What goes into a Catalogue Raisonne' submission?

Why does it take so long to get my acceptance letter? Why was my piece rejected? Why is provenance so important? Do they have a lot of records? Find out these and other answers.

The CR is an online documentation of (ultimately) all of Bertoia’s works. It is fun just to peruse the vast oeuvre of this artist, but it is useful to check and see if the Bertoia object of interest (buying or selling or bequeathing or whatever) is listed in the CR. Its presence in the CR with a CR number assures interested parties that the object has been vetted and meets Foundation requirements for entry.

Photos like the above are helpful, but tedious. If one of those was your sculpture, could you find it? Right? Of all the archival articles, letters, receipts, memorabilia, such as below; how do you find what you need? Our indices do help but are not totally complete. Often times, when I’m searching for something else, I’ll come across a photo that will help with a different project just by happenstance. We try to be systematic, but sometimes it just takes time.

One gal sent me her photo of a spray early on in the Foundation’s existence. I told her that I thought I had seen a photo of it but that our photos were not yet indexed. If she didn’t mind waiting, I would eventually get back to her. I kept her picture on my bulletin board. Well, two years later I found the photo! We were able to include her spray (which is often problematic due to widespread copies) in the CR. The spray needs some help, but at least it’s documented.

When we receive a complete submission of an object with photos, background, provenance, dimensions, etcetera, we begin by researching the archives, old photographs, historical articles, Bertoia books and whatever else necessary to find an object similar to (or ideally the same as) the submission. Sometimes we find an exact match in the “shop files,” (see below) which were Harry’s records of almost (key word here) everything that left his studio. If we are really lucky, it will have dimensions, price, name of gallery or purchaser and date. His documents were not simply written invoices, but rather beautifully sketched pictures of what was sent where. Because Bertoia’s oeuvre is so broad and some of his pieces so unique, the archival written index does not always reveal what we’re looking for. Is it a directly forged bronze or a welded wire? Or some technique we’ve not seen before (which happens more often than you might think!)? We do have specific Bertoia vocabulary and labels, but his work defies labels and, as Harry himself noted, “if they try to put me [or my work] in a box, I shall immediately break out of that box.”

If documentation is not forthcoming, we have to rely on artist techniques, other similar items already in the CR, and any information coming from the owner. If the owner tells us that Grandma got it in the 1960s from some gallery in the east, that doesn’t help much. It’s challenging going back 80 years! I empathize with those who have to track art from centuries ago! When necessary, we bring in our welding expert to examine the technique and shed light on whether or not it was likely that Harry used that procedure. Welding techniques give us clues as to dates (Harry did not date anything), as his work became more elegant as he mastered his craft in later years. Anyway, once we have gathered and studied all the data we can find, we discuss it all and then our team votes as to whether it should be accepted. If it’s not unanimous, like the Lindsay Clancy jury, we talk until we reach a consensus. The results might be yeah, nay, or undetermined at this time due to not enough verified information. It is time consuming and detailed but always revealing. I know a lot about my father, but I will never know it all! Read more here, especially under About, Submissions: https://catalogue.harrybertoia.org/

A completed CR entry below.

If you have specific Bertoia needs – appraisal, submitting to the Catalogue Raisonne’, discovering data in the archives – we can help you. Email info@harrybertoia.org.