English
Willamette University Archives and Special Collections
Mark O. Hatfield Library
900 State Street
Salem, Oregon 97301
archives@willamette.edu
http://library.willamette.edu/archives/
Judith and Jan Zach papers
Zach, Jan, 1914-1986
WUA084
26 linear feet
50 boxes
1937-2002
The Judith and Jan Zach papers contain biographical information about sculpture artist Jan Zach, photographs of Zach's sculptures, and publications by and about Zach.
Mark O. Hatfield Library
Includes correspondence and articles written in Czech, English, and Portuguese.
Jan Zach, the youngest of sixteen children, was born July 27, 1914 in Staný, Czechoslovakia. He attended the Superior School of Industrial Arts from 1932 to 1934 and the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague from 1934 to 1938. Zach studied painting and sculpture, his greatest inspiration being the illuminated kinetic sculptures of Zdeněk Pešánek.
In December 1938, Zach travelled to New York to decorate the Czechoslovakian pavilion at the 1939 Worlds Fair in New York. A few weeks before the Fair opened, the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia and Zach was one of many unable to return home. Zach remained in the United States until April 1940 when he moved to Rio de Janeiro for a two-week free lance assignment. His charge was to create a report on the industrial development of Brazil and the Bat'a Shoe Company. Zach completed his assignment and remained in Brazil for eleven years.
During his time in Brazil, Zach continued to study sculpture. He also exhibited paintings at the National Museum of Fine Arts in 1943 and the Institute of Brazilian Architects in 1948. He also met Judith Ella Monk, a Canadian working for the United Nations. Jan and Judith married in 1947. In 1951, they left Brazil for Victoria B.C. where Zach opened a school of painting and sculpture.
In 1958, Zach joined the faculty at the University of Oregon. He taught there until his retirement in 1979. While in Oregon, Zach's sculpture commissions included
Drapery of Memory in the Oregon state capitol, Prometheus at the University of Oregon Museum of Art, Flower of Freedom #1 near New Orleans, Louisiana, and Galaxy at the Lower Columbia College in Longview, Washington. Zach used a wide range of media to create his sculptures including sand, cement, cast iron, stainless steel, and wood.
In addition to his sculpture, Zach designed stage sets and costumes for the Original Ballet Russe in Sao Paulo, Brazil and wrote articles for the art magazine
Leonardo. Awards he received include a Fulbright Travel Grant, the Eugene Arts and Letters Award, a National Endowment for the Arts grant for a Sculpture Symposium, and a 1964 award from the Oregon Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
Zach continued to sculpt until his death in 1986. His final, uncompleted work,
Lady, was completed in 1996 by former student, Jerry Harpster.
The Judith and Jan Zach papers consist of correspondence, photographs, biographical information and publications related to sculpture artist Jan Zach. Judith and Jan Zach correspondence focuses on Zach's artwork including commissions for his work and the establishment of the Jan Zach trust. The bulk of the photographic material are photographs of Zach's sculptures. Also included are photographs taken during his time in Brazil, Czechoslovakia and Canada. Documentation of Zach's involvement with the National Sculpture Center and the National Sculpture Conference can be found in correspondence and subject files.
These papers also contain publications by and about Zach as well as various art publications that Zach kept in his personal library.
This collection is arranged into six series: I. Correspondence, II. Photographs, III. Artwork, IV. Subject Files, V. National Sculpture Center and VI. Publications.
This collection is open to researchers.
Library acts as "fair use" reproduction agent.
For further information, see the section on copyright in the Regulations and Procedures of the Willamette University Archives and Special Collections.
Copyright Information: Before material from collections at Willamette University Archives and Special Collections may be quoted in print, or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part, in any publication, permission must be obtained from (1) the owner of the physical property, and (2) the holder of the copyright. It is the particular responsibility of the researcher to obtain both sets of permission. Persons wishing to quote from materials in any collections held by University Archives and Special Collections should consult the University Archivist. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original.
[Identification of item], Judith and Jan Zach papers, Archives and Special Collections, Mark O. Hatfield Library, Willamette University.
Materials in this collection were initially given to the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, then transferred to the Willamette University Archives and Special Collections. These papers are part of the Pacific Northwest Artists Archive.
This collection was processed at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art by Karly Schubothe under the direction of Faculty Curator and Art History professor, Roger Hull.
Related collections include the Roger Hull Research Files on Pacific Northwest Artists and the Bill Rhoades Northwest Art Archive.
Hull, Roger.
Intersections: The Life and Art of Jan Zach. Willamette University. Distributed by the University of Washington Press. 2003. Hull, Roger. "Jan Zach (1914-1986) The Oregon Encyclopedia. https://web.archive.org/web/20150221035034/http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/zach_jan_1914_1986_/#.VQMRTY7F98E Zach, Jan. "Imagery, Light and Motion in My Sculptures." Leonardo 3 (1970): 265-287. Zach, Jan. "My Sculpture 'Galaxy'." Leonardo 13 (1980): 315-316.
Zach, Judith
Griffin, Tommy
McAllister, Ken
Prauda, Bob
Behl, Wolfgang
Fiala, Jaromír, 1892-1967
Kysela, Frantisek, 1881-1941
Masaryk, T. G. (Tomáš Garrigue), 1850-1937
Moore, Henry, 1898-1986
Nejedlý, Otakar, 1883-1957
Pešánek, Zdeněk, 1896-1965
Siebner, Herbert
Mayhew, Elza
University of Kansas
International Sculpture Center
National Sculpture Center (U.S.)
National Sculpture Conference
Century 21 Exposition (1962 : Seattle, Wash.)
Vancouver (B.C.)
Bellingham (Wash.)
Brazil
Czechoslovakia
Elmira (Or.)
Eugene (Or.)
sculpture (visual work)
New York World's Fair (1939-1940 : New York, N.Y.)
Fine Arts
sculpture (visual work)
Arts--Northwest, Pacific
Fine Arts
design drawings
Correspondence
Series I
1940-1996
This series includes correspondence to and from Judith and Jan Zach regarding sculpture and artwork. Subjects of the correspondence include: Zach's work in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Oregon; the University of Kansas International Sculpture Conference and various sculpture conferences and symposia around the United States; Zach's sculptures; exhibitions of Zach's work; and commissions for Zach's sculptures. Letters from family and friends, some written in Czech and Portuguese, are also included.
Correspondence is arranged in chronological order.
To Judith and Jan Zach
undated
1
1
To Judith and Jan Zach
1943-1948
1
2
To Judith and Jan Zach
1950-1954
1
3
Letters regarding the sculpture,
Aphrodite, plans for a fountain and mural.
To Judith and Jan Zach
1955-1971
1
4
To Judith and Jan Zach
1955-1971
1
5
To Judith and Jan Zach
1955-1971
1
6
To Judith and Jan Zach
1955-1971
1
7
To Judith and Jan Zach
1955-1971
1
8
To Judith and Jan Zach
1955-1971
1
9
To Judith and Jan Zach
1972-1978
2
1
To Judith and Jan Zach
1972-1978
2
2
To Judith and Jan Zach
1972-1978
2
3
To Judith and Jan Zach
1972-1978
2
4
To Judith and Jan Zach
1972-1978
2
5
To Judith and Jan Zach
1972-1978
2
6
To Judith and Jan Zach
1972-1978
2
7
To Judith and Jan Zach
1972-1978
2
8
To Judith Zach
1987-1994
2
9
Includes correspondence regarding the Jan Zach Trust, contracts regarding Jan Zach's work, and the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990.
To Judith Zach
1987-1994
2
10
Includes correspondence regarding the Jan Zach Trust, contracts regarding Jan Zach's work, and the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990.
To Tommy Griffin, Presentation Design Group
1993-1995
2
11
About Jan Zach
1973-1991
2
12
About Jan Zach
1973-1991
2
13
From Jan Zach
undated
3
1
From Jan Zach
undated
3
2
From Jan Zach
undated
3
3
From Jan Zach
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3
4
From Jan Zach
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3
5
From Jan Zach
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3
6
From Jan Zach
undated
3
7
From Jan Zach
undated
3
8
From Jan Zach
undated
3
9
From Jan Zach
undated
3
10
From Jan Zach
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3
11
From Jan Zach
undated
3
12
From Jan Zach
undated
3
13
From Jan Zach
undated
3
14
From Jan Zach
undated
3
15
From Jan Zach
undated
3
16
From Jan Zach
undated
3
17
From Judith Zach
1987-1991
3
18
From Tommy Griffin
1991-1996
3
19
Notes and scraps
undated
3
20
Photographs
Series II
1940-1985
Photographs, negatives, and slides stored in binders and boxes.
The bulk of the material in this series comprises images of Jan Zach's sculptures. Slides, negatives, and various sizes of black-and-white and color photographs of sculptures are included. Also included are photos of Zach's travels, works by other artists, and mounted photographs used for exhibitions.
Photo-murals
1979
4
Large black and white images adhered to styrofoam. Images are of Zach's sculptures completed in the early 1950s, artists statement, and a statement on Zach written by Tommy Griffin.
Photo-murals
1979
5
Large black and white images adhered to styrofoam. Images are of Zach's sculptures completed in the late 1960s including
Sculpture in Suspension, Galaxy, and Mermaid.
Slides (binder)
1967-1985
6
Section headings for binder of slides include:
Stainless Steel, Can Can, Oregon Relief, Sculpture in Suspension, Works in Wood, Phoenix, Venus, Drapery of Memory, and Galaxy.
Slides (binder)
1967-1985
7
Section headings for binder of slides include:
Marching Women, Cast Works, Prometheus, Three Rivers, Paintings, Misc. Zach Art, Photos of Jan Zach, Jan Zach's Studio and Home, Jan Zach Exhibitions.
Slides (binder)
1967-1985
8
Section headings for binder of slides include: University of Oregon, Travels/Places, Brazil, Aleijadinho, Rome, Greece, New York, Utah, Arizona, India - Banares, Ganges.
Slides (binder)
circa 1970s
9
Photographs of works by other artists.
Slides (binder)
1967-1985
10
Section headings for binder of slides include: unknown artworks and natural inspirations.
Slides (binder)
1967-1985
11
Section headings for binder of slides include: Black and white photos, historic art, Mexico, Aztec/Central American Art, Various Architecture, miscellaneous, and medium format slides. Also includes assorted slides transferred by Roger Hull in 2010.
8x10 Stainless Steel Art by Jan Zach
undated
29
1
8x10 Stainless Steel Art by Jan Zach
undated
29
2
8x10 Windflower
1967
29
3
Sculpture in Suspension
1968
29
4
8x10 Can Can
1970
29
5
8x10 Wood Works by Jan Zach
undated
29
6
8x10 Drapery of Memory
1975
29
7
8x10 Reclining Form
1964
29
8
8x 10 Cast Works by Jan Zach
undated
29
9
8x 10 Cast Works by Jan Zach
undated
30
1
8x10 Prometheus
1958
30
2
8x10 Three Rivers
undated
30
3
8x10 Wrestlers Model in Clay
1951
30
4
8x10 Wrestlers Cast in Stone
1951
30
5
8x10 Constructed Works by Jan Zach
undated
30
6
8x10 Paper and Cardboard Models for Constructions
undated
30
7
8x 10 Works by Jan Zach from Brazil
undated
30
8
8x 10 Works on paper by Jan Zach
undated
30
9
8x10 Furniture design by Jan Zach
undated
30
10
8x10 Jan Zach's Art Installed or in Galleries
undated
30
11
8x10 Retrospective Exhibition Opening
1979
30
12
8x10 Photos from Brazil
circa 1940-1951
30
13
8x10 Photographs from Victoria B.C.
circa 1950s
31
1
8x10 Photographs from Victoria B.C.
circa 1950s
31
2
8x10 Studio and school in Victoria
circa 1951-1958
31
3
8x10 Jan Zach in Eugene
circa 1958-1979
31
4
8x10 Eugene Studio
circa 1958-1979
31
5
8x10 Home/Studio in Elmira
undated
31
6
8x10 Foundry
undated
31
7
8x10 Art by other artists
undated
31
8
8x10 Natural inspiration
undated
31
9
Proof sheets
undated
31
10
Proof sheets
undated
31
11
Proof sheets
undated
32
1
Proof sheets and negatives
undated
32
2
Mural by student
undated
32
3
Student carvings
undated
32
4
Photographs (binder)
undated
33
Subjects include: Unidentified, Stainless Steel,
Drapery, and Lady.
Photographs (binder)
undated
34
Subjects include: Drawings,
Galaxy, Neon Sculpture, Ondine in progress, Phoenix, and Lumino - Kinetic sculpture.
Marching Women photographs (binders)
circa 1982
35
Marching Women photographs (binders)
circa 1982
36
Photographs (binder)
1940s-1970s
37
Subjects include:
Sculpture in Suspension, Seattle Reliefs, Eugene City Hall, Totemic Sculpture, Three Rivers, Windflower, Gardens of Art (Bellingham, WA), Rio, and Brazil.
Brazil photographs (binder)
1979
38
Elmira, Oregon photographs (binder)
circa 1980
39
Photographs (binder)
circa 1980
40
Subjects include: Elmira, OR; England - Patterns in City; Eugene Studio; and Leaf Slides.
Photographs and negatives (binder)
1950-1971
41
Subjects include: New York; Salem Civic Center sculpture proposal; Seattle; Venezuela; Thunderbird Park, Victoria BC; Victoria BC; and Eliot Miller.
5x7 Cast Works
1950-1971
42
1
5x7 Prometheus Clay Model
1952
42
2
5x7 Prometheus
1958
42
3
5x7 Constructed Works
undated
42
4
5x7 Wood Works
undated
42
5
5x7 Ondine
undated
42
6
5x7 Stainless Steel Works
undated
42
7
5x7 Sculpture in Suspension
1968
42
8
5x7 Painted Works
undated
42
9
5x7 Painted Works from Brazil period
circa 1979
42
10
5x7 Postcards of Zach's work
undated
42
11
5x7 Proof sheets of Zach's works
undated
42
12
5x7 Pictures of Jan Zach: Brazil
circa 1979
42
13
5x7 Pictures of Jan Zach: Canada
1950-1971
43
1
5x7 Pictures of Jan Zach: Oregon
1952
43
2
5x7 Jan Zach's studio/school in BC
1958
43
3
5x7 Exhibit opening
1979
43
4
5x7 Natural and other art inspiration
undated
43
5
5x7 Pesanek postcards
undated
43
6
5x7 Mural by Student
undated
43
7
5x7 Miscellaneous (profile of unknown man)
1968
43
8
Zach and Ken McAllister photographs (oversize)
1950-1979
44
Zach artwork photographs (oversize)
1968
45
Large photos of Zach's artwork
1948-1971
46
Includes black and white images of Zach's sculptures as well as a photo of Zach in Victoria in 1952.
Artwork
Series III
1940-1989
This series includes Zach's sketches, rubbings, and drawings of sculptures. Also included are presentation materials about Zach's sculptures, a portfolio of his work, and a proposal for Eugene Performing Arts. Among the artwork are paintings and drawings by other artists.
Sketches
undated
20
1
Sketches
1940s
20
2
Sketches
1951-1958
20
3
Sketches
1959-1980s
20
4
Sketches for House and Studio at Elmira
1969-1970
20
5
Rubbings
undated
20
6
Drawings by others
undated
20
7
Disassembled maquette
undated
20
8
Sketches, cocktail covers, book jackets
undated
21
Presentations: Kinetic Illumination
undated
25
3
Presentations:Proposal for Eugene Performing Arts
1979
25
4
Presentations: Portfolio of Work
undated
25
5
Presentations
circa 1970
26
Display boards containing images of Zach's artwork.
Presentations
circa 1970
27
Display boards containing images of Zach's artwork.
Photographs of artwork
undated
28
Posters and artwork
circa 1960-circa 1980
47
Various oversize posters, cocktail covers, art pieces, and two Bob Prauda paintings.
Drawing of large building/sculpture
undated
48
1
Rolled oversize.
Drawing of Marching Women
undated
48
2
Rolled oversize.
Abstract painting on paper
undated
48
3
Rolled oversize.
Transparency - Stainless cable/Bridge
undated
48
4
Rolled oversize.
Drawing of large building/sculpture
undated
48
5
Rolled oversize.
Shell/spiral drawing on tracing paper
undated
48
6
Rolled oversize.
Subject Files
Series IV
1937-2002
Material in this series includes biographical information about Zach, his curriculum vitae, catalogues and brochures of his work, teaching materials, and his writing. Also included are brochures and catalogs of other artists.
Jan Zach - Catalogues
1948-1985
12
1
Jan Zach - Catalogues
1948-1985
12
2
Jan Zach Sculpture: A Retrospective Exhibition catalog
1979
12
3
Exhibition at the University of Oregon Museum of Art.
Biographical Information
circa 1960 - circa 1980
12
4
Personal Papers
1947, 1957
12
5
Includes marriage licence and Canadian citizenship certificate.
Czech Pavilion, New York Worlds Fair
1938-1939
12
6
Exhibition brochure and letter.
Curriculum Vitae
circa 1967 - 1986
12
7
Inventories
undated
12
8
Crucifixion
1986
12
9
Report of findings about the painting.
Prometheus
undated
12
10
Report about the sculpture.
Eugene City Hall, Public Art
1985, 2002
12
11
Stainless Steel Artworks
1968
12
12
Can Can
1989-1990
13
1
Includes articles about the removal of Zach's
Can Can sculpture and information on the Visual Artists Rights Act.
Galaxy Lower Columbia College
1977
13
2
Receipts, bills
circa 1970
13
3
Ken McAllister
1961
13
4
University of Oregon
circa 1960 - circa 1970
13
5
Teaching materials.
University of Oregon contracts
1958-1964
13
6
University of Oregon Art Museum
1963
13
7
Sculpture Symposium, Eugene
1973-1974
13
8
Includes publication In Retrospect: The Oregon International Sculpture Symposium of 1974
India Trips
1983-1986
13
9
Jan Zach Teaching
undated
13
10
Czech miscellaneous
circa 1950
13
11
Miscellaneous from Brazil
circa 1964
13
12
Miscellaneous
undated
13
13
Assorted brochures, copies, and notes.
Leonardo draft
1970
14
1
Jan Zach's writings
circa 1960
14
2
Jan Zach's writings
circa 1960
14
3
Jan Zach's writings
undated
14
4
Jan Zach's writings in Czech
undated
14
5
Jan Zach's writings from Brazil
circa 1960 - circa 1970
14
6
Exhibition Announcements
circa 1970
15
1
Colleagues/Sculptors
1968-1969
15
2
Behl, Wolfgang
1968-1969
15
3
Fiala, Jaromir
1970-1971
15
4
Kysela, Frantisek
circa 1987
15
5
Masaryk, Thomas
1937, 1966
15
6
Moore, Henry
undated
15
7
Nejedly, Otakar
undated
15
8
Pesanek, Zdenek
undated
15
9
Siebner, Herbert
1962
15
10
Zeyer
undated
15
11
Students
1969-1970
15
12
Mayhew, Elza
circa 1992
15
13
NW (Northwest) Institute of Sculpture
1955, 2002
15
14
Vancouver Art Gallery
1954
15
15
Teatro Municipal, Sao Paulo
1946
15
16
Slavic Studies Association
circa 1962
15
17
Writing on Art by others
circa 1965
15
18
Rotary
1975
15
19
National Sculpture Center
Series V
1962-1986
The National Sculpture Conference began in 1960 at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. It was organized by Professor of Sculpture Elden Tefft. In 1967, a committee including Tefft and Zach organized to form a National Sculpture Information Center. Materials in this series include the 1967 proposal, advisory board minutes, bulletins from the Center, and information about the National Sculpture Conference. Conference materials consist of budgets, handouts, correspondence, and program materials.
National Sculpture Center
1976-1977
16
1
Copies of newspaper articles and information about the National Sculpture Center.
Proposal
circa 1967
16
2
Project proposal for forming the National Sculpture Center.
Bulletins
1969-1975
16
3
Bulletins numbered 1, 3, 12, 13, 14.
Conferences
1962-1974
16
4
Round Tables
circa 1970
16
5
International Artists
undated
16
6
Agendas and Minutes of Advisory Board
1969-1974
16
7
Zach itineraries
1973
16
8
Correspondence
1968-1974
16
9
French Sculpture Photo Exhibition
1974
16
10
Miscellaneous
undated
16
11
Notes and photograph of group in Lawrence, Kansas.
Publications
Series VI
1941-1990
Publications include articles that Zach gathered from Canada, Brazil, and Czechoslovakia. A scrapbook of news clippings from the 1940s is included along with inspirational magazine and newspaper clippings and articles about other artists. Also included are publications written by Zach, as well as articles written about him and his sculpture. Zach's personal library is included which contains exhibition catalogs, journals and exhibition brochures.
Articles
Subseries A
1941-1982
Both photocopies and original newspaper clippings
Scrapbook
1941-1947
17
Brazilian Articles
1947-1948
18
1
Canadian Articles
1956
18
2
Canadian Articles
1951-1967
18
3
Oregon Articles
1958 - circa 1969
18
4
New York Times Articles
1966-1970
18
5
Czech Publications
1947, 1982
18
6
Czech Political News
1968, 1979
18
7
Scrapbook copies
1941-1947
18
8
Brazilian Articles
1947-1948
19
1
Canadian Articles
1956
19
2
Canadian Articles
1951-1967
19
3
Oregon Articles
1958 - circa 1969
19
4
New York Times Articles
1966-1970
19
5
Czech Publications
1947-1982
19
6
Czech Political News
1968, 1979
19
7
Time Magazine Clippings
circa 1953
19
8
Articles on major artists
circa 1955
19
9
Miscellaneous articles on art
undated
19
10
Clippings about Henry Moore
1955
19
11
Brazilian Clippings
undated
19
12
Clippings of art by others
undated
19
13
Inspiration clippings
undated
19
14
Native American Art
undated
19
15
Otero clippings
1969
19
16
Views of Prague
undated
19
17
List of Artists
undated
19
18
Album de Pintura
undated
25
1
Album de Pintura
undated
25
2
Publications by and about Zach
Subseries B
1948-1980
1967-1980
Leonardo
1970
22
1
Writings by Jan Zach
1974, 1980
22
2
Includes
Kinetic Art: Theory and Practice which includes "Imagery, light and Motion in my Sculptures" and "My Sculpture, 'Galaxy'".
Publications about Jan Zach
1967-1969
22
3
Includes The Studio, Old Oregon, and the Weekly SW Magazine.
Brazilian Guest Signatures (for Zach exhibition)
1948
22
4
Personal Library
Subseries C
1942-1990
Books and Brochures
1960s
23
1
Bibles
1957
23
2
Journals
1942-1990
23
3
Journals
1942-1990
23
4
Exhibit Catalogs
1945-1962
24
1
Includes Seattle World's Fair exhibition publication "Art since 1950."
Exhibit Catalogs
1945-1962
24
2
Includes Seattle World's Fair exhibition publication "Art since 1950."
Xeroxed articles
undated
24
3
J. Carlos
undated
28
1