Oral history interview with José de Rivera

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Oral history interview with José de Rivera

1968 February 24

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9148a900b-c944-4ccc-bd3b-3e9443035dfd

An interview of José de Rivera conducted 1968 February 24, by Paul Cummings, for the Archives of American Art. De Rivera recalls his childhood on sugar plantations in Louisiana; his early work in New Orleans and Chicago as a mechanic; his training as a commercial artist at Chicago's Studio School and taking life drawing classes with John Norton. He talks about freelancing as a commercial artist in Chicago; his military service during World War II; traveling in Europe and Egypt and relocating to New York. Cummings and de Rivera discuss de Rivera's sculpture in some depth, as well as de Rivera's interest in artists such as Brancusi and Mondrian.

Sound recordings: 1 sound tape reel ; 7 in.Transcript: 60 p.

Archives of American Art

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 8295782

Archives of American Art

Related Entities

There are 2 Entities related to this resource.

Cummings, Paul (Singer)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66m39mt (person)

Littlefield was a painter, writer and art collector; New York, N.Y. Died 1969. Cummings, an art historian, was an expert on drawings and prints. From the description of William Horace Littlefield letters and photographs to Paul Cummings, 1951-1969. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122390381 Art historian and editor; New York, N.Y. From the description of Paul Cummings papers, 1967-1993. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122594609 ...

De Rivera, José Ruiz, 1904-1985

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6d61b1k (person)

José A. Ruiz was born on September 18, 1904 in West Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the son of Joseph and Honorine Montamat Ruiz. He would later take the surname of his maternal grandmother, de Rivera. Early in his life his family moved to New Orleans where his father was a sugar mill engineer on a plantation. De Rivera became adept at repairing machinery and doing blacksmith work with his father. Shortly after completing high school in 1922, de Rivera moved to Chicago where he was employe...