Right now, the count of artists who contributed to the décor of the ships covered in this project is at 124. Now trying to find info on all of them … Well, let’s just say there are days I’d rather have emergency root canal.
It’s as if some of these people never existed. Yes, there’s the briefest of mentions in a Marine Engineering article, but that is it. My first stop was Wikipedia, and the results weren’t too bad, not overwhelming, but it was a start. Google is offering some roads to travel, and the weekend before last, I found where preliminary sketches by Lyonel Feininger for a dining room mural on American Export’s Constitution (1951) were on display last month. (Note to self: work on not audibly gasping in public places when you find such things. It’s embarrassing for everyone involved.) Needless to say, I’m stunned these sketches have survived. And if there are sketches, there may be related correspondence. Fingers crossed.
One exhibition catalogue, and one semi-autobiography.
I’m guessing the best sources for biographical information are going to be exhibition catalogues. At first I had hoped to interlibrary loan these pushing 60-year-old paperbacks. Nope, too fragile; can’t risk shipping it twice within the state. Ok. So, I’m shopping around, and when the price is right, I’ll pull the trigger on one or two at a time. A little slow going, but I am starting to get some contextual background on these people, not to mention a nice little collection of vintage catalogues.
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