104 - Edward Gordon CRAIG (1872–1966)

Edward Gordon CRAIG (1872–1966) A significant collection of about thirty letters written in English and two postcards, dated 1912, most of which were mailed from Paris and addressed to Jurgis Kasimirovitch Baltruchaïtis (1873–1944), first to his address in Moscow and then to Switzerland during the summer. Early that year, Craig was swamped with commissions from London, the United States, France, and Germany; included is a copy of a three-page letter dated July in which a certain Mr. Singer asks him to build an entire theater, presumably in Nice. He was also preoccupied with finding investors for his school. During this period, he regularly socialized with Countess Greffulhe, whom he called “the queen of Paris.” -"And I am thinking of the islands in the Pacific, & shall ask wise men to tell me which island or part of a continent is the sunniest—with the freshest air—the coolest—& the liveliest. We should decide on those points & leave other deceptions to merchants. For sunny deception is the best. Lately in London, a very dubious “artist”—a Mr. Granville Barker—has been entertaining the public with white cubes on stage, Munich-style designs, and a poor production of two Shakespeare plays. Such vanity is sad. Mr. Barker writes plays (?) and likes suffragettes ( drawing of a suffragette). And Reinhardt has paid him some compliments. And London has found Reinhardt’s latest mini-drama “improper.” The Great Daily Mail, which really made “The Miracle” a success, is now attacking poor old Reinhorse. (...) If Mrs. Stanislavsky is curious about Paris (and she has a rather “curious” nature), tell her how you saw a letter of agreement offering me 50,000 francs for a design for a new stage—not a production—and then tell her that I refused the offer. Please do this, George Maciavelli. -May 6, 1912 “My career no longer takes me to England; I’ve never known a sailor who uses a hook, nor of a world without 50,000 streams and lakes. England thinks there’s only one stream, the Thames.” -December 7, 1912 “And Stanislavsky—has he forgotten and forgiven me? Is he happy with his large, aging body torn between the two women—the Ideal and the Practical? (...) If you see him, please tell him somehow that my school is a public event, not a charity. I want to go to Moscow just to say that sentence!!!!!!! It is a duty to support the school, not a matter of sentimentality (...) when I last saw him, he told me that any man should be proud to be asked to assist such a project.” Where Countess Greffulhe is mentioned: -"Countess Greffulhe has become my sincere and true friend; she desires for my work a noble, unsullied, and monumental achievement, and she is inspiring. We shall see." -May 26, 1912 “As I told you in my last letter, I went yesterday to view the Trocadéro with Madame la Countess G.. She can provide me with a magnificent performance. Also a chorus of 200, 400 actors, and half of Paris. If only the gods decree it—and the gods are powerful and mysterious in how they pull the strings. My school shows great promise. I may also tell you that Reinhardt has come here with “humor” and has succeeded—that is to say, he has taken his place. He will, in the opinion of my Countess G—-lhe, succeed both now and in the future, and will not return unless to repeat a third-rate success. -June 3, 1912 “I have with me the Queen of Paris—that is all. Every day she calls for both of us, and the three of us are great friends. She is perfectly beautiful, and I believe as noble as she is beautiful.” -June 17, 1912 “I am back in Paris. All is going well. Meine Prinzessin ist bella and lovely and as noble as ever.” Two large landscape drawings with white highlights, on the front and back. -June 27, 1912 “My princess is a divine being. Earth, air, and fire blend within her in splendid proportions. She moves with ease, like nature.” -July 5, 1912 “My princess tells me that I must stay here now so that she can introduce me to certain people. She is very clever and witty. She never tells these people my name; all she says is, ‘That man is the one and only genius in England,’ and then she adds, ‘He will revive our dead theaters and bring them to a new life,’ and then she laughs—a beautiful and inspiring laugh. Do you know what the feeling of gratitude is—how it can almost be the feeling of love, if someone saves a friend from death or lifts up a poor, forsaken animal? I think it is one of the arms of love. How wonderfully wise are these Eastern men who gave God 40 arms or more.” MC Provenance -Jurgis Kasimirovitch Baltruchaïtis (1873–1944), Lithuanian diplomat and poet. -Their son, Jurgis Jurgissovitch Baltruchaïtis (1903–1988), historian. -His wife, Hélène Baltruchaïtis (1908–2004), née Castel-Focillon, daughter of Henri Focillon (1881–1943). -Then by descent.