Table of Contents
- Collection Summary
- Biographical Note
- Scope and Content Note
- Subject Headings
- Administrative Information
- Access and Use
- Encoding Information
- Series List
- Container List
Collection Summary
| Repository: | Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries |
|---|---|
| Creator: | Shaw, Bernard, 1856-1950. Serlin, Oscar, 1901-1971, collector. |
| Title: | Oscar Serlin Collection of George Bernard Shaw Materials |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1920-2006 |
| Bulk Dates: | 1920-1951 |
| Quantity: | 2 cubic feet (4 boxes, 4 map folders, 2 framed items, 1 sculpture) |
| Abstract: | Portraits of George Bernard Shaw, as well as photographs, framed materials, notes, and memorabilia relating to Shaw. |
Biographical Note
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was one of the most important English-language writers to emerge during the second half of the nineteenth century. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Shaw moved to London in 1876, where he rose to fame as a playwright, journalist, arts critic, political essayist, and polemical speaker. Best known now as a dramatist, Shaw wrote plays that addressed most of the important philosophical, religious, social, economic, and political issues of his time. The influence of his dramas was immense and, as the portraits in this collection suggest, that influence extended beyond the literary and into the visual arts.
TopScope and Content Note
The collection contains portraits of George Bernard Shaw, as well as photographs, framed materials, a sculpture, notes for Shaw's play The Shewing Up of Blanco Postnet, and memorabilia relating to Shaw.
TopAccess and Use
Access
This collection is open for research according to the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library without any additional restrictions.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to quote (publish) from unpublished or previously published material must be obtained as described in the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library.
Subject Headings
Names:
- Martin-Harvey, John, Sir, 1863-1944
- Shaw, Bernard, 1856-1950
Subjects:
- Authors, Irish
- Portraits, American
- Portraits, European
Document Types:
- Drawings (visual works)
- Photographs
- Portraits
- Sculpture (visual works)
- Woodcuts (prints)
VCL Categories:
- Art and Artists
- Literature and Writing
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Oscar Serlin Collection of George Bernard Shaw Materials, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Mark Seidl, January 2012. Updated by Emma Gronbeck, May 2023.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Mrs. Oscar Serlin, August 1977.
Custodial History
These materials were collected by film and theater producer Oscar Serlin over the course of his career.
Series List
Series I. Portraits, 1935-2006, undated | |
|---|---|
| This series consists of portraits of George Bernard Shaw by various American, British, and European artists. Although most of the portraits are undated, they were all most likely created between 1930 and 1951. | |
| Arranged alphabetically by artist name. |
Series II. Miscellaneous Materials, 1920 - circa 1938 | |
|---|---|
| This series consists of a variety of items by or related to Shaw, including memorabilia such as a portrait medallion and 5 postcards printed with pre-written messages declining various requests; photographs, mainly of actor Sir John Martin-Harvey costumed for or performing in a 1926 production of Shaw's play The Shewing Up of Blanco Posnet; Shaw's notes and sketches for The Shewing Up of Blanco Posnet; a scrapbook of photographs and clippings gifted to Shaw by William Randolph Hearst; and a bronze statue of Shaw by sculptor Ralph C. Scott. | |
| Arranged alphabetically. |
Container List
Return to the Table of Contents
Details
Portraits of George Bernard Shaw, as well as photographs, framed materials, notes, and memorabilia relating to Shaw.
