George Sheringham

George Sheringham (13 November 1884 – 11 November 1937), was a British painter and theatre designer from England. One of the first recipients of the Royal Designers for Industry distinction in 1937, he is remembered for his work for the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company.

Life and career

In 1884, George Sheringham was born on 13 November in London, the son of an Anglican clergyman. He was educated at the King’s School, Gloucester, the Slade School of Art (1899-1901), and the Sorbonne, Paris (1904-06).

Painter and illustrator

He first exhibited in Paris and later in Venice, Brussels, and Berlin. His one-man exhibitions included one in Paris in 1905, in London at the Ryder Gallery the same year, one in Melbourne, one in New York and seven more in London.Who Was Who, A & C Black, London, 1952] He exhibited with the International Society from 1922. [http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ArtistWorks?cgroupid=999999999&artistid=1937&page=1&sole=y&collab=y&attr=y&sort=default&tabview=bio Profile from the Tate Collection] ]

Though best known as a stage designer and decorative artist, Sheringham also illustrated books by Max Beerbohm (including "The Happy Hypocrite" (1915)) and Edmond Rostand ("La Princesse Lointaine", 1919). [ [http://livre-rare-book.com/cgi-bin/lrbcgi?RB=BOOK&rf=25047lrbCHA-6805 Information about the illustrations for "La Princesse Lointaine", 1919] ] In 1917, he illustrated "Canadian Wonder Tales" by Cyrus MacMillan. [ [http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=macmillan&book=wonder&story=_front&PHPSESSID=2a79e0a17f6bf990f295a65a29d0e5d3 "Canadian Wonder Tales", 1917] ] In 1921, he collaborated with his brother Hugh on a book about fishing, "The Book of the Fly Rod". [ [http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?qwork=768312&matches=29&author=Sheringham%2C+George&browse=1&cm_re=works*listing*title "The Book of the Fly Rod"] See also "The Times", 12 November 1937] He wrote "Drawing in Pen and Pencil" (1922), with James Laver, "Design in the Theatre" (1927). [ [http://www.chrisbeetles.com/pictures/artists/Sheringham_George/Sheringham_George.htm Profile at the Chris Beetles website] ] and with Rupert Mason and R. Boyd Morrison he edited "Robes of Thespis, Costume Designs by Modern Artists" (1928). [ [http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?invid=8340458018&author=Sheringham%2C+George&browse=1&qwork=5783939&qsort=&page=1 "Robes of Thespis"] ]

Decorator

As a decorator, Sheringham designed the music room at 40 Devonshire House, London; a series of paintings for Seaford House, London, for the 8th Baron Howard de Walden (also Baron Seaford) to illustrate his Celtic poem, "The Cauldron of Anwn"; [ [http://www.artrenewal.org/asp/database/art.asp?aid=6155 Paintings illustrating the Celtic poem, "The Cauldron of Anwn"] ] the ballroom at Claridge's Hotel; and the Paris Exhibition of 1937. He also created commercial designs used in home decorations. [ [http://www.persephonebooks.co.uk/pages/books/kitchen_essays.htm Example of a Sheringham design shown] ] When, in 1936, the Royal Society of Arts established the prestigious Royal Designers for Industry distinction, Sheringham was one of its first recipients in 1937. ["The Times", 12 November 1937] Sheringham also became known as a designer of fans.

tage designer

Sheringham designed scenery and costumes for ballets, opera and straight theatre including "The Clandestine Marriage", "The Skin Game", "The Lady of the Camellias", "Othello", "Love in a Village", "The Duenna", and the Stratford Memorial Theatre's opening production of "Twelfth Night", and "Hamlet". [ [http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/MEPOD/10114699_b~Scene-from-Martin-Harveys-Production-of-Hamlet-Posters.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.allposters.com/-st/Shakespeare-Posters_c6803_p6_.htm&h=119&w=160&sz=5&hl=en&start=14&um=1&tbnid=fiYN8UHy8KfDgM:&tbnh=73&tbnw=98&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522George%2BSheringham%2522%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN Martin Harvey's production of "Hamlet"] ] In the theatre he worked closely with the actor-manager Nigel Playfair.

For D’Oyly Carte, he designed new productions of "H.M.S. Pinafore" (1929); "The Pirates of Penzance" (1929); "Patience" (1929, with other designs contributed by Hugo Rumbold); [ [http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/carte/1929/index.html Illustrations of the Sheringham designs for "Pinafore, Pirates" and "Patience"] ] "Trial by Jury" (costumes only) and "Iolanthe" (costumes only, 1932). [Rollins, Cyril and R. John Witts. "The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in Gilbert and Sullivan Operas" (1961) London: Michael Joseph, Ltd.]

Last years and honours

Sheringham obtained a Grand Prix at the Paris Salon in 1925 for mural and theatrical design. An invalid from 1932, he continued to paint flowers.

In 1937, George Sheringham died on 11 November in his home in Hampstead, London, two days before his 53rd birthday.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=25307 George Sheringham at the IBDB database]
* [http://www.artnet.com/artist/676512/george-sheringham.html Photos of Sheringham's artwork]
* [http://www.art.com/asp/display_artist-asp/_/crid--64617/George_Sheringham.htm More photos of Sheringham's artwork]
* [http://search.barewalls.com/s/GeorgeSheringham.html?s=George+Sheringham Numerous illustrations by Sheringham]
* [http://www.guariscogallery.com/view_image.html?image_no=3933 Sheringham's "Garden Party"]