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Edward Gordon Craig Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MS100

  • Staff Only
  • No requestable containers

Abstract

Edward Henry Gordon Craig (1872-1966) was a member of the Lyceum, London, where he received training as an actor and began his career in stage design and production (1889-95). He was appointed Royal Designer for Industry of the Royal College of Art (1938), made a Companion of Honour (1958) and was appointed president of the Mermaid Theatre, London (1964).

Dates

  • 1892-1932

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on use of the materials in the department for research; all patrons must comply with federal copyright regulations.

Biographical / Historical

The collection of archival materials, books and periodicals pertaining to Edward Gordon Craig was given to the McCormick Library by John Wesley Swanson (NU, 1928). Included is a complete set of Craig’s theatre periodical, The Mask, a set of The Marionette, many of Craig’s books such as Book of Penny Toys, On the Art of the Theatre, Towards a New Theatre, The Theatre Advancing, and Ellen Terry and Her Secret Self. There are also a dozen catalogs of exhibitions of Craig’s drawings and woodcuts, a copy of the Cranach Hamlet, published by Count Harry Graf Kessler in Weimar in 1928, and many of the academic studies of Craig and his work.

Archival material in the collection includes correspondence relating to Edward Gordon Craig, his mother Ellen Terry, and other members of the Craig family, as well as letters connected with the family of actor Henry Irving. Craig manuscripts consist of “Notes to the Marionette Drama,” a Merlin essay, and several B.B.C. radio talks annotated by Craig. There are numerous original graphics by Edward Gordon Craig, including woodcuts and design sketches. Ephemera includes theatre programs, stationery, advertisements, postcards, announcements, order forms, etc. from Craig enterprises such as Arena Goldoni in Florence and the Purcell Operatic Society. There is also a large collection of playbills from performances by Craig, Ellen Terry, and/or Henry Irving. A guide to the collection is available.

John Wesley Swanson also donated a collection of theatre books and ephemera, mostly playbills, related to Henry Irving who was impresario at the Lyceum Theatre. Ellen Terry was the principle actress. Books include memoirs of many important contemporary theatre people such as Beerbohm Tree, Bram Stoker, David Belasco, Austin Brereton, and Forbes-Robertson.

Extent

3 Boxes

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection of archival materials, books and periodicals pertaining to Edward Gordon Craig was given to the McCormick Library by John Wesley Swanson (NU, 1928).

Title
Guide to the Edward Gordon Craig Collection
Author
Sigrid Perry
Date
March 1997
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Library Details

Part of the Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Deering Library, Level 3
1970 Campus Drive
Evanston IL 60208-2300 US
847-491-3635