Schiff, John, 1907-1976

The John D. Schiff Collection contains both photographic prints and negatives of John D. and Trude Schiff’s photography careers. The subjects are predominantly portraits of artists and their works. Highlights include portraits of Ludwig Bemelmans and his Madeline illustrations, as well as photographic prints of Marcel Duchamp's Twine installation. and many other photographs of works of art.

This collection documents the professional and personal lives of John (Hans) and Trude Schiff, with emphasis on John Schiff's career as a professional photographer. Although the greater part of the collection focuses on his photography, the collection additionally holds papers pertaining to the Schiffs' immigration, legal and financial papers pertaining to restitution from Germany, documentation of Trude Schiff's early medical career, and personal correspondence and photographs. Aside from the preponderance of photographs, the collection holds letters, address books, exhibit catalogs, and official documents, and a few clippings.