Archives and Manuscript Collections
Personal Papers
PAPERS OF JEANNE R. JANISH (1948-1980)
1. 5 linear feet (3 boxes)
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Jeanne R. Janish (1902-1998) was born in Iowa on October 20, 1902.
As a youngster she spent summers with her grandparents in Minnehaha above
Manitou, Colorado where she became acquainted with Dr. Frederick and Edith
Clemants who were working in the "Alpine Laboratory" of the University
of Minnesota's Botany Department. There she learned the scientific names
of many plants of the Rocky Mountain region.
She attended Vassar College as a Latin major and
graduated in 1924. She took a masters degree in geology at Stanford University
where she was asked by her Paleontology professor, Dr. James Perrin Smith,
to illustrate his monograph on Permian Ammonites of Timor. This
was the catalyst for her career in botanical illustration.
In early 1929 she went to China with her cousin,
to become a rug designer with a rug manufacturer in Peking. There she met
her husband Carl, who after serving in the marines stayed on in Peking
to work for the New York Times. They married and stayed there until 1934.
Upon their return to the States, they chose to move to Nevada, where Carl,
an expert engineer found building opportunities and Jeanne could continue
her drawing.
From 1927-1974 Janish prepared illustrations for
thirty -two major books plus many short papers, articles and booklets
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The collection contains correspondence between Janish
and the numerous publishers and authors that she worked with as well as
letters to students of botanical illustration seeking her advice on drawing
techniques, as well as many of her sketches and drawings. The sketches
and drawings have been removed from the archives and are located in the
Art and Illustration Collection.
This collection is arranged in three series and
spans her career from 1948-1980.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1: Correspondence-General
Correspondence-Publications
Series 2: Subject files
Series 3: Artwork
Series 1: Correspondence.
1948- 1980
5 lin. in. Arranged in two series.
Sub-series 1: General correspondence is arranged by correspondent
Sub-series 2: Publications arranged by title of the publication.
Incoming and outgoing correspondence from students interested in botanical
illustration and letters to and from publishers and authors regarding the
illustrations prepared for publication.
Series 2: Subject files.
1 lin. in.
Arranged alphabetically.
Contains auto biographical information about Janish,
scientific keys, and correspondence on the transfer of artwork and letters
to the NYBG archives.
Series 3: Artwork.
Arranged by plate number.
Contains sketches and pen and ink drawings for many
of publications Janish illustrated.
PROVENENCE NOTE
The bulk of material was transmitted to Charles R.
Long, from Jeanne Janish on February 13, 1981. Additional material has
been sent by Janish to Patricia Holmgren and forwarded to the archives.
RELATED COLLECTIONS
NYBG Art Collection
Edith Clements
Intermountain Flora
Processed September 2000 by Susan Fraser under a
grant from The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) PA-23141-98
and a grant from the Harriet Ford Dickenson Foundation.
For more information and a complete description contact:
Susan Fraser, NYBG
Archivist
The LuEsther T. Mertz Library
The New York Botanical Garden
Bronx, New York 10458-5126
(718) 817-8879
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