Photographs of women's college production of a Sanskrit drama, circa 1905

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Summary

Creator:
Northfield Seminary for Young Ladies
Abstract:
Set of 62 captioned black-and-white photographic prints mounted on 14 cardstock boards, documenting an elaborate stage production of a well-known, classical Sanskrit drama, the S´akuntala¯. The play was probably produced at the Northfield Seminary for Young Ladies in Northfield, Massachusetts around 1905, at a time when Indian dramas were popularized and produced by many women's colleges. The photographs are mounted on the front and back of cardstock mounts, and portray individual young female actors playing male and female roles, as well as tableaus with groups of actors. The images vividly capture the actors' expressions and gestures and portray detailed Oriental costumes and props. Most of the handwritten ink captions name the characters depicted, and many also list quotes from the particular act or scene. One image features a scenic view of Northfield Seminary from across the Connecticut River. The images range in size from range in size from 5.5 x 3.75 to 8 x 13.75 inches, with the mounts measuring 9x14 inches. Acquired as part of the Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History and Culture at Duke University.
Extent:
0.5 Linear Feet (1 box)
Physical description:
62 images on 14 card mounts
Language:
Material in English
Collection ID:
RL.01136

Background

Scope and content:

Set of 62 mounted and captioned black-and-white photographic prints documenting an elaborate stage production of a well-known, classical Sanskrit drama, the S´akuntala¯; the play was probably produced at the Northfield Seminary for Young Ladies in Northfield, Massachusetts around 1905. The photographs are mounted on the front and back of 14 heavy card stock boards. The images range in size from range in size from 5.5 x 3.75" to 8 x 13.75", with the mounts measuring 9x14" with one exception measuring 10x16. There are a few near-duplicates among the images.

The images feature portraits of costumed female actors playing male and female roles, as well as groups of actors and several long shots of the stage, in which the curtains, scenery, and part of an orchestra pit can also be seen. The images vividly capture the actors' expressions and gestures, and portray detailed Oriental costumes and props (these argue against it being Smith College's 1904 production, as it was reported as using Americanized costumes and music). Most of the handwritten ink captions name the characters depicted, and many also list quotes from the particular act or scene. One image features a scenic view of Northfield Seminary from across the Connecticut River, with small white tents visible on the lawns to the left; the play may have been produced at Northfield during a summer conference. One of the school's alumna, Ruth St. Denis, was an important modern dancer who popularized Oriental dances and dramas; she appeared in Sakuntala in 1905, perhaps giving the impetus to a staging of the play at Northfield Seminary.

The card stock mounts, with their associated images, are arranged in their original order based on the negative numbers visible in each still image: 1-31, 33-38, and 40-62, with numbers 32, 39, and 59 absent. The view of the campus is unnumbered.

Acquired as part of the Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History and Culture at Duke University.

Acquisition information:

The collection of photographs of a women's college production of Sanskrit drama was received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2012, a gift of the Leona Bowman Carpenter Collection of English and American Literature.

Gift of the Leona Bowman Carpenter Collection of English and American Literature

Processing information:

Processed and described by Paula Jeannet, April 2013.

Accession(s) described in this finding aid: 2012-0176.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Photographs of women's college production of Sanskrit drama, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.