Samuel J. Wagstaff papers, circa 1932-1985

This subseries consists almost exclusively of incoming letters with a few carbon copies of Wagstaff's outgoing letters. There are a large number of illustrated letters, and many letters have printed items, photographs, and artwork as attachments.

Correspondence is with artists and others such as curators, arts organizations, galleries, and museums. The series reflects the diversity of contemporary American art and includes letters from individuals associated with the abstract expressionist, Fluxus, pop, earth, conceptual, and minimalist art movements. Wagstaff's importance as a collector and curator and his generosity to, and interest in, artists is evident from the large number of invitations to view and critique work, requests for fellowship and grant recommendations, and thank you notes from artists to whom he extended financial or moral support. Among the most prolific correspondents found here are: Dan Basen, George Brecht, James Lee Byars, Walter de Maria, Mark Di Suvero, Albert Fine, Dan Flavin, Ann Halprin, Grace Hartigan, Charles James, Philip Johnson, Ray Johnson, Doreen and Robert Manning, Agnes Martin, Gordon Newton, Claes Oldenburg, Ad Reinhardt, Dieter Rot, Alan Saret, Richard Tuttle, May Wilson, and Andy Warhol. Items of note are James Lee Byars's letters, many of which are extremely large and written on unusual surfaces such as clear plastic and pink toilet tissue, and a letter from Thomas Hart Benton that describes the early work of Jackson Pollock. Also included are many illustrated letters and examples of mail art. Some of the Byars letters could not be digitized due to their extreme size.