Archives of American Art
Herbert Aach papers
Aach, Herbert, 1923-1985
AAA.aachherb
Archival Resource Key
2.4 Linear feet
1942-1988
The papers of New York painter, art instructor and writer Herbert Aach (1923-1985) measure 2.4 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1988. Papers include biographical materials, correspondence, scattered financial and legal records, notes and writings, subject files, a scrapbook, printed materials, photographs, and one videocassette.
English
.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Herbert and Doris Aach donated the papers to the Archives of American Art in 1984 and 1989.
Processing Information
The collection was arranged and cataloged by Jean Fitzgerald in 1991. The finding aid was created by Eden Orelove in 2011.
Preferred Citation
Herbert Aach papers, 1942-1988. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing 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 / Historical
Painter, art instructor and writer Herbert Aach (1923-1985) worked primarily in New York City. Born in Cologne, Germany, Aach came to the United States in 1939. He taught at the Brooklyn Museum School (1947-1951), Pratt Institute (1966-1969), and at Queens College (1966-1985). In 1971 he was editor and translator of Goethe's Color Theory. Aach was president of the Artists Technical Research Institute, which was founded in 1959 by Bena Frank and Ralph Mayer to conduct scientific and educational research of materials and methods used in the visual arts.
Scope and Contents
The papers of New York painter, art instructor and writer Herbert Aach (1923-1985) measure 2.4 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1988. Papers include biographical materials, correspondence, scattered financial and legal records, notes and writings, subject files, a scrapbook, printed materials, photographs, and one videocassette.
Legal records include materials relating to a lawsuit against Larry Rivers for a lease termination. Letters are from colleagues including Emily Genauer and Edwin W. Zoller regarding exhibitions and other art-related matters and brief letters from Elaine DeKooning, John Ferren, Adolph Gottlieb, and Rufino Tamayo. Subject files are found for many organizations of which Aach was a member, including the American Society for Testing and Materials, the Artists Technical Research Institute, and the Inter-Society Color Council. Printed materials include one scrapbook, clippings, and exhibition catalogs. There is documentation of Aach's work translating and editing Goethe's Color Theory, one 55 minute videocassette entitled Herbert Aach by Albright Knox Gallery, and photographs of Aach and his artwork.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 8 series. Records are generally arranged by material type and chronologically thereafter.
- Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1985 (Box 1; 1 folder)
- Series 2: Correspondence, 1949-1988 (Box 1; 0.6 linear feet)
- Series 3: Financial Material, 1964-1981 (Box 1; 1 folder)
- Series 4: Legal Records, 1951-1986 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)
- Series 5: Notes, 1961-1984 (Box 1; 6 folders)
- Series 6: Writings, 1950-1985(Boxes 1-2; 0.2 linear feet)
- Series 7: Subject Files, 1942-1984 (Box 2; 0.6 linear feet)
- Series 8: Photographs, 1952-1960 (Box 2; 3 folders)
- Series 9: Scrapbook, 1951-1958 (Box 2; 1 folder)
- Series 8: Printed Material, 1948-1988 (Boxes 2-3; 0.2 linear feet)
- Series 8: Videocassette, 25 April 1975 (Box 3; 1 folder)
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Art teachers -- New York (State) -- New York
Artists' materials
Video recordings
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York
Inter-Society Color Council
Genauer, Emily, 1910-2002
Tamayo, Rufino, 1899-1991
Rivers, Larry, 1925-2002
Artist's Technical Research Institute
Zoller, Edwin W., 1900-1967
American Society for Testing and Materials
Ferren, John, 1905-1970
De Kooning, Elaine
Biographical Material
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
Box 1
circa 1985
Scope and Contents note
Biographical materials include a resume, exhibition records and three biographical essays about Aach.
Biographical Material
Archival Resource Key
1985, undated
1
1
Correspondence
Series 2
Archival Resource Key
0.6 Linear feet
Box 1
1949-1988
Scope and Contents note
Correspondence is primarily between Aach and various art suppliers and chemical analysis laboratories concerning the technical standards for artists' materials. Also included are letters from colleagues including Emily Genauer and Edwin W. Zoller regarding exhibitions and other art-related matters and brief letters from Elaine DeKooning, John Ferren, Adolph Gottlieb, and Rufino Tamayo agreeing to write recommendations for Aach.
Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
2
Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
27 Folders
1949-1988
1
3-29
Financial Material
Series 3
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
Box 1
1964-1981
Scope and Contents note
Financial material includes a grant proposal to study the serialization and color programming of Gothic rose windows, a price list for fluorochemical additives, and four invoices for the sale of paintings and for supplies.
Financial Records
Archival Resource Key
1964-1981
1
30
Legal Records
Series 4
Archival Resource Key
0.2 Linear feet
Box 1
1951-1986
Scope and Contents note
Legal records include two contracts with the Creative Gallery, consignment agreements, and material relating to a law suit against Larry Rivers concerning the termination of Aach's lease on his studio.
Contracts with Creative Gallery and Consignment Agreements
Archival Resource Key
1951-1978
1
31
Loft Lease, Aach v. Rivers
Archival Resource Key
3 Folders
1980-1981
1
32-34
Transcript of examination before trial, Aach v. Rivers
Archival Resource Key
3 Folders
1984
1
35-37
Loft Lease, Aach v. Rivers
Archival Resource Key
1984-1986
1
38
Notes
Series 5
Archival Resource Key
6 Folders
Box 1
1961-1984
Scope and Contents note
Notes include technical data on paint, exhibition guest registers, and a notebook with outlines for classes taught at Queen's College.
Notebook for Color, Design Class
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
39
Queens College Notebook
Archival Resource Key
circa 1968-1984
1
40
Color Course at Queens College
Archival Resource Key
1971-1973
1
41
Data on Paint
Archival Resource Key
1961
1
42
Exhibition Guest Registers
Archival Resource Key
1964-1968
1
43
Miscellaneous Notes
Archival Resource Key
2 Folders
undated
1
44-45
Writings
Series 6
Archival Resource Key
0.2 Linear feet
Boxes 1-2
1950-1985
Scope and Contents note
Writings include texts for lectures, miscellaneous writings by Aach on art techniques and materials, evaluations by students, Gail O'Brien's master's thesis entitled "The Painter's Approach Toward Serialization in Modern Painting", and information about printmaking by Jack Stewart.
Lecture Notes
Archival Resource Key
undated, 1968
1
46
Evaluations by Students
Archival Resource Key
1981-1985
1
47
Miscellaneous Writings
Archival Resource Key
3 Folders
undated
2
1-3
Miscellaneous Writings
Archival Resource Key
4 Folders
1950-1981
2
4-7
Printmaking Information by Jack Stewart
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
8
Masters Thesis: The Painter's Approach toward Serialization in Modern Painting by Gail O'Brien
Archival Resource Key
1978
2
9
Subject Files
Series 7
Archival Resource Key
0.6 Linear feet
Box 2
1942-1984
Scope and Contents note
Subject files contain letters, notes, and printed material concerning the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the Artists Technical Research Insitute, Inc. (ATRI), the Color Forum, the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), the Inter-Society Color Council (ISCC), New York Bridges, and the "Structure of Color" exhibition at the Whitney Museum. Also included is the book Goethe's Color Theory, which is translated and edited by Aach. The ATRI file contains correspondence between Ralph and Bena Frank Mayer, Ralston Crawford, Rutherford J. Gettens, and others concerning the establishment of ATRI, a copy of the by-laws, technical reports, and minutes of meetings.
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Subcommittee D01.57
Archival Resource Key
5 Folders
1977- 1982
2
10-14
By-Laws of ATRI Inc. / Certificate of Incorporation of ATRI Inc.
Archival Resource Key
1959
2
15
Minutes of ATRI Meetings
Archival Resource Key
1960-1978
2
16
Clippings and Articles Regarding Artists Technical Research Institute and Paint Standards
Archival Resource Key
undated, 1957- 1981
2
17
ATRI
Archival Resource Key
2 Folders
1942-1981
2
18-19
Color Forum
Archival Resource Key
1968-1971
2
20
Goethe Book
Archival Resource Key
3 Folders
1970-1983
2
21-23
International Research and Exchanges Board
Archival Resource Key
3 Folders
1979-1984
2
24-26
Inter-Society Color Council (ISCC) Subcommittee 37
Archival Resource Key
1971-1982
2
27
New York Bridges
Archival Resource Key
2 Folders
1981-1982
2
28-29
The "Structure of Color" Exhibition at the Whitney
Archival Resource Key
1971
2
30
Photographs
Series 8
Archival Resource Key
3 Folders
Box 2
1952-1960
Scope and Contents note
The photographs are of Aach and of his works of art.
Photographs of Aach
Archival Resource Key
1956-1960
2
31
Photographs of Works of Art
Archival Resource Key
2 Folders
undated
2
32-33
Scrapbook
Series 9
Archival Resource Key
0.2 Linear feet
Box 2
1951-1958
Scope and Contents note
The scrapbook is full of clippings, exhibition announcements and articles about Aach and his artwork.
Scrapbook
Archival Resource Key
1951-1958
2
34
Printed Material
Series 10
Archival Resource Key
0.2 Linear feet
Boxes 2-3
1948-1988
Scope and Contents note
Printed materials include clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, press releases, brochures and programs.
Clippings
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
35
Clippings
Archival Resource Key
4 Folders
1954-1988
2
36-39
Exhibition Announcements and Catalogs
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
40
Exhibition Announcements and Catalogs
Archival Resource Key
2 Folders
1948-1953
2
41
Exhibition Announcements and Catalogs
Archival Resource Key
5 Folders
1954-1988
3
1-5
Press Releases
Archival Resource Key
1967-1979
3
6
Brochures/Seminar Announcements
Archival Resource Key
1951-1979
3
7
Programs
Archival Resource Key
1965-1980
3
8
Exhibition Entry Brouchures
Archival Resource Key
1974-1979
3
9
Miscellaneous
Archival Resource Key
1963-1977
3
10
Audio-Visual Materials
Series 11
Archival Resource Key
0.2 Linear feet
Box 3
25 April 1975
Scope and Contents note
The audio-visual materials is comprised of a 55-minute U-matic audiocassette entitled Herb Aach, made at the Albright-Knox Gallery.
One Inch Videotape: Herb Aach, color, 55 min, Albright-Knox Gallery
Archival Resource Key
25 April 1975
3
11