Correspondence and other materials relating to Jacob Kramer

Comprises: (1) Autograph correspondence, comprising 216 letters and postcards, written either by or to Jacob Kramer or between third parties concerning his work, dated 1913 to 1973, held in 21 envelopes and arranged alphabetically by correspondents; (2) Autograph manuscript and typescript draft of his nephew John D. Roberts's work The Kramer documents, being a transcription of press cuttings concerning Jacob Kramer dated between 1910 and 1973, the draft being dated 1982; (3) Miscellaneous personalia, including photographs of Kramer and his associates, exhibition and lecture notices, exhibition catalogues, press cuttings concerning his work and exhibitions, his death certificate, the account of his funeral expenses, his certificate of naturalization (1922), 4 military documents, an educational document dated 10 January 1910, a duplicated typescript chronology of his life and achievements drawn up by Miss Millie Kramer, his sister, and a photocopy of an essay on Kramer written by Kate Fryer in 1986; and (4) 5 printed works associated with the collection, namely: (i) 'Jacob Kramer reassessed', an exhibition catalogue, 1984; (ii) The Kramer documents, edited by John D. Roberts, Valencia, 1983; (iii) Jacob Kramer: a memorial volume, by Millie Kramer, Leeds, 1969; (iv) The Heaton Review, Vol. 5, 1932; and (v) a signed copy of Jacob Epstein, London, 1925.

Jacob Kramer, the artist, was born on 26 December 1892 in Klincy, Ukraine, but was brought to England as a child when his parents immigrated in 1900 and settled in Leeds, with which city Kramer was always associated. After attending Manchester School of Art, the School of Art in Leeds in 1908-1911, and Slade School of Fine Arts in 1913-1914, he joined the London Group of artists. He became a highly successful portrait painter and had a small but impressive output of prints. His portrait of the sculptor Jacob Epstein is one of his best-known prints. He held many exhibitions in Yorkshire and London, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Tate Gallery all hold his work. He died on 5 February 1962.

Access is unrestricted.

The correspondence was purchased from Quaritch/Sotheby's on 22 July 1986. The remainder of the collection was apparently obtained from Kramer's nephew, Mr John D. Roberts, about a year after this, but there appears to be no record of this later transaction.

In English.

The letters are listed in the Library's Letters database http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/spcoll/letters/letlink.htm#kramer