Chaim Gross papers, 1920-2004

This series comprises 115 sketchbooks produced by Gross between 1933 and 1991. The earliest sketchbooks are primarily figure and head studies interspersed with landscape sketches. Themes include the mother and child bond and models in acrobatic poses. There are sketches of Renee Gross with baby Mimi, Raphael Soyer, and Concetta Scaravaglione.

Beginning in 1944 Gross's sketchbooks take on a much darker tone with sketches characterized by bird-like and serpentine creatures of a mythological nature combined with human forms, images of war, Hebrew iconography, and recurring motifs of subjects pierced with long shards and nails, many dripping tears. A selection of Gross's sketches from this period were published in the book Chaim Gross: Fantasy Drawings by Beechurst Press, Inc. in 1956. These types of images continue to dominate the sketchbooks through the mid-1950s, and begin to diminish thereafter. Sketchbooks from the 1960s are characterized by figure and head studies, Jewish iconography, and vibrant and colorful sketches of travels abroad. The sketchbooks from 1965-1966 includes sketches of William and Marguerite Zorach.

"Fantasy drawings" reappear in the late 1970s-1980s, and the bird and teardrop motifs are revisited, although the drawings are less violent in nature. The 1987-1988 sketchbook includes sketches indicative of self-examination in the face of grief and mortality, such as those expressing Gross's grief on the death of life-long friend Raphael Soyer, and self-portrait sketches.

Sketches are in pencil, ink and wash, and watercolor. Many are annotated with notes on art and addresses of friends and contacts. Sketchbooks include a handful of sketches by others including one by Eliot Elisofon and several by Raphael Soyer and Mimi Gross.

Also found at the end of the series is a 1977 signed and numbered print (2 of 100) by Gross, entitled Happy Mother.

Sketchbook are arranged chronologically with one sketchbook per folder.