Florence B. Smithburn Sketchbooks, Mid-20th Century

Item Details

Florence Bartley Smithburn (American, 1904 – 1989)
Two sketchbooks with mostly portraits and figure sketches, mid-20th century
Charcoal and graphite on paper
Artist’s name and address inscribed to the inside cover of each

Smithburn studied art the the John Herron Art School in Indianapolis, Indiana, before moving to Uganda for ten years where she portrayed the African tribal way of life with her artwork. Her experiences living in Africa and the United States ultimately shaped her artistic oeuvre, as her art continued to address socio-economic and political issues relevant to the times. Her work has been exhibited widely in Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Atlanta, New York and Indianapolis and has been included in the collections of the Georgia Museum of Art and the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Condition

- smaller book one quarter full and larger four-fifths full; toning and discoloration to pages; smudging to various media; foxing particularly to inside cover of smaller book; binding somewhat loose to larger book; abrasions and wear to covers; cocking and warping spines and covers.

Dimensions

- measures larger book.

Item #

ITMG273770