Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V. Rinse, repeat.
ARCH.2003.31, Rendition: 804299
This image displays a vintage, typewritten clipping from the Harvard Crimson newspaper, dated October 18, 1950. The article, titled “ON EXHIBIT” and written by Stephen O. Saxe, announces and reviews an exhibition titled “Designs for the Theater at Fogg Museum.”
The article focuses on three Harvard alumni who are scenic designers: Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson. It emphasizes that while their works are displayed as art in the gallery, their true craft lies in creating physical stage settings, not hanging paintings. The author quotes Jones, who viewed scene design as an “intention,” to be judged for its interpretive quality rather than for practical stage attributes like “plasticity” or “compatibility with the play’s flow of action.”
The piece gives special attention to Robert Edmond Jones, calling him the most important designer not just among the three, but in the entire American theater. It notes his influences — Gordon Craig’s “new stagecraft” and Adolphe Appia’s theories of light — and cites his 1915 design for “A Man Who Married a Dumb Wife,” where he rejected historical accuracy in favor of symbolic, cheerful primary colors and light frame construction to capture the “spirit” of the play.
The article concludes by discussing Lee Simonson, noting that while he modified Jones’ emphasis on the designer’s personality, he largely remained faithful to the concept of interpretive, selective realism.
Visual Details:
Overall, this is a historical document highlighting mid-20th-century American theater design, framed within a university context, and serves as an artifact of critical discourse on stagecraft and artistic influence.
The image is a scanned article from the "Harvard Crimson" dated October 18, 1950. The article is titled "ON EXHIBIT" and discusses "Designs for the Theater" at the Fogg Museum. The author of the article is Stephen O. Saxe. The content of the article highlights three Harvard artists—Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson—who are showcased in the exhibit. The focus is on their theatrical designs, emphasizing that while these are excellent as drawings, their real work is in creating physical stage settings.
The article delves into the philosophy of Robert Edmond Jones, who is described as the most significant designer of the three. It mentions his influence by Gordon Craig's "new stagecraft" and Adolphe Appia's theories of light. Specifically, Jones is credited with a production of "A Man Who Married a Dumb Wife" in 1915, where he avoided traditional medieval scenery and instead used light frame construction and cheerful primary colors to symbolize the spirit of the play. The article also notes that Jones prioritized his personal response to the play over historical accuracy.
The article concludes with a mention of Simonson's approach, which is described as a modification of Jones' emphasis on the designer’s personality while staying true to the concept of interpretive, selective realism.
The image is a scanned article from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 18, 1950. The title of the article is "Designs for the Theater" written by Stephen O. Saxe. The article discusses an exhibition at the Fogg Museum featuring theatrical designs by three Harvard men: Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson. It highlights their skills as draftsmen, colorists, and composers of scenic designs, emphasizing that their real work involves creating physical stage settings. The article notes that their designs should be judged as "intentions" rather than finished products, focusing on qualities like plasticity and compatibility with the play's flow of action.
The article further describes Robert Edmond Jones as the most important designer in the American theater, influenced by Gordon Craig's "new stagecraft" and Adolphe Appia's theories of light. It mentions a specific production of "A Man Who Married a Dumb Wife" in 1915, where Jones used light frame construction and primary colors to symbolize the spirit of the play, rather than relying on historical accuracy. The article concludes with a note on Lee Simonson's approach, which modifies Jones' emphasis on the designer's personality while maintaining the concept of interpretive, selective realism.
The image shows a piece of paper with text written on it. The paper is old and appears to be a newspaper clipping. The text is written in black ink on a beige background. The text is written in a cursive font and is arranged in a column format. The text is written in a formal tone and appears to be an article about theater design. The article discusses the work of three Harvard men who are scenic designers for the theater. The article highlights the importance of scenic design in theater and the unique styles of each designer. The article also mentions the influence of Adolphe Appia's theories of light on the work of one of the designers. Overall, the image depicts a piece of historical text that provides insight into the world of theater design.
The image is a newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 18, 1950, titled "On Exhibit: Designs for the Theater at Fogg Museum." The clipping features a brief article discussing an exhibition of theatrical designs by three Harvard men: Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson. The article highlights their work as scenic designers and emphasizes the importance of their designs as physical settings for the stage, rather than mere decorations. It mentions Jones's influential role in American theater, his innovative approach to design, and how his work was shaped by the theories of Gordon Craig and Adolphe Appia. The clipping also briefly touches on the contributions of Simonson and Oenslager, noting their adherence to the concept of interpretive, selective realism in their designs.
The image shows a scanned page from a publication titled "ON EXHIBIT", dated October 18, 1950, authored by Stephen O. Sax. The page is from Harvard Crimson, a student newspaper. The content discusses an exhibition of theatrical designs by three Harvard-affiliated artists: Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson, which are on display at the Fogg Museum.
Exhibition Context:
Robert Edmond Jones:
Lee Simonson:
The article celebrates the artistic and innovative approach of these designers, emphasizing their role in transforming theatrical design by prioritizing interpretation, symbolism, and personal expression over traditional or historical accuracy. It positions their work as a significant contribution to the evolution of American theater design.
This image is a newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson dated October 18, 1950. The heading reads "On Exhibit" by Stephen O. Saxe, followed by a title, "Designs for the Theater," referencing an exhibition at the Fogg Museum. The article discusses theatrical designs by three Harvard alumni: Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson. It highlights their contributions as scenic designers, emphasizing the artistic intent and interpretive nature of their work in creating stage settings. It also mentions specific influences on their designs, such as Gordon Craig and Adolphe Appia. The piece particularly examines Jones' innovative approach to designing a 1915 production of “A Man Who Married a Dumb Wife,” where he prioritized creative expression over historical accuracy, and Simonson’s extension of Jones’ ideas.
The image shows a yellowed newspaper clipping titled "On Exhibit" by Stephen O. Saxe. The subtitle is "Designs for the Theater" and it reports on an exhibition at the Fogg Museum featuring theatrical designs by three Harvard men: Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson. The article highlights that these men are not merely artists but scenic designers, whose real work consists of creating physical stage settings rather than just drawings on gallery walls. Jones is described as the most important of the three and influential in American theater design, known for his innovative approach to stage settings, such as in his 1915 production of "A Man Who Married a Dumb Wife." The article also discusses Simonson's modifications to Jones's style, emphasizing interpretive and selective realism in scenic design. The clipping is dated October 18, 1950, from the Harvard Crimson. The bottom right corner of the clipping is slightly torn.
The image shows a scanned newspaper clipping from the "Harvard Crimson," dated October 18, 1950. The article is titled "ON EXHIBIT" by Stephen O. Saxe and is categorized under "Designs for the Theater" at the Fogg Museum.
The text of the article discusses three Harvard men — Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson — whose theatrical designs are on exhibit at the Fogg Museum. It mentions their excellence as draftsmen, colorists, and masters of composition, stating that their real work is not just for display in galleries but is also integral to the actual physical settings on a stage.
Robert Edmond Jones is highlighted as the most important designer of the three. It references his work and influences, pointing out that he designed a production called "A Man Who Married a Dumb Wife" in 1915, using his unique sense of design that emphasizes personal response over historical accuracy.
The article then briefly touches on Lee Simonson, noting that he has modified Jones' approach by maintaining the concept of interpretive, selective realism.
The article provides insights into the theater scene at the time and highlights the significance of scene design as more than just an intention or static art but as a crucial component of storytelling and theatrical presentation.