US-RP-MSS014 Guide to the Pennell Correspondence1782-1934 Finding aid prepared by Pat Loan, July 2012. Providence Public Library 2014 December 09.
150 Empire StreetProvidence, RI 02903Tel: 401-455-8021Fax: 401-455-8065email: special_collections@provlib.org
 Finding aid encoded by Stacie M. Parillo, 2014 December 09. English Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) English Providence Public Library Special Collections
150 Empire StreetProvidence, RI 02903Tel: 401-455-8021Fax: 401-455-8065email: special_collections@provlib.org
 Pennell, Joseph, 1857-1926 Pennell, Elizabeth Robins, 1855-1936 Pennell Correspondence 1782-1934 Pennell (Joseph and Elizabeth) Correspondence .25 linear feet The collection consists of 33 letters, primarily written by Joseph and Elizabeth Pennell, and one receipt. MSS 014 Biographical note

Joseph Pennell (1857-1926) was a prolific and influential illustrator as well as an author. Born in Philadelphia, Pennell eventually made London his home for 36 years, and travelled across Europe with his wife and longtime collaborator, Elizabeth Robins, producing illustrations for travel books. The Pennell’s became close to many of the artists of the period, especially James McNeill Whistler whose biography they wrote together. Engraving was Pennell’s early medium of choice, but he embraced lithography in the 1890s. Among his most notable lithographs is the poster he produced to encourage purchases of Liberty Bonds during World War I.

 Collection information

There are no restrictions on access. This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Providence Public Library Special Collections department.

Researchers are requested to cite the collection name and the Providence Public Library in all bibliographic references.

Pennell Correspondence, MSS014, Providence Public Library, Providence, Rhode Island.

The collection consists of 33 letters, primarily written by Joseph and Elizabeth Pennell, and one receipt.

The collection is organized in the order used by the original compiler (presumably T. Robley Louttit), which is essentially chronological.

Administrative information

This collection was given to the Library by T. Robley Louttit.

 Names Pennell, Joseph, 1857-1926 Pennell, Elizabeth Robins, 1855-1936 Louttit, T. Robley

Subjects Illustrators -- United States Women illustrators

RIAMCO Browsing Terms Art Titles

Types of materials correspondence receipts (financial records)

Occupations

Functions

Additional information

Pennell’s war poster is available in the World War I and II Posters Collection in Providence Public Library Special Collections.

For additional background information, see the biography of Pennell by Michael Scott Joseph and Constance Vidor in the Dictionary of Literary Biography, volume 188: American Book and Magazine Illustrators to 1920 (Detroit: Gale Research, 1998): 250-269. Additional archival collections of Joseph Pennell materials are held by the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Pennsylvania.

1 Lane, Isaac to William Pennell1782

Receipt for the purchase of lumber.

2 Pennell, Joseph to Mr. Hueffurundated 3 Pennell, William to Mr. JohnsonOctober 22 4 Pennell, Joseph to Richard Westcott1881 December 31 5 Pennell, Elizabeth R. to Mr. Niles1886 June 18 6 Pennell, Elizabeth R. to Mr. Niles1889 February 9 7 Pennell, Joseph to Martin Colles1889 December 31 8 Pennell, Elizabeth R. to Mr. Johnson1897 November 24 9 Pennell, Elizabeth R. to Editor of North American Review1899 February 6 10 Pennell, Joseph to Richard Westcott1904 March 13 11 Pennell, Joseph to Richard Westcott1905 February 4 12 Pennell, Joseph to Thomas R. Way1907 April 17

Correspondence relating to a Whistler painting.

 13 Pennell, Joseph to Thomas R. Way1907 June 6

On letterhead of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers.

 14 Pennell, Joseph to Richard Westcott1908 February 16 15 Pennell, Joseph to Thomas R. Way1909 January 24 16 Pennell, Joseph to S.C. Smith1913 October 16 17 Pennell, Elizabeth R. to Mr. NilesMarch 29 18 Pennell, Elizabeth R. to Mrs. Way1915 May 9 19 Pennell, Joseph to Mr. Landis1917 September 30

Pennell agrees to provide a lecture on his wartime experiences in France.

 20 Pennell, Joseph to Public Info. Comm.1918 May 15 21 Pennell, Elizabeth R. to John VanDyke1919 November 6

With envelope.

 22 Pennell, Joseph to A.S. Graham1919 November 28

Requesting information regarding Graham’s Whistler letters. With envelope.

 23 Pennell, Joseph to A.S. Graham1923 May 9 24 Pennell, Joseph to A.S. Graham1923 July 19

With envelope.

 25 Pennell, Joseph to A.S. Graham1923 November 14

With envelope.

 26 Pennell, Joseph to James Thierry1923 November 18

With envelope.

 27 Pennell, Joseph to A.S. Graham1923 November 18

With envelope.

 28 Pennell, Joseph to A.S. Graham1924 February 29

With envelope.

 29 Pennell, Joseph to A.S. Graham1924 June 22

With envelope.

 30 Pennell, Joseph to A.S. Graham1924 August 30

Discussing the reproduction of Whistler letters. With envelope.

 31 Pennell, Elizabeth R. to T. Robley Louttit1931 February 27

With envelope.

 32 Pennell, Elizabeth R. to T. Robley Louttit1932 December 11

With envelope.

 33 Pennell, Elizabeth R. to T. Robley Louttit1933 January 1

With envelope.

 34 Pennell, Elizabeth R. to T. Robley Louttit1934 September 15

With envelope.