This subseries documents the writings of Johnson Collection curatorial staff, as well as outside researchers who consulted the Johnson Collection and its staff for research purposes. As the subseries title indicates, not all the writings pertain to the Johnson Collection. Those that do are in draft stages only, or are lecture scripts and therefore are also unpublished. Of particular note is the typescript essay, presumably written by Henri Marceau, documenting the history of the Johnson Collection from its beginnings through 1955. Also noteworthy is the typescript and printed version of Marceau's article "William Penn's other statue," published posthumously by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania upon Barbara Sweeney's urging. There is also a significant amount of correspondence with the Centre national de recherches "Primitifs flamands" about primitive Flemish paintings in the Johnson Collection.

Later lectures and unpublished or unrelated writings are included in the "1973-1992" and "1993+" subseries of the "Subject" series. Folders are identified as "Writings." For material regarding the production and sales of Johnson Collection catalogs, see the "Publications" series.