Archives of American Art
Enrique Riverón papers
Riverón, Enrique
AAA.riveenri
Archival Resource Key
3.3 Linear feet
1918-1990s
The papers of Cuban born painter, sculptor, cartoonist, and illustrator Enrique Riverón measure 3.3 linear feet and date from 1918-1990s. The collection contains correspondence, writings, diary entries, scrapbooks, printed material, and photographs documenting Riverón's career as an illustrator, cartoonist, painter and sculptor in the United States and Cuba and, to a lesser extent, Riverón's teaching career at Wichita University in Kansas.
The records are in English and Spanish.
Biographical Note
Painter, sculptor, cartoonist, and illustrator Enrique Riverón was born in 1902 in Cienfuegos, Cuba and belonged to the first generation of Cuban modernists, experimenting with Cubism and pursuing abstraction from very early on in his career. During his early twenties Riverón traveled to France, Italy, Belgium, and Spain to study under scholarships and attend the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid. In 1926 Riverón's first major one-man exhibition took place at the Association Paris Amerique Latine where the catalog introduction was written by noted Mexican writer Alfonso Reyes.
In 1927 Riverón returned to Havana and had a one-man show of his European work at the Asociación de Pintores y Escultores, as well as several other shows in Havana and New York. He moved to the United States in 1930 and became a United States citizen in 1943.
In addition to being known for his naturalistic drawings of street life in Paris and Cuba, Riverón began working with collage in the 1930s and was, for a number of years, a cartoonist for newspapers in Havana and other publications such as The New Yorker and Cine Mundial which was published in New York and widely circulated in Latin America. He also worked in Hollywood for a time as an illustrator for Walt Disney Pictures.
From 1940 on, Riverón focused on painting and sculpture. He moved to Miami from Wichita, Kansas, in 1964. Enrique Riverón died in 1998.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Cuban born painter, sculptor, cartoonist, and illustrator Enrique Riverón measure 3.3 linear feet, date from 1918-1990s and document Riverón's career as an illustrator, cartoonist, painter and sculptor in the United States and Cuba and, to a lesser extent, his teaching career at Wichita University in Kansas. The collection includes correspondence, the majority of which concerns Riverón's exhibitions; writings, primarily Riverón's recollections of his trips to Paris and Madrid and his memories of people he met in Latin America, Europe, and the United States; printed material documenting exhibitions and Riverón's work for magazines such as Cine-Mudial and Bally-Hoo; and photographs.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into eight series.
Missing Title
- Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1929-1960 (Box 1; 2 folders)
- Series 2: Correspondence, 1918-1991 (box 1, 0.6 ft.)
- Series 3: Writings, 1923-1980s, undated (box 1, 0.2 ft.)
- Series 4: Scrapbooks, 1920s-1990s, undated (boxes 1, 3, and 4, 0.7 ft.)
- Series 5: Artwork, 1958-1983, undated (boxes 1 and 5, 0.4 ft.)
- Series 6: Printed Material, circa 1930-1992 (boxes 2 and 5, 0.7 ft.)
- Series 7: Photographs, 1918-1992, undated (boxes 2, 5 and 6, 0.6 ft.)
- Series 8: Miscellany, 1927-1989, undated (box 6, 7 folders)
Related Material
The Archives of American Art also has a collection of Enrique Riverón letters to Mario Carreño, 1981-1990, in which Riverón writes of their mutual friends, his memories of Cuba, health issues, politics, pricing paintings, collages, and his longings for Paris and New York.
Provenance
The Enrique Riverón papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by Patricia Riverón Lee, daughter of Riverón, in 1996.
Restrictions on Access
The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment.
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.
Preferred Citation
Enrique Riverón papers, 1918-1990s. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Processing Information
The collection was processed by Rosa M. Fernandez in 1997. The finding aid was written by Stephanie Ashley in 2002.
Artists -- Florida -- Miami
Scrapbooks
Illustrators
Cuban American art
Artists -- Cuba
Expatriate artists -- Florida -- Miami
Cuban American artists
Magazine illustration
Caricatures and cartoons
Photographs
Cartoonists
Sculptors -- Florida -- Miami
Latino and Latin American artists
Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967
Wichita State University -- Faculty
Yunkers, Adja, 1900-1983
Sicre, Juan José -- Photographs
Salinas, Baruj
Russell, Rosalind -- Photographs
Waguermert, Luis Gomez -- Photographs
Neruda, Pablo, 1904-1973 -- Photographs
Peláez, Amelia, 1897-1968 -- Photographs
Pidgeon, Walter, 1897-
Prohias, Antonio
Rebajes, Pauline
De Diego, Julio, 1900-
García Lorca, Federico, 1898-1936
Carreño, Mario -- Photographs
Gattorno, Antonio
Tamayo, Rufino, 1899-1991 -- Photographs
Gómez Sicre, José
Siqueiros, David Alfaro, 1896-1974 -- Photographs
Reed, Alma M. -- Photographs
Kiki, 1901-1953
Orozco, José Clemente, 1883-1949 -- Photographs
Lozano Castro, Alfredo
Milland, Ray -- Photographs
Bermúdez, Cundo, 1914-2008
Baker, Josephine, 1906-1975
Cantinflas, 1911-1993
Cugat, Xavier, 1900- -- Photographs
Carreño, Mario
Picasso, Pablo, 1881-1973
Biographical Material
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
2 Folders
Box 1
circa 1929-1960
Membership Cards
Archival Resource Key
1936-1944
1
1
Diary Pages
Archival Resource Key
circa 1929-1960
1
2
Correspondence
Series 2
Archival Resource Key
0.6 Linear feet
Box 1
1918-1991, undated
Scope and Contents note
Correspondence found in this series is with artists and others including Mario Carreño, Julio de Diego, Antonio Gattorno, Alfredo Lozano, Antonio Prohias, Pauline and Frank Rebajes, Baruj Salina, José Gómez Sicre, Adja Yunkers, and others. Much of the correspondence concerns Riverón's exhibitions. Folders may contain letters, postcards, and related material to and/or from Riverón.
Arrangement note
The series is arranged alphabetically by individual or subject with one folder at the end of the series from a group of individuals concerning a publication.
Antonio, José
Archival Resource Key
1934
1
3
Arroyo, Ramon
Archival Resource Key
1935, 1962-1984
1
4
Badá, José Manuel
Archival Resource Key
1966-1967
1
5
Bens, José M., Colegio de Arquitectos de Cuba en el Exilio
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
6
Carreño, Mario
Archival Resource Key
1941-1990
1
7-11
Casado, Antonio F.
Archival Resource Key
1945
1
12
Casado, Juan José M.
Archival Resource Key
1950-1982
1
13-14
Casagrán, Jesús M.
Archival Resource Key
1948-1949
1
15
Cecilia, Román and Jermaine
Archival Resource Key
1953-1991
1
16
Chávez, Camilio G., Lte. Colonel Jefe del Cuerpo de Aviació
Archival Resource Key
1947
1
17
Dale
Archival Resource Key
1987
1
18
Davidson, John
Archival Resource Key
1948-1949
1
19
Davila, Alberto
Archival Resource Key
1961, 1965
1
20
De Diego, Julio
Archival Resource Key
1935-1977
1
21
Delhart, Adria (Riverón's first wife)
Archival Resource Key
1926
1
22
Exhibitions (letters concerning)
Archival Resource Key
1927-1990
1
23-27
Fernandez, Antonio
Archival Resource Key
1937
1
28
Galeria Sudamericana
Archival Resource Key
1957
1
29
Garcia, Leandro
Archival Resource Key
1955
1
30
Garmendia, Andrés
Archival Resource Key
1962-1986
1
31
Gattorno, Antonio and Isabel
Archival Resource Key
1947-1978
1
32
Girona, Julio
Archival Resource Key
1960
1
33
Goodall, Donald to Richard Shack
Archival Resource Key
1981
1
34
Scope and Contents
(about Riverón; see also Shack, Richard)
Group of Latin American Artists (GALA) Material
Archival Resource Key
1969-1976
1
35
Hidalgo (illustrated letter)
Archival Resource Key
1929
1
36
Hughes, Langston
Archival Resource Key
1931
1
37
John Heller Gallery
Archival Resource Key
1953
1
38
Lazaro, Angel
Archival Resource Key
19427, 1973, 1977
1
39
Losado, Jorge
Archival Resource Key
1978-1983
1
40
Lozano, Alfredo
Archival Resource Key
1967-1988
1
41-42
Maribona, Armando
Archival Resource Key
1951, 1961
1
43
Marinello, Juan
Archival Resource Key
1928
1
44
Massaguer, Conrado W.
Archival Resource Key
1935, 1956
1
45
Matiz, Leo
Archival Resource Key
1966
1
46
Meilach, Dona Z.
Archival Resource Key
1967-1969
1
47
Miami Herald and Vida
Archival Resource Key
1973, 1980
1
48
Morandeyra, Mary
Archival Resource Key
1971
1
49
La Nacion Newspaper
Archival Resource Key
1933-1934
1
50
O'Brien de Lacy de Burickas, Nelly
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
51
Padilla, Manuel Castro, Union Mexican de Autores
Archival Resource Key
1935
1
52
Prohias, Antonio
Archival Resource Key
1975-1984
1
53-54
Pujol, R. A.
Archival Resource Key
1952
1
55
Ramirez, Eduardo Aviles
Archival Resource Key
1980
1
56
Rebajes, Francisco
Archival Resource Key
1943-1985
1
57-59
Rebajes, Frank and Pauline
Archival Resource Key
1952, 1960-1983, undated
1
60-61
Reed, Alma
Archival Resource Key
1935-1965
1
62
Reyes, Alfonso
Archival Resource Key
1926
1
63
Riverón, Enrique (handwritten note and postcards)
Archival Resource Key
1918-1925, 1948, undated
1
64
Roselló
Archival Resource Key
1966-1967
1
65
Salazar, Toño
Archival Resource Key
1932
1
66
Sandri, Alberto C.
Archival Resource Key
1930
1
67
Salinas, Baruj
Archival Resource Key
1976-1983
1
68
Salinas, Baruj, Cousin of
Archival Resource Key
1982
1
69
Sanchez, Guillermo
Archival Resource Key
1977
1
70-71
Shack, Richard
Archival Resource Key
1981
1
72
Scope and Contents
(see also Donald Goodall)
Sicre, José Gómez
Archival Resource Key
1959-1985
1
73-74
Sicre, Juan José
Archival Resource Key
1967-1972
1
75
Simoni, John P.
Archival Resource Key
1965
1
76
Townsend, Leo, Modern Screen Magazine
Archival Resource Key
1936, 1938
1
77
Unidentified Individuals
Archival Resource Key
1952, 1959, undated
1
78
Various Individuals
Archival Resource Key
1918-1985, undated
1
79
Vilá, H. Portell (includes illustrated letters)
Archival Resource Key
1969-1974
1
80
Velix, F. R.
Archival Resource Key
1936
1
81
Wanguemert, Luis Gomez
Archival Resource Key
1941-1960
1
82
Wooden, Howard, Wichita Art Museum
Archival Resource Key
1979-1982, 1990
1
83-84
Yunkers, Adya
Archival Resource Key
1960-1967, 1984
1
85-86
Letters signed by Riverón, José Ramon Garcia, Pedrosa and Guillermo Martinez Marquez concerning start of a magazine
Archival Resource Key
1978, undated
1
87
Writings
Series 3
Archival Resource Key
0.2 Linear feet
Box 1
1923-1980s, undated
Scope and Contents note
Writings by Riverón found here primarily constitute his recollections of his trips to Paris and Madrid, and of the people he met in Latin America, Europe and the United States including Josephine Baker, Langston Huges, Federico Garcia Lorca, Kiki de Montparnasse, Mario Moreno [Cantinflas], Pablo Picasso, and Walter Pidgeon. The series also includes poetry, notes on art and film projects, childhood recollections and scattered diary entries, including an entry about Riverón's father's visit from Cuba in 1947.
Arrangement note
The series is arranged alphabetically by the subject Riverón writes about or the title of a piece of writing. One of the folders contains poems written by Ramon Rebajes for Riverón which is interfiled alphabetically by Rebajes last name.
Art
Archival Resource Key
1960s-1980s
1
88
Baker, Josephine
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
89
Benavente, Jacinto
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
90
Cantinflas, Mario Moreno
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
91
Childhood
Archival Resource Key
circa 1980
1
92
de Montparnasse, Kiki
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
93
Don Senén Y Jacobito, by Riverón
Archival Resource Key
1923
1
94
Garcia, Victor Manuel
Archival Resource Key
1982
1
95
Gomez de la Serna, Ramon
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
96
Hughes, Langston
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
97
John Smith in Mexico, Essay by Riverón
Archival Resource Key
1948
1
98
Lorca, Federico Garcia
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
99
The Mind's Potential, Essay by Riverón
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
100
Miscellaneous Writings
Archival Resource Key
1950, undated
1
101
El Nuevo Herald, Handwritten Essay
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
102
Paris Trip
Archival Resource Key
circa 1985
1
103
Picasso, Pablo
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
104
Pidgeon, Walter
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
105
Poems
Archival Resource Key
1930s, 1972-1975
1
106-107
Poem to Julio De Diego
Archival Resource Key
1975
1
108
Rebajes, Ramon, Poems Written for Riverón
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930s
1
109
Recuerdos de Un Viage a Isla Anglesa
Archival Resource Key
[1947]
1
110
Rubenstein, Helen
Archival Resource Key
1969
1
111
"Seven White Birds" Idea for Film
Archival Resource Key
1976
1
112
Sketch of Rome
Archival Resource Key
1926
1
113
Social Gatherings in Madrid
Archival Resource Key
1931, undated
1
114
Sunset on the Beach
Archival Resource Key
1970
1
115
Scrapbooks
Series 4
Archival Resource Key
0.7 Linear feet
Boxes 1, 3, 4
1920s-1990s, undated
Scope and Contents note
Scrapbooks found in this series contain clippings, printed cartoons and illustrations, photographs, and reviews of exhibitions from the United States and Latin American newspapers.
Scrapbook
Archival Resource Key
1924-1926
1
116
Scrapbook of Cartoon Illustrations for Cine-Mundial and Other Magazines
Archival Resource Key
1930s-1940s
1
117
Scrapbook of Caricatures for Cine-Mundial and Bally Hoo
Archival Resource Key
1930s-1940s
1
118
Scrapbooks of Cartoons and Caricatures
Archival Resource Key
1940s
1
119
Scrapbook of Caricatures on Photo Paper
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
120
Scrapbook
Archival Resource Key
1930s-1960s
3
1
Scrapbook
Archival Resource Key
1950s-1990s
3
2
Scrapbooks
Archival Resource Key
1920s-1930s
4
1
Scrapbook
Archival Resource Key
1922-1941
4
2
Scrapbook
Archival Resource Key
1930s-1950s
4
3
Artwork
Series 5
Archival Resource Key
0.4 Linear feet
Boxes 1, 5
1958-1983, undated
Original Color Drawing of Riverón by Unknown Artist
Archival Resource Key
1958
1
121
Birthday Card by Riverón
Archival Resource Key
1978 or 1983
1
122
Africanismo Calido, Handmade Book with Original Illustrations by Riverón
Archival Resource Key
undated
5
1
Printed Material
Series 6
Archival Resource Key
0.7 Linear feet
Boxes 2, 5
circa 1930-1992
Scope and Contents note
Printed Material found here includes exhibition announcements and catalogs, clippings, and magazines such as Cine Mundial and Bally-Hoo featuring Riverón's caricatures.
Clippings
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930s-1983, undated
(6 folders)
2
1-6
Periodicals with Articles Mentioning Riverón
Archival Resource Key
1966-1967, 1980
2
7
Clippings about Riverón Including The Miami Reporter
Archival Resource Key
1987, 1992, undated
2
8
Articles by Riverón
Archival Resource Key
1936, undated
2
9
Clippings Concerning Poetry Contest in which Riverón Participated
Archival Resource Key
1983
2
10
Magazines Containing Riverón's Work or Reviews of his Work
Archival Resource Key
1932-1981
2
11-13
Exhibition Invitations and Catalogs to Solo Exhibitions
Archival Resource Key
1936-1987
2
14-16
Exhibition Invitations and Catalogs for Group Shows with Riverón
Archival Resource Key
1931-1990s
2
17-22
Exhibitions Invitations and Catalogs for Other Artists
Archival Resource Key
1945-1961, undated
2
23
Periodical, Modern Hispanic Magazine
Archival Resource Key
1935
2
24
Publication, Dance International 1937-1938, Featuring Riverón Painting
Archival Resource Key
1937
2
25
Illustration of Hollywood Celebrities
Archival Resource Key
1938
2
26
School of the Wichita Art Association Calendars
Archival Resource Key
1949-1955
2
27
Cartoons/Illustrations for Cine Mundial
Archival Resource Key
1932-1938, undated
2
28
Cartoons/Illustrations for Cine Mundial and Others
Archival Resource Key
1931-1934, 1957, undated
2
29
Magazine Articles About Riverón's Caricatures
Archival Resource Key
1947-1965
2
30
Restaurant Menus Illustrated by Riverón
Archival Resource Key
1937, 1944, 1957, undated
2
31
Magazines with Riverón Caricatures and Illustrations
Archival Resource Key
1943-1947
2
32
Miscellaneous Printed Material
Archival Resource Key
1934
2
33
Caricatures of Movie Actors Printed in Modern Screen Magazine
Archival Resource Key
1938
5
2
Photographs
Series 7
Archival Resource Key
0.6 Linear feet
Boxes 2, 5, 6
1918-1992, undated
Scope and Contents note
This series contains photographs of Riverón, his wife Noella, his first wife Adria Delhortt Riverón, and others including Cundo Bermudez, Mario Carreño, Xavier Cugat, Ray Milland, Mario Moreno [Cantinflas], Pablo Neruda, Jose Clemente Orozco, Amelia Pelá, Alma Reed, Rosalind Russell, Juan José Sicre, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo, and Peláez Waguemert.
Arrangement note
Photographs are arranged by subject and then chronologically.
Photographs of Artwork
Archival Resource Key
1931-circa 1980
2
34-40
Photographs of A. Lozano's Artwork (3) and Invitation to Lozano Exhibition
Archival Resource Key
1971-1972, 1992
2
41
Photographs of Riverón
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
42
Photographs of Riverón, Family, and Friends
Archival Resource Key
circa 1918-1930s
(6 folders)
2
43
Photographs of Riverón
Archival Resource Key
undated
5
3
Photographs of Hollywood Set "Life Is A Stage,"
Archival Resource Key
1935
5
4
Photographs of Riverón and Scenes of Cuba
Archival Resource Key
1952, 1964, undated
5
5
Photographs of Riverón, Family, and Friends
Archival Resource Key
1930s-1980s
6
1-8
Photographs of Riverón, Family, and Friends, Unidentified and
Archival Resource Key
undated
6
9-10
Miscellany
Series 8
Archival Resource Key
7 Folders
Box 6
1927-1989, undated
Check Stubs from Contract Work for Caricatures
Archival Resource Key
1927-1928
6
11
Riverón's File on Ramon Arroyo, Clippings of Caricatures
Archival Resource Key
1983
6
12
Riverón's File on Mario Carreño
Archival Resource Key
1969, 1980-1989
6
13
Riverón's File on Juan José M. Casado
Archival Resource Key
1977, 1987, undated
6
14
Riverón's File on A. Gattorno
Archival Resource Key
1975, 1979-1980
6
15
Riverón's File on Antonio Prohias
Archival Resource Key
1978, undated
6
16
Announcement of Juan José Sicre's Death
Archival Resource Key
undated
6
17