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Collection Data
- Description
- The James and Charles Daugherty collection dates from about 1915 to 1938 and contains drawings by American artists and children's book authors James Henry Daugherty and his son Charles. The collection is primarily comprised of studies of American dancer Ted Shawn by James; and a sketchbook that belonged to Charles, documenting a trip he took with Lincoln Kirstein and the Ballet Caravan in 1938.
- Names
- Daugherty, James, 1889-1974 (Creator)
- Daugherty, Charles Michael, 1914- (Artist)
- Daugherty, James, 1889-1974 (Artist)
- Dates / Origin
- Date Created: 1915 - 1938
- Library locations
- Jerome Robbins Dance Division
- Shelf locator: (S) *MGZMD 494
- Topics
- Shawn, Ted, 1891-1972
- Ballet Caravan, Inc. (New York, N.Y.)
- Genres
- Drawings
- Sketchbooks
- Posters
- Notes
- Biographical/historical: James Henry Daugherty (1889-1974) was an American artist and children's book author and illustrator. He was educated at the Corcoran School of Art and the Darby School of Painting. Prior to beginning his career, Daugherty studied under British artist Frank Brangwyn. Daugherty worked as an abstract painter, muralist, and illustrator for government posters, magazines, advertising, and children's literature. In 1914 his son, Charles Michael Daugherty, was born in New York City. Like both of his parents, Charles would choose a career in children's literature, both authoring and illustrating. While his father's books typically centered around American politicians and writers, many of Charles's books featured scientific professions and introductions to other careers. James collaborated on book projects with both his son and and his wife, Sonia Medvedeva Daugherty.
- Content: The collection dates from about 1915 to 1938 and contains 33 studies of dancer Ted Shawn by American artist James Daugherty; drawings by Charles Michael Daugherty; and a large poster advertising Sergei Diaghilev's American debut of Ballet Russes at the Metropolitan Opera.
The works created by James Daugherty are gesture figure drawings of Ted Shawn. The vast majority are labeled simply with Shawn's name, though a small number depict Shawn specifically in positions as St. Francis of Assisi. The studies are drawn on onion skin and done predominantly in brown crayon, with some images incorporating orange.
The majority of the drawings by Charles Michael are held in a sketchbook that he took with him during a 1938 tour with Lincoln Kirstein and his Ballet Caravan, during which time Charles Michael reportedly assisted Kirstein with the driving. The drawings depict buildings, dancers, and other individuals in Athens, Georgia, and the towns of Charleston and Rock Hill, South Carolina. Drawings created while the group was in Cuba depict boats and figure drawings of police officers, farmers, and dancers. The sketchbook also contains draft sketches of sign reading "Ballet Caravan." Portraits in the collection drawn by Charles Michael include Lincoln Kirstein, Marie-Jeanne, and Katharine [sic] Mason. While his drawings are almost exclusively done in black ink and graphite (a few contain a yellowish wash in watercolor), Charles Michael labeled some dancing and other figures' clothing with colors.
- Acquisition: Donated by the Friends of James Daugherty Foundation, 2018.
- Physical Description
- Extent: .3 linear feet (2 boxes)
- Type of Resource
- Still image
- Identifiers
- NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b21668564
- MSS Unit ID: 24606
- Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 1bf0eed0-41f3-0138-52bc-45b3ee604e76
