Finding aid for the Miscellaneous papers regarding Ambroise Vollard, 1890-1939,
bulk 1890-1910
J. Gibbs.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Miscellaneous papers regarding Ambroise Vollard
Date (inclusive): 1890-1939 (bulk 1890-1910)
Number: 2001.M.24
Creator/Collector:
Getty Research
Institute
Physical Description:
6 Linear Feet
(11 boxes)
Repository:
The Getty Research Institute
Special Collections
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles 90049-1688
reference@getty.edu
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10020/askref
(310) 440-7390
Abstract: Collection comprises original and
photocopied letters and records related to the French art dealer Ambroise Vollard and the
artists he represented.
Request Materials: Request access to the physical materials
described in this inventory through the
catalog record for this
collection. Click here for the
access policy .
Language: Collection material is in
English
Biographical / Historical Note
Ambroise Vollard, the pioneer French art dealer, patron and publisher, can be said to be
the first of the 'modern' art dealers. Malcolm Gee calls Vollard the "most notable
contemporary art dealer of his generation in France." Born 1867 in Réunion, he moved to
Paris to study law in 1890 and soon began buying and selling prints and drawings. After
working at L'Union Artistique for Alphonse Dumas, Vollard set up his own business and in
1894 opened a gallery near the Opéra on the Rue Laffitte, then the center of the Paris art
business.
Vollard organized Cézanne's first one-man exhibit and, as was his habit, bought works
directly from the artist, building a collection of enormous value. He also bought work from
van Gogh, Gauguin, Bonnard, Denis, Redon, Vuillard, Derain, Rouault, Vlaminck, Rousseau,
Picasso, Maillol, and Matisse, often holding back the work for years to take advantage of
rising prices.
Vollard is also known for his print publishing business (1890s through 1900) and for
establishing the genre of the illustrated art book (livre d'artiste). After 1915 Vollard
launched over 40 publishing projects with artists, many of which were incomplete when he
died in 1939. Vollard wrote several books on artists (Cézanne, Renoir, Degas, among them) as
well as his memoir, published in English with the title
Recollections
of a Picture Dealer
(1936, 1978).
Administrative Information
Access
Open for use by qualified researchers with the following exceptions. The Jaz drive in Box
11 containing Gerrard White's inventory and transcriptions is sealed. However, a paper hard
copy of the documents is available for read-only access in Box 12 and Box 13; it may not be
photocopied or digitally copied in whole or in part.
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Miscellaneous papers regarding Ambroise Vollard, 1890-1939, bulk 1890-1910, The Getty
Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession no. 2001.M.24.
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa2001m24
Acquisition Information
The collection was assembled from various sources by Gerrard White, who also made the
transcriptions in the collection. Acquired by the Getty Research Library in 2004.
Processing History
Processed by J. Gibbs and Lily Tsukahira.
Scope and Content of Collection
Collection comprises original and photocopied letters and records related to the art dealer
Ambroise Vollard and the artists he represented. Also included are transcriptions of
photocopied materials.
Included are: 83 items of correspondence, 3 documents, 18 b&w photographs, 12
publications, 1 sketchbook, 2 watercolors, and 1 lithograph. The photocopies of stockbooks,
account books, and correspondence, were made from original materials, some of which are now
in the Musee D'Orsay. The transcriptions were made by Gerrard White from the
photocopies.
Correspondence centers on artists Paul Gauguin, Georges Rouault, Pierre Bonnard, Edouard
Vuillard, Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, Daniel de Monfreid, Henri Gabriel Ibels, and Maurice
Denis; prominent critics such as Felix Feneon, Roger Marx, Andre Mellerio, Gabriel Mourey,
and Jules Laforgue; dealers such as Vollard, Edouard Kleinmann, and Durand Ruel; collectors
such as Chaudet, Gabriel Frizeau, and Alexandre Natanson; publishers such as Floury and
Marty; and the print dealer André Clot.
This collection was assembled by Gerrard White from various sources including Maurice
Malingue, the family of André Mellerio, Baron Denys Cochin, the heirs of André Clot, John
Rewald, and Louis Sébastien, heir of antiquarian Edouard Jonas.
Arrangement note
Arranged in 6 series:
Series I. Correspondence
concerning Paul Gauguin, 1897-1917;
Series II. Other correspondence, 1891-1939;
Series III. Correspondence regarding Vollard's painters and the art
market, 1887-1924;
Series IV. Ambroise
Vollard dealer's records and related records in other repositories, ca. 1894-1935;
Series V. Catalogues, monographs and
exhibition documentation;
Series VI. Research file
Indexing Terms
Subjects - Names
Mellerio, André,
1862-1943
Laforgue, Jules, 1860-1887
Marty, Andre
Natanson, Alexandre,
1867-1936
Marx, Roger,
1859-1913
Rouault, Georges, 1871-1958
Mourey, Gabriel,
1865-1943
Steinlen, Théophile Alexandre,
1859-1923
Bonnard, Pierre, 1867-1947
Vollard, Ambroise,
1867-1939
Monfreid, Daniel de,
1856-1929
Floury, Henri, 1862-1961
Denis, Maurice, 1870-1943
Clot, André
Fénéon, Félix, 1861-1944
Frizeau, Gabriel
Kleinmann, Edouard
Ibels, Henri-Gabriel,
1867-1936
Gauguin, Paul, 1848-1903
Subjects - Corporate Bodies
Galerie Vollard
Galerie Durand-Ruel
Subjects - Topics
Art -- Marketing -- History
Art -- Collectors and collecting -- History
Artists -- France -- Paris
Art dealers -- France -- Paris
Collectors and collecting -- France -- History
Artists' illustrated books
Genres and Forms of Material
Correspondence
Photographic prints
Prints
Photographs, Original
Contributors
Getty Research
Institute
Monfreid, Daniel
de, 1856-1929
Vuillard, Édouard,
1868-1940
Vollard, Ambroise,
1867-1939
Steinlen, Théophile Alexandre,
1859-1923
Getty Research Institute. Research
Library
Series I.
Correspondence concerning Paul Gauguin,
1897-1917
Scope and Content Note
Letters concern the sale of Gauguin's art, the critical reception of his work, and the
handling of his personal and business affairs, dating mostly from the last decade of the
artist's life. The correspondence reveals the roles played in Gauguin's career by his
dealer, Ambroise Vollard, and his close friends, particularly Daniel de Monfreid. The
provenance of the majority of letters is Maurice Malingue.
Arrangement note
This series is arranged alphabetically per sender's last name.
box 1, folder 1
Georges Chaudet to Paul Gauguin,
1897
Physical Description:
1
item
box 1, folder 2
Jean Dolent to Roger Marx,
undated
Physical Description:
1
item
Gustave Fayet to Paul Gauguin,
1900-1902
Physical Description:
3
items
box 1, folder 6
Paul Gauguin to Georges Chaudet
undated
Physical Description:
1
item
box 1, folder 7
Mette Gauguin to Daniel de Monfreid,
1893,
1907
Physical Description:
2
letters
box 1, folder 8
Daniel de Monfreid to Paul Gauguin,
1903 June
9
Physical Description: 1 letter, 2 leaves, 4
pp.
box 1, folder 9
Daniel de Monfreid to Mette Gauguin,
1907
Physical Description:
1 leaf, 3
pp.
box 1, folder 10
Annette Monfreid to Mette Gauguin,
1907 April
Physical Description:
1 leaf, 2
pp.
box 1, folder 11
Daniel de Monfreid to Alexandre Natanson,
1908
Physical Description:
1 leaf, 3
pp.
box 1, folder 12
Daniel Monfreid to Emile Shuffenecker,
1903
Physical Description:
1 leaf, 4
pp.
Vollard to Daniel de Monfreid
1898-1901
Physical Description:
7 items, 10
leaves
box 1, folder 13
Receipt for four Gauguin paintings
1898
Vollard to Paul Gauguin
1902
Physical Description:
3
items
Vollard to Daniel de Monfreid
1903-1905,
1917
Physical Description:
5
items
box 1, folder 28
Vollard to unidentified,
undated
Physical Description:
1
item
Series II.
Other correspondence,
1891-1939
Physical Description:
15
items
Scope and Content Note
Contains Vollard's correspondence with Andrè Clot, Gabriel Frizeau, Georges Rouault,
and Dr. Goubert, a contract between Vollard and Rouault, and a receipt from Marc Chagall
to Vollard. Also, letters from Emile Bernard to Ary Leblond.
Arrangement note
This series is arranged alphabetically per sender's last name
box 1, folder 29
Emile Bernard to Ary Leblond,
undated
Physical Description:
6
letters
box 1, folder 30
Marc Chagall to Vollard: receipt and letter,
undated
Physical Description:
2
Leaves
box 1, folder 31-32
Georges Rouault to Vollard,
undated
Physical Description:
2
letters
box 1, folder 33
Vollard to Dr. Goubert,
1891
Physical Description:
1 letter, 6
leaves
Scope and Content Note
Regarding Raffaëlli.
box 1, folder 34
Vollard to Gabriel Frizeau,
1903
Physical Description:
1
item
box 1, folder 35
Vollard to André Clot,
1911
Physical Description:
1
item
box 1, folder 36
Vollard to Gabriel Frizeau,
1917
Physical Description:
1
item
box 1, folder 37
Vollard to Georges Rouault,
1935
Physical Description:
1 letter, 5
leaves
Scope and Content Note
Missing one leaf.
box 1, folder 38
Vollard to Georges Rouault: contract,
1939
Physical Description:
9
Leaves
Scope and Content Note
Typed, carbon; pages taped together along 1 edge to form binding
Series III.
Correspondence regarding Vollard's painters and the art market,
1887-1924
Physical Description:
42
letters
Scope and Content Note
Letters between artists, collectors, and dealers in Vollard's circle. In addition to
Vollard, the art market, and art criticism, letters touch on printmaking and
publication. Arranged alphabetically by writer, however the letter from Kleinmann is
filed with the Steinlen correspondence.
Arrangement note
Arranged alphabetically per sender's last name.
box 2, folder 1
Pierre Bonnard to André Clot,
1902 January
30
Physical Description:
1
p.
box 2, folder 2
George Bottini to Edouard Kleinmann,
undated
Physical Description:
11
letters
box 2, folder 3
Gustave Caillebott to Edmond de Bellio (collector),
1887 February
2
Physical Description:
1
postcard
box 2, folder 4
Paul Cézanne to Emile Bernard,
1904 August
24
Physical Description:
2
pp.
Scope and Content Note
Pages stuck together; need conservation treatment.
box 2, folder 5
Maurice Denis and Maurice Dumont to André Marty,
1894 November
7
Physical Description:
1 leaf, 2
pp.
box 2, folder 6
Maurice Denis to André Clot,
undated
Physical Description:
1 leaf, 2
pp.
box 2, folder 7
Maurice Denis to Edouard Vuillard,
undated
Physical Description:
2 calling
cards
Scope and Content Note
Message written on cards.
box 2, folder 8
Marcellin Desboutins to Roger Marx,
1888 February
27
Physical Description:
1 leaf, 3
pp.
box 2, folder 9
Joseph Durand-Ruel to André Mellerio,
1924 January
Physical Description:
2 letters, 2
pp.
Henri Fantin-Latour to Roger Marx,
1892
box 2, folder 10
1892 January
16
Physical Description:
1
leaf
box 2, folder 11
1892 March
2
Physical Description:
1
leaf
box 2, folder 12
Felix Fénéon to Alexandre Natanson,
1915 June
17
Physical Description:
1
leaf
box 2, folder 13
Henri Gabriel Ibels to Henri Foury,
1914 May
20
Physical Description:
1
leaf
box 2, folder 14
Charles Lacoste to Gabriel Frizeau,
1921 April
2
Physical Description:
4
pp.
Scope and Content Note
With envelope.
box 2, folder 15
Jules Laforgue to André Mellerio,
1901 March
8
Physical Description:
2
pp.
Scope and Content Note
With envelope.
box 2, folder 16
Odilon Redon to Joseph Durand-Ruel,
1889 July
16
Physical Description:
2
pp.
box 2, folder 17
Odilon Redon to Gabriel Mourey,
1910 December
19
Physical Description:
2
pp.
box 2, folder 18
Georges Rouault to A. Athis, Galerie Druet,
1925 February
25
Physical Description:
1
p.
Théophile Alexandre Steinlen correspondence,
1886-1929
Physical Description:
8
items
box 2, folder 19
Letter to Edouard Kleinmann,
1896 October
14
Physical Description:
3
pp.
box 2, folder 20
Letter to Henri Floury,
1903 March
21
Physical Description:
1
p.
box 2, folder 21
Letter to Edouard Kleinmann,
1901 July
9
Physical Description:
4
pp.
Scope and Content Note
Written from Norway
box 2, folder 22
Letter to André Clot,
1903 March
12
Physical Description:
1
p.
box 2, folder 23
Postcard to Edouard Kleinmann,
1922 July
28
Physical Description:
1
item
box 2, folder 24
Letter from Edouard Kleinmann,
1929
Physical Description:
2
Leaves
box 2, folder 25
Letter to Edouard Kleinmann,
undated
Physical Description:
1 leaf, 2
pp.
box 2, folder 26
Note to Roger Marx,
undated
Physical Description:
1
item
Scope and Content Note
One calling card with handwritten message.
box 2, folder 27
Edouard Vuillard letters to Pierre Bonnard,
undated
Physical Description:
3
items
Scope and Content Note
One 4 pp. letter, 1 postcard with image of Versailles dated 6 fevrier, 1 postcard,
image of Place Clichy.
box 2, folder 28
Edouard Vuillard to Roger Marx
Physical Description:
1
item
Scope and Content Note
1 calling card with handwritten message.
box 2, folder 29
Photographic portraits of Vollard,
1934, undated
Physical Description:
4
photographs
Scope and Content Note
Includes 1 Brassai photograph, dated 1934.
Series IV.
Ambroise Vollard dealer's records and related records in other
repositories,
approximately 1894-1935
Scope and Content Note
Photocopies made from original materials now in other repositories, including the Musée
D'Orsay. Includes transcriptions made by Gerrard White. No original materials, except
the photographs and Forain sketchbook and prints. Photocopies of Vollard's account books
and correspondence books were acquired by Gerrard White from John Rewald.
Arrangement note
Arranged topically.
box 3, folder 1
Stock book/ledger,
1894
Scope and Content Note
Photocopies.
box 3, folder 2
Carnet Cézanne,
approximately 1890
Scope and Content Note
Ledger; photocopy.
box 3, folder 3
Stock book,
1895-1900
Scope and Content Note
Photocopy.
box 3, folder 4
Stock book/ledger,
1900-1902
Scope and Content Note
Photocopy.
box 3, folder 4
Financial ledger,
1904
Scope and Content Note
Monies owed to dealers and artists; photocopy.
box 3, folder 5
Stock book,
1904-1909
Scope and Content Note
Photocopy.
box 3, folder 6
Another copy of Stock book,
1904-1909
Scope and Content Note
Unbound, annotated; photocopy.
box 3, folder 7
Shipping ledger,
1912-1923
Scope and Content Note
Photocopy.
box 3, folder 8
Consignments ledger,
1925-1933
Scope and Content Note
Photocopy.
box 4
Vollard letters,
1899- approximately 1920
Scope and Content Note
Spiral bound. See Box 5, folder 3 for Gerrard White's transcriptions of these
letters. Photocopies.
Letters to Vollard,
approximately 1895-1935
box 5, folder 1
approximately 1917-1935
Scope and Content Note
Photocopies.
box 5, folder 2
approximately 1895-1935
Scope and Content Note
Seem to be organized alphabetically from Sequin to Zola. Photocopies.
box 5, folder 3
Gerrard White's transcriptions of the Ambroise Vollard letters,
1899- approximately 1920
Scope and Content Note
Photocopies. See also photocopies of originals in Box 4.
box 5, folder 4
André Clot letters received,
undated
Scope and Content Note
Several hundred letters addressed to the printer/printmaker from the artists with
whom he worked. Photocopies.
box 5, folder 5
Baron Denys Cochin papers,
undated
Scope and Content Note
Circa 120 pp of documents concerning the Cochin collection, with receipts and letters
from dealers, invoices, lists of paintings sold. Photocopies.
box 5, folder 6
Sketchbook by Jean Louis Forain,
undated
Sketchbook of Jean-Louis Forain: undated
Scope and Content Note
Pencil and watercolor sketches; annotation on 1st page: "Croquis de Riki et de
Forain." See also watercolors in Box 5, f.7, and lithograph in Box 10*, folder 1.
box 5, folder 7
2 watercolors, by Jean Louis Forain (?),
undated
Scope and Content Note
Portraits of Vollard. See also Forain lithograph portrait of Vollard in Box 10*,
f.1
box 10*, folder 1
Lithograph by Jean Louis Forain,
undated
Scope and Content Note
Portrait of Vollard.
box 10*, folder 2
Photographs of Renoir paintings, authenticated by him
Physical Description:
4
photographs
Scope and Content Note
Mounted on board, signed and dated by P.-A. Renoir.
box 10*, folder 3
Photographs of paintings
Physical Description:
10
photographs
Scope and Content Note
Includes work by Degas, Cézanne, Mary Cassatt, Henri Rousseau.
Series V.
Catalogues, monographs and exhibition documentation,
1915-1930
Physical Description:
12
items
Scope and Content Note
Printed ephemera and catalogues from Galerie Vollard.
Arrangement note
Arranged topically.
box 6, folder 1
Printed exhibition lists/brochures from Galerie Vollard
Physical Description:
5
items
box 6, folder 2
Ambroise Vollard.
Le Père Ubu à l'hopital.
Paris: Editions Georges Crès et cie,
1918
box 6, folder 3
Ambroise Vollard.
La Politique Coloniale du Père
Ubu
. Zurich: Editions Georges Crès et cie,
1919
box 6, folder 4
Ambroise Vollard.
Paul Cezanne. Paris: Ambroise
Vollard,
1915
box 6, folder 5
Ambroise Vollard.
Sainte Monique. Paris:
Ambroise Vollard,
1930
box 7
Catalogue complet des Editions Ambroise
Vollard
,
1930
Scope and Content Note
Number 74 of an edition of 625.
box 8
Ambroise Vollard.
Le Père Ubu à la Guerre.
Paris: Ambroise Vollard,
1923
box 9
Ambroise Vollard.
La vie & l'oeuvre de
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
. Paris: Chez Ambroise Vollard,
1919
Series VI.
Research file: Gerrard White inventory and transcriptions,
2001
Physical Description:
1
cartridge
Scope and Content Note
Contains Gerrard White's inventory of Vollard papers and transcriptions of the account
books and correspondence books. This series is not part of the Vollard papers; it is
intended solely as a reference tool.
Included are White's inventory of the Vollard papers he collected, and his
transcriptions of the Vollard account books and correspondence books. The original
electronic files on the Jaz drive are not available for access. However, they have been
printed and the paper hard copy is available for read-only access; it may not be
reproduced.
Access Information
Restricted. The Jaz drive computer disk is sealed. The paper hard copy is available for
read-only access; it may not be photocopied or digitally copied, in whole or in
part.
