An Inventory of Its Art Collection at the Harry Ransom Center
Creator:
Cuala Press
Title:
Cuala Press Art Collection
Dates:
circa 1930s
Extent:
2 items
Abstract:
Two hand-colored woodcuts, one of
which is initialled by Irish artist Elizabeth Corbet Yeats, printed by Cuala
Press.
Call Number:
AR-00365
Language:
English
Access:
Open for research. Please note that a minimum of 24 hours notice is required to pull
art materials to the Ransom Center's Reading and Viewing Room. Some materials
may be
restricted from viewing. To make an appointment or to reserve art materials, please
contact the Center's staff at art@hrc.utexas.edu. Researchers must create an online
Research Account and agree to the Materials Use Policy before using archival
materials.
Ransom Center collections may contain material with sensitive or confidential
information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and
regulations. Researchers 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.
Cuala Press was founded in 1908 by Elizabeth Corbet "Lollie" Yeats and Susan Mary
"Lily" Yeats, sisters of poet William Butler Yeats and painter and illustrator
Jack
Butler Yeats. Both Elizabeth and Susan had a firm foundation in the practices
and
beliefs of the Arts and Crafts movement, evident in their establishment of Cuala
Industries which consisted of Cuala Press and an embroidery workshop. Elizabeth
was
an accomplished watercolorist and educator in freehand brushwork technique. Having
previously studied with with the influential printer Emery Walkera, it was she
who
ran the printing press. Elizabeth handprinted for the press a variety of items,
including books, hand-colored prints, and calendars. Susan, who worked for six
years
at the embroidery workshop at Kelmscott House in London, oversaw the embroidery
workshop. She executed or oversaw the making of embroidery designs by various
artists, including Elizabeth and her brother, Jack, until her health forced her
to
retire from large scale projects in 1931. Cuala Press published its last book
in
1946. Elizabeth died on January 16, 1940, in Dublin, and Susan died on January
5,
1949, in Churchtown.
Sources:
NBowe, Nicola Gordon. “Yeats, Susan Mary [Lily] (1866–1949).” Nicola Gordon Bowe In
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online
ed., edited by David Cannadine. Oxford: OUP, 2004.
http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/61425 (accessed August 29, 2017).
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of two hand-colored woodcuts printed by Cuala Press. One of
the pieces is completely pictorial. The other piece is a poem, entitled Joy Be With Us, by Irish novelist and poet James
Stephens, with an historiated initial featuring a ship.
Related Material
Other material printed by Cuala Press can be found in the Jack Butler Yeats Art
Collection (AR-00307) and in the Ransom Center's book collection. Additional
works by poet James Stephens can be found in the James Stephens Collection (MS-04014).
Accession Number: 2017.5.1 Glenavy, Beatrice Moss Campbell, Baroness (British, 1883-1970). The
Fairy Hill, circa 1930. Woodcut with hand coloring, 24.1 x 18.1 cm (image); 30.5 x
22.9 cm (sheet).
Location Cuala Press, Box 1
Accession Number: 2017.5.2 Yeats, Elizabeth Corbet (Irish, 1868-1940). Joy Be With Us by James
Stephens, circa 1930. Woodcut with hand coloring, 18.5 x 15.3 cm (image area);
29.2 x 22.9 cm (sheet).
