Finding Aid to the Hubert Julian Stowitts Papers
Bancroft Staff
The Bancroft Library
2018
The Bancroft Library
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
bancref@library.berkeley.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
The Bancroft Library
Title: Hubert Julian Stowitts papers
creator:
Stowitts, Hubert Julian
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 2012/165
Physical Description:
5 linear feet
(2 cartons, 5 boxes, 4 volumes)
Date (inclusive): approximately 1913-1953
Abstract: The papers of American dancer and painter Hubert Julian Stowitts, including biographical materials, correspondence, and exhibition/performance
related materials.
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information
on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Accruals
No future additions are expected.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Hubert Julian Stowitts papers were gifted to the Bancroft Library by Nancy McGie and Susan Reed in 2012.
Biographical / Historical
Hubert Julian Stowitts was born in Rushville, Nebraska on June 26, 1892. His family later moved to California and eventually
settled in Los Angeles. Stowitts attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he graduated in 1915, and where he
first began to study dance. While performing in Berkeley's Greek Theatre, he was discovered and recruited by Anna Pavlova
of the Ballets Russes. He became one of the star dancers of the company, performing in various productions until the early
1920s. After a brief career as a solo dancer, Stowitts retired from ballet and began to pursue other interests, including
figure painting, choreography, costume and set design, motion picture performance, travel and traditional dance of other cultures.
His scholarly studies and painted depictions of traditional Indonesian and Indian dance and costume enjoyed wide popularity
in the 1930s. In 1936, while in Berlin accompanying an exhibition of his figure paintings of American Olympic athletes, Stowitts
assisted Leni Reifenstahl on her documentary Olympia. Riefenstahl protected Stowitts from persecution for being gay, but his
exhibition was closed by the Nazi regime because of their objection to the manner in which Stowitts depicted Jewish and African-American
athletes. Stowitts continued to lecture on Indian and Javanese culture and to paint privately for the remainder of his life.
Hubert Julian Stowitts died in San Marino, California on February 8, 1953.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Hubert Julian Stowitts papers, MSS 2012/165,The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Processing Information
Processed by the Bancroft Library Staff in 2012.
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of personalia, correspondence, writings, exhibition and performance related materials, and assorted
other items. Correspondence is mostly from the 1930s and 1940s.
Separated Materials
Pictorial materials were transferred to the Pictorial Collections of the Bancroft Library (BANC PIC 2012.116). One manuscript
item, a 1605 document from the Inquisition in Peru (gifted to Stowitts) was removed from the collection for separate cataloging.
Conditions Governing Use
Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction
of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions,
privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond
that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the
Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Stowitts, Hubert Julian
Pavlova, Anna
Artists--California
Painters--United States
Dancers
University of California, Berkeley -- Alumni and alumnae.
Gay artists
Dance--20th century
Box 3, Folder 7
Articles about Stowitts
1927
Scope and Contents
Issue of French women's magazine, Femina, with articles on Stowitts' Parisian studio.
Carton 1, Folder 6-9
Address books and mailing list
approximately 1930-1950
Carton 1, Folder 10
UC Berkeley documents
1913-1914
Carton 1, Folder 11-16
Incoming
1910-1953
undated
Carton 1, Folder 17-20
Outgoing
1930-1953
undated
Carton 1, Folder 21
Regarding Tragic Duse
approximately 1940-1949
Carton 1, Folder 22
Letters to Sister Bernice
approximately 1930-1939
Carton 1, Folder 23-38
Letters to mother
1916-1936
Carton 1, Folder 39
Unidentified letters
approximately 1930-1950
Carton 1, Folder 40-41
Manuscript: Adventures in India
1931
Carton 1, Folder 42
Manuscript: The "Arkos" Plan for Post-War Employment
undated
Carton 1, Folder 43
Manuscript: Arkos, A Practical Youth Movement and Center for a World Renaissance in Culture thru the Youth of America
undated
Carton 1, Folder 44
Manuscript: Arkos: The American Renaissance
undated
Carton 1, Folder 45
Manuscript: Arkos
undated
Carton 2, Folder 1-3
Manuscript: The Golden Age of Ballet
undated
Carton 2, Folder 4
Manuscript: The Court Costumes of China
undated
Carton 2, Folder 5
Manuscript: The Javanese Theatre
undated
Carton 2, Folder 6
Assorted manuscript material relating to the Javanese theatre
undated
Carton 2, Folder 7-8
Manuscript: Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory
undated
Carton 2, Folder 9
Manuscript: The Key to the Culture of Indonesia
undated
Carton 2, Folder 10-12
Manuscript: Vanishing India
undated
Carton 2, Folder 13
Manuscript: Industry's Debt to India
undated
Carton 2, Folder 14
Manuscripts and notes: assorted on metaphysical ideas
undated
Carton 2, Folder 15
Manuscripts and notes: assorted
undated
Carton 2, Folder 16
Published writings: assorted
1929-1930
Series 4.
Exhibits/Performances
Carton 2, Folder 17
Dance and art exhibit programs and other ephemera
approximately 1920-1945
Carton 2, Folder 18
Reviews
approximately 1931
Carton 2, Folder 19
Clippings
approximately 1930-1940
Box 3, Folder 1
Clippings
approximately 1930-1940
Carton 2, Folder 20
The Golden Age of the Ballet, assorted
approximately 1948-1991
Carton 2, Folder 21
American Champions
approximately 1936
Carton 2, Folder 22-23
Vanishing India
approximately 1931-1986
Box 5
Scrapbook (mostly Vanishing India)
approximately 1931-1932
Scope and Contents
Mostly articles and ephemera from the Vanishing India exhibit.
Box 4
Scrapbook (mostly Vanishing India)
approximately 1931-1936
Box 1, Folder 3-6
India paintings
1932
Scope and Contents
Issues of the London Illustrated News with articles on Stowitts' India paintings.
Carton 2, Folder 24
The Art of the Theatre in Java
1933
volume 2
Stage Directions for Fay-Yen-Fah
1927
volume 3
Book: The Work of Stowitts for The Fox-God Lyric Ballet in 3 Acts (poem by Templeton Crocker, music by Joseph Redding)
1939
volume 4
Book: The Work of Stowitts for The Fox-God Lyric Ballet in 3 Acts (poem by Templeton Crocker, music by Joseph Redding). Second
copy
1939
Box 3, Folder 7
American Champions
approximately 1936
Box 3, Folder 7
Manuscript of review of Javanese Theatre Paintings by Hubert Stowitts at the Imperial Institute, South Kensington
undated
Carton 2, Folder 25
Materials on Anna Pavlova
Box 1, Folder 1-2
Materials on Anna Pavlova
Scope and Contents
Includes an inscribed copy of "I Shall Always Love the West: Impressions of the Incomparable Anna Pavlova" by J. Paget-Fredericks
volume 1
Book: Anna Pavlova by V. Svetloff
1922
Box 3, Folder 7
Unidentified costume sketches
undated
Carton 2, Folder 27
Travel book on Java
approximately 1930
Carton 2, Folder 28
1932 Olympiad emphemera
1932
Box 3, Folder 2-6
Los Angeles Times Olympic Games sections
1932
Carton 2, Folder 29
Assorted
approximately 1925-1945
Box 2
Zensurkopie: American Athletes by Hubert Stowitts
January 14, 1937
Physical Description:
1 Reels
1 35 mm film reel