ATHOS MENABONI COLLECTION1895-1990Manuscript Collection No. 80 Cason J. Callaway, Sr./Callaway Gardens Series VIII BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Athos Menaboni (1895-1990), a native of Livorno, Italy, was a Georgia artist. He and his wife Sara lived in North Atlanta in a combination home, studio and bird sanctuary. During his lifetime, Menaboni painted more than 150 species of birds. Time magazine compared Athos Menaboni to the artist John James Audubon, calling him "Audubon's heir." Menaboni showed talent in the arts at an early age. He studied at the Royal Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. After serving in the Italian Army in the First World War, Athos Menaboni moved to the United State via North Africa. During the 1920s, Athos worked as an architectural sculptor for the developer of homes on Davis Island in Tampa Bay. Menaboni came to Atlanta in 1927 under a commission from a Mr. Cone. While in Atlanta, Athos Menaboni was introduced to the Atlanta architect Phillip Shutze and produced several mural projects for him. While waiting for a mural commission, Menaboni painted his first bird and bird art became his passion. Callaway Gardens was the beneficiary of the Athos Menaboni estate. Several pieces of the collection are displayed at Callaway Gardens. SERIES NOTES SERIES VIII: ATHOS MENABONI COLLECTION c. 1900-1989 This series is divided into four sections: correspondence, scrapbooks, photographs and art works. Most of the correspondence is contained in seven scrapbook-type binders. In addition to these binders, there are six mounted and matted letters. Scrapbooks contain a wide variety of information covering the lives of Athos and Sara Menaboni. There are original sketches, photographs and newspaper clippings dating from the early 1900s to 1989. The art works comprise original Athos Menaboni paintings, lithographs and proposed art projects. Included in the artwork section are paintings by Roger Tory Peterson and Leonard L. Schule, friends of Menaboni. These are included in this collection as they were part of the Menaboni estate. Correspondence: 1928-89 Folder 1 Six unframed, individually mounted and matted letters Cason Callaway to Sara Menaboni, 1952 Cason Callaway to Athos Menaboni, 1953 Howard "Bo" Callaway to Sara Menaboni, 1954 Ivan Allen, Jr. to Athos Menaboni, April 1963 Ivan Allen, Jr. to Athos Menaboni, July 1963 Virginia Hand Callaway to Athos Menaboni, n. d. Volume 1 1944-89 Volume 2 The "Menaboni Conspiracy," c. 1963 Volume 3 1944-89 Volume 4 The Progressive Farmer and Rinehart Publishing Volume 5 1928-54 Volume 6 Ida Cason Callaway Gardens, 1953-80 Volume 7 1950-89 Scrapbooks: Vol. 8-10 1955-58 Volume 11 From the Tampa Daily Times, 1924 Vol. 12-13 c. 1900 - 1980 Volume 14 Newspaper and magazine articles found in attic, c.1943-89 Volume 15 Creation of Davis Island, Tampa, Florida, c. 1924 Vol. 16-18 n. d. Photographs: Athos Menaboni, c.1915 Athos Menaboni, c. 1945 Athos and Sara Menaboni, c. 1947 Athos and Sara Menaboni with their Irish Setter, c. 1947 Athos and Sara Menaboni with Molly Aeck, c. 1963 Athos and Sara Menaboni n.d. Menaboni working, n.d. Oriental Design, n.d. Volume 19 Transparencies of Menaboni's art. Art works: Alexander H. Stephens Birthplace, Liberty Hall Anguish Baltimore Orioles (Roger Tory Peterson) Bedouin Woman Bizert North Africa Bird sumi-e Black and White engraving Black Panther Brown Thrasher and Cherokee Rose Cardinal Chinese Hibiscus (93 Copies) Collection of 240 bird sketches Connecticut Brook (Leonard L. Schule lithograph) Dante Design for a Mural (2 images on a single board) Designs for the American Camellia Society Eagle in Profile Enterprise Five Cedar Waxwings Perched on a Branch (Peterson) Four pencil sketches of birds Golden Clavaria Aurea Group of color lithographs produced for Mary Maobley: Brown Leghorn, Pair of Quail, Pair of Mourning Dove, Black Minorca Group of nine black and white photo panels Kanji of sign of Menaboni name in blue Lake Landscape Liberty Hall Home of Alexander H. Stephens Livorno map Mask and Roots Monkey and Toucan in Foliage Morning Dove Male and Female Cardinal (Peterson) Of the People, By the People, For the People Pair of Blue Jays (Peterson) Pink paper with Menaboni in Japanese Portrait of a Woman (Mixed media) Portrait of a Woman (Oil) Preliminary Illustration for the World Book Encyclopedia Proposed wall treatment for Dempsey Hotel Red-winged Blackbirds (Peterson) Rose-Breasted Grosbeak (Peterson Saint Francis Sand Terns in Flight Series of pencil sketches from a never published book titled Pedro Set of eight Roger Tory Peterson lithographs Siamese temple rubbing of a dancing Siva Silk painting of bird Still Life with Bottles and Garlic That Shall He Also Reap Tree and Fireflies Three proposed murals: Mother Earth Bestowing Gifts to Chattanooga, Eagle flanked by men, Olive branch-wrapped scroll Three proposed murals: Three White Cranes, Birds and Deer, Flock of White Cranes Two Hooded Mergansers Two pairs of lithographs: Green, Yellow, and Red Maple Leaves, Tulip Tree Two sketches of human heads Unfinished Blue Butterfly and Dogwood (1 Large & 1 small) Valley Quail Vine-Wrapped Tree Whatsoever a Man Soweth (1 Large & 1 small) Yalalteca Oaxaco Zodiac Tracings: Art Architecture Callaway Gardens ATHOS MENABONI COLLECTION 1895-1990 Manuscript Collection No. 80 Cason J. Callaway, Sr./Callaway Gardens Series VIII Biographical Note ..1 Scope and Content .1 Container List .1-3 Tracings .4 Return to Manuscripts Index | Return to Holdings and Databases
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