We now have digital images of ephemera such as postcards, pressed flowers, and newspaper clippings, as well as sketches, inscriptions, and notations that were found on the pages of the Prendergast book collection.
Paul Cézanne
These materials were discovered by thoroughly combing through the pages of each book in the collection in search of original sketches, notations, and other items belonging to the Prendergasts. In some books, I found little or nothing in terms of original art work or personal notes, but in others, I found several detailed sketches, and notations. The books with the most sketches include Peasant Art in Russia,
Peasant Art in Russia
Art in Egypt and Indian Art of the United States. However, the most detailed drawings can be found on the pages of Confessions of a Young Man and The Arrow of Gold.
Art in Egypt
The books containing the most ephemera material tended to be travel books such as Italy in One Volume and Guide Michelin, France.
Arrow of Gold
These books contained restaurant lists, hotel business cards, postcards, bookmarks, maps and more. Judging by the number of travel books and maps in the collection, it seems that the Prendergasts were avid travelers of Western Europe.
Digitization of the Prendergast book collection is now almost complete. The photography team will return at the end of March to finish shooting the book collection and begin shooting the Prendergasts’ magazine collection.
