Archives of American Art
Jack Lenor Larsen papers
Larsen, Jack Lenor
AAA.larsjack
Archival Resource Key
3.7 Linear feet
1941-2003
The Jack Lenor Larsen papers measure 3.7 linear feet and date from 1941-2003. Larsen was a renowned weaver and designer, entrepreneur, and a scholar who wrote and lectured on modernist design. His career in the New York design world is documented by biographical materials, correspondence, writings by and about him, various printed materials and photographs.
English
.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
The records were donated to the Archives in 2004 by Jack Lenor Larsen in connection with the Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America.
Processing Information
The papers were processed by Justin Brancato in June, 2008.
Preferred Citation
Jack Lenor Larsen papers, 1941-2003. Archives of America Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Restrictions on Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
Terms of Use
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Biographical Note
Jack Lenor Larsen (b. 1927), based in New York and of international reputation, has been deeply involved in the design of hand woven fabric and its application to modernist interior design. An international entrepreneur, Larsen also has written books on design and has been a frequent lecturer.
Larsen was born in Seattle, Washington to parents of Canadian/Scandinavian descent; his father was a building contractor. Larsen studied architecture at the University of Washington and became interested in materials design, receiving his M.F.A. from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan in 1951. Following graduation, he opened a studio in New York and established Jack Lenor Larsen Incorporated. Just months later, Larsen successfully competed for the commission to design draperies for the important glass walled Lever House building on Park Avenue designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.
Larsen was highly successful in marketing his ideas and innovations, which included combining metallic thread with natural polished linen and hand woven fabrics consisting of varied yarns in random and repeating patterns. This later style of fabric became known as the "Larsen Look" and was synonymous with modern design. Larsen's firm successfully adapted technological advances to fabric design but also used ancient techniques; they were first to design fabrics for jet air planes, stretch upholsestry and printed velvets.
In 1958-1960, Larsen represented the United States Department of State in Vietnam and Taiwan, studying those countries' crafts with the goal of developing industry to create jobs and products for export. Larsen then saw the opportunity for international fabric design and production. He travelled to Latin America, Africa and Asia to study local crafts and weaving with an eye towards business opportunites, focusing on hand spun and hand woven silks. By the 1990s Larsen was producing fabric in over 30 countries. In 1997, Jack Lenor Larsen, Inc. merged with the British fabric house, Cowtan and Tout and became the United States subsidiary of the British company, Colefax and Fowler.
Many museums have collected and/or exhibited Larsen fabrics. Notable among them are The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Musee des Arts Decoratifs (in the Louvre Museum), Museum of Modern Art, Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. In addition, Larsen is the author of several books relating to fabric and fabric design including Material Wealth: Living with Luxurious Fabrics (an international survey of contemporary fabric design) and an autobiography, Jack Lenor Larsen: A Weaver's Memoir.
Scope and Content Note
The Jack Lenor Larsen papers measure 3.7 linear feet and date from 1941-2003. Larson was a renowned weaver and designer, entrepreneur, and a scholar who wrote and lectured on modernist design. His career in the New York design world is documented by biographical materials, correspondence, writings by and about him, various printed materials and photographs.
Found are biographical materials and artifacts including items from his early years, 4 volumes of daily planners and numerous awards. Correspondence includes letters from notables such as Isamu Noguchi, Walter F. Mondale, and various craft artists such as Helen W. Drutt English, Magdalena Abakanowicz, and Beatrice Wood, and author Hannah Tillich, widow of Paul Tillich. Business correspondence is from museums, professional societies, magazines and other organizations such as the Josef Albers Foundation. Larsen also curated textile exhibitions and there are records pertaining to these exhibitions.
There are a substantial number of writings, lectures and speeches by Larsen, and proofs of a book he co-authored with Mildred Constantin, Beyond Craft: The Art of Fabric. Also found are writings about Larsen and 3 interviews with him including a 1965 videotaped interview, 2 transcribed interviews, and an audio tape of Larsen's talk "Personal Perspective," presented at a conference of the American Craft Council.
Photographs show Larsen and his employees at work and at professional events. Photographs removed from albums retain their original order. Lastly, there are printed materials include catalogs and announcements, newspaper and magazine clippings, and press and promotional materials.
Arrangement
The Jack Lenor Larsen papers are organized into 7 series based primarily on record type and arranged chronologically.
Missing Title
- Series 1: Biographical Material, 1941-2001, (Box 1, 5; 0.6 linear feet)
- Series 2: Correspondence, 1958-2003, (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)
- Series 3: Exhibition Records, 1986-1990, (Boxes 1-2; 0.7 linear feet)
- Series 4: Writings, 1950-2003, (Boxes 2-3; 1.3 linear feet)
- Series 5: Photographs, 1970-1992, (Box 3, 5; 0.5 linear feet)
- Series 6: Printed Material, 1972-2002, (Boxes 4-5; 0.3 linear feet)
- Series 7: Audio Recordings, 1965, (Box 4; 0.1 linear feet)
Audiocassettes
Weavers -- New York (State) -- New York
Photographs
Sound recordings
Interviews
Modernism (Art)
Video recordings
Textile design
Josef Albers Foundation
Noguchi, Isamu, 1904-1988
Constantine, Mildred
Drutt, Helen Williams
Tillich, Hanna
Wood, Beatrice
Mondale, Walter F., 1928-
Abakanowicz, Magdalena
Biographical Material
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
0.6 Linear feet
Boxes 1, 5
1941-2001
Scope and Contents note
Biographical material consists mostly of diplomas, honorary doctorates, and awards and certificates from associations, institutions and colleges. There are 4 volumes of daily planners, an address book, Boy Scout merit badges and sash, and a short genealogical outline.
Family Tree
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
1
Passports
Archival Resource Key
1955-1994
1
2
Diplomas
Archival Resource Key
1
Bremerton High School
Archival Resource Key
1945
1
3
University of Washington
Archival Resource Key
1949
1
4
Honorary Doctorates
Archival Resource Key
1
Parsons School of Design
Archival Resource Key
1981
1
5
Scope and Contents note
Oversized material housed in Box 5
Philadelphia College of Art
Archival Resource Key
1982
1
6
Awards and Certificates, (College of Arts and Sciences, University of Washington)
Archival Resource Key
1991
1
7
Washington Intermediate School Pupil's Quarterly Report
Archival Resource Key
1941-1944
1
8
Eagle Scout Badge
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
9
Boy Scout Merit Badges and Sash
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
10
Elmer Lenor Larsen Memorial
Archival Resource Key
1980
1
11
Daily Planners and Address Book
Archival Resource Key
4 Volumes
1991-2001
1
12
Honorary Doctorate, (Parsons School of Design)
Archival Resource Key
1981
5
1
Awards and Certificates
Archival Resource Key
5
American Institute of Decorators
Archival Resource Key
1954-1956
5
2
American Society of Interior Designers
Archival Resource Key
1976
5
3
Deco Press
Archival Resource Key
1974
5
4
House and Garden
Archival Resource Key
1958
1969
5
5
Industrial Design Review
Archival Resource Key
1969-1974
5
6
Institute of Business Designers
Archival Resource Key
1973
5
7
International Contract Product Design Award
Archival Resource Key
1975
5
8
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Archival Resource Key
1925
5
9
Mostra Internazionale dell' Arredamento
Archival Resource Key
1973
5
10
Paulex, Inc.
Archival Resource Key
1957
5
11
Printing Industries of Metropolitan New York, Inc.
Archival Resource Key
1984
5
12
Resources Council Product Design Awards Programs
Archival Resource Key
1974-1983
5
13
The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts
Archival Resource Key
1975
5
14
Surface Design Association
Archival Resource Key
1980
5
15
Upholstery Leather Group
Archival Resource Key
1957
5
16
Correspondence
Series 2
Archival Resource Key
0.2 Linear feet
Box 1
1958-2003
Scope and Contents note
This series contains personal and professional correspondence including letters from craft artists and other notables such as Walter F. Mondale, Isamu Noguchi, and Hannah Tillich, (Mrs. Paul Tillich). Also found are greeting cards and postcards from colleagues, friends and family including some artwork as illustrations or enclosures. Professional correspondence includes letters from museums and art institutions, including the American Craft Museum, the Corning Museum of Glass, and the Josef Albers Foundation, design and manufacturing corporations and magazines such as Connoisseur and Contact.
Personal Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1958
1972-1997
1
13
Personal Correspondence
Personal Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1998-2003
undated
1
14
Personal Correspondence
Business Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1981-2003
undated
1
15
Business Correspondence
Letters, Invitations, Party/Event Lists
Archival Resource Key
undated
1991-2003
1
16
Exhibition Records
Series 3
Archival Resource Key
0.7 Linear feet
Boxes 1-2
1986-1990
Scope and Contents note
This series is comprised of records of exhibitions at the Bellas Artes Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico and the Erie Art Museum in Erie, Pennsylvania, both curated by Larsen. Also found is correspondence, other business documentation, slides and printed material.
Bellas Artes Gallery
Archival Resource Key
Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
undated
1988-1990
1
17
Artists
Archival Resource Key
1988-1990
1
18
Printed Material
Archival Resource Key
1988-1989
1
19
Slides
Archival Resource Key
(35mm color)
1989
1
20-21
Erie Art Museum
Archival Resource Key
Biographies
Archival Resource Key
1988
1
22
Correspondence, Artists
Archival Resource Key
1987-1988
1
23-25
Erie Art Museum
Archival Resource Key
Correspondence, Artists
Archival Resource Key
1987-1988
2
1
General Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1986-1988
undated
2
2
Artist Lists
Archival Resource Key
1987-1988
2
3
Shipping Expense
Archival Resource Key
1987-1988
2
4
Photographs
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
5
Slides of Artwork
Archival Resource Key
1987-1988
2
6-7
Writings
Series 4
Archival Resource Key
1.3 Linear feet
Box 2-3
1950-2003
Scope and Contents note
Writings by Larsen include a foreword to The Miracle of Ancient at the Peru Merrin Gallery and many lectures, speeches and magazine articles. Larsen lectured at prestigious institutions including the Louvre Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, and World Craft Council. Also found are a draft of an unpublished book and articles by Larsen for publications such as American Craft, Art and Antiques and Fiber Arts, I.D. There also are writings about Larsen such as "Body and Soul: Jack Lenor Larsen as Designer and Collector" by David Revere McFadden, Chief Curator at the Museum of Art and Design.
Arrangement note
The materials in the folders titled Lectures and Writings by Larsen preserve their original order.
Writings by Larsen
Archival Resource Key
1983-1988
undated
1950s
2
8
Foreword for The Miracle of Ancient Peru at the Merrin Galley together with correspondence, contracts and printed material
Archival Resource Key
1988
2
9
Writings about Larsen
Archival Resource Key
undated
1950
2
10
Lectures and Speeches by Larsen
Archival Resource Key
1997
undated
1982
2
11
Lectures and Speeches about Larsen
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
12
Lecture Notes by Larsen
Archival Resource Key
1964-2002
undated
2
13-17
Master List of Lectures and Writings by Larsen
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
18
Lectures and Writings by Larsen 1-80
Archival Resource Key
undated
1970-1986
2
19-24
Lectures and Writings by Larsen 81-189
Archival Resource Key
1987-2003
3
1-9
Transcript of Larsen Interview by Susan Lindsay
Archival Resource Key
1995
3
10
Transcript of Larsen Interview by Suzanne Ramljak
Archival Resource Key
2003
3
11
Photographs
Series 5
Archival Resource Key
0.5 Linear feet
Box 3, 5
circa 1970-1992
Scope and Contents note
This series includes photographs of Larsen and his employees at work and professional activities. The photographs have been removed from their albums, retaining their original order.
Photograph Albums 1-2, 4
Archival Resource Key
undated
circa 1970-1992
3
12
Photograph Album 3
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
13
Photograph Album 5, RHIDEC Los Angeles
Archival Resource Key
1990
3
14
Trade Shows
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
15
Events, MK 40th Anniversary
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
16
Photographs of Fabrics designed by Marga Hielle-Vatter
Archival Resource Key
undated
5
17
Printed Material
Series 6
Archival Resource Key
0.3 Linear feet
Boxes 4-5
1972-2002
Scope and Contents note
Printed material includes announcements, magazine and newspaper clippings, catalogues and journals. Also found are press materials for Larsen's "Terra Nova" Collection, designed in collaboration with Museum Industries and the Museum of the American Indian and a proof of Beyond Craft: The Art Fabric, a book co-written by Mildred Constantine and Jack Lenor Larsen.
Announcements
Archival Resource Key
1992-2002
undated
4
1
Clippings
Archival Resource Key
1972-1996
undated
4
2
Catalogs and Journals
Archival Resource Key
1986-1992
undated
4
3
Press Materials, "Terra Nova,"
Archival Resource Key
1985
4
4
Poster
Archival Resource Key
undated
4
5
Programs
Archival Resource Key
1992-1996
undated
4
6
Proofs, Beyond Craft: The Art Fabric
Archival Resource Key
1972
5
19
Audio Recordings
Series 7
Archival Resource Key
0.1 Linear feet
Box 4
1965
Scope and Contents note
This series consists of a radio interview with Larsen aired on KCBS, San Francisco and a talk titled "Personal Perspective" that Larsen presented at a meeting of the American Craft Council.
Radio Interview, KCBS, San Francisco, Jack Lenor Larsen and Helen Bentley
Archival Resource Key
1 Sound tape reel
1965
4
7
"Personal Perspective," talk by Jack Lenor Larsen
Archival Resource Key
1 Sound cassette
undated
4
8