Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
Anne J. van Biema Papers
Biema, Anne van
FSA.A2004.02
Archival Resource Key
6 Linear feet
1896-2003
English
.
Anne J. van Biema Papers
Biographical / Historical
Anne Joseph van Biema was born in Cleveland, Ohio on February 18, 1915 to Helen Haiman Joseph and Ernest A. Joseph. At a young age she became interested in Japanese prints and artwork, in part due to a modern reproduction which was framed and hung in their home (This piece can be found in Box 11 of the collection). She married Hendrick Hans van Biema, a Jewish-German lawyer. She was an avid collector and researcher of Japanese woodblock prints, specifically in the ukiyo-e style. This led her to do much research in the field, as well as amass a significant collection. Some of her collection is now in the permanent collection of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, previously displayed as a loan in the Sackler's "Masterful Illusions" exhibition in 2002. For much of her life Anne was a founder and active member of the Ukiyo-e Society of America (now the Japanese Art Society of America), at one time acting as a governing officer. Anne died in her home in New York City on January 14th, 2004.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into four series:
• Series 1: Biographical Materials
• Series 2: Collection Records
• Series 3: Correspondence
Scope and Contents
This collection contains correspondence to colleagues, friends, and family; research files; genealogical records of both Anne J. van Biema and her husband's families; and records pertaining to the Ukiyo-e Society of America. It includes photographs of the pieces in her collection, three framed pieces of artwork from her household, and images of her and her mother. This collection also contains material related to Helen Haiman Joseph, van Biema's mother and the "Grandmother of Puppetry" in the United States. The collection also contains information about van Biema's donations to various art institutions and charities, as well as collection documentation and exhibit records.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Custodial History
Bequest of Anne J. van Biema detailed in her will dated April 3, 2003, received 2004.
Citation
Anne J. van Biema Papers. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
Color prints, Japanese -- Edo period, 1600-1868
Ukiyoe
Ukiyoe -- Collectors and collecting -- United States
Color prints, Japanese -- Collectors and collecting -- United States
Photographs
Personal papers
USA -- New York -- New York
Ukiyo-e Society of America
Biographical Materials
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
1896-2003
English, German.
Arrangement
Organized into three subseries:
• Subseries 1: Anne van Biema
• Subseries 2: Helen Haiman Joseph
• Subseries 3: Other Family
Scope and Contents
This series contains genealogical records for both Anne van Biema and her husband, Hendrick Hans van Biema's families. This includes personal documentation, some specifically from Hendrick's time living in Germany during the Third Reich. It also includes information on Anne's mother, Helen Haiman Joseph, who was known as the "Grandmother of Puppetry". The New York Public Library's archives house the rest of Joseph's papers.
Anne van Biema
1
Archival Resource Key
1928-2003
English.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by title.
Scope and Contents
This subseries pertains to van Biema's childhood and genealogical records of her family. This includes framed photographs and drawings, a reproduction of a woodblock print which she kept from her childhood home, as well as large prints of her with her collection and ones of her, her mother, and her sister.
Special Events
Archival Resource Key
1981
1
1
Travel
Archival Resource Key
1994-1995
1
2
van Biema Family and Ludwig Papers
Archival Resource Key
1928-2003
8
1
van Biema
Archival Resource Key
1990-1999
1
4
Wertheim Family and Anna v. B
Archival Resource Key
8
2
Framed Child Portrait
Archival Resource Key
11
1
Framed Modern Reproduction of Japanese Print
Archival Resource Key
11
2
Framed Pastel Child Portrait
Archival Resource Key
11
3
Newspaper Clippings
Archival Resource Key
August 13, 1932
11
4
Helen? And Anne? Childhood Photographs
Archival Resource Key
11
5
Photographs of Anne and Collection Pieces
Archival Resource Key
11
6
Helen Haiman Joseph
2
Archival Resource Key
1896-1979
English, German.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by title.
Scope and Contents
This subseries contains papers collected by van Biema about her mother's work in puppetry, as well as personal writings and correspondence between Joseph and various people. Also included are newspaper clippings, playbills, and drafts of Joseph's puppetry books.
Helen Haiman Joseph
Archival Resource Key
1
6
[Helen Haiman Joseph- archival materials]
Archival Resource Key
1945-1979
1
7
[Helen Haiman Joseph- correspondence, clippings]
Archival Resource Key
1896-1970
1
8
[Writings by Helen Haiman Joseph]
Archival Resource Key
1
9
Other Family
3
Archival Resource Key
1952-2002
English, English, German.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by title.
Scope and Contents
Included in this subseries are papers pertaining to other members of van Biema's family and genealogical records, as well as records of van Biema's husband family.
Black-Joseph Family
Archival Resource Key
1952-1999
2
1
[Death of Hendrick van Biema]
Archival Resource Key
1982-1983
2
2
Hendrick van Biema (Hans Herman)
Archival Resource Key
8
3
Lanny and Don
Archival Resource Key
(January 7, 1947- March 29, 1973), (August 24 -August 23 2000)
2
4
Peter Haiman Family
Archival Resource Key
1996-2002
8
4
[Photographs]
Archival Resource Key
2
6
Hendrick van Biema Leather Pouch
Archival Resource Key
9
1
Hendrick van Biema Metal Necklace (Formerly Inside Pouch)
Archival Resource Key
9
2
Collection Records
Series 2
Archival Resource Key
1960-2003
English.
Arrangement
Organized into three subseries:
• Subseries 1: Collection Documentation
• Subseries 2: Research
• Subseries 3: Donations
Scope and Contents
This series contains the records and research of van Biema's collection of Ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock prints. This includes documentation, research which she conducted on various artists of the style, and donation records of her gifts to museums and other cultural institutions, both monetary and of physical art items.
Collection Documentation
1
Archival Resource Key
1960-2003
English.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by title.
Scope and Contents
This subseries is concerned with documentation and records van Biema kept of her collection, such as invoices, notes on care, and loan agreements made with museums to display parts of her collection in exhibitions.
Care of Collection- Photography
Archival Resource Key
2
7
Cataloguing
Archival Resource Key
2
8
Collectors Note Book
Archival Resource Key
1972
2
9
[Consignments to Christie's]
Archival Resource Key
1984-1985
2
10
Cristies
Archival Resource Key
1981-1984
2
11
[Edythe] Polster/ [Collection Records]
Archival Resource Key
1976-1990
2
12
Eldred Auctions
Archival Resource Key
1982-1983
3
1
G. [Gary] Levine/ [Collection Records]
Archival Resource Key
1979-1983
3
2
[Gallery Reciepts]
Archival Resource Key
1968-1981
3
3
[Herbert] Egenolf/ [Collection Records]
Archival Resource Key
1981-2003
3
4
Israel Goldman/ [Collection Records]
Archival Resource Key
1994-2003
3
5
[Joan B.] Mirviss/ [Collection Records]
Archival Resource Key
1982-1993
3
6
[Merlin] Dailey/ [Collection Records]
Archival Resource Key
1980-2002
3
7
Misc.
Archival Resource Key
1976
3
8
[Misc.] Collection [Records]
Archival Resource Key
1963-2003
3
9
Other
Archival Resource Key
1976-1988
3
10
[Preparations for Masterful Illusions exhibit]
Archival Resource Key
2002-2003
3
11
Print Collection
Archival Resource Key
3
12
Prints- Exhibition- Requests
Archival Resource Key
2000-2002
3
13
Publishers
Archival Resource Key
3
14
Smithsonian-Other
Archival Resource Key
3
15
Sotheby- Park Bernet and PB84
Archival Resource Key
1969-1980
3
16
Sotheby Sale
Archival Resource Key
1987 June
3
17
Reference Photographs
Archival Resource Key
1960-2000
10
Research
2
Archival Resource Key
1962-1987
English.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by title.
Scope and Contents
This subseries includes materials related to research van Biema conducted on various artists of the Ukiyo-e style and caring for the prints which she already owned. It also includes information on artists signatures, Japanese ruling eras, and various brushwork styles.
[Correspondence, reciepts & invoices for Ukiyo-e Catalogs]
Archival Resource Key
1983-1986
4
1
Floating in box (Research)
Archival Resource Key
4
2
Hiroshige
Archival Resource Key
1975
4
3
Japanese Chronoloy
Archival Resource Key
4
4
Kuniyoshi
Archival Resource Key
1977-1984
8
5
4
5
Lowenthal
Archival Resource Key
5
6
8
7
[Miscellenous Collection Records]
Archival Resource Key
1987
4
7
Misc.
Archival Resource Key
4
8
Misc.
Archival Resource Key
1973-1985
4
9
[Notes, catalogs & publication lists of books on Ukiyo-e] I
Archival Resource Key
1981-1982
4
10
[Notes, catalogs & publication lists of books on Ukiyo-e] II
Archival Resource Key
1981-1982
4
11
Osaka
Archival Resource Key
1979
4
12
Oversize Newspaper Prints
Archival Resource Key
1969
8
6
[Reference file of Japanese Prints] II
Archival Resource Key
4
14
[Reference file of Japanese Prints] II
Archival Resource Key
5
1
Signatures (general)
Archival Resource Key
5
2
Toshiyoshi and His School [unclear] and Meiji
Archival Resource Key
1979
5
3
Toyokuni- Kunisada (Toyokuni III)
Archival Resource Key
1962
5
4
Donations
3
Archival Resource Key
1980-2001
English.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by title.
Scope and Contents
This subseries includes information on donations van Biema made to various art institutions throughout the United States, both monetary and physical pieces of artwork. The Smithsonian, along with Notre Dame's Snite Museum are included.
Art Gift with Newark
Archival Resource Key
1981
5
6
Collection of Anne van Biema at Princeton
Archival Resource Key
5
7
Contracts and Gifts-Smithsonian
Archival Resource Key
5
8
Donation: NY Public Library
Archival Resource Key
1997-1999
5
9
Donation: WCC [Women's City Club]
Archival Resource Key
1997
5
10
Friends of the Freer/Sackler
Archival Resource Key
5
11
London [Smithsonian Donation]
Archival Resource Key
1991
5
12
Notre Dame Snite Museum
Archival Resource Key
1988-1991
5
13
Princeton- Art Trust
Archival Resource Key
5
14
Smithsonian - Catalogue
Archival Resource Key
5
15
Smithsonian- Endowment
Archival Resource Key
5
16
Smithsonian- Gift Annuity AvB
Archival Resource Key
6
1
Smithsonian Membership
Archival Resource Key
1980-2001
6
2
Stocks Contributed to Smithsonian
Archival Resource Key
6
3
Correspondence
Series 3
Archival Resource Key
1919-2003
English.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by title.
Scope and Contents
This series contains the correspondence between van Biema and her colleagues, friends, and family members, including correspondence between van Biema and friends she made while traveling in Japan and collecting artwork.
Book of Drawings from German Correspondence Folder
Archival Resource Key
6
4
[Correspondence from Ernestine and Her Husband Paul]
Archival Resource Key
1941-1966
6
5
[Correspondence from Helen Haiman Joseph]
Archival Resource Key
1970-1975
6
6
[Correspondence from Hendrick van Biema]
Archival Resource Key
1942-1954
6
7
8
8
[Correspondence to Hendrick van Biema]
Archival Resource Key
1971, 1973
6
8
[Correspondence to Anne Joseph]
Archival Resource Key
1919-1953
6
9
[Correspondence to Helen Joseph]
Archival Resource Key
1933-1934
6
10
German Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1982-1998
6
11
HHJ Letters from Hawaii
Archival Resource Key
1963
6
12
Japanese Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1984-1995
6
13
Japanese Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1954-1984
7
1
Letterhead
Archival Resource Key
7
2
[Miscellaneous Correspondence to Helen Haiman Joseph]
Archival Resource Key
1919-1959
7
3
[Miscellaneous Correspondence] (1937)
Archival Resource Key
7
4
Roger Keyes
Archival Resource Key
1981-1985
7
5
Sackler
Archival Resource Key
2002
7
6
Sackler/Freer Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1995-2003
7
7