Ruth A. Curtis art notebook

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400110
160 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Brenda Gunn
Phone: (434) 924-1037
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968
Restrictions:

This collection is minimally processed and open for research.

Preferred citation:

MSS 16889, Ruth A. Curtis art notebook, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia Library.

Summary

Extent:
.03 Cubic Feet 1 folder (letter)
Creator:
Langdon Manor Books and Curtis, Ruth A.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

MSS 16889, Ruth A. Curtis art notebook, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia Library.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains a single notebook of Ruth A. Curtis of Windsor, Connecticut. The notebook documents her studies in art, spanning two different groups of lessons from 1906-1909. There are encouraging notes from her instructor, Marshall T. Fry, and several examples of her art, including woodblock prints and two colorful drawings of flowers. Her notes include motive, arrangement, color, shape, value, intensity, design principles, and lecture notes. Curtis also copied a "Schedule of 10 lessons in design" by Frank Alvah Parsons of the Chase Art School in New York. Immediately following this schedule was a list of materials and their costs for a "Winter 1908-9" group of lessons with "Instructor Marshall Frye."

Biographical / historical:

Ruth Alden Curtis was born on December 31, 1878 in Massachusetts to Theodore and Ellen Curtis. She had two older brothers, Frederick and George. She died in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut on September 20, 1969 at the age of 90. Ruth was interred at Palisado Cemetery in Windsor, alongside her father, mother, and brother, Frederick, who died at 23 years old in 1887.

Acquisition information:
This collection was purchased from Langdon Manor by the Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia on 18 April 2023.
Physical description:
Good. The last page has a signficant portion of the page torn out.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Arts
School notebooks
Names:
Langdon Manor Books
Places:
Women students