This oral history interview with Frederic Littman was conducted by Charles Digregorio at Littman’s home in Portland, Oregon, on February 6, 1974, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library’s oral history program.

In this interview, Littman discusses his welded bronze sculpture called “Joy” located in Portland’s Council Crest Park, and talks about sculpting with different materials. He discusses his art education and art career in Budapest, Hungary, and in Paris, France. He shares his reasons for leaving Europe during World War II, and talks about how he came to Portland, Oregon, in 1941. He briefly speaks about his career as an art professor at Reed College, at the Museum Art School, now known as the Pacific Northwest College of Art, and at Portland State University. He also talks about the art career of his former wife, Marianne Littman. He talks about his sculptures and artworks in public spaces in Portland, including the doors he designed for the Zion Lutheran Church. He discusses concepts for future artworks, talks about his artistic process, and reflects on his development as an artist. He also discusses his preference for sculpting female figures, talks about his attempts to express political ideas through his art, and closes the interview by sharing why he prefers to live in Portland over New York City or Paris.