Additional papers of Robert Medley
[c.1903]–1984
Charles Robert Owen Medley CBE, RA, (1905-94), known as Robert Medley, was an English artist who painted in both abstract and figurative styles, and who also worked as a theatre designer. Robert Medley studied art at the Slade School of Fine Art and then completed his training by spending two years in Paris from 1926 to 1928. In 1926 Medley had first met his partner with whom he spent the rest of this life with, dancer, choreographer and theatre director, Rupert Doone (1903-66). It was the beginning of a long and loving relationship, and one in which inspired and nourished their artistic talents. Doone was born in Worcestershire in 1903. He left home penniless at age 16 to pursue his passion for dance as a career, travelling first to London and later Paris, where he became the protégé and lover of Jean Cocteau. Together, Doone and Medley founded the Group Theatre in 1931. This experimental group allowed Doone the opportunity to explore what he considered theatre should really concern itself with; to 'put art first as a way of discovering truth' and commit to 'total theatre' with a focus on poetic drama. The group strove to work closely with writers, artists and musicians and a 1934 performance of The Dance of Death written by W.H Auden was a controversial success. T.S. Eliot, Christopher Isherwood and Stephen Spender would all later write plays for the group to work with. These photographs show the group engaging in free improvisation at their summer school in Suffolk as well as in costume for a number of their productions. This collection compliments an earlier collection, TGA 894 (also digitised), which contains photographs of Robert Medley and further photographs of the Group Theatre.
- Collection Owner
- Robert Medley 1905–1994
- Collection
- Tate Archive
- Acquisition
- Gift from Susie Medley, executrix of the estate of Robert Medley.
- Reference
- TGA 953
36 objects in this collection
- Title
- Additional papers of Robert Medley
- Date
- [c.1903]–1984
- Description
- Charles Robert Owen Medley CBE, RA, (1905-94), known as Robert Medley, was an English artist who painted in both abstract and figurative styles, and who also worked as a theatre designer. Robert Medley studied art at the Slade School of Fine Art and then completed his training by spending two years in Paris from 1926 to 1928. In 1926 Medley had first met his partner with whom he spent the rest of this life with, dancer, choreographer and theatre director, Rupert Doone (1903-66). It was the beginning of a long and loving relationship, and one in which inspired and nourished their artistic talents. Doone was born in Worcestershire in 1903. He left home penniless at age 16 to pursue his passion for dance as a career, travelling first to London and later Paris, where he became the protégé and lover of Jean Cocteau. Together, Doone and Medley founded the Group Theatre in 1931. This experimental group allowed Doone the opportunity to explore what he considered theatre should really concern itself with; to 'put art first as a way of discovering truth' and commit to 'total theatre' with a focus on poetic drama. The group strove to work closely with writers, artists and musicians and a 1934 performance of The Dance of Death written by W.H Auden was a controversial success. T.S. Eliot, Christopher Isherwood and Stephen Spender would all later write plays for the group to work with. These photographs show the group engaging in free improvisation at their summer school in Suffolk as well as in costume for a number of their productions. This collection compliments an earlier collection, TGA 894 (also digitised), which contains photographs of Robert Medley and further photographs of the Group Theatre.
- Reference
- TGA 953
Showing 1–20 of 36 objects
Unknown artist Photograph of Rupert Doone as a baby with his parents
Unknown artist Studio photograph of [Rupert Doone] and two other children
Unknown artist Photograph of Rupert Doone as a boy in costume, with five other children
Unknown artist Photograph of Rupert Doone as a young man
Unknown artist Photograph of Rupert Doone
Ursula Hartleben Photographs of Rupert Doone by Ursula Hartleben
Unknown artist Photograph of Rupert Doone leaning against a tree
Unknown artist Portrait photograph of Rupert Doone
Unknown artist Publicity photographs of Rupert Doone in various productions
Unknown artist Photographs of Rupert Doone in costume
Estate of Ramsey and Muspratt, 1932-1978 (Peterborough, UK) Mounted photographs of Rupert Doone by Ramsey and Muspratt, Cambridge
Unknown artist Photograph of Robert Medley, [aged 14?]
Unknown artist Two photographs of Robert Medley as a young man
Unknown artist Photograph of Rodrigo Moynihan, Robert Medley, an unidentified woman, and Rupert Doone seated outside a cafe
Unknown artist Photograph of Robert Medley painting
Unknown artist Photographs of Group Theatre members at a summer school in Suffolk
