Archives of American Art
Dixie Selden papers
Selden, Dixie, 1868-1935
AAA.selddixi
Archival Resource Key
4.3 Linear feet
1837-1936
1993-2001
The papers of artist Dixie Selden measure 4.3 linear feet and date from 1837-1936 and 1993-2001. The collection documents the life, world travels, and professional career of the Impressionist painter from Cincinnati, Ohio, through biographical material, correspondence, writings, diaries, printed material, a scrapbook, photographs, artwork, sketchbooks, and artifacts.
Collection is in English
Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 10 series
Missing Title
- Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1890s-1930s (0.1 linear foot; Box 1)
- Series 2: Correspondence, 1837-1935, 1998 (0.6 linear feet; Box 1)
- Series 3: Writings, circa 1890s-1930s (0.1 linear foot; Box 1)
- Series 4: Diaries, 1878-circa 1934 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)
- Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1850-1926, 1993-2001 (1.7 linear feet; Box 2, 4, OV 5, OV 7)
- Series 6: Scrapbook, circa 1889 (0.1 linear foot; Box 2)
- Series 7: Photographs, circa 1860s-1935, 1995 (0.6 linear feet; Box 2-3)
- Series 8: Artwork, circa 1900s-1920s (0.3 linear feet; Box 3, OV 6)
- Series 9: Sketchbooks, circa 1900s-1931 (0.3 linear feet; Box 3)
- Series 10: Artifacts, circa 1890s-1930s (0.3 linear feet; Box 3)
Biographical / Historical
Dixie Selden (1868-1935) was an American Impressionist painter working in Kentucky and Ohio. Born to wealthy parents in Cincinnati, Ohio, Selden moved with her family to Covington, Kentucky when she was two years old. Her parents, John Roger Selden and Martha Peyton McMillon Selden were active in Cincinnati and Covington social circles and societies. Dixie's parents nurtured her artistic abilities early on, building her a studio, and taking her on two tours of Europe.
Selden studied art at the Art Academy of Cincinnati off and on from 1884, when it was called the McMicken School of Design, until 1912. While there she was a student of Fernand H. Lungren and Frank Duveneck. In 1913, Selden traveled to Venice to study painting with William Merritt Chase. She exhibited regularly in the Midwest, and created a professional career as a portrait and landscape painter.
Selden traveled extensively throughout her life, frequently with her close friend and fellow artist Emma Mendenhall. Her travels to Europe, Mexico, China, Japan, the Middle East, as well as sights across the United States served as inspiration for her art, as she took many photographs, collected postcards, and created sketches and paintings.
Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Dixie Selden papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by Marcia Goldman Widenor in 2014. Marcia Widenor's grandfather was married to Minnie Schaffer Goldman, Dixie Selden's first cousin.
Preferred Citation
Dixie Selden papers, 1837-1936, 1993-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Processing Information
The collection was processed to a minimal level and a finding aid prepared by Hilary Price in 2015.
Scope and Contents
The papers of artist Dixie Selden measure 4.3 linear feet and date from 1837-1936 and 1993-2001. The collection documents the life, world travels, and professional career of the Impressionist painter from Cincinnati, Ohio, through biographical material, correspondence, writings, diaries, printed material, a scrapbook, photographs, artwork, sketchbooks, and artifacts.
Correspondence makes up a significant part of the collection and includes frequent letters sent to her parents while traveling abroad. Selden's travels are also documented in seven diaries, with daily descriptions of events and sights, and nine sketchbooks containing pencil and pastel sketches. Printed material makes up another large part of the collection and primarily includes items that document Selden's career and exhibitions, in addition to her frequent travels. Extensive photographs also document her travel, as well as her artwork, friends and family, and portraits of Selden. Artwork includes pencil sketches and prints by Selden and others. The remainder of the collection includes biographical material, writings, a scrapbook, and artifacts.
Photographs
Diaries
Sketchbooks
Scrapbooks
Impressionism (Art)
Painters -- Ohio -- Cincinnati
Women artists
Women painters
Biographical Material
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
0.1 Linear feet
Box 1
circa 1890s-1930s
Scope and Contents
Biographical material dates from circa 1890s-1930s and includes an address book, a resume, and scattered legal documents.
Address Book
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890s-1930s
1
1
Biographical Material
Archival Resource Key
circa 1921-1935
1
2
Correspondence
Series 2
Archival Resource Key
0.6 Linear feet
Box 1
circa 1998
1837-1935
Scope and Contents
Correspondence dates from 1837-1935 and circa 1998, and includes frequent correspondence between Selden and her parents, particularly while traveling abroad. Letters provide detailed descriptions of foreign sites, museums, hotels, and sea crossings. Postcards sent and received by Selden accounts for one file. Also included are letters from Emma Mendenhall, and letters to and from the Goldman family, to which Selden was related by the marriage of her first cousin, Minnie Schaffner. Letters to and from Selden's parents, John and Martha are also included. Martha Selden's letters are primarily addressed to her mother. John Selden's letters are primarily from an unidentified friend in Brussels or relate to business. One file contains letters to the donor and relative, Marcia Widenor, about Dixie Selden.
Goldman Family
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920s
1
3
Emma Mendenhall
Archival Resource Key
1909-1925
1
4
Dixie Selden
Archival Resource Key
1897-1935
1
5
Dixie Selden Postcards
Archival Resource Key
1899-1924
1
6
John Selden
Archival Resource Key
1837-1904
1
7
John Selden, Business Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1886-1929
1
8
Martha Selden
Archival Resource Key
1878-1904
1
9
Selden Family Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1890-1904
1
10-20
Marcia Widenor
Archival Resource Key
circa 1998
1
21
Writings
Series 3
Archival Resource Key
0.1 Linear feet
Box 1
circa 1890s-1930s
Scope and Contents
Writings date from circa 1890s-1930s and include writings on art, a juvenile novel excerpt, and other unidentified notes.
Art Writings
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890s-1930s
1
22
Notes
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890s-1930s
1
23
Novel Manuscript
Archival Resource Key
1898
1
24
Schools of New York
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890s-1930s
1
25
Diaries
Series 4
Archival Resource Key
0.2 Linear feet
Box 1
1878-circa 1934
Scope and Contents
Diaries date from 1878-circa 1934 and were kept during Selden's frequent travels abroad. Seven diaries are included in which she recorded daily activities and descriptions of foreign sights.
Travel Diaries
Archival Resource Key
1878-circa 1934
1
26-32
Printed Material
Series 5
Archival Resource Key
1.7 Linear feet
Box 2, 4, 5, OV 5, OV 7
1993-2001
circa 1850-1936
Scope and Contents
Printed material dates from circa 1850-1936 and 1993-2001, and pertains to Selden's career, world travels, and family and friends. Items include books in Selden's collection, booklets, clippings, exhibition catalogs and announcements, maps, theater programs and ephemera belonging to John and Martha Selden, and an extensive postcard collection. Also included is an earlier version of the catalog essay for the 2001 book by Genetta McLean, Dixie Selden.
Articles
Archival Resource Key
1930
2
1
Book, The Alchambra
Archival Resource Key
1922
2
2
Book, History of Greece
Archival Resource Key
1878
2
3
Book, Tone Poets
Archival Resource Key
1884
2
4
Booklet, "The Cunard Steamship Company"
Archival Resource Key
1902
2
5
Booklet, "Daughters of the American Revolution"
Archival Resource Key
1894-1895
2
6
Booklet and Ephemera, Elizabeth Norse
Archival Resource Key
1920-1922
2
7
Booklet, Hospitals
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900s
2
8
Clippings
Archival Resource Key
1914-1936
2
9-10
Clippings from Accordion File
Archival Resource Key
circa 1926-circa 1931
2
11
Exhibition Announcements
Archival Resource Key
2001
1913-1931
2
12-13
Exhibition Catalog
Archival Resource Key
1936
2
14
Exhibition Catalog Essay by Genetta McLean
Archival Resource Key
1996
2
15
Magazine, American Art Review
Archival Resource Key
1998
2
16
Map of Cornwall
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900s
2
17
Programs and Ephemera, Theater Clubs
Archival Resource Key
1862-1901
2
18
Reproductions
Archival Resource Key
1929
2
19
Postcard Collection
Archival Resource Key
1993
circa 1850-1935
4
1-3
Oversize Newspaper, The Daily Graphic
Archival Resource Key
1878
OV 5
Oversize Railway Map of Europe
Archival Resource Key
1923
OV 7
Scrapbook
Series 6
Archival Resource Key
0.1 Linear feet
Box 2
circa 1889
Scope and Contents
The scrapbook dates from circa 1889 and contains writings and clippings of poetry and articles relating to Selden, family, or friends.
Scrapbook
Archival Resource Key
circa 1889
2
20
Photographs
Series 7
Archival Resource Key
0.6 Linear feet
Box 2-3
circa 1860s-1935
1995
Scope and Contents
Photographs date from circa 1860s-1935 and 1995 and include photographs of Selden's painting class with Frank Duveneck, artworks, friends and family including the Goldman's, homes and places, portraits of Dixie Selden, and her extensive travel.
Art Class
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890s
2
21
Artwork
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890-1920s
1995
2
22
Family and Friends
Archival Resource Key
circa 1860s-1930s
2
23
Goldman Family
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920s
2
24
Homes and Places
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900s-1920s
2
25
Dixie Selden
Archival Resource Key
circa 1870s-1930s
2
26
Travel
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890s-1930s
3
1-3
Travel Album, Grace E. Ashford
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900s
3
4
Artwork
Series 8
Archival Resource Key
0.3 Linear feet
Box 3, OV 6
circa 1900s-1920s
Scope and Contents
Artwork dates from circa 1900s-1920s and includes sketches and prints by Selden, sketches by her friend and teacher Fernand Lungren, and sketches by unidentified artists.
Sketches and Prints by Selden
Archival Resource Key
circa 1878-1899
3
5
Sketches by Fernand Lungren
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900s-1920s
3
6
Sketches by Unidentified Artists
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900s-1920s
3
7
Oversize Sketch by Unidentified Artist from Box 3, Folder 7
Archival Resource Key
OV 6
Sketchbooks
Series 9
Archival Resource Key
0.3 Linear feet
Box 3
circa 1900s-1931
Scope and Contents
Sketchbooks date from circa 1900-1931 and were kept by Selden during her travels. Pencil sketches of foreign sights dominate the nine sketchbooks, although some sketches were done in pastel. Location is identified when known.
France
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900s-1920s
3
8-10
Italy
Archival Resource Key
1909
3
11
Sketchbook
Archival Resource Key
1915
3
12
France
Archival Resource Key
1926
3
13
Sketchbook
Archival Resource Key
1929
3
14
Sketchbook
Archival Resource Key
1930
3
15
Sketchbook
Archival Resource Key
1931
3
16
Artifacts
Series 10
Archival Resource Key
0.3 Linear feet
Box 3
circa 1890s-1930s
Scope and Contents
Artifacts date from circa 1890s-1930s and include an accordion file used by Selden to store clippings, a book jacket, a notebook cover, a palette, and an engraved thimble.
Accordion File
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920s
3
17
Book Jacket
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890s-1930s
3
18
Notebook Cover
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890s-1930s
3
19
Palette
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890s-1930s
3
20
Thimble
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890s-1930s
3
21