Lucy B. Mitchell Research Files on James Sanford Ellsworth

The collection documents Lucy B. Mitchell’s research on portraits painted by James Sanford Ellsworth. The Research Files span the years 1952-1987, with the bulk of the collection dating from 1952-1954. The collection contains portrait data sheets, typed and handwritten correspondence, handwritten notes by Mitchell, and newspaper and magazine clippings about Ellsworth.

The Research Files were initially compiled for a special issue of Art in America and an exhibition at the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum in 1953. Further research was conducted for an exhibition that Mitchell organized at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Collection from October 13-December 1, 1974. Mitchell continued to research Ellsworth’s work and to add to the Research Files until 1987.

The files are organized in three series: Series I: Data Sheets, circa 1952-1987; Series II: Correspondence and Notes, 1952-1954; and, Series III: Printed Material, 1953-1981.

The bulk of the collection is formed by Series I: Data Sheets, which contains approximately 315 data sheets documenting each portrait painted by Ellsworth. Each data sheet contains information, when known, about the physical description of the work, probable date and place of creation, provenance of the painting, and the sitter’s genealogy; the majority include a black and white photograph stapled to the corner. The numbering of the data sheets corresponds to the order in which the portraits appeared in the exhibition-related publications, with additional data sheets for portraits found after the publications.

Series II: Correspondence and Notes contains documentation regarding specific portraits painted by Ellsworth, including information on provenance and the sitter’s genealogy, biographical information about Ellsworth, and general research about elements of his paintings. Also of note is correspondence containing updates to Series I: Data Sheets.

Series III: Printed Material includes Mitchell’s publications and clippings re the 1953 Ellsworth exhibition at the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum and Mitchell’s donation of Ellsworth paintings to the Museum.