this publication for articles highlighting his work and career. Materials include photographs, correspondence with Dennis Skotak and Robert Skotak, copies of the magazine, and slides. Other film industry publications in this series include Future and Cinefantastique.

This series also contains a small amount of papers pertaining to the California State University, Northridge Santa Susana Press and Block's artwork associated with some of its publications including George Silverman's Explanation by Charles Dickens. The publication is illustrated by Irving Block, and edited with an introduction and notes by Harry Stone. There is also a folder containing artwork created by Aurelio de la Vega, including a triptych and a music illustration. There are three 16mm films: Goya, Masters In Art (Life of Rembrant,) and The World of Rubens. Finally, there is an Irving Block artwork inventory from the Hirshhorn Museum as well as posters from the Block Retrospective California State Universty, Northridge Fine Art Gallery (1981).

Arrangement of Materials

Series I. Artwork, ca. 1955-1980

Series II. Personal Papers, ca. 1945-1985

Related Materials

Irving Block papers,1938-1986. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred Citation

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materials guide.

Processing Information

Carri Frola, 2022

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Audiovisual materials

Documents

Ephemera

Paper records

Photographs

Series I: Artwork, ca. 1955-1980

Box 1, Item 1

Bronze Medallion, Ray Bradbury Celebration CSUN Libraries, 1978

Box 1, Item 2

Clay Mold, Ray Bradbury Celebration CSUN Libraries, 1978

Folder 1

Figures, My Only Gift Is This Single Twig of Spring, undated

Folder 2

Figures, Pastel, undated

Folder 3

Landscapes and Cityscapes, undated

Folder 4

Nudes, Matted Portrait of a Woman in Three Positions , undated

Folder 5