1930's Archive from one American Listed Artist of John Tazewell Robertson

Antiques : Art

 

This is a tremendous archive from an American listed artist by the name of John Tazewell Robertson. Robertson was noted for his fabulous Art Deco murals throughout the nation during the depression years in Federal Buildings and other places like the Bronx Zoo, Post Offices, Schools, and Institutions. This collection consists all the way back to his first tooth, family photographs, and Erotic love letters & Poetry of multiple women. As an artist, John trained with Tiffany in his early years while he lived in New York city as a very active member of the Art Students League. The archive listed contains much material on this league and it's workings during this time period. During his days in the city, Robertson took a particular liking to the Burlesque Night Life in New York City through the late 1920's and during the Depression, where he sketched a number of portraits of the strip tease girls and people who witnessed these performances. These drawings are very erotic and personal as you can see below in the pictures offered and offer a rare look into the erotic life of the city during the Depression where no rules applied. He also sketched portraits of the poor and many homeless he saw in New York city during the horrible Depression years. Needing work, Robertson sought and was hired by the Federal Government to paint murals in post offices and Federal Buildings throughout the south in the P.W.P.A. program. There are many detailed photographs and documentation on the murals he created at the Bronx Zoo, Post Offices, Federal Courthouses in several Southern & Mid-Western cities, and many other projects. Robertson photographed local country people as a case study for the Art Deco Murals he beautifully created. He also took case study photographs of the buildings they were assigned to. There is an article from the Nashville, TN, Newspaper dated 1939 that writes about the mural he is painting in their main Post Office. The original photograph and notes are in this collection from that project. He was a analytical artist who never cheated his consignors as evident with the leg work material found in this archive. There is a very interesting article from the 1930's that received national news where Robertson is scorned by the Federal Government for painting President Hoover waving a Rubber Chicken over his head in a mural at the Omaha Federal building. After leaving the Omaha Project, he was sent packing by the Feds from Nebraska to Iowa where he worked and became friends with Grant Wood on some fabulous murals at the Des Moines Library. There are photographs that Robertson and Wood took of proposed projects. After continuing to cause much political flap over his political viewpoints, he escaped to his work in the deep south doing portraits on the poor and the interesting. After returning to New York city, he continued to paint the city he loved and became a self-proclaimed philanthropist. Robertson retired and finally arrived in Florida during the late 1960's with a comfortable amount of money and opened a Nudist Colony called "Sky Hills" where he continued to indulge in a lifestyle of "Caligula" quality. Robertson passed away many years ago in Umatiila, FL. This collection consists of a very up-close personal look at an important W.P.A. ground breaking artist. In closing, it is a very rare inside look at the P.W.A.P. program and the gifted group of artists the Government hired to "Paint America" during the Great Depression, including a detailed catalog of names, places, and topics of works of Art by each artist during the 1930's, contracts from the P.W.A.P. period, and payment letters from the Department of the Treasury. Finally, there is a striking 16' x 20' self oil portrait dated and signed 1964. I wish I could have provided more pictures and descriptions of everything that goes with this collection, but there are too numerous pieces. In closing there are roughly 55 drawings,43 photographs and a number of undeveloped negatives taken by Robertson. Thank you for your interest and consideration. You will not be disappointed in this vast collection.

Item ID: 168