Zoltan Sepeshy Collection
Scope and Contents
The collection contains a very small amount of original material, including correspondence from Wallace Mitchell and to the Board of Trustees in 1946; two scrapbooks containing clippings about Sepeshy's life and work between 1926 and 1966; and an original manuscript which Sepeshy co-authored with Robert Rothman in 1953. The bulk of the collection is comprised of copies of materials including commencement speeches given by Sepeshy between 1958 and 1965 and an oral history interview with Dennis Barrie given in April 1973 (from the Archives of American Art), and copies of four scrapbooks of clippings that cover 1925-1953.
Dates
- 1925 - 1979
Conditions Governing Use
Use must be requested in writing. Reproductions of the oral history interview and speeches must be requested from the Archives of American Art.
Biographical / Historical
Zoltan Sepeshy was born in 1898 in Kassa, Hungary (now Kosice, Czech Republic). Educated at the Royal Academy of Art in Budapest and the Fine Arts Academy in Vienna, Zoltan Sepeshy came to the United States in 1919 at the age of 21. He arrived at Cranbrook in 1931, where he served for fifteen years as an instructor and director of the painting department. Sepeshy painted hundreds of works, exhibited widely, and regularly won prizes in national competitions. Internationally known for his expertise with egg tempera, he authored an instructional volume entitled Tempera Painting in 1946. In 1946, Sepeshy became Director of the Academy, a role which was expanded and retitled President in 1959. Under Sepeshy’s leadership the Academy became accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools in 1960, giving the school the same academic status as other colleges and professional schools. Sepeshy remained President until his retirement in 1967. He passed away in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, in 1974.
Extent
1.9 Linear Feet ((1 OS, 1 MS) )
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Zoltan Sepeshy (1898-1974) was instructor and director of painting at Cranbrook from 1931 until 1946, when he became the Director of the Academy of Art. The role was expanded and retitled as President in 1959, and he served as President until his retirement in 1967.
The bulk of the collection is comprised of copies of materials, including commencement speeches (1958-1965), and an oral history interview with Dennis Barrie given in April 1973. It also contains copies of scrapbooks covering 1925-1953. Originals include scrapbooks containing clippings about Sepeshy's life and work between 1926 and 1966, and an original manuscript which Sepeshy co-authored with Robert Rothman in 1953.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged alphabetically by record type.
Physical Location
R-6-5(B)
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Copies of four scrapbooks containing clippings on Zoltan and wife Dorothy, were a gift of their son Mike Sepeshy. Originals were returned to donor.
Two scrapbooks were the gift of Davira Tarigin, Detroit Institute of Arts, which were found in her office, provenance unknown.
Copies of commmencement speeches and the 1973 oral history transcript were donated by the Archives of American Art, which holds the originals.
One original manuscript and two letters were the gift of Robin Rothman.
Existence and Location of Originals
Originals of oral history, speeches, and scrapbooks are with the donor.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Laura MacNewman, January 2024.
- Title
- Zoltan Sepeshy Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid written by Laura MacNewman
- Date
- 2024-02
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Edition statement
- Resource record created by Laura MacNewman
Repository Details
Part of the Cranbrook Archives, Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research Repository