Davison Art Center, Wesleyan University

DAC Collection Artist Information

Currier & Ives

American printing firm

Brief biography, in most instances from the Union List of Artist Names® Online:
The original firm was founded in New York in 1835 by Nathaniel Currier. Lithographs initially appeared under Currier's imprint (his earlier lithographs had been issued in 1834 under the name of Stodart & Currier), and the name Currier & Ives first appeared in 1857, when James Merritt Ives, the company's bookkeeper and Currier's brother-in-law, was made a partner. Currier supervised production while Ives handled the business and financial side. Currier focused on the public's desire for graphic representation of recent events. Currier & Ives was famed for fine craftmanship and the best lithographic materials, with prints sold for a cost accessible to most households. Most designs were created by house staff, and others were commissioned from young artists. The firm was not equipped for chromolithography and prints were hand-colored by women in assembly-line fashion. The style is characterized by clear and simple colors and bold and direct drawing. Currier & Ives prints are considered invaluable records of the politics, history, and manners of 19th-century America.

Artist ID number in the Union List of Artist Names®: ULAN 500034474.
The ULAN link above leads to a cataloging authority record at the Getty Research Institute.

Objects related to Currier & Ives:

Currier & Ives Sunnyside—On the Hudson, ca. 1838-1856 Lithograph with heavily and crudely executed hand coloring on wove paper
Currier & Ives The Union Volunteer, 1861 Lithograph with hand coloring on wove paper
Currier & Ives Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 13, 1862, 1862 Lithograph with hand coloring on wove paper
http://dac-collection.wesleyan.edu/art35590 is a persistent link to this page with no user-session information.

ULAN biographical content is displayed with permission of the Getty Research Institute. Some ULAN content in some DAC artist records has been lightly edited. Content from the Getty Research Institute is © 2017 The J. Paul Getty Trust. All rights reserved.

Information here was last updated on 5/25/2017. Some is from older cataloging. Most objects acquired through 12/17/2015 are represented; cataloging is in process for some acquired before, and many after, that date. We continue to add and update content. Please contact the DAC Registrar of Collections to suggest corrections with citations. Captions embedded in DAC images have basic information as of the time the digital image was made; details and updates appear on object pages.

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