Scope and Contents
The Jared French papers contain correspondence, photographs, and other materials documenting the life and career of artist Jared French and a circle of friends and collaborators. Correspondence with individuals and cultural institutions, chiefly museums and galleries, document French's personal and professional affairs, with significant representation from members of the literary and artistic communities in New York during the middle decades of the twentieth century. In addition to large groups of letters from his wife Margaret (Hoening) French, painter Paul Cadmus, and longtime companion Roberto Giannotta, correspondents include members of the French family, Jack Dunphy, E. M. Forster, Edward Hopper, Lincoln Kirstein, George Platt Lynes, Dan Maloney, Bernard Perlin, George Tooker, Carl Van Vechten, Glenway Wescott, Monroe Wheeler, and Donald Windham.
Over 600 photographs in the collection document French's artwork, personal relationships, interests in classical statuary and architecture, and collaborations from roughly the 1930s through 1960s. Photographs from the PaJaMa collective ("Paul, Jared, and Margaret") formed by French with his wife and Cadmus were taken during the 1930s and 1940s on Fire Island, Provincetown, and Nantucket beaches, as well as in Vermont and Hoboken. Photographs include George Tooker, Lincoln and Fidelma Kirstein, Truman Capote, George Platt Lynes, Donald Windham, Jack Dunphy, Monroe Wheeler, and others. In addition to the PaJaMa photographs, there are approximately 250 travel photographs depicting statuary, architecture, and public scenes and events, with groups, travel companions, and friends. More than half the photographs appear to have been taken during the early 1950s in Europe, mostly in Florence, Italy. Others, depicting scenes in Europe, Vermont, New York City, and Coney Island, date from the 1920s through 1940s. People present include Jared and Margaret French, Paul Cadmus, E. M. Forster, Lincoln Kirstein, Osbert Sitwell, and Jensen Yow.
Over 600 photographs in the collection document French's artwork, personal relationships, interests in classical statuary and architecture, and collaborations from roughly the 1930s through 1960s. Photographs from the PaJaMa collective ("Paul, Jared, and Margaret") formed by French with his wife and Cadmus were taken during the 1930s and 1940s on Fire Island, Provincetown, and Nantucket beaches, as well as in Vermont and Hoboken. Photographs include George Tooker, Lincoln and Fidelma Kirstein, Truman Capote, George Platt Lynes, Donald Windham, Jack Dunphy, Monroe Wheeler, and others. In addition to the PaJaMa photographs, there are approximately 250 travel photographs depicting statuary, architecture, and public scenes and events, with groups, travel companions, and friends. More than half the photographs appear to have been taken during the early 1950s in Europe, mostly in Florence, Italy. Others, depicting scenes in Europe, Vermont, New York City, and Coney Island, date from the 1920s through 1940s. People present include Jared and Margaret French, Paul Cadmus, E. M. Forster, Lincoln Kirstein, Osbert Sitwell, and Jensen Yow.
Dates
- 1921-1990
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Box 10: Restricted fragile material. Reference surrogates have been substituted in the main files. For further information consult the appropriate curator.
Box 10: Restricted fragile material. Reference surrogates have been substituted in the main files. For further information consult the appropriate curator.
Conditions Governing Use
The Jared French 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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Elysium Press on the Edwin J. Beinecke Book Fund, 2009 and 2013.
Arrangement
Organized into four series: I. Correspondence, 1921-1989. II. Photographs, 1920s-1980. III. Personal Papers, 1925-1986. IV. 2013 Addition, 1927-1990.
Extent
3.97 Linear Feet ((12 boxes) + 1 broadside)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Overview
Collection contains correspondence, photographs, and other materials documenting the life and career of painter Jared French and a circle of friends and collaborators. Correspondence with individuals and cultural institutions, chiefly museums and galleries, document French's personal and professional affairs, with significant representation from members of the literary and artistic and gay male communities in New York during the middle decades of the twentieth century. In addition to large groups of letters from his wife Margaret (Hoening) French and painter Paul Cadmus, correspondents include Jack Dunphy, E. M. Forster, Edward Hopper, Lincoln Kirstein, George Platt Lynes, Bernard Perlin, George Tooker, Carl Van Vechten, Glenway Wescott, Monroe Wheeler, and Donald Windham.
Photographs in the collection document French's personal relationships, interests in classical statuary and architecture, and artistic collaborations. Travel photographs depict statuary, architecture, and public scenes and events, with groups, travel companions, and friends. Some photographs appear to have been taken during the early 1950s in Europe, mostly in Italy (Florence). Others, depicting scenes in Europe, Vermont, New York City, and Coney Island, date from the 1920s through 1940s. People present include Jared and Margaret French, Paul Cadmus, E. M. Forster, Lincoln Kirstein, Osbert Sitwell, and others. Photographs from the "PaJaMa" collective formed by French with his wife and Cadmus, many of which were taken during the 1930s and 1940s on Fire Island, Provincetown, and Nantucket beaches, include George Tooker, Lincoln Kirstein, Truman Capote, George Platt Lynes, Donald Windham, Jack Dunphy, and Monroe Wheeler.
Photographs in the collection document French's personal relationships, interests in classical statuary and architecture, and artistic collaborations. Travel photographs depict statuary, architecture, and public scenes and events, with groups, travel companions, and friends. Some photographs appear to have been taken during the early 1950s in Europe, mostly in Italy (Florence). Others, depicting scenes in Europe, Vermont, New York City, and Coney Island, date from the 1920s through 1940s. People present include Jared and Margaret French, Paul Cadmus, E. M. Forster, Lincoln Kirstein, Osbert Sitwell, and others. Photographs from the "PaJaMa" collective formed by French with his wife and Cadmus, many of which were taken during the 1930s and 1940s on Fire Island, Provincetown, and Nantucket beaches, include George Tooker, Lincoln Kirstein, Truman Capote, George Platt Lynes, Donald Windham, Jack Dunphy, and Monroe Wheeler.
Jared French (1905-1988)
Jared French, a painter who specialized in the medium of egg tempera, was part of a circle of friends and colleagues, including Paul Cadmus and George Tooker, sometimes referred to as magic realists. French received a B.A. degree from Amherst College in 1925 before moving to New York City, where he befriended Cadmus. He married artist Margaret Hoening in 1937 and, with Cadmus, they formed the PaJaMa photographic collective. French relocated to Italy in 1961, where he remained until his death in 1988.
Language(s)
Chiefly in English; some materials in Italian.
- Art, American -- 20th Century
- Artists
- Artists, American -- 20th Century
- Cadmus, Paul, 1904-1999
- Capote, Truman, 1924-1984
- Dunphy, Jack, 1914-
- Forster, E. M. (Edward Morgan), 1879-1970
- French, Jared, 1905-1988
- French, Margaret
- Hopper, Edward, 1882-1967
- Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-1996
- LGBTQ resource
- Lynes, George Platt, 1907-1955
- Perlin, Bernard, 1918-2014
- Photographic prints
- Photography, Artistic
- Photography, Erotic
- Sitwell, Osbert, 1892-1969
- Tooker, George
- Van Vechten, Carl, 1880-1964
- Wescott, Glenway, 1901-1987
- Wheeler, Monroe, 1899-1988
- Windham, Donald
- Title
- Guide to the Jared French Papers
- Author
- by Michael L. Forstrom
- Date
- May 4, 2010
- 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.