George Him’s Archive in London – content and research value

Abstract

Jerzy Him (1900-1986; later known as George Him) was a Jewish artist born in Łódź. In 1933, with his friend Jan Lewitt he founded a design studio in Warsaw (Atelier Lewitt- -Him). In 1937 artists moved their company to the United Kingdom and settled in London. Him left impressive collection of his artistic projects and personal documents. The Archive contains his correspondence, diaries, address books, financial records, passports, photos and variety of his artistic works: sketches, proofs, original artworks and even artistic tools. These belongings are records of his social life and whole artistic career from 1920s to 1986 when he died. The Archive, initially kept by Him’s widow, after her death was deposited in the Archive of Art and Design in Victoria and Albert Museum in London. This paper is about history and content of G. Him’s Archive. Its variety of documents and artworks might have some potential uses for researchers interested in art history, children books and Polish-Jewish émigré society in Great Britain in the 20th century.