Nickolas Muray papers, 1910-1992

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Series 1:Nickolas Muray Papers, 1910-1978
0.9 Linear feet
Boxes 1-2, OV 3

Biographical materials include curriculum vitae, identification cards related to Muray's particaption in Olympic fencing events, and membership related to the Circle of Confusion and the New York Coffee House Club. There is also a transcript of Muray's interview with the NY radio station WEAF regarding beauty and aesthetics, and documentation of Muray's 1961 heart attack and recovery.

Correspondence is primarily with Muray's friends, business associates, and clients, including Martha Graham, Claude Monet, Ruth St. Denis, and H.G. Wells. There are also letters related to his participation in the Olympic Games, his application to the Army Signal Corps Photographic Services, and a handful of letters from Frida Kahlo that discouss her health, impending divorce from Diego Rivera, and plans regarding the exhibition of her artwork.

Writings include an autobiographical account by Muray; lists and notes regarding celebrity portrait photo sittings; typescripts of theater perfermance reviews; and a mock-up of Great Tribes of the World, with photographs by Muray. There is also a typescript commentary of Revealing Eye by Paul Gallico.

Teaching files are primarily course materials relating to Muray's 1940 and 1941 New York University photography classes and a lecture series based on his travels in Africa. Printed material includes a copy of Muray's book Celebrity Portraits of the Twenties and Thirties, a brochure advertising Muray Studios, clippings, and miscellaneous printed material.

There are also a handful of sketches by illustrator Willy Pogany and photographic materials of Muray, his family and friends, and his work. Photographs include Muray in uniform as a member of the 1928 Olympic fencing team; carbro prints of Loretta Young, 3 models, and and arrangements of food; and a photograph of Muray with Miguel Covarrubias, Diego Rivera, and Frida Kahlo.

Description	Container	Select
Biographical Material		Select: Biographical Material
Curriculum Vitae, circa 1950-1960	1 1	Select: Curriculum Vitae, circa 1950-1960
Identification Cards, Olympics, 1931-1932, 1964	1 2	Select: Identification Cards, Olympics, 1931-1932, 1964
Interview Transcript, WEAF-NYC Radio, 1929	1 3	Select: Interview Transcript, WEAF-NYC Radio, 1929
Medical History, Heart Attack, 1961-1962	1 4	Select: Medical History, Heart Attack, 1961-1962
Memberships, circa 1963	1 5	Select: Memberships, circa 1963
Correspondence		Select: Correspondence
A-B, 1926-1965 Includes letters from Evangeline Adams, Judith Anderson, and the secretary to the King of Belgium.	1 6	Select: A-B, 1926-1965Scope and ContentsIncludes letters from Evangeline Adams, Judith Anderson, and the secretary to the King of Belgium.
C, 1925-1965 Includes letters to Hall Caine, Feodor Chaliapin, Miguel Covarrubias, and Joan Crawford, as well as a Christmas card from Frank Crowninshield decorated with an etching by Gari Melchers.	1 7	Select: C, 1925-1965Scope and ContentsIncludes letters to Hall Caine, Feodor Chaliapin, Miguel Covarrubias, and Joan Crawford, as well as a Christmas card from Frank Crowninshield decorated with an etching by Gari Melchers.
D-G, 1926-1965 Includes letters from John Galsworthy and Martha Graham.	1 8	Select: D-G, 1926-1965Scope and ContentsIncludes letters from John Galsworthy and Martha Graham.
H-K, 1926-1965 Includes letters from Jascha Heifetz, Joseph Hergesheimer, Hedda Hopper, and A.S. Hutchinson.	1 9	Select: H-K, 1926-1965Scope and ContentsIncludes letters from Jascha Heifetz, Joseph Hergesheimer, Hedda Hopper, and A.S. Hutchinson.
Kahlo, Frida, 1931-1940	1 10	Select: Kahlo, Frida, 1931-1940
L-O, circa 1928-1960 Includes letters from Mary Martin, Claude Monet, and Agnes O'Neill. There are also two photographic Christmas cards of Murray in costume.	1 11	Select: L-O, circa 1928-1960Scope and ContentsIncludes letters from Mary Martin, Claude Monet, and Agnes O'Neill. There are also two photographic Christmas cards of Murray in costume.
Olympic Games, 1954-1956	1 12	Select: Olympic Games, 1954-1956
P, circa 1925-1960 Includes a letter from Bessie Breuer Poor.	1 13	Select: P, circa 1925-1960Scope and ContentsIncludes a letter from Bessie Breuer Poor.
Parrott, Katherine Ursula, circa 1925-1945 Includes a profile of Muray by Parrott.	1 14	Select: Parrott, Katherine Ursula, circa 1925-1945Scope and ContentsIncludes a profile of Muray by Parrott.
Q-S, 1925-1967 Includes letters from Ruth St. Denis, George Bernard Shaw's secretary, H. De Vere Stacpoole, and Frank Swinnerton.	1 15	Select: Q-S, 1925-1967Scope and ContentsIncludes letters from Ruth St. Denis, George Bernard Shaw's secretary, H. De Vere Stacpoole, and Frank Swinnerton.
Signal Corps Photographic Center, 1942-1944	1 16	Select: Signal Corps Photographic Center, 1942-1944
T-Z, circa 1926-1962 Includes letters from Carl Van Vechten, A.B. Walkley, and H.G. Wells.	1 17	Select: T-Z, circa 1926-1962Scope and ContentsIncludes letters from Carl Van Vechten, A.B. Walkley, and H.G. Wells.
Writings		Select: Writings
Autobiographical Account , circa 1950-1960	1 18	Select: Autobiographical Account , circa 1950-1960
Book Mock-Up, Great Tribes of the World (unpublished)	1 19	Select: Book Mock-Up, Great Tribes of the World (unpublished)
Lists, Celebrity Portraits, 1965	1 20	Select: Lists, Celebrity Portraits, 1965
Notes, Celebrity Photo Sittings, circa 1920-1960	1 21	Select: Notes, Celebrity Photo Sittings, circa 1920-1960
Typescripts, Performance Reviews, circa 1920-1950	1 22	Select: Typescripts, Performance Reviews, circa 1920-1950
Typescript, On Revealing Eye by Paul Gallico, circa 1967	1 23	Select: Typescript, On Revealing Eye by Paul Gallico, circa 1967
Teaching Files		Select: Teaching Files
Lecture Materials, Peoples of the World, 1957-1962	2 1	Select: Lecture Materials, Peoples of the World, 1957-1962
NYU Photography Course, 1940-1941	2 2	Select: NYU Photography Course, 1940-1941
NYU Photography Course Notes, 1940-1941	2 3	Select: NYU Photography Course Notes, 1940-1941
Printed Material		Select: Printed Material
Book, Celebrity Portraits of the Twenties and Thirties by Nickolas Muray, 1978	2 4	Select: Book, Celebrity Portraits of the Twenties and Thirties by Nickolas Muray, 1978
Brochure, Muray Studios, circa 1925	2 5	Select: Brochure, Muray Studios, circa 1925
Clippings, 1920-1942	2 6	Select: Clippings, 1920-1942
Clippings, 1943-1969	2 7	Select: Clippings, 1943-1969
Miscellaneous, circa 1960-1970	2 8	Select: Miscellaneous, circa 1960-1970
Artwork		Select: Artwork
Sketches, circa 1925	2 9	Select: Sketches, circa 1925
Photographic Materials		Select: Photographic Materials
Nickolas Muray, Family, and Friends, circa 1910-1930 Oversized materials housed in OV 3.	2 10	Select: Nickolas Muray, Family, and Friends, circa 1910-1930Scope and ContentsOversized materials housed in OV 3.
Nickolas Muray, Family, and Friends, circa 1931-1960	2 11	Select: Nickolas Muray, Family, and Friends, circa 1931-1960
Studio of Nickolas Muray, circa 1920-1960	2 12	Select: Studio of Nickolas Muray, circa 1920-1960
Advertising Work, Carbro Prints, circa 1950-1960	2 13	Select: Advertising Work, Carbro Prints, circa 1950-1960
Oversized Photograph scanned with Box 2, Folder 10, circa 1928	OV 3	Select: Oversized Photograph scanned with Box 2, Folder 10, circa 1928

Make a Request

To request an appointment to view materials, make your selections using the checkboxes and click the "Reading Room" button. Please note, you will receive the full box.
To request reproductions, make your selections using the checkboxes and click the "Reproduction" button.