Call Number:

03

Repository:

Sellersville Museum

Extent:

2.5 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

circa 1920-1955

Creator:

Baum, Walter E.

Abstract:

Walter Emerson Baum (1884-1956) was an artist and educator based in Sellersville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), Baum was a prolific painter, founded the Baum School of Art and the Allentown Art Museum, and published writings about art and about the history of the Pennsylvania Germans. The Walter E. Baum family papers, circa 1920-1955, pertain to Walter, his son Robert, and his grandson, David. Materials from Walter include some draft writings, clippings and ephemera, and several original sketches. There are also photographs and household bills in the collection.

"Walter Emerson Baum, a native of Sellersville, is often considered the 'Father of Art in [the] Lehigh Valley.' Born in 1884, Baum spent his formative years in homes at 26 Church Street (his birthplace) and Main Street (Main and Temple Avenue). After graduating from the Sellersville Public School (now the Museum) in 1902, he studied under William Trego, and took classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA). Baum's popularity soared after receiving the Sesnan Gold Medal in 1925, and [he] went on to work in editing and illustrating for various publications. While continuing to reside in Sellersville (Main and Green Street), Baum was director of the Allentown Museum of Art during the 1930s and was a major supporter of the Lehigh Art Alliance during this time.

"Walter Baum was a prolific artist, with more than 2,000 works in a variety of media. His subjects were nature with landscapes and cityscapes dividing his interests. Scenes of Sellersville, Allentown, and surrounding areas have been permanently captured by Baum's talented hand."

Bibliography:

Quoted text from: Sellersville Museum. "Walter Emerson BAUM" exhibit label. Viewed April 21, 2014.

Most of the papers in this collection pertain to Walter E. Baum, but there are also some materials from his son, Robert Baum, and grandson, David Baum. The Walter Baum materials include: draft "Art Story" articles (handwritten and typed) for newspaper publication, mostly for the local Morning Call, 1930s-1950s; ephemera about and invitations for art events and art organizations, many featuring works by Baum; original sketches of scenery in Germany and other European locations, 1936; and his passport, 1936. There is a large scrapbook about art with clippings and some ephemera, 1920s-1950s, which was probably created by Walter E. Baum. From his son, Robert Baum, the collection includes some household bills and receipts from the 1940s; from Walter's grandson, David Baum, there are some photographs. The collection also includes photographs by other photographers, including a set of head shots of local Sellersville residents taken by B. Tarr (New York City), and a small painting by Albert Jean Adolphe.