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This collection has access restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.
This collection has use restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the FAQ section for more information.
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Collection Overview
| Size | Linear Feet: 9.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately Items: About 2000 items) |
| Abstract | Born in Knoxville, Tenn., on 15 July 1937, photographer Robert Bolton discovered photography in his early teens. Bolton attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in art. Shortly after graduating from college, he became art director of Hogan, Rose & Co. Inc., an advertising agency in Knoxville, Tenn. Although he remained in this professional position for the rest of his life, Bolton continued to be an avid photographer until his death in 1988. The collection consists chiefly of photographic materials spanning more than 25 years and documenting the social landscape of the eastern United States, mid 1950s-early 1980s. Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, New York, and Louisiana are the most frequently depicted states. Individual cities frequently depicted include Washington, D.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Gatlinburg, Tenn.; New York, N.Y.; Atlanta, Ga.; Raleigh, N.C.; Union Grove, N.C.; and New Orleans, La. In addition to friends and family, Bolton photographed numerous performers and artists, including Louis Armstrong, the Austin High Gang Reunion Band, Count Basie, the Beach Boys, Pappy Boyington, John Coltrane, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Bob Dylan, Bud Freeman, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Bunky Green, Ernst Haas, Billy Hart, Woody Herman, Earl Hines, Art Hodes, Jim Lanigan, Jimmy McPartland, Carmen McRae, Thelonious Monk, James Moody, Floyd O'Brien, the Original Salty Dogs, Charlie Rouse, Pee Wee Russell, Archie Shepp, Jean Simmons, Jimmy Smith, Carl Sublett, George Wein, and George Wettling. Cultural events and institutions depicted include the 1967 Asheville Folk Festival, Asheville, N.C.; the 1965 Downbeat Jazz Festival, Chicago, Ill.; the 1966 Atlanta Jazz Festival, Atlanta, Ga.; a 1965 Bob Dylan Concert, Knoxville, Tenn.; the Free Southern Theater, New Orleans, La., 1965; the Guggenheim Museum, New York, N.Y.; the Museum of Modern Art, New York, N.Y.; the 1964 New York World's Fair; the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; the Ole Time Fiddler's & Bluegrass Festival, Union Grove, N.C., 1966-1972; and WNOX Radio station in Knoxville, Tenn. Frequently depicted subjects include airports, animals, artists, buildings, cars, car races, children, concerts, fairs, festivals, highways, horse shows, motorcycles, motorcyclists, museums, musicians, race cars, restaurants, stores, televisions, theatrical performances, and train stations. Moving image materials include 8mm-motion picture reels depicting Sports Car Club of America auto races. Also included are Bolton's drawings in charcoal, pencil, ink, and gouache chiefly created at University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1959-1964, and some collages created using photographic transfers and an oil painting. |
| Creator | Bolton, Robert, 1937-1988. |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Biographical
Information
Born in Knoxville, Tenn., on 15 July 1937, photographer Robert Bolton discovered photography in his early teens. Bolton attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in art. During his college years, drawing and painting were Bolton's main creative output; however, he continued to develop his photographic skills by working as photographer for the school newspaper and by extensively photographing his subjects before beginning a new portrait.
Shortly after graduating from college, Robert Bolton became art director of Hogan, Rose & Co. Inc., an advertising agency in Knoxville, Tenn. Although he remained in this professional position for the rest of his life, Bolton continued to be an avid photographer until his death in 1988. Bolton resided in Knoxville, Tenn., for most of his life, but he frequently traveled throughout the eastern United States photographing people, places, and cultural events along the way. During his lifetime, Bolton photographed everything from common street scenes found in and around many southern cities to major cultural gatherings, such as the Downbeat Jazz Festival in Chicago, Ill., and the Ole Time Fiddler's & Bluegrass Festival in Union Grove, N.C.
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Scope and Content
The Robert Bolton Collection consists chiefly of photographic materials spanning more than 25 years and documenting the social landscape of the eastern United States from the mid 1950s through the early 1980s. Bolton's photographs examine everything from common street scenes found in and around many southern cities during the 1960s to cultural gatherings, such as the Downbeat Jazz festival in Chicago, Ill. and the Ole Time Fiddler's & Bluegrass Festival in Union Grove, N.C. In addition, Bolton photographed numerous performers including Bob Dylan, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, and many others. Other materials included in the collection are 8mm films depicting Sports Car Club of America auto races from 1960 to 1961 and drawings and paintings created between 1959 and 1967.
Photographic materials comprise the bulk of the Robert Bolton Collection. Materials include 35mm black and white negatives with a small amount of color negatives, black and white photographic prints, black and white contact prints, and 35mm color slides. Robert Bolton was meticulous in labeling and dating his negatives; therefore, his descriptive titles have, for the most part, been retained.
Mant differnent geographic locations are represented in the photographic materials. Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, New York, and Louisiana are the most frequently depicted states. Other locations include Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Toronto, Canada. Individual cities frequently depicted include Washington, D.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Gatlinburg, Tenn.; New York, N.Y.; Atlanta, Ga.; Raleigh, N.C.; Union Grove, N.C.; and New Orleans, La.
In addition to friends and family, Robert Bolton also photographed numerous known musicians and artists. Artists and performers represented in the materials include Louis Armstrong, the Austin High Gang Reunion Band, Count Basie, the Beach Boys, Pappy Boyington, John Coltrane, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Bob Dylan, Bud Freeman, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Bunky Green, Ernst Haas, Billy Hart, Woody Herman, Earl Hines, Art Hodes, Jim Lanigan, Jimmy McPartland, Carmen McRae, Thelonious Monk, James Moody, Floyd O'Brien, the Original Salty Dogs, Charlie Rouse, Pee Wee Russell, Archie Shepp, Jean Simmons, Jimmy Smith, Carl Sublett, George Wein, and George Wettling.
Cultural events and institutions depicted in the photographic materials include: the 1967 Asheville Folk Festival, Asheville, N.C.; the 1965 Downbeat Jazz Festival, Chicago, Ill.; the 1966 Atlanta Jazz Festival, Atlanta, Ga.; a 1965 Bob Dylan Concert, Knoxville, Tenn.; the Free Southern Theater, New Orleans, La., 1965; the Guggenheim Museum, New York, N.Y.; the Museum of Modern Art, New York, N.Y.; the 1964/1965 New York World's Fair; the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Frank H. McClung Museum; the Ole Time Fiddler's & Bluegrass Festival, Union Grove, N.C., 1966-1972; and WNOX Radio station, Knoxville, Tenn.
Subjects frequently depicted in the photographic materials include: airports; animals; artists; buildings; cars; car races; children; concerts; fairs; festivals; highways; horse shows; motorcycles; motorcyclists; museums; musicians; race cars; restaurants; stores; televisions; theatrical performances; and train stations.
Moving image materials include five 8mm motion picture reels depicting Sports Car Club of America auto races. Geographic locations depicted include Florida, Kentucky, and Alabama.
Pictures consist of Robert Bolton's drawings in charcoal, pencil, ink, and gouache chiefly created while he was pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in art from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1959-1964. Also included are some collages created using photographic transfers and an oil painting. Materials primarily depict individual portraits.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Photographic Materials, 1955-1980 and undated.
Arrangement: chronological.
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Subseries 1.1. Photographic Negatives, 1956-1980.
Arrangement: Note that the creator's descriptive titles have, for the most part, been retained.
Restrictions: Access to negatives is available with special staff assistance except for materials as noted below that are CLOSED to research until 1 January 2037.
35mm negatives in 36 frame sleeves. Negatives are chiefly black and white. Image Folder P-20408/39 contains some color negatives.
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Subseries 1.2. Photographic Prints, 1957-1969 and undated.
Arrangement: Note that the creator's descriptive titles have, for the most part, been retained. Titles of prints and print groups are derived from the corresponding negative title.
CLOSED: Materials as noted below CLOSED to research until 1 January 2037.
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Subseries 1.3. Contact Prints, 1962-1976 and undated.
Arrangement: Note that the creator's descriptive titles have, for the most part, been retained.
CLOSED: Materials as noted below CLOSED to research until 1 January 2037 (P-20408/139-140).
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Subseries 1.4. Slides, 1955-1976 and undated.
Arrangement: Note that the creator's descriptive titles have, for the most part, been retained.
| Image Folder P-20408/154 |
1955-1971 #20408, Subseries: "1.4. Slides, 1955-1976 and undated." P-20408/154 |
| Image Folder P-20408/155 |
1973-1976 #20408, Subseries: "1.4. Slides, 1955-1976 and undated." P-20408/155 |
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Series 2. Moving Image Materials, 1960-1961 and undated.
Arrangement: chronological. Note that the creator's descriptive titles have, for the most part, been retained.
Color 8mm motion picture reels depicting Sports Car Club of America car races located in Florida, Kentucky, and Alabama.
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Series 3. Pictures, 1959-1967 and undated.
Arrangement: chronological.
Bolton's drawings in charcoal, pencil, ink, and gouache chiefly created while he was pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in art, from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1959-1964. Also included are some collages created using photographic transfers and an oil painting. Materials are primarily individual portraits.
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Items Separated
Processed by: Kirston Johnson, October 2006
Encoded by: Kirston Johnson, December 2006
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