Books & Publications
The books listed below (that are not out of print) are available for purchase. Please download the PDF order form.
Now Available, with color illustrations
"By studying…technical aspects of an artist's works, (Mr. Katlan) gains great insight into the choice of pigments they used to create the works we all admire, as well as the organization of these paints on their palettes. The American art community is fortunate, indeed, to have such a recognized authority on the physical composition of historic paintings who is ever eager to share and disseminate this knowledge."
Claudia Seymour, President, Salmagundi Club
Artist John Newton Howitt Palette
The Palette Reveals the Artist: The Grumbacher Artist Palette Collection and the Salmagundi Club Palette Collection
by Alexander W. Katlan
$72.00 plus Sales Tax and Shipping
Limited Quantity Available, Hard Cover Edition
This publication provides for the first time information, about the two major American palette collections formed in this country in the late nineteenth and early 20th century and is the only book currently published on these American palette collections. The publication includes a preface by Claudia Seymour, President of the Salmagundi Club, a chapter titled; The Palette Reveals the Artist: An Introduction to the Palette Collection of M. Grumbacher Company ,The Grumbacher Artist Palette Collection 1930's -1950's: History and Microscopical Analysis, a list of artist palettes in the Grumbacher Collection, Max Grumbacher Company chronology, a selection of artist palettes including artists Floyd W. Bombard, Lottie Meyer Catok, Mary Black Diller, Martin H. Fischer, Jane Freeman, Gordan H. Grant, John Newton Howitt, Percival A. Leason, Carl Lella, Paule S. Loring, Sascha A. Maurer, John Z. Miller, Chauncey F. Ryder, Clyde J. Singer, Robert B. Sprague, Mary (Winter) Taylor, John Scott William and Andrew G. Winter. The publication also includes a chapter on the Salmagundi Club palette collection, a listing of the artists in the Salmagundi Club palette collection, a listing of the artists in the Harry W. Watrous palette collection, palettes and photographs of the following artists: John Wenger, Charles Henry Miller, William H. Lippincott, Bruce Crane, Ernest L. Blumenschein, Will H.Low sketch, Napoleon Sarony & studio, Salmagundi Club hallway, ca. 1896, J. Francis Murphy, George Inness, Francis C. Jones studio, William T. Smedley, F. Luis Mora, Edwin H. Blashfield, W. J. Whittemore, Carlton T. Chapman, H. Siddons Mowbray, Harry W. Watrous, Ralph Blakelock, Ernest Lawson, Gustave Cimiotti, G.Glenn Newell, J.G. Brown & studio, George Inness, Jr., John H. Dolph & studio, Carleton Wiggins portrait, Smillie, Horatio Walker, E. Irving Couse and George W. Maynard.
This book is indispensable for any art reference library. ISBN 978-0-9791290-5-6, 80 pp., 77 Color Illus., Hard Cover Edition.
Published December 2009
New Painting Exhibition History Available “…allowing one access to invaluable information that simply was inaccessible for decades to scholars and researchers in American art.”
Artist Charles C. Curran, Peonies, Oil, Collection Salmagundi Club
Salmagundi Club Painting Exhibition Records 1940-1951 and Water Color Exhibition Records 1900-1951:
A Guide to the Annual Exhibition of Oil Paintings 1940-1951; Summer Exhibition of Pictures 1928-1950; Exhibition of Thumb Box Sketches 1938-1950; Special Annual Exhibition of Selected Paintings, WC, Prints and Sculpture 1945-1950; Annual Exhibition and Auction Sale of Pictures 1940-1951, Exhibition of Small Pictures 1928, 1931 and Annual Exhibition of Water Colors 1888-1951.
This is the last book in a series of three that has provided research into the history of the painting exhibitions of the Salmagundi Club and is actually two books in one. This book completes the research into the painting exhibitions from 1940 to 1951 and for the first time, the watercolor exhibitions of the Salmagundi Club are now available from 1900-1951 including important watercolorist Reynolds Beal, Walter Biggs, George E. Browne, John Carlson, Ogden M. Pleissner, Ernest Roth, Chauncey F. Ryder, Anthony Thieme, and John Alonzo Williams. This unknown painting exhibition history has been chronicled and indexed making available the artists, actual titles of the paintings, dates when these artworks were exhibited and prices when available. This exhibition directory provides comments by the author, an index of catalogues including art committees members, Salmagundi Club prizes and Thumb-Box awards in the oil painting exhibitions, a selection of Special artist, memorial and group exhibitions including such artists as Walt Kuhn, Charles Warren Eaton, F. Ballard Williams, Harrison Cady and a complete directory of artists and artwork alphabetically arranged in 623 pages including 317 black and white photographs of artwork and watercolors from the Salmagundi Club and private collections. In the special exhibitions starting 1945, major artists were included that were not members of the Salmagundi Club such as Charles Burchfield, Jon Corbino, Edward Hopper, Reginald Marsh, and Eugene Speicher.
ISBN 978-0-9791290-2-5, Library of Congress Control Number 2009934634, 623 pp., 317 B&W Illus., Hard Cover
In 2008 Mr. Katlan has written his fourth book which provides for the first time, information on the painting exhibition history of the prestigious Salmagundi Club of New York City. Alexander has also contributed articles to the book Conservation of Paintings, published by Yale University/Butterworths Press (due in 2010) and is expected to be the standard text for conservation of paintings in the United States.
The Salmagundi Club Painting Exhibition Records 1889 to 1939: A Guide to the Annual Exhibition of Oil Paintings and the Annual Exhibition and Auction Sale of Pictures
by Alexander W. Katlan $65.00
Limited quantity available, Hard Cover Edition
This is the first book to provide research into the history of the painting exhibitions of the Salmagundi Club from 1889 to 1939. For the first time this unknown early 20th Century exhibition history has been chronicled and an index made available including the artist, actual titles of the paintings and dates that these artworks were exhibited. This exhibition directory provides a forward by curator Karen Frederick, Bush-Holley House, Historical Society of the Town of Greenwich, a preface by Art Curator Kimberly Orcutt, The New York Historical Society, Comments by the Author, Biographical Sketches and letters including such artists as Edwin A. Abbey, Edwin H. Blashfield, Alphaeus Cole, Charles C. Curran, Alexander W. Drake, Malcolm Fraser, Eugene Higgins, George Inness Jr. , John La Farge, William Merritt Post, William S. Robinson, Sigurd Skou and Walter Granville Smith, an index of catalogues including art committees members, Salmagundi Club Prizes and Awards in the oil painting exhibitions. The book includes a listing of artist ceramic mugs, palettes and photographs in the Salmagundi Club collection, a selection of special artist and memorial exhibitions including such artists as Frederick Juengling, Franklin de Haven, A.T. Van Laer, Walter Shirlaw, George H. McCord and Charles F. Naegle, C. Myles Collier, E. Albert, A. Bower, H. Giles, O.D. Grover, V. Higgins, W. Ufer, Robert Vonnoh, J. Francis Murphy, M. Bohm, G.G. Newell and T.F. Crowley; and a complete directory of artists and artwork alphabetically arranged of over 480pp. including black and white illustrations.
The Publisher is confident in that this book is indispensable for any art reference library. ISBN 978-0-9791290-1-8, 480pp., 151 Black & White illus., Hard cover edition
Reviews of The Salmagundi Club Painting Exhibition Records 1889 to 1939
Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine November, 2008 recently reviewed Mr. Katlan's books and states, “For decades now, scholars of American Art have longed to know exactly who showed what when at Salmagundi's important exhibitions...”
By Matthias Anderson Read full articleAbout The Salmagundi Club Painting Exhibition Records...
“…in conjunction with these exhibitions lies a rich history of information invaluable for scholars to see and study.”
— Karen L. Frederick, Curator of Collections, Bush-Holley Historic Site“These [Salmagundi Club] records bring to light a respected and important site for art displays, offering a fuller picture of the New York art community in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.”
— Kimberly Orcutt, Associate Curator of American Art, New-York Historical Society
The Black and White Exhibitions of the Salmagundi Sketch Club 1878 to 1887: A Guide to Etchings, Engravings, Drawings, Sculpture, Ceramics, Oils and Monotypes
by Alexander W. Katlan $29.95
Limited quantity available, Hard Cover Edition
This is the first book to provide in-depth research into the history of the Black and White Exhibitions. The exhibitions were held at the Leavitt Galleries, the Kurtz Art Galleries, the American Art Galleries and at the National Academy of Design during the years of 1878-1887. These exhibition were open to all artists, not just members of the sketching club, including such noted American artists such as Edwin A. Abbey, Edwin Blashfield, William M. Chase, Kenyon Cox, Jasper Cropsey, the Morans(Edward, Leon, Peter, Percy, Thomas), H.W. Ranger, F.K.M. Rehn, G.S. Reinhart, Theodore Robinson, John S. Sargent, Walter Shirlaw, F. Hopkinson Smith, James M. Whistler, Carleton Wiggins, Irving R. Wiles including women artists of the time such as Elisabeth H. Bartol, Fidelia Bridges, Jessie Curtis, Mary Nimo Moran, and M.R. Oakey. A few of the European artists included are Charles Daubigney, Jean Jacques Henner, Seymour Hayden, Franz Hals, Charles Jacques, Louis Leloir and J.J. Weertz.
For the first time this unknown nineteenth century exhibition history and chronicle has been made available including the actual titles and sale prices of these artworks. This exhibition directory provides a forward by curator Nancy W. Grinnell of the Newport Art Museum, a preface by Art Curator Eva Greguski, an introduction to the Black and White Shows, an exhibition history including committees, membership of the Salmagundi Sketch Club including the addresses to 1887, Presidents of the Salmagundi Club and a complete directory of artists and artwork alphabetically arranged of over 272 pp. including black and white illustrations.
This book is indispensable for any art reference library. ISBN 978-0-9791290-0-1, LCCN 2006910130, 272pp., Black & White Illus., Hard cover edition
Reviews of The Black and White Exhibitions of the Salmagundi Sketch Club 1878 to 1887:
“With the publication of this guide, we are now also fortunate to be able to add the Salmagundi Sketch Club Black and White Exhibitions to the evolving documentations of American Art.”
— Nancy Whipple Grinnell Curator Newport Art Museum and Art Association“…will surely join the ranks of scholarly art historical reference material.”
— Eva Gregruski Art Curator
American Artists' Materials Vol. II:
A Guide to Stretchers, Panels, Millboards, and Stencil Marks. (A. Katlan, Sound View Press, 1992) Shows all U.S. stretcher patents, 1849-1949. All support materials thoroughly examined, hundreds of illustrations. Includes directories of the 19th c. art suppliers of Philadelphia and Baltimore. 544 pp. ISBN O-932087-19-1 – Out of Print
American Artists' Materials Vol. I:
Suppliers Directory, 19th Century. ( A. Katlan, Noyes Press, 1987) Lists 3,700 art supply shops in NYC and Boston. 134 photos of stencil marks and labels. 476 pp. ISBN 0-8155-5064.2 - Out of Print
Articles and Offprints
Article: “Grumbacher Artist Palette Collection”, The Microscope, Vol. 53, No. 4, Winter 2005.
Article: “The Palette Reveals the Artist”, American Art Review, Vol. XVI, No. 5, September-October 2004.
Article: “William Sidney Mount’s Palette and Pigments”, including Cover Color Illustration, The Microscope, Volume 49, Second Quarter, 2001.
1999 Article: “The American Artist’s Tools and Materials for On-Site Sketching”, from Albert Bierstadt Art & Enterprise Symposium, National Gallery of Art, published Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, Volume 38, No 1, Spring 1999.
Article: “Conservation in the Aid of Authentication: How a Painting ‘signed’ Jozef Isreals was Reattributed to J.H.S. Kever”, International Foundation for Art Research Journal, Volume 1, No. 3, Autumn 1998.
Article: “The Salmagundi Club: A Prestigious History”, American Arts Quarterly, Winter 1997.
Article: “The Salmagundi Club”, American Art Review, Volume IX, No. 5, September-October 1997.
Article: “Masonite and Hardboard as Painting Supports”, Classical Realism Journal, Volume III.
Article: “Charcoal Drawing, Simi Style”, Classical Realism Journal, Volume II, Issue 1.
Article: “Early Wood-Fiber Panels: Masonite, Hardboard, and Lower-Density Boards”, Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, Volume 33, Fall/Winter 1994.
1992 Article:“Nineteenth Century Academy Boards and Canvas Boards: A Re-evaluation”, AIC Paintings Specialty Group Postprints, 1992.
Article: “Some uses of a Video Cassette recorder in the Conservation Laboratory”, co-authors B. Applebaum and P. Himmelstein, Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, Volume 26, Spring 1987.