Edward Gordon Craig papers, 1883-1966

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Summary

Creators:
Craig, Edward Gordon
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). The collection consists of materials related to Craig's career as an English stage designer and producer.
Extent:
10.5 linear feet (15 boxes, 16 oversize boxes, and 3 cartons)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Edward Gordon Craig Papers (Collection 1006). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of materials related to Craig's career as an English stage designer and producer. Includes correspondence, manuscripts, books owned and annotated by Craig, articles by or referring to Craig, photographs, designs, and ephemera.

Biographical / historical:

Edward Henry Gordon Craig was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England, January 16, 1872; son of Ellen Terry, a Shakespearean actress, and Edward William Godwin, and brother of Edith Craig, a theatrical producer and director; attended Southfield Park School in Tunbridge Wells, Bradfield College, and Heidelberg College in Germany; married and later divorced from actress May Gibson; member of the Lyceum, London, where he received training as an actor and began his career in stage design and production, 1889-95; involved in productions such as Acis and Galatea (1902), The Vikings at Helgeland (1903), and Much Ado About Nothing (1903); publications include: The Art of the Theatre (1905), On the Art of Theatre (1911), Scene (1923), Woodcuts and Some Words (1924) and a partial biography titled, Index to the Story of My Days (1957); magazine publications include: The Page (1898-1901) and The Mask (1908-29); appointed Royal Designer for Industry of the Royal College of Art, 1938; made a Companion of Honour, 1958; president of the Mermaid Theatre, London (1964); died July 29, 1966 in Vence, France.

Missing Title
Date Event
January 16, 1872
Edward Henry Gordon Craig born at Stevenage, Hertsfordshire, England. Son of Ellen Terry and Edward William Godwin.
1883-1886
Southfield Park School, Tunbridge Wells
1884-1885
Visits United States on tour with Ellen Terry and Henry Irving. Makes first speaking appearance on stage in Eugene Aram.
1886-1887
Bradfield College.
1887-1888
Heidelberg College, Heidelberg.
1888-1889
Southfield Park School, Tunbridge Wells, as a private student.
1889-1892
At the Lyceum, London, under the direction of Henry Irving; provincial tours.
1893
At the Lyceum. Met James Pryde and William Nicholson (the Beggarstaff artists) and began wood carving; at Uxbridge does his first stage production, de Musset's On ne badine pas avec l'amour.
1894
Provincial tours.
1895
Leaves the Lyceum; provincial tours.
1896
Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet
1897
Meets Martin Shaw, the English composer and conductor.
1898
The Page
1899
Gordon Craig's Book of Penny Toys
1900
Bookplates, a booklet. Presents Dido and Aeneas
1901
Dido and Aeneas and The Masque of Love
1902
Acis and Galatea and The Masque of Love in London. Publishes souvenir program illustrated by his woodcuts for the performance. Designs settings for Bethlehem
1903
The Harvest Home. Designs sets for Fred Terry's production of Sword and Song and enters theatrical management with Ellen Terry and Edith Craig (Edward Gordon Craig's sister) in production of Ibsen's The Vikings and Much Ado about Nothing
1904
Venice Preserved
1905
The Art of the Theatre
1906
Isadora Duncan - Six Movement Designs in Germany. Meets Eleonora Duse in Berlin and designs sets for Rosmersholm
1907
The White Fan
1908
The Mask in Florence as forum for theatre criticism; publishes A Portfolio of Etchings. Travels to Moscow to discuss Stanislavsky's production of Hamlet
1910
Travels to Moscow.
1911
On the Art of the Theatre. W.B. Yeats uses Craig's new screens in sets for his plays at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. Honored by dinner in London on July 16. In Moscow for the presentation of Hamlet
1913
A Living Theatre
1914-1916
School closes due to war and lack of funds; suspends publication of The Mask, writes marionette plays.
1917
Moves to the Villa Raggio, Rapallo, Italy.
1918
The Mask in April. Publishes The Marionette
1919
The Mask. The Theatre Advancing
1922
Invited to open the International Exhibition of Theatre Art and Craft at the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam. Exhibit travels to London and Manchester.
1923
Scene
1924
Woodcuts and Some Words, and Nothing, or the Bookplate
1925
Books and Theatres
1926
The Crown Pretenders
1930
Hamlet with Craig's prints is published. In A Production-1926, Craig's illustrations for The Crown Pretenders are published. Also published the biography, Henry Irving
1931
Ellen Terry and her Secret Self
1934
Invited to Volta Conference in Rome by Pirandello and Marconi; meets Marinetti, Maeterlinck, and Gropius.
1935
Visits Moscow and meets Brecht, Litvanov and Eisenstein.
1938
Appointed a Royal Designer for Industry.
1940
Taken to Stalag 142, Besançon, as a British citizen living in occupied Paris.
1957
Index to the Story of my Days
1958
Made a Companion of Honour.
1962
Eight Wood Engravings for Hamlet
1966
Dies in Vence, France.
Acquisition information:
B.F. Stevens Brown, Limited, purchase, 1960.
Processing information:

Processed by Charlotte Payne, August 1976. Revised by Lilace Hatayama, February 1987.

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Physical location:
Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Set designers -- England -- Archives.
Theatrical producers and directors -- England -- Archives.
Names:
Craig, Edward Gordon, 1872-1966
Indexes:

List of Added Entries

Bernhardt, Sarah, 1844-1923.
Craig, Edith, 1869-1947.
Craig, Edward Anthony, 1904- .
The crown pretenders.
de Walden, Lord Howard.
Greet, Sir Ben, 1857-1936.
Housman, Laurence, 1865-1959.
Irving, Sir Henry, 1838-1905.
St. John, Christopher Marie (pseudonym).
Terry, Dame Ellen, 1847-1928.
Shaw, Martin Fallas, 1875-1958.

List of Added Entries

1. Actor G92, E86.
2. Stage Manager G86, E82.
3. Ophelia.
4. Ophelia Mad G136, E124.
5. Bird Dancer.
6. Ghost with Crown G17, E17.
7. Ghost with Bone G115, E110.
8. Hamlet & Daemon (Large).
9. Hamlet & Daemon (Small) G77, E70.
10. Hamlet with Skull G154, E150.
11. Laertes G160, E156.
12. Queen G134, E123.
13. A Lord (Guildenstern) G170, E162.
14. Seated Figure (Large).
14C. Seated Figure (Small).
15. King Claudius G122, E114.
16. Actor (3/4 length)--two blocks: second E64.
17. Polonius G24, E24.
18. Osric G168, E160.
19. Yorick G155, E151.
20. Gravediggers.
21. Candlebearer 1.
22. Candlebearer 2.
23. Candlebearer 3.
24. Candlebearer 4.
25. Doubt G162, E74.
26. Soldiers seated G10, E10.
27. Ghost in flames G11, E11.
28. Courtier.
29. Courtier.
30. Hamlet with curtain G21, E21.
31. Hamlet/Horatio profile.
32. Mask for Queen.
33. Soldier with Shield (Large) G9, E9.
34. Soldier with Shield (Small) G140.
Block 2 E128.
35. Fencer A:. Block 1, Block 2, Block 3 G175, E167.
36. Fencer B:. Block 1, Block 2 G175, E167, Block 3.
37. Hamlet & King Claudius G109, E102.
38. S.1 & S.3 Black Girl.
39. Girl with Stick.
40. Shylock.
41. Antonio.
42. Bassanio.
43. Lorenzo.
44. Lawyer.
45. Young Gobbo.
46. Old Gobbo.
47. Lady in Waiting.
48. Three Witches.
49. Running Figure.
50. The Jewess.
51. Cuchulain.
52. Priestess.
53. Group of Four Men.
54. Mask.
55. Mask.
56. Rosencrantz.
57. Guildenstern.
58. Iphigenia.
59. Mourners.
60. The Jew.
61B. Beauty.
62. The Beast.
63. Group of Eight Men.
64. Moses.
65. Lust.
66. Dancing Girl.
67. Hunger.
68. Girl with Ball.
69. Susanna.
70. First Elder.
71. Second Elder.
72. Hecuba.
73. Ophelia with Willow.
74. Roman Actor.
75. Electra.
76. Roman Actor.
77. Roman Actor.
78A. Roman Actor, Block 1.
78B. Roman Actor, Block 2.
79. The Scrivener.
80. The Priest.
81. Worshipper.
82. Gravedigger (Second) G149, E144.
82B. Gravedigger (First) G150, E146.
83. Portia.
84. Fear.
85. Eve.
86. Kultur, Culture, Cultura et cie.
87. Self-Portrait.
88. Thespis.
89. Hamlet with Sword:. Block 1, Block 2 G111, E105.
90. Shakespeare.

Access and use

Restrictions:

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Terms of access:

Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Edward Gordon Craig Papers (Collection 1006). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website