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Letters from Edwin Howland Blashfield to George Wharton Edwards, 1923 - 1936

 File — Box: 20, Folder: 71

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

Collection of Irish political satire, ephemera, and artworks assembled by American collector Anthony J. Mourek. While the bulk is political satire, Mourek also collected substantive materials from the Yeats family siblings, Elizabeth Corbet, Jack B., Lily, and W.B., and their fine-print press, Cuala Press.

The political satire documents Ireland’s political and social landscape from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries, focusing on the Home Rule movement, land legislation, and Irish nationalism. The cartoons also cover the perception of the Irish in England and America and a limited amount of British, American, and international politics, generally from cartoonists who published in Irish newspapers. Cartoonists represented span the nineteenth century (Louis Dalrymple, Charles Williams, George and Isaac Cruikshank), twentieth century (Anto [Anthony Brennan], David Low, Grace Plunkett, MAC, and Poy [Percy Hutton Fearon]), and to a lesser degree, the early twenty-first century (Peter Schrank). Materials comprise original drawn and painted cartoons, engravings, newspaper clippings, and a few sculpture caricatures, including two satirical chess sets with political figures for pieces. Clippings are cover pages or full-page spreads from Pat, The Union, United Ireland, and Weekly Freeman. Mourek also collected a very limited amount of political ephemera that was not satirical in nature, such as political protest posters and fliers, and memorial materials for politicians and political prisoners.

The Yeats family materials include original artworks and correspondence of the Yeats family, as well as Christmas cards, hand-colored prints, and promotional ephemera published by Cuala Press. Jack B. Yeats's ink drawings and sketchbook, as well as an embroidery by Lily Yeats, form the bulk of the artworks. Some paintings and limited-edition prints for other Irish artists are also included.

Dates

  • Creation: 1923 - 1936

Creator

Language of Materials

From the Collection:

English, with some Irish.

Access Note

Collection is open for research.

Full Extent

From the Collection: 42.5 Linear Feet (29 containers)

Processing Information

Inclusions found in the book The works of Edwin Howland Blashfield (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1937).

Repository Details

Part of the John J. Burns Library Repository

Contact:
John J. Burns Library
Boston College
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
617-552-4861