Performing Arts

Performing Arts

Barton, Thomas Pennant (1803-1869) Collection

(Rare Books & Manuscripts) Thomas Pennant Barton (1803 – April 5, 1869) was an American bibliophile who is primarily remembered for the collection of books by and relating to William Shakespeare and English drama that he amassed between 1834 and 1869. Four years after his death, Barton's collection was acquired by the Boston Public Library, where it has remained ever since. John Alden refers to Barton as "the first American to form an extensive, purposeful collection of Shakespeariana." Indeed, his participation in the Heber sale (1834-1836) marked a watershed moment in the history of American Shakespeare collecting. During that single sale, Barton acquired, among other things, the first quarto of A Midsummer Night's Dream, the first quarto of The Merchant of Venice, and the third quarto of Hamlet (lot nos. 2012, 2014, and 2021, respectively). Over time, Barton became increasingly interested in enhancing the Shakespearian portion of his library by creating a comprehensive collection of autographs of figures associated with Shakespeare's work. The autograph collection the Barton amassed contains thousands of handwritten letters and documents by Shakespearian editors, translators, commentators, publishers, printers, actors, collectors, and scholars. Barton was also interested in English drama more generally, and the collection is particularly strong with respect to the early modern period, containing hundreds of quarto editions of English playbooks by playwrights including Christopher Marlowe, John Lyly, Thomas Kyd, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton, John Fletcher, and Thomas Heywood, among others. Barton also amassed substantial selections of French, Italian, Spanish, and German literature and belles-lettres. In addition, nearly 4,000 volumes in Barton's collection come from the personal library of his father-in-law, Secretary of State Edward Livingston, which Barton inherited in 1836. Livingston's library consisted largely of works on jurisprudence and history. Background information on Barton and his library may be found in the Catalogue of the Miscellaneous Portion of the Collection (1888); Boston Public Library Bulletin, 4th series, v.3 (1921), pp. 173-177, opens a new window; and "America’s First Shakespeare Collection," by John Alden, in Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America, v. 58 (1964) pp. 169-173. Information and online access

(Rare Books & Manuscripts)

Daumier, Honore Collection

(Print Department) The career of Honoré Daumier (French, 1808-1879) spanned one of the most turbulent periods in French history, including the Revolution of 1830, the Revolution of 1848, the rise of Napoleon III, and the Franco-Prussian War. Daumier established a reputation as a painter and a sculptor, as well as a printmaker. However, it was through his lithographs that his talents as an artist and as a political and social commentator were fully realized. Boston Public Library’s collection of works by Daumier includes his early caricatures of King Louis-Philippe and other political figures, as well as plates from his later series, including L’Histoire Ancienne, Les Bons Bourgeois, Les Gens de Justice, and Actualites. Of particular interest are a number of white paper proofs, which had to be submitted to the government censor for approval before an image could be published. Although a number of Daumier lithographs and bound volumes of La Caricature came to the library as part of the gift of Albert H. Wiggin in 1941, the majority of the library’s Daumier collection was acquired in 1948 when the Library purchased the collection assembled by the French collector Albert Maroni (1852-1923) and his heirs. Online access: Digitized images from this collection are available through Digital Commonwealth. 

Fantin-Latour, Henri (1836-1904)

(Print Department) Henri Fantin-Latour (1836-1904) was a French painter and printmaker.  Fantin-Latour’s lithographs are often associated with the growing Symbolist movement of the second half of the 19th century. In particular, he used that medium to explore his interest in the relationship between the visual arts and music. Many of his prints were inspired by the compositions of the contemporary composers Richard Wagner, Robert Schuman, Johannes Brahms, Hector Berlioz, and Gioachino Antonio Rossini. With a few exceptions, Boston Public Library’s collection of nearly 500 prints by Fantin-Latour came in 1949 as a gift of Albert H. Wiggin, who continued to provide new acquisitions to the library’s Print Department after his initial gift of his private collection of prints and drawings in 1941. Digitized images from this collection are available through Digital Commonwealth. 

Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri de (1864-1901) Collection

(Print Department) Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) was a French painter, draftsman, and printmaker. Although he regularly exhibited paintings and drawings throughout his career, Lautrec is best known for his lithographs and especially his posters, which celebrate the cabarets and the performers active in the Montmartre district of Paris during the 1890s. With a few exceptions, the Boston Public Library’s collection of works by Lautrec was assembled by Albert H. Wiggin and came to the library as part of the 1941 gift by Wiggin of his private collection of prints and drawings. Included are plates from the series Elles and the portfolio Yvette Guilbert. Through Wiggin’s generosity, the library also was able to acquire the pages from an early sketchbook of drawings thought to have been created when Lautrec was in his teens. Online access: Digitized images from this collection are available through Digital Commonwealth. 

Wyman, Lilla Viles Collection

(Rare Books & Manuscripts) The Lilla Viles Wyman Collection is comprised of 183 dance books covering such topics as Swedish folk dances, Buddhist ceremonial dances, ballroom dancing, classical ballet, and the history of the polka, among others (Rare Books & Manuscripts)

Young, Victor (1900-1956) Collection

The collection contains 1400 items, primarily conductor’s scores, vocal/piano scores, lead sheets, and instrumental parts, once used by film composer, arranger, and conductor Victor Young. Best known for his Academy Award winning score for Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Young also composed the music for more than 300 films, two Broadway shows, and numerous hit songs and commercials. (The Arts)

A-Z Collections Index