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Fogg Art Museum Scrapbooks, January 1950-April 1951

ARCH.2003.31, Rendition: 804299

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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.

Qwen, Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct

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.

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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.

Amazon, amazon.nova-lite-v1:0

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.

Amazon, us.amazon.nova-2-lite-v1:0

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.

Key Points from the Text:

  1. Exhibition Context:

    • The article highlights that the artists' designs are being exhibited at the Fogg Museum. It emphasizes that while these individuals are skilled draftsmen, colorists, and composers, their true work lies in scenic design—creating physical settings for stage productions rather than static art pieces.
  2. Robert Edmond Jones:

    • Described as the most important American theater designer, Jones is noted for his influence on the American theater.
    • His work is influenced by Gordon Craig's "new stagecraft" and Adolphe Appia.
    • An example of his design is mentioned: a production of "A Man Who Married a Dumb Wife" in 1915.
    • Jones rejected traditional elements like stained glass and gothic arches, instead using light frame construction and cheerful primary colors to symbolize the play's spirit.
    • Historical accuracy was deemed unimportant; Jones focused on expressing his personal response to the play.
  3. Lee Simonson:

    • Simonson is described as having modified Jones' emphasis on the designer's personality but generally adhering to the concept of interpretive, selective realism in scenic design.

Visual Description:

  • The page appears to be a photocopy or scan of a printed article, showing signs of aging such as slight discoloration and creasing at the edges.
  • The layout includes a header with the publication name ("Harvard Crimson"), the date ("Oct. 18, 1950"), and the title ("ON EXHIBIT").
  • The main body of text is typed in a serif font, typical of mid-20th-century printing styles.
  • The article is structured with paragraphs discussing the artists and their contributions to theatrical design.

Overall Theme:

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.

Meta, us.meta.llama3-2-90b-instruct-v1:0

The image depicts a newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 18, 1950. The article is titled "On Exhibit" and features a subheading that reads "Designs for the Theater At Fogg Museum."

The article discusses an exhibition of theatrical designs by three Harvard men: Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson. It highlights their unique approaches to scene design, emphasizing the importance of considering the play's flow of action and the qualities of the actual setting. The article also mentions the influence of Gordon Craig's "new stagecraft" and Adolphe Appia's theories of light on their work.

The clipping is presented on a gray background, with a subtle shadow effect around the edges. Overall, the image provides a glimpse into the world of theatrical design in the mid-20th century, showcasing the innovative approaches of these three talented artists.

Meta, us.meta.llama3-2-11b-instruct-v1:0

The image is a scanned newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 18, 1950. The article discusses the designs for the theater at Fogg Museum.

  • Title and Date
    • The title of the article is "Designs for the Theater" and it is written by Stephen O. Saxe.
    • The date of the article is October 18, 1950.
  • Content
    • The article discusses the designs for the theater at Fogg Museum.
    • It mentions that three Harvard men - Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson - are the artists whose theatrical designs are now on exhibit in Fogg.
    • The article states that while these designs prove that all three are excellent draftsmen, colorists, and masters of composition, their real work is not hanging in the galleries.
    • It also mentions that they are scenic designers, and their finished creations are physical settings on a stage.
    • The article concludes by saying that Jones has said that a scene design is no more than an "intention."
  • Background
    • The background of the image is a solid gray color.

In summary, the image is a scanned newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 18, 1950. The article discusses the designs for the theater at Fogg Museum, highlighting the work of three Harvard men: Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson. The article notes that while their designs are excellent, their real work is not hanging in the galleries, but rather as physical settings on a stage.

Meta, us.meta.llama4-maverick-17b-instruct-v1:0

The image depicts a newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 18, 1950. The clipping is titled "On Exhibit" and features an article by Stephen O. Saxe discussing "Designs for the Theater" at the Fogg Museum.

Key Elements:

  • Title and Date: The title "On Exhibit" is prominently displayed at the top of the clipping, accompanied by the date "Oct. 18, 1950" and the publication name "Harvard Crimson."
  • Article Author: The article is written by Stephen O. Saxe.
  • Article Title: The article is titled "Designs for the Theater" and is located at the Fogg Museum.
  • Content: The article discusses the work of three Harvard men - Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson - who are exhibiting their theatrical designs at the Fogg Museum. The article highlights their expertise as scenic designers and their ability to create physical settings on stage that are more than just an "intention." It also provides background information on the artists, including their influences and styles.
  • Visuals: The clipping is presented on a beige background, with a gray border surrounding it.

Overall Impression:

The image appears to be a scanned or photographed copy of a vintage newspaper clipping, likely from a university archive or library. The clipping provides insight into the world of theater design in the mid-20th century and highlights the contributions of three notable Harvard alumni to the field.

Meta, us.meta.llama4-scout-17b-instruct-v1:0

The image presents a vintage newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 18, 1950. The clipping is titled "ON EXHIBIT" and features the subtitle "Designs for the Theater At Fogg Museum."

  • Title and Date
    • The title "ON EXHIBIT" is prominently displayed in large black text at the top of the clipping.
    • Below the title, the date "Harvard Crimson, Oct. 18, 1950" is written in smaller text.
  • Author and Subtitle
    • The author's name, "Stephen O. Saxe," is listed below the date.
    • The subtitle "Designs for the Theater At Fogg Museum" is written in italicized text.
  • Article Content
    • The article discusses an exhibit featuring theatrical designs by three Harvard men: Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson.
    • The exhibit showcases their work at the Fogg Museum, highlighting their skills as excellent draftsmen, colorists, and masters of composition.
    • The article provides information about each artist's background and style, including Jones' influence from Gordon Craig's "new stagecraft" and Adolphe Appia's theories of light.
    • The article also mentions that Jones designed a production of "A Man Who Married a Dumb Wife" in 1915, which used light frame construction and cheerful primary colors to symbolize the spirit of the play.
  • Background
    • The clipping has a yellowed appearance, indicating its age.
    • The background of the image is a solid gray color.

In summary, the image is a vintage newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 18, 1950, featuring an article about an exhibit of theatrical designs by three Harvard men at the Fogg Museum. The article provides information about the artists' backgrounds and styles, as well as their work on various productions.

Mistral, us.mistral.pixtral-large-2502-v1:0

The image is a clipping of an article from the Harvard Crimson, dated October 18, 1950. The article is titled "On Exhibit" and is written by Stephen Q. Saxe. It discusses an exhibition of theatrical designs at the Fogg Museum by three Harvard men: Robert Edmond Jones, Donald Oenslager, and Lee Simonson.

The article highlights that these artists are excellent draftsmen, colorists, and masters of composition, but their real work is in creating physical settings on a stage rather than the designs displayed in the galleries. It emphasizes that their designs are "intentions" and should be judged as such, without considering the practical aspects of an actual stage setting.

Robert Edmond Jones is noted as the most important designer among the three and in the American theater. His work was influenced by Gordon Craig's "new stagecraft" and Adolphe Appia's theories of light. An example of his work mentioned is a 1915 production of "A Man Who Married a Dumb Wife," where he used light frame construction and cheerful primary colors to symbolize the play's spirit.

Lee Simonson is mentioned as having modified Jones' emphasis on the designer's personality but stayed true to the concept of interpretive, selective realism.