Donna Caffin Layton, daughter of Charles Caffin, donated most of the papers in 1974. Stephen D. Rockstroh, Caffin's son-in-law, donated additional material in 1985.
The papers of
Materials not scanned include duplicates, negatives, and some printed and published works that are not annotated.
The collection was processed by Catherine S. Gaines in 2003, merging the two accessions. The collection was digitized in 2009, with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.
Charles Henry Caffin papers, circa 1883-1973, bulk circa 1883-1918. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
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Charles Henry Caffin was born in 1854 in England. After graduating from Oxford University, Caffin served as stage manager for outdoor productions with Ben Greet and His Shakespearean Players. During this time, he met actress Caroline Scurfield, whom he later married and had two daughters, Freda and Donna. Caffin moved to United States in 1892 where he began to write about art, drama, and dance. He was an early supporter of the Photo-Secessionists and American modern art.
Initially, Caffin worked for several years executing murals from designs prepared by other artists for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the new Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Shortly thereafter, however, he began writing for Alfred Stieglitz's
Charles Caffin died in 1918.
The scattered papers of art critic and writer Charles Henry Caffin measure 1.2 linear feet and date from circa 1883-1973. Found within the papers are an interview transcript, two letters, printed materials, one scrapbook, and family photographs dating from circa 1883 to circa 1911, many by noted photographers Arnold Genthe, Frances Benjamin Johnston, Gertrude Käsebier, Edward Steichen, and Alfred Stieglitz. The scrapbook contains Caffin's columns for the
Biographical information includes an autograph book, and a transcript and written summary of a 1973 interview with Caffin's daughter, Donna Layton, conducted by Wanda Corn and Deborah Loft concerning Charles Henry Caffin. The two letters found within the papers are written to Caroline Caffin. Printed material consists of play announcements, a play written by Charles Rann Kennedy, and excerpts from a 1974 published book on photography mentioning Caffin.
Photographs are of the Caffin family, including Charles Henry, Caroline, Donna, Freda and Charles's mother Harlet. Also found are photographs of Ben Greet. Notable photographers include Arnold Genthe, Frances Benjamin Johnston, Gertrude Käsebier, Edward Steichen, and Alfred Stieglitz. There is one scrapbook containing Charles Henry Caffin's articles written for the
The collection is arranged into 5 series:
Pages that do not have autographs, drawings, notes, and poems have not been scanned.
This series consists of an oral history transcript and summary conducted in 1973 with Donna Layton by Wanda Corn and Deborah Loft concerning Charles Henry Caffin. Also found is an autograph book given to Caffin as thanks for a speaking engagement, written on a copy of Leonid Andreyev's
Autograph Book on Leonid Andreyev's
Interview Transcript with Donna Layton
This series consists two letters written to Mrs. Caroline Scurfield Caffin in 1920 from one her daughters and Gilbert Cannan. The letters were found folded inside Leonid Andreyev's
Letters
Only pages with signatures have been scanned from the Rann play.
Found here is an announcement of a Ben Greet performance in the United States, and a copy of the play
Ben Greet Play Announcement
Excerpts from
Photographs are of the Caffin family including Charles Henry, Caroline, Donna, Freda and Charles's mother Harlet. Also found are photographs of Ben Greet and of Greet with Caroline Caffin during a performance of
Only original photographs have been scanned.
Folders include copy prints and negatives of the photographs. The originals have been conserved and are housed in Box 3 and OV 4.
Caroline Caffin
Oversized original housed in Box 3
Caroline, Donna, and Freda Caffin
Oversized original housed in Box 3
Charlies Henry Caffin
Oversized originals housed in Box 3 and OV 4
Donna and Freda Caffin
Oversized originals housed in Box 3
Harlet C. Caffin
Oversized originals housed in Box 3
Ben Greet
Oversized originals housed in Box 3
Ben Greet and Caroline Scurfield Caffin
Oversized originals housed in Box 3
Oversized originals digitized with Box 1, Folders 7-13.
Oversized originals digitized with Box 1, Folder 9
This scrapbook has been scanned in its entirety.
This series consists of one scrapbook containing Charles Henry Caffin's articles written for the
Scrapbook