BASKIN, Leonard (1922-2000) sculptor, medalist, graphic artist.
Born New Brunswick, New Jersey, 15 August 1922.
Studied at Yale. Worked on FDR Memorial, Washington, DC.
Founded Gehenna Press, 1942. Taught at two Massachusetts colleges:
Smith College, Northampton, and Hampshire College, Amherst.
Baskin found a Saint-Gaudens medallion in a New England
antique shop and bought it. Years later he donated it to the
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University in
honor of John E. Marqusee, a close friend. The Women's
Auxiliary of the Massachusetts Civil Service Reform
Association Presentation Medallion became the keystone
of the collection. It was illustrated on the covers of the
collection's catalog, with description written by DWJ.
(See C14 {1996) below.)
Died Northampton, Massachusetts, 3 June 2000.
R E L I E F S E R I E S
Mythology Relief Series:
(Foundry casts in two uniform sizes: 6½-inch, 17½-inch.)
1969 Andromache Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 34870002
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.1
Collection: Heckscher Art Museum, Huntington, NY
1969 Apollo Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 76002571
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.2
Collection: Corrnell Univ Johnson Art Museum
Collection: Heckscher Art Museum, Huntington, NY
1969 Athena's Shield Relief . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 76002573
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.3
Collection: Corrnell Univ Johnson Art Museum
Collection: Heckscher Art Museum, Huntington, NY
1969 Cerberus Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 76002568
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.4
Collection: Corrnell Univ Johnson Art Museum
1969 Icarus Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 76002572
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.5
Collection: Corrnell Univ Johnson Art Museum
Collection: Heckscher Art Museum, Huntington, NY
1969 Minotaur Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 76002570
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.6
Collection: Corrnell Univ Johnson Art Museum
Collection: Heckscher Art Museum, Huntington, NY
Exhibited: AF14 {1971} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibit, Colone. . . 2
R E L I E F S
1959 Black (Louis) Memorial Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 9E120004
Collection: Restricted Owner, Waldoboro, Maine
1959 Crow Relief. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 75002948
Collection: Hirschorn Art Museum & Scu Garden 66.392
1960ca Scott (Virginia Steele) Commemorative Relief. . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 04550036
Collection:Huntington Library, San Marino, CA. . . . 95.1
1961 Oval Birdman Relief. . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 9E120003
Collection: Restricted Owner, Waldoboro, Maine
Collection: Smith College Art Museum . . .IAS 77000708
1969 Apollo Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctons: Rago Art & Auction (12 May 2012) [1/2] lot . 355
1969 Cererus Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctons: Rago Art & Auction (12 May 2012) [1/2] lot . 355
1982 Cooke (Cardinal) Portrait Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1970 Saint-Gaudens (Augustus) Homage To Relief. . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 9E120002
Collection: Restricted Owner, Waldoboro, Maine
M E D A L S
Born New Brunswick, New Jersey, 15 August 1922.
Studied at Yale. Worked on FDR Memorial, Washington, DC.
Founded Gehenna Press, 1942. Taught at two Massachusetts colleges:
Smith College, Northampton, and Hampshire College, Amherst.
Baskin found a Saint-Gaudens medallion in a New England
antique shop and bought it. Years later he donated it to the
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University in
honor of John E. Marqusee, a close friend. The Women's
Auxiliary of the Massachusetts Civil Service Reform
Association Presentation Medallion became the keystone
of the collection. It was illustrated on the covers of the
collection's catalog, with description written by DWJ.
(See C14 {1996) below.)
Died Northampton, Massachusetts, 3 June 2000.
R E L I E F S E R I E S
Mythology Relief Series:
(Foundry casts in two uniform sizes: 6½-inch, 17½-inch.)
1969 Andromache Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 34870002
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.1
Collection: Heckscher Art Museum, Huntington, NY
1969 Apollo Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 76002571
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.2
Collection: Corrnell Univ Johnson Art Museum
Collection: Heckscher Art Museum, Huntington, NY
1969 Athena's Shield Relief . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 76002573
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.3
Collection: Corrnell Univ Johnson Art Museum
Collection: Heckscher Art Museum, Huntington, NY
1969 Cerberus Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 76002568
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.4
Collection: Corrnell Univ Johnson Art Museum
1969 Icarus Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 76002572
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.5
Collection: Corrnell Univ Johnson Art Museum
Collection: Heckscher Art Museum, Huntington, NY
1969 Minotaur Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture[>1] IAS 76002570
Collection: Baltimore Museum of Art . . . . . . 1979.165.6
Collection: Corrnell Univ Johnson Art Museum
Collection: Heckscher Art Museum, Huntington, NY
Exhibited: AF14 {1971} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibit, Colone. . . 2
R E L I E F S
1959 Black (Louis) Memorial Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 9E120004
Collection: Restricted Owner, Waldoboro, Maine
1959 Crow Relief. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 75002948
Collection: Hirschorn Art Museum & Scu Garden 66.392
1960ca Scott (Virginia Steele) Commemorative Relief. . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 04550036
Collection:Huntington Library, San Marino, CA. . . . 95.1
1961 Oval Birdman Relief. . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 9E120003
Collection: Restricted Owner, Waldoboro, Maine
Collection: Smith College Art Museum . . .IAS 77000708
1969 Apollo Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctons: Rago Art & Auction (12 May 2012) [1/2] lot . 355
1969 Cererus Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctons: Rago Art & Auction (12 May 2012) [1/2] lot . 355
1982 Cooke (Cardinal) Portrait Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1970 Saint-Gaudens (Augustus) Homage To Relief. . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 9E120002
Collection: Restricted Owner, Waldoboro, Maine
M E D A L S
1961 New York Public Library 50th Anniv Medal . MAco 1961-025
Auctions:. . . . . . . CAL 31:12; J&J 12:285; PCA 42:993,
PCA 43:1189, PCA 81:1915-1916
Auctions:. . . . . . . CAL 31:12; J&J 12:285; PCA 42:993,
PCA 43:1189, PCA 81:1915-1916
1964 Smith College Alumnae Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1964-006
Auctions:. . . . . . . . J&J 11:1564, J&J 18:848, J&J 23:243
1965 National Medal for Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MAco 1965-009
Illustrated: E11 {1976} Friedenberg, Jewish Minters p 86
Auctions:. . . . . . . . J&J 11:1564, J&J 18:848, J&J 23:243
1965 National Medal for Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MAco 1965-009
Illustrated: E11 {1976} Friedenberg, Jewish Minters p 86
1965 Smith College Alumnae Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1965-008
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .J&J 11:1565, J&J 18:849
Exhibited: AF11 {1966} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibit, Athens. 316
Illustrated: E11 {1976} Friedenberg, Jewish Minters p 86
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .J&J 11:1565, J&J 18:849
Exhibited: AF11 {1966} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibit, Athens. 316
Illustrated: E11 {1976} Friedenberg, Jewish Minters p 86
1966 National Gallery of Art Education Medal. . . . MAco 1966-076
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .J&J 4:348
Exhibited: F.I.D.E.M. 13th Congress, Prague (1969) . 814
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .J&J 4:348
Exhibited: F.I.D.E.M. 13th Congress, Prague (1969) . 814
1966 National Gallery of Art Education Medal (obv by Baskin, rev by John
Everett Benson) . . . . MAco 1966-082
Everett Benson) . . . . MAco 1966-082
1968 University of Pennsylvania Law School George Sharswood
Medal [dates/issue: 1968- ]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1968-051
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. J&J 18:898
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . 2000.1.200
Medal [dates/issue: 1968- ]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1968-051
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. J&J 18:898
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . 2000.1.200
1970 Grolier Club Guttenberg and Grolier Medal. . MAco 1970-086
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAL 33:1383; PCA 81:1927
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . 1972.16.1
Exhibited: AF14 {1971} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibit, Colone. . 3
1972 Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Donald
Jones Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1972-087
1972 Eakins (Thomas) House Restoration Medal. . . . . . .
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAL 28:142; J&J 24:416
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . .IAS 08600041
Collection: National Portrait Galery . . . . . 1980.45.1567
1982 Bryant (William) Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Illustrated: AF19 {1983} F.I.D.E.M. Catalog. . . . . 1682
1982 Cooke (Cardinal Terrence) Portrait Medal (delineated by
Baskin, modeled by David Castruccio) . MAco 1982-220
1983 Scott (Viriginia Steele) Foundation Medal. . . . . .
Exhibited: F.I.D.E.M. 20 Congress, Stockholm (1985)161
1988 Saint-Gaudens (Augustus) and Eakins (Thomas) Art Medal
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . 1989.60.1
S C U L P T U R E
1959 Thistle Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 17860004
Collection:Bodwin College Museum of Art. . . . 1963.240
Collection:De Cordova Museum, Scu Park, Lincoln, MA
1967 Wisdom is Lasting – Instinct Fleeting Relief. . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 22280004
Collection: Smith College Museum of Art . . . .1978:20-1
1970 Baskin (Lisa) Portrait Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctons: Rago Art & Auction (12 May 2012) [1/1] lot . 354
1975 Baird (Spencer Fullerton) Relief (for statue). . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 61570147
Collection: Hirschorn Museum & Scu Garden . . . . . 78.7
1981 Whitman (Walt) Relief.(for Whitman statue) . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS PA000491
Collection: Whitman Plaza, Philadelphia . . . . . . . . . .
A R C H I V E S
AAA Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, sound recoring, 54 page transcript.
IAS Inventory of American Sculpture (online).
C O L L E C T I O N S
C14 {1996} Marqusee (John E.) One Hundred Years of American Medallic Art 1845-1945; the
John E. Marqusee Collection; both outside covers, p 69.
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D3 {1911} Benezit (1999 14ed), 1:833.
BA {1956} Who's Who In American Art: 1956 [6ed:28],
1959 [7ed:35], 1962 [8ed:38], 1966 [9ed:25],
1970 [10ed:23], 1973 [11ed:40],
1976 [12ed:31], 1978 [13ed:39],
1980 [14ed:42], 1982 [15ed:53],
1984 [16ed:52], 1986 [17ed:57],
1989 [18ed:60], 1990 [19ed:64],
1992 [20ed:69], 1995 [21ed:72],
1997 [22ed:71], 1999 [23ed:73].
2001 [24ed:1466] (necrology), 2003 [25ed:59!].
D20 {1966} Cummings: 1966 [1ed:48], 1971 [2ed:59-60],
1977 [3ed: ], 1984 [4ed: ],
1988 [5ed: ], 1996 [6ed:95-96].
A12 {1968} Craven, p 659, (biblio) 732.
A29 {1982} Baigell, p 27-28.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 51.
AE1 {1988} Falk, p 3:80.
A38 {1988} Osborne, p 42-43.
A42 {1993} Reynolds, p 249-250.
B50 {1996} Who's Who in America, p 239.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:229-230.
D3a {2006} Benezit. Dictionary of Artists, 1:1275-1276.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
AF11 {1966} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 11th Congress, Athens Greece (1966) 316, p 43.
AF13 {1969} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 13th Congress. Prague (1969) 814, p 57.
AF14 {1971} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 14th Congress. Colone (1971) 2–3, unpaged.
E11 {1976} Friedenberg, p 86-87.
AF19 {1983} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 19th Congress. Florence (1983) 1682, p 357.
AF20 {1985} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 20th Congress. Stockholm (1985) 161, p 31.
P9 {1987} Baskin (Leonard) The Nature of Medals. Médailles (1987) p 11-14.
P3 {1987} Giedroyc (Richard) FIDEM '87: Baskin Opens Series of Lectures with
Discussion of Medal's 'Nature' Coin World 28:1433 (30 September 1987) pp 36, 44.
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAL 33:1383; PCA 81:1927
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . 1972.16.1
Exhibited: AF14 {1971} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibit, Colone. . 3
1972 Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Donald
Jones Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1972-087
1972 Eakins (Thomas) House Restoration Medal. . . . . . .
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAL 28:142; J&J 24:416
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . .IAS 08600041
Collection: National Portrait Galery . . . . . 1980.45.1567
1982 Bryant (William) Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Illustrated: AF19 {1983} F.I.D.E.M. Catalog. . . . . 1682
1982 Cooke (Cardinal Terrence) Portrait Medal (delineated by
Baskin, modeled by David Castruccio) . MAco 1982-220
1983 Scott (Viriginia Steele) Foundation Medal. . . . . .
Exhibited: F.I.D.E.M. 20 Congress, Stockholm (1985)161
1988 Saint-Gaudens (Augustus) and Eakins (Thomas) Art Medal
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . 1989.60.1
S C U L P T U R E
1959 Thistle Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 17860004
Collection:Bodwin College Museum of Art. . . . 1963.240
Collection:De Cordova Museum, Scu Park, Lincoln, MA
1967 Wisdom is Lasting – Instinct Fleeting Relief. . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 22280004
Collection: Smith College Museum of Art . . . .1978:20-1
1970 Baskin (Lisa) Portrait Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctons: Rago Art & Auction (12 May 2012) [1/1] lot . 354
1975 Baird (Spencer Fullerton) Relief (for statue). . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS 61570147
Collection: Hirschorn Museum & Scu Garden . . . . . 78.7
1981 Whitman (Walt) Relief.(for Whitman statue) . . . . . . .
Archives: Inventory of Am Sculpture . . . . IAS PA000491
Collection: Whitman Plaza, Philadelphia . . . . . . . . . .
A R C H I V E S
AAA Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, sound recoring, 54 page transcript.
IAS Inventory of American Sculpture (online).
C O L L E C T I O N S
C14 {1996} Marqusee (John E.) One Hundred Years of American Medallic Art 1845-1945; the
John E. Marqusee Collection; both outside covers, p 69.
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D3 {1911} Benezit (1999 14ed), 1:833.
BA {1956} Who's Who In American Art: 1956 [6ed:28],
1959 [7ed:35], 1962 [8ed:38], 1966 [9ed:25],
1970 [10ed:23], 1973 [11ed:40],
1976 [12ed:31], 1978 [13ed:39],
1980 [14ed:42], 1982 [15ed:53],
1984 [16ed:52], 1986 [17ed:57],
1989 [18ed:60], 1990 [19ed:64],
1992 [20ed:69], 1995 [21ed:72],
1997 [22ed:71], 1999 [23ed:73].
2001 [24ed:1466] (necrology), 2003 [25ed:59!].
D20 {1966} Cummings: 1966 [1ed:48], 1971 [2ed:59-60],
1977 [3ed: ], 1984 [4ed: ],
1988 [5ed: ], 1996 [6ed:95-96].
A12 {1968} Craven, p 659, (biblio) 732.
A29 {1982} Baigell, p 27-28.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 51.
AE1 {1988} Falk, p 3:80.
A38 {1988} Osborne, p 42-43.
A42 {1993} Reynolds, p 249-250.
B50 {1996} Who's Who in America, p 239.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:229-230.
D3a {2006} Benezit. Dictionary of Artists, 1:1275-1276.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
AF11 {1966} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 11th Congress, Athens Greece (1966) 316, p 43.
AF13 {1969} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 13th Congress. Prague (1969) 814, p 57.
AF14 {1971} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 14th Congress. Colone (1971) 2–3, unpaged.
E11 {1976} Friedenberg, p 86-87.
AF19 {1983} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 19th Congress. Florence (1983) 1682, p 357.
AF20 {1985} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 20th Congress. Stockholm (1985) 161, p 31.
P9 {1987} Baskin (Leonard) The Nature of Medals. Médailles (1987) p 11-14.
P3 {1987} Giedroyc (Richard) FIDEM '87: Baskin Opens Series of Lectures with
Discussion of Medal's 'Nature' Coin World 28:1433 (30 September 1987) pp 36, 44.