Charles A. Meurer Papers
(CAA/11)
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Title: |
Charles A. Meurer (b.1865-d.1955) Papers |
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Repository: |
Mary R. Schiff Library & Archives, Cincinnati Art Museum
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Creator: |
Meurer Family
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Dates: |
1889-1973 |
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Quantity: |
Quantity: 15 box/es
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Abstract: |
This collection contains personal papers and items belonging to Cincinnati still life artist Charles Meurer (1865-1955). |
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Identification: |
CAA/11 |
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Language: |
English
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Biographical/Historical Information
Charles Meurer was born in Germany on March 15, 1865, while his American-citizen mother was visiting relatives. He was raised
in Clarksville, Tennessee, where at the age of sixteen he painted a panoramic view of the city. He received so much praise
for the painting that he decided to move to Cincinnati in order to attend its Art Academy (then called the School of Design).
In 1891 he went on to study art overseas in Paris and Lyon, France.
Meurer married Daisy Harvey in 1894, and in 1896 moved to Terrace Park, Ohio, where he acquired several vacant lots in exchange
for paintings. He designed his own house (complete with a large second-floor studio) and oversaw its construction on one of
these lots. He continued living and painting in Terrace Park until his death in 1955, two days shy of his 90th birthday.
Strongly influenced by the work of
trompe l'oeil painter William Harnett, Meurer was best known for his photorealistic and finely detailed still lifes. Later in his life
he also completed portraits as well as landscapes, particularly farm scenes, in which his style became more impressionistic
rather than
trompe l'oeil.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains personal papers and items belonging to Cincinnati still life artist Charles Meurer (1865-1955). It
includes newspaper clippings, spanning 1911-1956, which pertain to his life and art; letters (including foreign language documents)
to and from the artist or his family members; and photographs of the artist, his friends and family, farm scenes, city scenes,
animals and objects. Also included are Meurer's memoirs and other miscellaneous writings, including impressions of St. Augustine,
Florida and an account of the 1937 Cincinnati flood. The collection also includes Meurer's sketchbook and notebooks, which
contain financial notes, addresses, accounts of his travels, and other miscellaneous notes; non-fiction books he owned, relating
mainly to architecture; and miscellaneous documents and items pertaining to his life and work. Finally, the collection includes
a number of glass-plate negatives.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into seven series according to material and content. Series 1 contains newspaper clippings and
magazine articles from various publications. Series 2 contains letters to and from the artist and/or his family members, arranged
according to language and chronology. Series 3 contains photographs and negatives of identified and unidentified individuals,
as well as animals, objects, city scenes and farm scenes. Series 4 contains the artist's memoirs and other miscellaneous writings,
including impressions of St. Augustine, Florida, and an account of the 1937 Cincinnati flood. Series 5 contains the artist's
sketchbook and notebooks, as well as several non-fiction books he owned. Series 6 contains miscellaneous art-related documents,
other miscellaneous documents, and miscellanous non-paper items. Series 7 contains glass plate negatives. Series 8 contains
oversize materials.
Conditions Governing Access
Whilst the archives aims to provide access to the records in its care to the fullest extent possible, it reserves the right
to restrict access for any reason. Please see the archives’ Access Policy for further information: www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org/visit/library-archives/the-archives/
Cincinnati Artists
Meurer Family
Meurer, Charles
Still life painting
Terrace Park (OH)
Preferred Citation note
Mary R. Schiff Library & Archives, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, OH.
Detailed List of Collection
Newspaper and Magazine Clippings, 1911-1956, undated
Box 1 / Folder 1
Undated, undated
Box 1 / Folder 2
1910s, 1910-1919
Box 1 / Folder 3
1920s, 1920-1929
Box 1 / Folder 4
1930s, 1930-1939
Box 1 / Folder 5
1940s, 1940-1949
Box 1 / Folder 6
1950s, 1950-1959
Box 1 / Folder 7
Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings (not mentioning Meurer): Elsie Flagle (Meurer's niece); William Harnett (Cincinnati Enquirer,
Sep 14, 1917; San Francisco Chronicle, Sep 5, 1948); Clement Barnhorn (Jan 17, 1934); Theodore C. Dorl (Jan 19, 1934); W.
E. Hentschel (Feb 5, 1934); Martin Rettig (1934); John G. Reilly, 1917-1948
Correspondence, 1889-1973, undated
Letters to Meurer and/or family members, 1889-1973, undated
Box 1 / Folder 1
Undated, undated
Box 1 / Folder 1A
Letter from Joseph Henry Sharp,
Box 1 / Folder 2
Foreign Language Letters and Miscellaneous Documents (27 French, 2 German), 1891-1910
Box 1 / Folder 3
1889-1892, 1889-1892
Box 1 / Folder 4
1893-1896, 1893-1896
Box 1 / Folder 5
1897-1903, 1897-1903
Box 1 / Folder 6
1904-1928, 1904-1928
Box 1 / Folder 7
1930-1935, 1930-1935
Box 1 / Folder 8
1936-1938, 1936-1938
Box 1 / Folder 9
1940-1949, 1940-1949
Box 1 / Folder 10
1950-1952, 1950-1952
Box 1 / Folder 11
1953-1955, 1973, Bulk, 1953-1955
Letters from Meurer, 1894-1953, undated
Box 1 / Folder 12-14
Undated, undated
Box 1 / Folder 15
Letters in French, undated
Box 1 / Folder 16
1889-1897, 1889-1897
Box 1 / Folder 17
1928-1938, 1928-1938
Box 1 / Folder 18
1940-1949, 1940-1949
Box 1 / Folder 19
1950-1953, 1950-1953
Photographs and Negatives, Late-19th-Mid-20th century
Box 1 / Folder 1-1A
Charles Meurer, undated
Box 1 / Folder 2
Charles Meurer and unidentified woman at the easel he invented, undated
Box 1 / Folder 2A
Henry Meurer, Charles' father, undated
Box 1 / Folder 3
Elsie Flagle, Meurer's niece, undated
Box 1 / Folder 4
Albert Meurer, undated
Box 1 / Folder 5
Caroline [Burger nee Meurer], Charles' daughter, undated
Box 1 / Folder 6
Carrie Meurer, Charles' sister, undated
Box 1 / Folder 7
Gus Meurer, Charles' older brother, undated
Box 1 / Folder 8-9
Identified Adults - Miscellaneous, undated
Box 2 / Folder 1-8
Unidentified adults, undated
Box 2 / Folder 9
Unidentified adult/child groups, undated
Box 1 / Folder 10
Members of the Cincinnati Art Club on an outing to Epworth arranged by Simon Hubig (Oct 21-22, 1911), 1911
Box 3 / Folder 1
Eveynor Meurer [with brother Carl?], Meurer's daughter, undated
Box 3 / Folder 2
Frazee children - Elizabeth Louise and Charles Donald, undated
Box 3 / Folder 3
William Whitaker, undated
Box 3 / Folder 4
Betty Rose Young, undated
Box 3 / Folder 5
Identified Children - Miscellaneous, undated
Box 3 / Folder 6-10
Unidentified Children, undated
Meurer Artwork Reproductions, undated
Box 4 / Folder 1
"Doughboy's Equipment" (1921), undated
Box 4 / Folder 1
"Bulletin of the California Palace of the Legion of Honor" (Vol.6, Nos.4 and 5), including an image of a piece loaned by Meurer
("Doughboy's Equipment"), undated
Box 4 / Folder 2
"The Pen is Mightier than the Sword" (1947), undated
Box 4 / Folder 3-4
Miscellaneous Reproductions, undated
Box 4 / Folder 5
Cincinnati, including Fountain Square, undated
Box 4 / Folder 6
Farm Scenes (sheep, ducks, chickens) [reference images?], undated
Box 4 / Folder 7
Miscellaneous - landscape, architecture, automobile, etc. [reference images?], undated
Box 4 / Folder 8
Artists at work and with art [Meurer may be featured], undated
Box 4 / Folder 9
Negatives, undated
Box 4 / Folder 10
Tintypes, unidentified (x11), undated
Meurer's Memoirs and Other Writings, undated
Box 1 / Folder 1
Spiral-bound notebook containing handwritten memoirs, undated
Box 1 / Folder 2
Spiral-bound notebook containing handwritten memoirs, undated
Box 1 / Folder 3
Meurer's Art Academy Student's Ticket for 1895, 1895
Box 1 / Folder 3-11
Memoirs and miscellaneous writings; includes copies of letters sent by Meurer, undated
Box 1 / Folder 12
Impressions of St. Augustine Art Colony, Florida, undated
Box 1 / Folder 13
Information on "The Flood of 1937", a painting by C.A. Meurer, undated
Books, 1892-1936, undated
Sketchbook and Notebooks, undated
Box 1
Sketchbook (titled "Album"), undated
Box 1
Notebook / bank book (titled "The Cosmopolitan"), contains financial notes, addresses, and other miscellaneous notes, undated
Box 1
Notebook containing accounts of Meurer's travels; sketches; and addresses, undated
Box 1
Envelope containing items found in "The Cosmopolitan" book, including a postcard, an Emma Mendenhall exhibition announcement
postcard, a newspaper clipping, and miscellaneous papers, undated
Non-Fiction Books, undated
Box 2
"Paris As It Is: An Illustrated Souvenir of the French Metropolis", 1892
Box 2
"The Dream City: A Portfolio of Photographic Views of the World's Columbian Exposition", 1893
Box 2
"The Medieval Trifels," written and illustrated by William J. Schultz (with a note signed by the author) (Sep 1936), 1936
Box 2
"The Numismatist" (Dec 1936), 1936
Miscellaneous, 1893-1950s, undated
Miscellaneous Documents, 1893-1950s, undated
Box 1 / Folder 1
Pencil sketches by Meurer, undated
Box 1 / Folder 2
Meurer's stationery and business cards, undated
Box 1 / Folder 3
Biography of Meurer, written after his death by unidentified author, undated
Box 1 / Folder 4
Catalog of the 18th exhibition of the Cincinnati Art Club, including three works by Meurer, 1911
Box 1 / Folder 4
Catalog for the Second Annual Miami Biltmore Art Exhibition, assmebled by the Art Institute of Miami, and featuring a work
by Meurer ("Phlox"), undated
Box 1 / Folder 5
Advertisements for the Babbittonian School of Art, run by Meurer and A. Roussel, undated
Box 1 / Folder 6
Material related to Meurer's inventions, undated
Box 1 / Folder 6
Advertisments for Meurer's Convertible Easel, undated
Box 1 / Folder 6
Advertisements for Lol and Jack mechnical toy, undated
Box 1 / Folder 6
Patent for an "Advertising Display Device" (patent #1607042) by Meurer and Mathew P. Bedel (Nov 16, 1926), 1926
Box 1 / Folder 6
Agreement between Meurer and Mathew P. Bedel concerning invention (Apr 5, 1926), 1926
Box 1 / Folder 6
Advertisments for Meurer's Convertible Easel, undated
Box 1 / Folder 6
Advertisements for Lol and Jack mechnical toy, undated
Box 1 / Folder 6
Patent for an "Advertising Display Device" (patent #1607042) by Meurer and Mathew P. Bedel (Nov 16, 1926), 1926
Box 1 / Folder 6
Agreement between Meurer and Mathew P. Bedel concerning invention (Apr 5, 1926), 1926
Box 1 / Folder 7
Photographic reproductions of artwork (not Meurer), undated
Box 1 / Folder 8
St. Augustine Art Association, Florida, various documents, undated
Box 1 / Folder 9
Financial documents relating to the sale and reproduction of Meurer's works, 1893-1948
Box 1 / Folder 10
Financial documents, miscellaneous, including checks, bills, and property deeds, 1920s-1950s
Box 1 / Folder 11
Documents pertaining to Meurer family, 1907-1947
Box 1 / Folder 12
Miscellaneous envelopes from correspondence sent to Meurer, undated
Box 1 / Folder 13
Miscellaneous documents, undated
Miscellaneous Items, undated
Box 2
Printing block of farm scene with sheep, undated
Box 2
Printing block of a woman painting at Meurer's convertible easel, slanted, undated
Box 2
Printing block of a woman painting at Meurer's convertible easel, upright position, undated
Box 2
Printing block of the convertible easel in table position, undated
Box 2
Printing block of the convertible easel in chair position, undated
Box 2
Gold jewelry piece with initials "CAM", undated
Box 2
Small pouch containing circular wooden World War II OPA tokens, labeled "OPA 1 Red Point", undated
Box 2
Metal file and pick, undated
Box 2
Black wooden cylindrical object [scraper?], undated
Glass Plate Negatives, undated Scope and Content
Scope and Contents
20 Negatives, 3.25 x 4 inches (1 broken)
19 Negatives, 4.25 x 6.5 inches (2 broken)
13 Negatives, 5 x 7 inches
2 Negatives, 6.5 x 8.5 inches
Box 1
Glass negatives; 4.25 x 6.5 inches (x13, 3 broken) – easel designed by Meuer,
Box 2
Glass negatives; 4.25 x 6.5 inches (x11) – children,
Box 3
Glass negatives; 4.25 x 6.5 inches (x6) – adults,
Box 4
Glass negatives; 3.25 x 4 inches (x20) – adults; children, John J. Pershing; painting depicting the death of Christ,
Box 5
Glass negative; 6.5 x 8.5 inches (x2): sheep and chickens in barn interior (1901), by Meurer; still life painting (undated),
by Meurer,
Oversize Materials, 1886-1977
Oversize Newspaper and Magazine Clippings, 1921, undated
Box 1 / Folder 1
Miscellaneous newspaper clippings pasted on cardboard (17 cardboard sheets), undated
Box 1 / Folder 2
Two magazine clippings pasted on either side of unrelated newspaper clipping, undated
Box 1 / Folder 3
Full-page newspaper spread featuring photographs of Meurer, his paintings, and his house, Cincinnati Commercial Tribune (Aug
28, 1921), 1921
Quantity: 4 copies
Miscellaneous Oversize Materials, 1886-1977
Box 2 / Folder 1
"Art News" periodical (Sep 1948), 1948
Quantity: 3 copies
Box 2 / Folder 2
Miscellaneous newspaper clippings pasted on sheets of unrelated magazine, undated
Box 2 / Folder 3
Drawing of plumbing diagram, undated
Box 2 / Folder 4
Drawing and description of toy Meurer invented, undated
Box 2 / Folder 5
Meurer's advertisement for lessons in landscape, still life, and portrait painting, from the Cincinnati Illustrated Business
Directory, pasted on cardboard, 1890
Box 2 / Folder 6
Poem celebrating Meurer's 50th birthday (dated March 15, 1915), two newspaper articles, and a group photograph pasted on cardboard, 1915, undated
Box 2 / Folder 7
Reproductions of "Memories" painting, plus original envelope, undated
Quantity: 8 copies
Box 2 / Folder 8
"The Lost is Found: William Harnet's 'Cincinnati Enquirer,' 1888", The Enquirer Magazine (May 9, 1971) (2 copies), 1971
Box 2 / Folder 9
"New Interest Stirred in Work of Former Terrace Park Artist," newspaper clipping, Village Views (Mar 1977), 1977
Quantity: 1 item/s
Quantity: (x2 copies)
Box 2 / Folder 10
Certificate authorizing Samuel Harvey as notary public (Sep 15, 1886), 1886