Scope and Contents
The Steichen family papers consist of photographs, correspondence, writings, exhibition materials, legal papers, genealogical materials, audiovisual materials, digital media, and other papers relating to Edward J. Steichen and members of his family, including his wives Clara Smith Steichen, Dana Steichen, and Joanna T. Steichen, his daughters Mary Steichen Calderone and Charlotte "Kate" Rodina Steichen, his granddaughters Linda and Nell Martin and Francesca and Maria Calderone-Steichen, and his sister Lilian "Paula" Steichen and her husband, poet Carl Sandburg. Photographs and photograph albums by Edward Steichen and other photographers include portraits of Edward Steichen and other family members, photographs of family homes, and other subjects. Correspondence includes family correspondence with Carl Sandburg, and correspondence with playwright Edward Albee and others. Writings include works by family members, including Joanna T. Steichen and Francesca Steichen-Calderone, as well as writings of others about Edward Steichen and Mary Calderone Steichen. Exhibition materials document exhibitions created by or relating to Edward Steichen. Legal papers include both estate papers and documentation of a lawsuit with the Museum of Modern Art regarding the disputed ownership of ''Vue de Collioure a l'Eglise,'' a painting by Matisse lent by Charlotte "Kate" Rodina Steichen and the subsequent sale of the painting by the Steichen family. Audiovisual materials include oral histories and documentaries about Edward Steichen.
Dates
- 1984 - 2014
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Boxes 26-27 (audiovisual materials): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Boxes 28, 39 (digital media): Restricted fragile material. Access copies of digital files may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Steichen Family Papers is the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.
Materials from the collections may be added to the Beinecke Digital Library as low-resolution files restricted to Yale-only access. In 2030, low-resolution images from the collections in the digital library may be made available to all library users accessing the digital library via the internet.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Francesca Calderone-Steichen, 2014.
Arrangement
Organized into three groupings: February 2014 Acquisition; 5 June 2014 Acquisition; and 25 June 2014 Acquisition.
Extent
41.75 Linear Feet (43 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Abstract
The Steichen family papers consist of photographs, correspondence, writings, exhibition materials, legal papers, genealogical materials, audiovisual materials, digital media, and other papers relating to Edward J. Steichen and members of his family, including his wives Clara Smith Steichen, Dana Steichen, and Joanna T. Steichen, his daughters Mary Steichen Calderone and Charlotte "Kate" Rodina Steichen, his granddaughters Linda and Nell Martin and Francesca and Maria Calderone-Steichen, and his sister Lilian "Paula" Steichen and her husband, poet Carl Sandburg. Photographs and photograph albums by Edward Steichen and other photographers include portraits of Edward Steichen and other family members, photographs of family homes, and other subjects. Correspondence includes family correspondence with Carl Sandburg, and correspondence with playwright Edward Albee and others. Writings include works by family members, including Joanna T. Steichen and Francesca Steichen Calderone, as well as writings of others about Edward Steichen and Mary Calderone Steichen. Exhibition materials document exhibitions created by or relating to Edward Steichen. Legal papers include both estate papers and documentation of a lawsuit with the Museum of Modern Art regarding the disputed ownership of ''Vue de Collioure a l'Eglise,'' a painting by Matisse lent by Charlotte "Kate" Rodina Steichen and the subsequent sale of the painting by the Steichen family. Audiovisual materials include oral histories and documentaries about Edward Steichen.
Edward J. Steichen
Edward J. Steichen (1879-1973) was a photographer and painter, as well as an art gallery and museum curator. Born in Luxembourg, he emigrated to the United States in 1881. Steichen was married three times. His first marriage, to Clara Smith Steichen (1875-1952), ended in divorce in 1922. His second marriage, to Dana Steichen, spanned from 1923 to her death in 1957. Steichen's third marriage, to Joanna T. Steichen, began in 1960 and lasted until his death.
Mary Steichen Calderone
Mary Steichen Calderone (1904-1998), daughter of photographer and artist Edward J. Steichen and Clara Smith Steichen, was a physician and a public health advocate for sex education. She had four daughters: Linda Martin and Nell Martin with her first husband, W. Lon Martin, and Francesca Calderone-Steichen and Maria Calderone-Steichen with her second husband, Frank Calderone.
Charlotte "Kate" Rodina Steichen
Charlotte "Kate" Rodina Steichen (1908-1988), daughter of photographer and artist Edward J. Steichen and Clara Smith Steichen, was an administrative assistant from 1950 to 1960 to the editor in chief at the Doubleday Publishing Company, Kenneth Dale McCormick.
Lilian "Paula" Steichen
Lilian "Paula" Steichen (1883-1977) was the sister of photographer and artist Edward J. Steichen and wife of poet Carl Sandburg.
Processing Information
Collections are processed to a variety of levels, depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived research value, the availability of staff, competing priorities, and whether or not further accruals are expected. The library attempts to provide a basic level of preservation and access for all collections as they are acquired, and does more extensive processing of higher priority collections as time and resources permit.
This collection received a basic level of processing, including rehousing and minimal organization. Various acquisitions associated with the collection have not been merged and organized as a whole. Each acquisition is described separately in the contents list below, titled according to month and year of acquisition.
Information included in the Description of Papers note and Collection Contents section is drawn from information supplied with the collection and from an initial survey of the contents. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator or previous custodian. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during initial processing.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- Albee, Edward, 1928-2016
- Audiovisual materials
- Born digital
- Calderone, Mary Steichen, 1904-1998
- Calderone-Steichen, Francesca
- Calderone-Steichen, Maria
- Photograph albums
- Photographers -- United States
- Photographers -- United States -- 20th Century
- Photographic prints
- Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967
- Steichen Family
- Steichen, Charlotte Rodina, 1908-1988
- Steichen, Clara Smith, 1875-1952
- Steichen, Dana, 1894-1957
- Steichen, Edward, 1879-1973
- Steichen, Joanna T.
- Steichen, Lilian, 1883-1977
- Title
- Guide to the Steichen Family Papers
- Author
- by Beinecke staff
- Date
- May 2017
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.