Abraham Joel Tobias Collection
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Abstract
Abraham Joel Tobias was a painter, muralist, and educator. The university commissioned him, in the early 1950s, to create a mural called the History of Science and two plexiglass mural panels. They were meant to celebrate the scientific advancements made by university members, as well as others throughout the history of science. The plexiglass murals were finished on schedule. However, Tobias was never able to complete the History of Science mural.
Biographical / Historical
Abraham Joel Tobias was born in Rochester, New York in 1913. He was known for being a painter, muralist and educator. He was an innovator in working with shaped canvas, and known for making the frame part of his paintings. He moved to New York City to attend the Cooper Union School of Art in 1930. During World War II Tobias served in the armed forces.
In the early 1950s Tobias was commisioned by the university to create a mural called the History of Science, in addition to two plexiglass mural panels. The commissioned pieces were mean to celebrate scientific advancements made by university members, and those throughout the entire history of science. The two plexiglass murals were completed on schedule, but the History of Science mural was never completed, and remained a source of turmoil for Tobias and the university. During the 1980s, mural still unfinished, Tobias became critical of what he felt was a lack of support from the administration in completing the mural. He went on a short hunger strike in front of the university.
Tobias was a visiting lecturer at several schools, as well as an instructor at Adelphi College. He was also a commissioned muralist for other educational institutions and government agencies.
Tobias died at 82 years of age in 1996 of cancer. He passed in Rego Park, Queens leaving his wife Carolyn Pratt, married in 1949, and one daugther.
Sources:
Abraham Joel Tobias papers, 1913-2000. Archives of American Art. http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/abraham-joel-tobias-papers-5976/more#section_1
Rodengen, Jeffrey L, and Mickey Murphy. Changing the World: Polytechnic University - - the First 150 Years. Fort Lauderdale, FL: Write Stuff Enterprises, Inc, 2005. Print.
Arrangement
Series are arranged by subject type. Arrangement within series is either chronological or by subject.
Scope and Contents
The Abraham Joel Tobias Collection covers materials from 1942 - 2005. The materials pertain to Tobias's life and more specificially his work on the History of Science mural at the university. Biographical Information contains materials mostly donated by Tobias's spouse, Carolyn Tobias. These materials include interviews with Carolyn Tobias, edits she made to entries relating to Tobias in Changing the World. It also includes promotional material of exhibitions of Tobias's work, and photocopies of photographs of his work. Correspondence contains written materials from and to Tobias, as well as inter-university correspondence about Tobias or his work. Studies for the Mural, which spans a large part of the collection, contains mostly photographs, prints, reproductions, and some negatives of portraits of famous scientists. These graphic materials were used by Tobias as studies to create his mural content. The Article series contains all published materials about Tobias, his work, and specifically his mural, the History of Science. Photographs, contain graphic materials and negatives depicting the mural, Tobias working on the mural, and other events related to his life and the mural at the university. The Oversize series contains realia as well as mural studies and clippings that were of larger size than their related materials.
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish materials must be obtained from:
Poly Archives & Special Collections Bern Dibner Library of Science and Technology 5 MetroTech Center Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (718) 260-3943 Fax: (718) 260-3756 E-mail: archives@library.poly.edu
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Abraham Joel Tobias Collection; RG 022; box number; folder number or item identifier; Poly Archives at Bern Dibner Library of Science and Technology, New York University.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials found in collection; there is no documentation concerning the provenance of these materials.
