Conditions Governing Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Alternate Forms Available
Acquisition Information
Processing Information
Biographical / Historical
Scope and Contents
Note
Contributing Institution:
The Bancroft Library
Title: Thérèse Bonney photograph collection
Creator:
Bonney, Thérèse
Identifier/Call Number: BANC PIC 1982.111
Physical Description:
100 linear feet,
5,147 digital objects (5,147 images)
Date (inclusive): circa 1850-circa
1955
Date (bulk): 1930-1945
Physical Location: For current information on the location
of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Physical Description: Extent: 16 boxes (photographic prints),
6 boxes (photographic portraits), 11 boxes (oversize photographic prints), 2 items (cased
photographs), 10 albums, 2 cartons (objects), 6 boxes (lantern slides), 108 boxes (film
negatives), 39 boxes (glass negatives), 2 cartons (objects)
Language of Material:
French , English
Conditions Governing Access
Photographic prints are open for research.
NITRATE NEGATIVES ("NNEG") ARE CLOSED TO RESEARCH DUE TO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESTRICTIONS.
Other negatives are available by appointment only.
ALBUMS are RESTRICTED due to fragile condition and loose materials. Permission of curator
required for use.
OBJECTS are RESTRICTED. Permission of curator required for use.
Inquiries concerning restricted materials should be directed, in writing, via The Bancroft
Library's Application for Access to Restricted Materials form.
Publication Rights
Thérèse Bonney's copyright has been assigned to the University of California Regents. The
photographs in this collection are made available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
license (CC BY 4.0). The following attribution is required for all uses of these
photographs: "Thérèse Bonney © The Regents of the University of California, The Bancroft
Library, University of California, Berkeley. This work is made available under a Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0 license."
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Thérèse Bonney photograph collection, BANC PIC 1982.111, The
Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Alternate Forms Available
Digital reproductions of selected images are available. Most negatives in Series 1
(Finland) and all negatives in Series 2 (France, Portugal, Belgium 1940) and Series 6
(France, Germany 1944-1946) have been scanned (5,117 images), plus 30 ad hoc scans from
various series.
Acquisition Information
The Thérèse Bonney photograph collection, along with her papers, were given to The Bancroft
Library in 1978 by the estate of Thérèse Bonney.
Processing Information
The collection has been arranged by the library into sixteen series. Series 1-6 are
arranged according to logbooks kept by Bonney in which groups of numbered negatives are
listed under a subject entry. These subject entries are represented in the finding aid, and
any extant corresponding prints are noted. Any un-numbered materials related to the series
have been arranged following the numbered materials. Copies of Bonney's original logbooks
from which these entries have been transcribed are also filed with the relevant photographic
print files. Only broad entries have been recorded in the finding aid as file headings,
while the logbooks often provide more specific (although brief) identifications of
individual photographs. Availability of a Logbook for a given group of material has been
noted in the container listing of this finding aid.
For Series 1-6, photographic prints are, chiefly, in files in groups as found, often having
been removed from envelopes annotated by Bonney. These envelopes were photocopied, with
copies retained in the files. A print file can contain images from numerous film rolls, and
this finding aid does not list the print folders present. Rather, the presence and location
of prints is indicated under the subject entries for negatives, derived from the
photographer's logbooks.
Most negatives in Series 1 and all negatives in Series 2 and Series 6 were scanned between
2017 and 2023. Each image was given the title of Bonney's file of negatives in which it was
found, as recorded in her logbooks (notebooks), usually with no additional description.
These file titles are intended to provide context for the image, but they usually do not
convey any details of the individual image content. Some entries have been updated based on
image comparison, log book entry, or details submitted by the public after online posting.
In time more may be updated with descriptive information.
Biographical / Historical
Mabel Thérèse Bonney, born July 15, 1900. Graduate, University of California, Berkeley.
A.B., M.A., Docteur de l'Université de Paris. Journalist/war correspondent, photographer,
author. Carnegie Corporation Grant recipient. Member French Legion of Honor, recipient Croix
de Guerre, Battle of France, 1940. Died, Paris, January 23, 1978.
Scope and Contents
The Thérèse Bonney photograph collection at The Bancroft Library consists chiefly of
documentary photography taken in various parts of Europe before and during World War II and
portraits of well known artists and designers taken by Bonney while living in Paris, France.
Also present are images documenting Bonney's life, family history, and collecting interests.
Although portraiture related to art, fashion, and design is present, it should be noted that
the Bancroft Library's collection has little of her photographic documentation of
architecture and design in Paris; such materials were given by Bonney to the Cooper-Hewitt
National Design Museum, and perhaps other institutions. An important component of the
Bancroft Library collection is Bonney's photographic work made while traveling throughout
Europe, particularly as a war correspondent during World War II. Photographs forming her
pictorial manuscript of "Europe's Children", "War Comes to the People", "The Vatican", and
other works for publication are present.
The collection also features materials compiled by Bonney relating to various interests,
including the history of photography. While her personal collection of daguerreotypes and
objects related to early photography is not part of the Bancroft Library collection, there
are many copy photographs and photographs that document exhibits curated by Bonney. In
addition, autobiographical material and material related to Bonney's family are included.
Some of this family portraiture dates to the mid-19th century, from portrait studios in New
York state.
The collection includes 9 folio albums (designated "fALB" in this finding aid) that relate
to Bonney's book projects. They contain typescript caption text and silver gelatin
photographic prints, presumably created as mock-ups for published editions. Bonney has
labeled several as "pictorial manuscripts". The albums are referenced within this finding
aid's Container List within the descriptions of the relevant Series. Some of these albums
have been cited by researchers prior to the current volume numbering, so their contents are
briefly listed here. Volume 1-3: "The Vatican" -- Volume 4: "War comes to the people"
(formerly "album # 1") -- Volume 4a: "And in another land" (a part, or "episode" of War
comes to the people) -- Volume 5: "War comes to the people" (also labeled "Album No. II, To
Whom war is done. Complete 6/68". Formerly cited as Carton 15, Album II) -- Volume 6:
"Battle of freedom" ("English book III, War comes to the people") -- Volume 7: Friendship
chain -- Volume 8: "The Tale of Europe's Children" (Carnegie Hall version, given Feb 20,
1943.) -- Volume 9: "Daguerre Book" (with outline for "High spots in one hundred years of
photography").
Note
Related materials include the Thérèse Bonney papers (BANC MSS 83/111 z) and Thérèse Bonney
papers relating to her photographic work (BANC MSS 70/91 c), both at the Bancroft
Library.
Other collections of Thérèse Bonney photographs in the United States include the
Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, New York Public Library, and Library of Congress. In
France, related collections are housed at the Centre des Monuments Nationaux (CMN) and the
Bibliotheque Historique de la Ville de Paris.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War, 1939-1945--Europe.
Children and war--Europe.
Women photographers.
Photographs.
Artists--France--20th century--Photographs.
Authors--France--20th Century--Photographs.