Top of page

Notice
Special holiday hours in effect, December 2025 through January 2026. More information.

Collection Photo, Print, Drawing Visual materials from the Clare Boothe Luce papers

[ Archival Collection Storage Example ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

About this Item

Title

  • Visual materials from the Clare Boothe Luce papers

Summary

  • The collection includes photographs relating to Luce's varied careers and her personal life. Many document official activities and travels she undertook during her service as U.S. Ambassador to Italy (1953-1956); others document Luce's careers as a photojournalist, congresswoman, actress and playwright; some also show her involvement in Republican party politics. Aspects of Luce's personal life are revealed in images depicting her family; prominent friends and acquaintances; family vacations; portraits of Luce as a child and young adult. The collection also includes some portraits of Henry Luce's family; photographs of the Luce's art collection; posters advertising Luce's plays The Women, Margin for Error, and Kiss the Boys Goodbye.

Names

  • Luce, Clare Boothe, 1903-1987, collector

Created / Published

  • ca. 1860-1981, bulk 1935-1966.

Headings

  • -  Luce, Clare Boothe,--1903-1987
  • -  Luce family
  • -  Booth family
  • -  Women--Political activity--1930-1970
  • -  Women--Employment--1930-1970
  • -  Ambassadors--American--Italy--1950-1960
  • -  Theatrical productions--1930-1970

Format Headings

  • Group portraits--1860-1970.
  • Photographic prints--1860-1970.
  • Portrait photographs--1860-1970.
  • Posters--1930-1960.

Genre

  • Portrait photographs--1860-1970
  • Group portraits--1860-1970
  • Photographic prints--1860-1970
  • Posters--1930-1960

Notes

  • -  Arrangement: Photographs are organized into three groups with the call number designation "LOT" (LOT 11236, LOT 13260, and LOT 13261). Posters are assigned to the following filing series: POS-SPAIN and POS-TH. One panoramic photograph is filed in the PAN FOR GEOG filing series. Each format is cataloged separately. Those that are in the Library's online catalog are linked through the collection title: Visual materials from the Clare Boothe Luce papers.
  • -  Finding aid listing folder categories within each LOT is available in the Prints & Photographs Division Reading Room. Also available online https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/eadpnp.pp002009
  • -  Collection title devised by Library staff.
  • -  Most images include English or Italian captions.
  • -  Collection includes 147 film negatives filed in: LC-L303, LC-L312, LCL313, LC314, LC-L315, LC-L323, LC-L325, and LC-L333.
  • -  Thirty-one of Luce's original photo albums have been placed in Supplementary Archives. These are filed under the collection name and LOT number (LOT 11236).
  • -  Images are from a variety of public and private sources, including commercial and international news photo agencies. Some prominent photographers whose works are represented include: Philippe Halsman, Alfred Eisenstaedt, and Carl Mydans.
  • -  Transfer; Manuscript Division (Papers of Clare Boothe Luce papers); 1970 (DLC/PP-1970:281).
  • -  Transfer; Manuscript Division (Papers of Clare Boothe Luce papers); 1994 (DLC/PP-1994:008)
  • -  Forms part of the Clare Boothe Luce papers.

Medium

  • whole collection 3,740 items
  • 3,740 photographs (chiefly photographic prints) ; various sizes.

Call Number/Physical Location

  • Guide Record [P&P]

Source Collection

  • Luce, Clare Boothe, 1903-1987. Clare Boothe Luce papers

Repository

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 00650002

Rights Advisory

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress generally does not own rights to material in its collections and, therefore, cannot grant or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute the material. For information about assessing rights, see the Rights and Restrictions Information page.

  • Rights Advisory: Rights status of individual images not evaluated. For general information see "Copyright and Other Restrictions ...," https://aj.sunback.homes/rr/print/195_copr.html
  • Reproduction Number: ---
  • Call Number: Guide Record [P&P]
  • Access Advisory: ---

Obtaining Copies

Generally, Guide Records describe large groups of items from which a selection must be made. The individual items in the group may or may not be represented online.

  1. 1. Determine whether the desired materials can be retrieved online.
    • Select the "About this Item" tab and look for a note about tools for searching the group
    • If there is a note such as "Digitized images of most prints along with associated descriptive information are available through the Prints & Photographs Online Catalog," try searching the name of the collection in Search All
    • Select the "Obtaining Copies" tab for any retrieved items that are of interest.
  2. 2. If the desired material cannot be retrieved online:

Access to Originals

Please use the following steps to determine whether you need to fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room to view the original item(s). In some cases, a surrogate (substitute image) is available, often in the form of a digital image, a copy print, or microfilm.

  1. Is the item digitized? (A thumbnail (small) image will be visible on the left.)

    • Yes, the item is digitized. Please use the digital image in preference to requesting the original. All images can be viewed at a large size when you are in any reading room at the Library of Congress. In some cases, only thumbnail (small) images are available when you are outside the Library of Congress because the item is rights restricted or has not been evaluated for rights restrictions.
      As a preservation measure, we generally do not serve an original item when a digital image is available. If you have a compelling reason to see the original, consult with a reference librarian. (Sometimes, the original is simply too fragile to serve. For example, glass and film photographic negatives are particularly subject to damage. They are also easier to see online where they are presented as positive images.)
    • No, the item is not digitized. Please go to #2.

  2. Do the Access Advisory or Call Number fields above indicate that a non-digital surrogate exists, such as microfilm or copy prints?

    • Yes, another surrogate exists. Reference staff can direct you to this surrogate.
    • No, another surrogate does not exist. Please go to #3.
  3. If you do not see a thumbnail image or a reference to another surrogate, please fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room. In many cases, the originals can be served in a few minutes. Other materials require appointments for later the same day or in the future. Reference staff can advise you in both how to fill out a call slip and when the item can be served.

To contact Reference staff in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room, please use our Ask A Librarian service or call the reading room between 8:30 and 5:00 at 202-707-6394, and Press 3.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Luce, Clare Boothe, Collector. Visual materials from the Clare Boothe Luce papers. Italy, ca. 1860. to 1981, Bulk 1935 to 1966. Photograph. https://aj.sunback.homes/item/00650002/.

APA citation style:

Luce, C. B. (ca. 1860) Visual materials from the Clare Boothe Luce papers. Italy, ca. 1860. to 1981, Bulk 1935 to 1966. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://aj.sunback.homes/item/00650002/.

MLA citation style:

Luce, Clare Boothe, Collector. Visual materials from the Clare Boothe Luce papers. to 1981, Bulk 1935 to 1966. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <aj.sunback.homes/item/00650002/>.