Descriptive Summary |
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| Creator: | Miller, Grambs |
| Title: | Blanche Grambs Papers |
| Dates: | 1953-2004 |
| Quantity: | .4 cubic feet (1 manuscript box) |
| Abstract: | The collection consists primarily of personal correspondence, including drafts of letters, and publicity and reviews of Grambs Miller book illustrations. Also included are notes, professional correspondence with publishers and galleries, recipes, and travel memorabilia. |
| Collection No.: | MC 1463 |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: | Rutgers University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives |
The artist Blanche Grambs (1916-2010), also known as Blanche Mary Grambs, Grambs Aronson, Blanche Mary Aronson and Grambs Miller, was a printmaker and illustrator. Born in Beijing, China, she studied with Harry Sternberg at the Art Students League in New York City in the 1930s. She became part of a radical group of artists, joined the Artist’s Union and participated in Communist rallies and activities. Working for the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration (FAP/WPA) for a few years starting in 1936, she created prints depicting the harsh working conditions of miners and factory workers and the misery of the poor and unemployed. After her time with the WPA, she stopped printmaking, working as a magazine illustrator and commercial artist, focused on fashion. Later, she turned to book illustration, particularly children’s books and cookbooks. Her depression era prints can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, among others. In 2009, her work was included in a Susan Teller Gallery retrospective exhibition of prints from that period. She lived in New York City and Martha’s Vineyard. Married to “Lefty” Miller from 1939-1945, she used the name Grambs Miller for most of her book illustration work. Later, married to James Aronson, she also was known as Grambs Aronson and Blanche Mary Aronson.
The Blanche Grambs Papers span the period 1953-2004, with the bulk from 1960-1990. They comprise .4 cubic feet of material in one manuscript box. The collection consists of one series, arranged alphabetically by folder title. The collection includes personal correspondence, including drafts of letters, as well as publicity and reviews of Grambs Miller book illustrations. Also included are notes, professional correspondence with publishers and galleries, recipes, and travel memorabilia. Within the correspondence folders, personal correspondence is arranged in the artist’s original order, while professional correspondence related to her work as an illustrator is arranged by date.
Correspondence with Winifred Milius Lubell is among the letters of the collection. Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries has prints and papers of Winifred Milius Lubell (see Related Collections).
An article by James Wechsler on Blanche Grambs depression era prints is also in the collection. One folder originally contained a large number of images of owls, of which a representative sample was retained.
"Blanche Grambs." British Museum, http://collection.britishmuseum.org/resource?uri=http://collection.britishmuseum.org/id/person-institution/29571
Accessed 4/24/2016
"Blanche Grambs." International Fine Print Dealers Association, http://www.ifpda.org/artist/924
Accessed 4/24/2016
"Illustrator Grambs Aronson Dies at 94." Vineyard Gazette,March 11, 2010, https://vineyardgazette.com/obituaries/2010/03/12/illustrator-grambs-aronson-dies-94
Accessed 4/24/2016
Bernarda Bryson Shahn Etchings
Contemporary Women Artists Files
Mary H. Dana Women Artists Series Collection
Miriam Schapiro Archives on Women Artists
Winifred Milius Lubell Collection
Researchers can facilitate access to related materials in other collections by searching the Rutgers University Libraries' online public catalog and other union catalogs under the following index terms used for people, organizations, and subjects represented in these records.
The Blanche Grambs Papers (MC 1463), Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries.
This section provides descriptions of the materials found within each series. Each series description is followed by a container list, which gives the titles of the "containers" (for example, folders, volumes, or cassettes) and their locations in the numbered boxes that comprise the collection. The availability of any digital items from a container is indicated with a hyperlink.