Papers of the painter Lillian Kiesler relate to her work as a painter as well as her activities relating to the work of her husband, sculptor and architect Frederick Kiesler, after his death. Material relating to Abstract Expressionist painter and influential teacher Hans Hofmann is also found. Kiesler's personal and professional correspondence, with artists, museums, galleries, collectors, writers, performing artists, actors, musicians, and others. Among the correspondents are Alcopley, Fritz Bultman, Sari Denes, Lyonel Feininger, George McNeil, Hans Hofmann and those in Hofmann's circle including Giorgio Cavallon and Alice Hodges; Jean Dubuffet, Burgoyne Diller, Harry Holtzman (of interest is a letter from Holtzman postmarked March 13, 1935 describing his initial meeting with Mondrian), Henry Miller, James Purdy; Katherine Dreier, Herrel Thomas, Erick Hawkins, Burgess Meredith, Steve Buscemi; Jay Gottlieb, and Mike Diamond. More voluminous is the professional and personal correspondence (1970s -2001) pertaining to Lillian's various performances in downtown venues in New York City. Also are letters from Frederick Kiesler to Lillian; professional correspondence to and from Frederick; letters from Lillian regarding the administration of Frederick's estate; and letters relating to the personal and professional life between Alice Hodges and Hans Hofmann. Material relating to Frederick Kiesler includes correspondence with museums, galleries, archives (Harvard Theatre Collection), and authors and scholars; an inventory list of works on paper by Frederick Kiesler that were given to the Osterreichisches Theater Museum Collection, Vienna; a notebook belonging to Frederick Kiesler noting contractors and job schedules for his projects; and articles, clippings, and other writings about him; bibliographies on Frederick Kiesler compiled by Lillian; a catalogue of his architecture, design, and art; photocopies of Frederick's writings; an inventory of objects in the Frederick Kiesler estate; an interview (sound recordings and transcript) with Lillian Kiesler about Frederick Kiesler, May 6 and 13, 1976, by WUHY-FM, Philadelphia, for "Music of the Age"; included on the tape is a portion of a Frederick Kiesler interview, 1965; a recording of Lillian Kiesler interviewing Richard Kamler about Frederick Kiesler, 1979; and Frederick's dialogue with Leo Castelli. Among the papers relating to Hans Hofmann and his school are: a card file on students of the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts in New York City and Provincetown, Mass.; stationary, announcements, brochures, a list of recommended art supplies, and other printed material of the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts; typed transcripts of lectures given by Hofmann in the 1930s; a transcript of an address (5 p.) delivered by Hofmann on February 16, 1941, as part of a symposium on abstract art held at the Riverside Museum in New York City; a 1942 Guggenheim application; "Push and Pull: A Furniture Comedy for Hans Hofmann" by Allen Kaprow; photographs of Hofmann and his house in Provincetown taken by Wilfrid Zogbaum and Tom Milius, 1950s-1960s; exhibition announcements, 1944-1958 (Art of this Century, Arts Club of Chicago, Betty Parsons, Kootz Gallery); and magazines, clippings, and reviews. Also included are art work by Lillian Kiesler and Alice Hodges; greeting cards by Hodges; and one painted memento by Hans Hofmann; printed materials, including catalogs, clippings, a portfolio of facsimile drawings by members of the Abstract Artists Group, 1937; and Alice Hodges' scrapbooks on Lillian Kiesler's activities as an art teacher in the 1940s; photographs of Hofmann, Cavallon, and Hodges; of Frederick from his arrival in America at age 36 to portraits with Edgard Varese made by Duane Michaels (1964); and of Lillian, Maryette Charlton, and Charlton's son, Kirk Winslow; and photographs, negatives, contact sheets of Frederick Kiesler's projects; a slides carousel of Frederick's work prepared by Lillian for a lecture on him; writings; and sound recordings, including an interview of Kiesler by Mimi Poser at the Guggenheim Museum, October, 1976, for a broadcast on WNYC; interviews of Varese-Meredith and Kiesler, 1961, and Lillian Kiesler on Lee Krasner.
