Gustave Baumann Collection
Collection
Identifier: AC 523
Scope and Content
The collection contains the woodblocks for Gustave Baumann's Frijoles Canyon Pictographs (1939) and Indian Pottery: Old and New (1919) (Boxes 1-7), books from Gustave and Jane Baumann and their daughter Ann (Box 8), and correspondence and other archival materials pertaining almost exclusively to Baumann's craft of marionettes.
Dates
- 1919-2000
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of print materials allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Biographical Information
Gustave Baumann (1881 - 1971) was born in Magdeburg, Germany. At the age of 10, he moved to the United States with his family, and by age 17 he was working for an engraving house while attending night classes at the Art Institute of Chicago. He returned to Germany in 1904 to attend the Royal Kunstgewerbeschule in Munich where he studied wood carving and learned the techniques of wood block prints. After returning to the U.S. he began producing color woodcuts as early as 1908. He followed the traditional European method of color relief printing using oil-based inks and printing his blocks on a large press. At the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition Baumann won the gold medal for color woodcut. Baumann was an accomplished painter and printmaker and was also involved in the 1930s in projects of the Works Progress Administration.
In 1918, he headed to the Southwest and via Taos, New Mexico came to Santa Fe. The New Mexico Museum of Art had opened the previous year and its open door policy for artists appealed to Baumann. His work depicted southwestern landscapes, ancient Indian petroglyphs, scenes of Pueblo life, and gardens and orchards. In Santa Fe, Baumann became best known as a master of marionette-making and performing. He and Jane Henderson Baumann often performed plays that Gustave wrote. He remained in Santa Fe for more than fifty years until his death there in 1971.
In 1918, he headed to the Southwest and via Taos, New Mexico came to Santa Fe. The New Mexico Museum of Art had opened the previous year and its open door policy for artists appealed to Baumann. His work depicted southwestern landscapes, ancient Indian petroglyphs, scenes of Pueblo life, and gardens and orchards. In Santa Fe, Baumann became best known as a master of marionette-making and performing. He and Jane Henderson Baumann often performed plays that Gustave wrote. He remained in Santa Fe for more than fifty years until his death there in 1971.
Extent
8.5 Linear Feet
Separated Material
Photographs of marionettes (portraits and play scences) have been transferred to Photo Archives (HP.2011.07)
- Title
- Guide to the Gustave Baumann Collection, 1919-2000
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- tj
- Date
- © 2011
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Repository Details
Part of the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library Repository
Contact:
Fray Angélico Chávez History Library
New Mexico History Museum
113 Lincoln Ave
Sante Fe NM 87501 USA
(505) 476-5090
historylibrary@state.nm.us
Fray Angélico Chávez History Library
New Mexico History Museum
113 Lincoln Ave
Sante Fe NM 87501 USA
(505) 476-5090
historylibrary@state.nm.us