Abstract
The Jeanne Russell Janish Papers (1833-1994; bulk dates 1894-1994) consist of journals, diaries, research files, academic records, correspondence, photographs, and paintings and drawings that document the life and work of the illustrator and watercolorist. The paintings and drawings consist of approximately 140 watercolors and pencil sketches of various scenes and subjects, created in China, Florida, and the American Southwest. The collection also includes writings by Jeanne’s husband, Carl F. Janish.
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Scope and Contents Note
The Jeanne Russell Janish Papers (1833-1994; bulk dates 1894-1994) consist of journals, diaries, research files, academic records, correspondence, photographs, and paintings and drawings that document the life and work of the illustrator and watercolorist. The materials include artifacts such as dried flowers, two hand-woven rugs from the Fette-Li Rug Company in China, and art supplies and tools. The paintings and drawings consist of approximately 140 watercolors and pencil sketches of various scenes and subjects, created in China, Florida, and the American Southwest. In addition to a book manuscript written by Jeanne R. Janish on scientific illustration techniques, the materials also include a manuscript on Chinese silkworms and news reports from China written by Jeanne’s husband, Carl F. Janish.
Access Note
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
This material is made available to facilitate private study, scholarship, or research. The donor, Jeanne Russell Janish, transferred all right, title and interest they had in the Jeanne Russell Janish Papers (MS-00355) to UNLV. However, some material may be protected by copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity rights, or other interests not owned by UNLV. Users are responsible for determining whether permissions are necessary from rights owners for any intended use and for obtaining all required permissions. Acknowledgement of the UNLV University Libraries is requested. For more information, please see the UNLV Special Collections policies on reproductions and use or contact us at special.collections@unlv.edu.
Arrangement
Materials are arranged by type.
Biographical / Historical Note
Jeanne Russell Janish was born on October 20, 1902 in Marshall, Iowa. She spent her early years in St. Louis, Missouri, where her father, Francis, was a Presbyterian minister. The family later moved to Santa Clara, California. Janish attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, her mother Lucile's alma mater, and graduated in 1924 as a member of Phi Beta Kappa with a major in Latin and a minor in geology. After graduation, she entered Stanford University, graduating in 1926 as the first woman to receive a Master of Arts degree in geology from the institution. While in school, Stanford paleontologist James Perrin Smith noticed Jeanne's creative abilities and encouraged her to study scientific illustration. Her career led her to illustrate thirty-two major scientific manuscripts, several field guides, and numerous scientific articles.
In 1929, Jeanne left for China on a visit, but stayed to work as a rug designer for her cousin Helen Fette at the latter's Fette-Li Rug Company. Her experiences at the company are recorded in her diaries. She met Carl F. Janish, a former United States Marine working for the New York Times in Beijing, and the couple married in late 1929. In 1934, the Janishes returned to the United States.
The couple spent seven years in California, where Jeanne worked as a freelance illustrator and Carl ran a summer camp, before making several moves around the country in the 1940s and early 1950s. In 1952, the couple settled in Carson City, Nevada for a short time before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1954. Carl Janish, a professional engineer, worked as a contractor at the Nevada Test Site and the Clark County Library District, while Jeanne pursued her career as an illustrator and focused on local botany.
Jeanne Russell Janish died in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 4, 1998.
Source:
"Jeanne Russell Janish." Women in Nevada History. Accessed March 26, 2019. https://www.womennvhistory.com/portfolio/jeanne-russel-janish/
Preferred Citation
Jeanne Russell Janish Papers, 1833-1994. MS-00355. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 1995 by Jeanne Russell Janish; accession number 95-31.
Processing Note
Material was partially processed in 1995 by Marie Imus. In 2015, Joyce Moore processed the remainder of the collection and created the finding aid in ArchivesSpace. In 2019, as part of an archival backlog elimination project, Melise Leech rehoused the materials and updated the finding aid to bring it into compliance with current professional standards. In 2025, Landon Paljusaj processed additional material and updated the finding aid.