The collection contains theatrical production materials,
playscripts, translations, and theatrical performance photographs from over thirty
of
Bernhardt's productions, including l'Aiglon, Camille, and Phedre. Also present are
personal photographs, postcards, clippings, a scrapbook, caricatures, advertisements,
and
artistic sketches of Bernhardt.
Call Number:
Performing Arts Collection
PA-00170
Language:
English and
Access:
Open for research. Special permission from the Curator of Performing Arts, plus advance notice, is required to access oversize posters. To make an appointment, please email Reference. Researchers must create an online Research Account and agree to the Materials Use Policy before using archival materials.
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are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable
living
individuals represented in the collections without the consent of those individuals
may have
legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy
may
arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be
deemed
highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the Ransom Center and The University
of
Texas at Austin assume no responsibility.
Restrictions on Use:
Authorization for publication is given on behalf of the University of Texas as the
owner of
the collection and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright
holder
which must be obtained by the researcher. For more information please see the Ransom
Centers' Open Access and Use Policies.
Sarah Bernhardt Collection (Performing Arts Collection PA-00170). Harry Ransom Center,
The University of Texas at Austin.
Acquisition:
Compiled by staff from Albert Davis, Robert Downing, and Messmore Kendall Collections
Provenance
The Sarah Bernhardt Collection was compiled from materials previously organized within
the
Ransom Center's Theater Biography file and is now a discrete collection. A large portion
of
the materials are originally from the Albert Davis and Messmore Kendall Collections.
Sarah Bernhardt, "The Divine Sarah," was born Henriette-Rosine Bernard in Paris, France,
in
1844. She spent her life gracing the theatrical stages of the world with her interpretations
of both classic and modern French drama. Following her education at the drama school
of the
Paris Conservatoire, Bernhardt made her theatrical debut on stage in an 1862 production
of
Racine's Iphigenie en Aulide. But it was not until her 1872
performance in Victor Hugo's Ruy Blas that she was recognized
and established as a great theatrical actress of her time.
In 1880, Bernhardt began her long series of tours throughout Europe and Americirca
She
delighted audiences with her interpretations of characters in productions such as
Adrienne Lecouvreur, Frou Frou, Hernani, Jeanne D'Arc, Phedre, and Theodora, to name just a few. Bernhardt also became one of the few
female actors of the time to portray a lead male character. She did so in Hamlet and again as the Duc de Reichstadt in Rostand's l'Aiglon. She continued to tour America for the rest of her career,
even announcing three separate "farewell" tours between the years 1905-1912. Despite
all of
the time she spent outside her home country, Bernhardt remained a loyal Frenchwoman.
In
1914, she was presented the Legion of Honor award for her continued support of her
country
and its servicemen. After battling a threatening infection in 1915, Bernhardt lost
a leg to
amputation, but she still continued to pursue her love of acting and traveling. Her
final
tour through America lasted from the years 1916 to 1918 and then she returned home
to
France. Bernhardt continued to practice her craft until her death in 1923.
In addition to her traditional stage work, Bernhardt starred in several silent movies,
including two of her better-known films, Queen Elizabeth and Camille in 1911. Aside from acting, Bernhardt was also known to be a
gifted artist, sculptor, and writer. She edited and translated many of the plays in
which
she performed and wrote several novels. Her memoir, Ma double vie (My Double Life), originally published in 1907, is
still being reprinted today.
Sources:
Gold, Arthur. Divine Sarah: A Life of Sarah Bernhardt. New York:
Alfred A. Knopf, 1991.
"Sarah Henriette Rosine Bernhardt" in The Oxford Companion to the
Theatre. London: Oxford University Press, 1967.
The Sarah Bernhardt Collection, circa 1860-1977 (bulk 1880-1920), contains theatrical
production photographs, personal photographs, publicity stills, postcards, theater
programs
and playbills, clippings, and a scrapbook. Also present are several prints, caricatures,
advertisements, and artistic sketches of Bernhardt. The collection is arranged in
three
series: I. Theater Productions, 1872-1920; II. Clippings and Scrapbook, 1879-1977;
and III.
Other Materials, 1860-1920. Materials in Series I are arranged alphabetically by title
of
production and then chronologically within each production; materials in Series II
and
Series III are arranged chronologically where appropriate.
The Theater Production series comprises the bulk of the collection and contains production
photographs and theater playbills and programs for over thirty Bernhardt productions.
Although the bulk of the production photographs are portrait styled cabinet card
photographs, this series contains several photographs of Bernhardt performing on stage.
Bernhardt's famous productions of l'Aiglon, Camille, and Phedre are especially well
represented. Among the playbills and programs, there are several playscripts, translations,
and other versions of plays which are specific to Bernhardt and carry her identification
as
"the only correct version of my plays translated and printed from my own promptbooks."
There
are also souvenir programs which contain information on multiple productions.
The Clippings series, while comprehensive during the span of Bernhardt's career with
reviews, is very extensive throughout 1923, the year of her death.
The Other Materials series chiefly comprises personal photographs, some family and
ceremonial photographs and various portraits, caricatures, advertisements, prints,
and
artistic sketches. Personalities represented with Bernhardt in the photographs include
actress Lillie Langtry, playwright Victorien Sardou, theater mogul Martin Beck, escape
artist Harry Houdini, and her manager William Connors. Also in this series is an Alphonse
Mucha sketch of Bernhardt as Medea, a copy of a letter from
Her Artistic Life, and several advertisements in which Bernhardt
used her notoriety to sell various products.
Related Material
Additional material by and about Sarah Bernhardt are located in the Ransomc Center's
Carlton Lake Collection of French Manuscripts, Carlton Lake Literary File Photography
Collection, Carlton Lake Art Collection, John Gassner Papers, Frank Harris papers,
Harry
Houdini Papers, Harry Houdini Collection, Artine Artinian Collection of French Manuscripts,
Artine Artinian Art Collection, Joanna Richardson Papers, B. J. Simmons and Co. Collection,
Performing Arts Prints Collection, Ernest William Smith Collection, the Helmut and
Alison
Gernsheim Papers, the Al Hirchfeld Collection, the Edward Gordon Craig Collection,
Literary
File Photography Collection, Jed Mace Collection, and the Ransom Center library.
The University of Pennsylvania Rare Book and Manuscript Library also offers a substantial
collection of Sarah Bernhardt images in their Philip H. Ward Collection of Theatrical
Images.
