By adawson on
4/9/2012 3:43 PM
 The Gries Tobacco Printed Works, Manuscripts and Artifacts Collection spans the years 1650-1973, with the bulk of the items dating from the late 18th and early 20th centuries, and contains material related to the manufacturing, sale, and use of tobacco in the United States and abroad. The material was donated by Robert H. Gries in 1942-1953 and some items were acquired by the library staff.
The sheer variety of the material is vast, including both paper-based materials and artifacts.
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By adawson on
3/16/2012 3:47 PM
William Shakespeare is the most famous and most written about literary figure of all time, but interestingly, little is actually know about him. What we do know about him is that he was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, married at 18, moved to London sometime between 1585-1592, published 3 books of poetry, was an actor and part owner of his theatre company, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later the King’s Men), and died in 1616. Shakespeare never published his own plays in his lifetime. It wasn’t until 1623 that two of his closest companions published the First Folio, containing 36 of his 37 plays.
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By Michael Dalby on
2/23/2012 2:36 PM
They have all been inspired by or collect art by Jean-Michel Basquiat. Jean-Michel Basquiat is the only Afro-Caribbean artist who really seems to speak to Hip-Hop artists. His name is commonly referred to in raps by those artists. There is a kinship, in a sense, because they are all African-American men, who use their art to express their place in the urban landscape.
Basquiat (1960-1988) was born in Brooklyn, New York. He came of age in the 1970’s, when there was strong hybridization of street life, music and multiculturalism. One of the by-products of this pollination was hip-hop, which revolutionized popular culture. Basquiat was influenced by his Haitian/Puerto Rican heritage, Jazz, French poetry, and the art of Franz Kline and Cy Twombly. Around 1977, Basquiat started to spray images...
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By Michael Dalby on
1/11/2012 10:39 AM
 If you are researching an artist's works the appropriate catalogue raisonné is your best bet for credible information. They are almost always very expensive, though, so finding catalogue raisonnés through an art library is recommended for anyone on a budget. Cleveland Public Library Fine Arts is fortunate to own a large number of catalogue raisonnés, dating back as far as the 17th century.
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By BillChase on
12/15/2011 12:54 PM
So began a mimeographed form letter from Reverend, H. G. C. (Henry Galloway Comingo) Hallock (1870-1951), a Presbyterian missionary in Shanghai, China. The recipient was Cleveland Public Library director, Linda Eastman (1867-1963). In the letter, Hallock (1870-1951) described an accompanying vibrantly-colored poster illustrating “Ho-zwen-bu-sah,” a Chinese god-of-fire.
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By Michael Dalby on
11/28/2011 3:38 PM
The Cleveland Public Library has made it easy for you to get into the spirit of the Holiday Season! Stop by the Popular Department on the 1st floor floor of the Main Library to browse the immense collection of holiday sound recordings as well as stopping by the Fine Arts Department on the 3rd floor to browse the vast array of sheet music available for check out.
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By Michael Dalby on
11/4/2011 12:32 PM
The exhibition catalog, Out of The Kokoon (2011) by Henry Adams, with an essay by Lawrence Waldman is available for $40 through The Cleveland Artist Foundation and Friends of the Library Gift Shop, Cleveland Public Library.
The catalog celebrates the 100th Anniversary of Cleveland’s Kokoon Arts Klub.
It features the early years of the Klub and their affiliation with Cleveland Public Library, the annual Bal Masques, membership by artists, costume design, decorations, and posters created for community events and activities.
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By adawson on
10/28/2011 1:44 PM
 Halloween is believed to have originated as a Celtic holiday, celebrated during the time of year when the hours of the day grew smaller and nighttime was longer. Samhuinn, the Gaelic holiday for Halloween, means the fire of peace. The fire, which was kept burning throughout the night was used to protect peoples’ farms and their possessions and ceremonies and superstitious rites were performed around them. For...
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By Michael Dalby on
10/11/2011 2:07 PM
 The Art and Architecture Vertical File housed in the Fine Arts library is a rich resource for those interested in Cleveland and Ohio arts, architecture and history. The vertical file contains clippings, pamphlets and brochures that were kept up to date by the librarians working in Fine Arts and Special Collections from the early 20th century to the present. The materials contained within the vertical file present an interesting portrait of the changes that Cleveland experienced throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries.
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By Michael Dalby on
9/29/2011 2:07 PM
The Cleveland Public Library has a number of beautiful books exhibiting the art of pochoir. Pochoir is a stenciling technique that dates back to cave paintings in prehistoric Europe and in images found in China along the Asian silk route. Pochoir became popular in Paris during the early part of the 20th century, and used in some limited-edition magazines and books associated with interior design and haute couture fashion. The vivid colors and elaborate designs reflect the “Belle Epoque,” a time when Paris was viewed as the center of the fashion world.
The library is lucky to own examples of these works, some of which are on display in Special Collections on the third floor of the Main Library until the end of December 2011. The exhibit is one of the featured events of the 2011 celebration...
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