Scope and Contents
The collection primarily contains research notes about Russian art and iconography arranged in one series, which is organized chronologically and alphabetically by theme. The collection includes an Index of Iconographic types of the Virgin Mary and examples of particular themes, such as the Virgin Galaktotrophousa, Virgin Hodegetria, and Virgin Orant. Additionally, the collection contains some correspondence about Russian icons and artifact evaluations.
Dates
- Creation: 1940 - 1965
Language of Materials
Materials in the collection include English, French, and Russian.
Conditions Governing Access
An appointment is required for access to these papers. To request an appointment, fill out the online form: http://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/access-and-hours/schedule-an-appointment.
For research queries, contact the staff of Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives (library@doaks.org).
Conditions Governing Use
Duplication of materials in the collection may be governed by copyright and other restrictions.
Extent
3 boxesBiographical Note
Scheffer was born Nathalie Petrovna Loukine in St. Petersburg, Russia in December 1889. She graduated from the Empress Catherine Institute. She married Prince Nicholas Sergeievich Wolkonsky (d. 1937), chamberlain to the Russian Czar, with whom she had two children, Peter and Dimitri. In the 1920s she married journalist Peter Scheffer (d. 1965), editor-in-chief of the Berliner Tageblatt and subsequently a Washington correspondent. In 1930, she came to the United States and settled in Washington D.C.
Scheffer joined the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection in 1945, as head of the Slavic Division, a position she held until her retirement in 1965. During her time at Dumbarton Oaks, Scheffer prepared a corpus of research notes on the iconography of the Virgin. In 1967, Scheffer published a monograph Русская православная икона [Russian Orthodox Icons] (Vashington, 1967). In addition to her work on Russian icons and ecclesiastical art, Scheffer published her memoirs under a pseudonym [Natalia Petrova, Twice born in Russia: My Life Before and in the Revolution (New York: W. Morrow & company, 1930)]. Scheffer died on December 11, 1981.
Arrangement
The contents in this collection are roughly arranged in chronological order and alphabetical order by theme.
Custodial History
This collection was the product of Scheffer’s employment as the Head of the Slavic Division in the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library from 1945 to 1965. After her retirement, Scheffer donated her materials to Dumbarton Oaks. However, due to the lack of documentation, it is difficult to determine the complete acquisition history for this collection.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The papers were subsequently transferred to the Byzantine Photograph Collection, now known as the Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives (ICFA), and were later found in the former Curator’s office.
Processing Information
Archival processing and finding aid were completed by Gerrianne Schaad, former ICFA Curator, and Laura Bang, former ICFA Archives Assistant, in October 2007. Finding was revised in December 2012 by Rona Razon, Archives Specialist and in September 2013 by Fani Gargova, Byzantine Research Associate.
- Title
- Nathalie P. Scheffer research papers, 1940-1965 (MS.BZ.010): Finding Aid
- Author
- Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives; Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Harvard University.
- Language of description
- eng
- EAD ID
- dca00006
Repository Details
Part of the Dumbarton Oaks Repository
Dumbarton Oaks holds archival collections in its Rare Book Collection, Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives, and the Dumbarton Oaks Archives. The collections include: the papers of noteworthy scholars in the three fields that Dumbarton Oaks supports (Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape); image collections depicting objects or sites of topical interest to scholars in the three fields; Beatrix Farrand’s personal archive of letters and original drawings that document the development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden; and institutional records and architectural plans and drawings documenting the history of Dumbarton Oaks. For more information about hours and to make an appointment to consult any of the collections listed here, please fill out the request form: https://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/schedule-an-appointment