Charles Ricketts

Charles De Sousy Ricketts (1866 - 1931) was a versatile English artist and designer, best known for his work as book designer and typographer from 1896 to 1904 with the Vale Press, and his work in the theatre as a set designer.

Related Topics:
1866 - 1931 - Typographer

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His father was English, his mother French; he was born in Geneva. He was brought up mainly in France and Italy. He began as an art student at the City and Guilds Technical Art School in Lambeth, in 1882, after both his parents had died.

Related Topics:
Geneva - France - Italy - Lambeth

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There he met Charles Shannon (1863-1937), painter and lithographer

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who would be his lifelong partner, in artistic and personal life. On the advice of Pierre Puvis de Chavannes they settled in England, rather than abroad. They founded The Dial, a magazine with five issues from 1889 to 1897, and the Vale Press, named after their house The Vale in Chelsea, London.

Related Topics:
Pierre Puvis de Chavannes - Chelsea

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Ricketts was one of two illustrators of Oscar Wilde's work, the other being Aubrey Beardsley who worked on Salomé. He and Shannon were friends and supporters of Wilde.

Related Topics:
Oscar Wilde - Aubrey Beardsley

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It was in the work of the Vale Press that Ricketts would find his talents were best employed. The enterprise involved also Thomas Sturge Moore, and later

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William Llewellyn Hacon (1860-1910), a barrister. The actual printing was carried out by Ballantyne Press under the supervision of Charles McCall. A total of about 75 books were produced, including a complete Shakespeare in 39 volumes, before the special type fonts were destroyed. In parallel Ricketts was involved with the Eragny Press, run by Lucien Pissarro and his wife Esther, from 1894 to 1914.

Related Topics:
Barrister - Shakespeare - Lucien Pissarro

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After 1902 he became a more serious painter, and sculpted. He also wrote on art, was a collector, and became a member of the Royal Academy in 1928. He designed sets for plays by Wilde, Bernard Shaw and Cecil Lewis; and also the revived Savoy Operas of the 1920s.

Related Topics:
Royal Academy - Bernard Shaw - Cecil Lewis - Savoy Operas

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A play, Last Romantics by Michael Lewis MacLennan, has been based on Ricketts and Shannon and their circle, including Michael Field.

Related Topics:
Michael Lewis MacLennan - Michael Field

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