The collection is arranged as two series.
Austrian born sculptor Karl Bitter (1867-1915) was active in New York City, New York. He exhibited his works at worldwide expositions and examples of his sculpture and memorials can be found throughout the United States. Sculptor Gustave Gerlach (b. 1866) was a pupil and colleague of Bitter's and was also active in New York City.
Karl Theodore Francis Bitter was born in Vienna, Austria, where he trained as a sculptor. While serving in the Austrian military in 1889, Bitter immigrated to the United States and applied for citizenship. Ultimately, Bitter settled in New York City and worked as an assistant in a home decorating firm while establishing his reputation as a sculptor. After working as a sculptor at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and as director at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, in 1901, Bitter was named head of the sculpture programs at both the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri, and the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, California. Bitter was awarded the silver medal of the Paris Exposition, 1900; the gold medal of the Pan-American Exposition, 1901; and the gold medal at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904.
Bitter offered work to sculptor Gustave Gerlach after seeing some of his sculpture. Gerlach subsequently assisted Bitter at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition as superintendent of sculpture, and at the 1904 and 1915 expositions. Following Bitter's sudden death in 1915, Gerlach proposed the execution of a memorial fountain for him in Weehawken, New Jersey, based on an original design by Bitter. However, due to anti-German sentiment in the United States at that time, Gerlach was unable to proceed with the memorial and ultimately returned the money he had raised for the fountain.
Bitter and Gerlach worked with many prominent sculptors of the day, including Isidore Konti, Adolph Weinman, and Alexander Stirling Calder who was named acting-chief of the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. Bitter and Calder both employed the services of renowned model Audrey Munson.
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
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
The papers were donated in 2019 by Mary K. McGuigan and John F. McGuigan Jr., art historians and collectors in Milford, Pennsylvania, who purchased the collection at auction. The collection was originally complied by Gustave's daughter, Margarett.
The Archives of American Art also holds the Karl Theodore Francis Bitter Papers, 1887-circa 1977.
Photographs of Karl Francis Theodore Bitter and Gustave Gerlach, circa 1892-circa 1915. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Stephanie Ashley in 2019. The collection was digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.
The photographs and papers of sculptor Karl Francis Theodore Bitter and his pupil and colleague Gustave Gerlach measure 0.8 linear feet and date from circa 1892-circa 1915. The collection documents the work and studio practice of Bitter and Gerlach primarily through photographs and a photograph album, in addition to paper records including a proposal and lists of work completed for two international expositions, news clippings, and two drawings by Bitter on his personal stationary.
Papers include lists of artwork for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, and the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, in St. Louis, Missouri.
Photographs number approximately 250 and document the studio practice and work of Karl Bitter and Gustave Gerlach during Gerlach's tenure in Bitter's studio. Photos include images of Bitter, Gerlach, Isidore Konti, Joseph Sibbel, and other sculptors and studio assistants, and depict important works in progress such as Bitter's
As a child Gerlach's daughter, Margarett, evidently spent time watching her father at work. She compiled this collection of photographs and papers and provided historical context in notes on the versos of some of the items.
The collection was digitized in 2019 and is available on the Archives of American Art website.
Notes and addresses include Bitter's address in New York, and those of other artists including Solon Borglum, Charles Keck, Adolph Weinman, and Enid Yandell. Also found are Gerlach's list of expenses for creating the West Hoboken honor roll board for a local school; two envelopes with brief biographical notes by Gerlach's daughter and notes that probably relate to photos in the collection but were separated from their contents; and Gerlach's proposal for the Karl Bitter memorial fountain that was never realized, with a "list of subscribers" who donated money for the cause.
The series includes lists of proposed sculpture and associated costs for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. One list has costs and another has dates for when works were started and finished. Also found is a typescript of Bitter's proposal for the 1904 exposition followed by lists of artwork for each area with number, location, sculptor, and total cost. The lists include notations indicating when works were finished and received. The proposal is incomplete with the first three pages missing, but it outlines Bitter's vision for the exposition and mentions artists selected to participate such as Daniel Chester French, Frederic Remington, Augustus St. Gaudens, Adolph Weinman, and others, and documents his appointment of Gerlach as his foreman "who has assisted me most effectually on former occasions…"
News clippings relate to work by Bitter and others including exposition work. Other printed material consists of a catalog fragment of the Religious Sculpture of Joseph Siebel, and a National Academy of Design death notice for Augustus St. Gaudens. There are also two pieces of Bitter's stationary with pen and ink sketches.
Addresses and Notes
Bitter Memorial Committee Appeal
Lists of Artwork for Pan-American Exposition (1901)
Proposal and Lists of Artwork for Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904)
Printed Material
Printed Material, News Clippings
Pen and Ink Drawings by Bitter
Photographs include six head shots of Bitter; a photo of him standing with his sculpture of Alexander Hamilton; two photos of him on horseback and with his riding club; and two photos of the exterior of one of his homes. Photos of Bitter and Gerlach include Gerlach beside a large sculpture and one of Gerlach and Bitter in the studio with Isidore Konti.
Photographs of Joseph Sibbel Studio are notated to indicate that they include Gerlach, Fritz Hoffman, and Joseph Sibbel. Other unidentified artists and assistants appear in many of the photographs of studios including those for the 1901, 1904, and 1915 expositions. Also found is a studio portrait of model Audrey Munson.
Photos of artwork are primarily of sculpture by Bitter, Alexander Stirling Calder, Gustave Gerlach, Isidore Konti, and others. They include busts, reliefs, statuary, and monumental sculpture. One photo of artwork by Konti is inscribed to Bitter by Konti. Also found is a photograph album which appears to primarily document the 1904 exposition and includes photographs of Adolph Weinman's
Photographs of people and Bitter's home are followed by photographs of artwork arranged by artist or studio. Artwork by unidentified artists is loosely arranged by subject matter. The photograph album is housed at the end of the series.
Photographs of Karl Bitter
Oversized photos housed in OV 3
Photographs of Karl Bitter and Gustave Gerlach
Oversized photos housed in OV 3
Photographs of Exterior of Bitter's Home
Photographs of Artists at Joseph Sibbel Studio
Photograph of Audrey Munson
Photographs of Unidentified Artists in Studios
Photograph of Unidentified Man
Artwork by Karl Bitter
Oversized photos housed in OV 4
Artwork by Alexander Stirling Calder
Artwork by Gustave Gerlach
Oversized photos housed in OV 4
Artwork by Gustave Gerlach
Artwork by Gustave Gerlach
Artwork by Isidore Konti
Oversized photos housed in OV 4
Artwork at Joseph Sibbel Studio
Artwork Unidentified, Children and Cherubs
Artwork Unidentified, Children and Cherubs
Artwork Unidentified, Classical Themes
Oversized photos housed in OV 4
Artwork Unidentified, Classical Themes
Artwork Unidentified, Classical Themes
Artwork Unidentified, Eagles
Artwork Unidentified, Native American Themes
Artwork Unidentified, Plaques, and Seated Figure
Artwork Unidentified, Religious Themes
Reproductions of Artwork
Photograph Album