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Stella Bloch Papers
Relating to
Ananda K. Coomaraswamy
1890-1985, bulk 1917-1930
A
Finding Aid
Prepared
by
Karla J. Vecchia
Manuscripts Division
Department of Rare Books and Special Collections
Princeton University Library
2002, 2003
Introduction
The Stella Bloch Papers Relating to Ananda K. Coomaraswamy consists of manuscripts, correspondence, drawings, photographs, printed material, and postcards of the American dance critic, art historian, and artist Stella Bloch (1898-1999). This collection documents the relationship between Bloch and the Anglo-Indian art historian, philosopher, and author Ananda K. Coomaraswamy (1877-1947) who embodied the roles of mentor, husband, and friend. The papers primarily contain correspondence by Coomaraswamy to Bloch, as well as a small amount of other letters. Writing was a vital form of communication for Coomaraswamy and Bloch, especially during their marriage, since they always resided in different cities; he lived in Boston while she lived in New York. There are also drawings by Coomaraswamy and by Bloch, as well as photographs--some taken by Coomaraswamy--that include portraits and assorted images from their travels to India and Southeast Asia. The articles in both manuscript and printed form provide a sampling of Coomaraswamy and Bloch's writings on art, religion, and philosophy. Furthermore, there is a small selection of printed material about Coomaraswamy and Bloch, and a series of memento postcards.Range of Collection Dates: 1890-1985
Range of Collection Bulk Dates: 1917-1930
Size: 6.4 linear feet (5 archival boxes, 1 17x21 flat box, 2 12x15 flat boxes, 1 5.5x12.5 shoebox)
Provenance: This collection is part purchase and part gift from Stella Bloch and her family.
Photocopying, literary rights, and citation: Single photocopies
may be made for research purposes. No further photoduplication of copies
of material in the collection can be made when Princeton University Library
does not own the original. Permission to publish material from the collection
must be requested from the Associate University Librarian for Rare Books
and Special Collections. The library has no information on the status of
literary rights in the collection and researchers are responsible for determining
any questions of copyright. Citations should be as follows: Stella Bloch
Papers Relating to Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, Series #, Box #. Used by permission
of the Princeton University Library.
Biographical Sketch
Stella Bloch was born on December 18, 1897, in Tarnow, Poland; she arrived in New York City in March 1898. She lived on East 54th Street with her mother Charlotte Bloch ["Binney"] above the woman's dressmaking business run by her mother, aunt Pauline Ehrlich, and uncle Bernard Offner. Within the busy workrooms of the family business, three-year-old Bloch was given permission to entertain herself by drawing with chalk on the walls. The skills that she developed as a result of this early practice became the foundation of her career in art.Bloch's cousins, the art historian Richard Offner and his brother the photographer Mortimer Offner, played important roles in shaping her aesthetic and career. While Bloch was still a young girl, Richard Offner encouraged her to collect photos of ancient Greek sculpture, and later assisted her in entering art school. There the self-taught artist received instruction in the fundamentals of drawing, painting, color, and technique. Attending a 1914 performance by Isadora Duncan proved a prodigious experience for Bloch: it both sparked her interest in dance and provided a new subject for her art. A selection of Bloch's drawings of Duncan later came to the attention of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy.
Ananda K. Coomaraswamy was born on August 22, 1877, in Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), to a Tamil father, Sir Mutu, who died when his son was two, and an English mother, Elizabeth Clay Beeby. Coomaraswamy was raised from an early age and educated in England, graduating from the University of London with a geology degree in 1901. On June 19, 1902, Coomaraswamy married Ethel Mary Partridge, an English photographer, who then traveled with him to Ceylon. Coomaraswamy's field work between 1902 and 1906 earned him a doctorate and prompted the formation of the Geological Survey of Ceylon which he initially directed. While in Ceylon, the couple collaborated on Mediaeval Sinhalese Art (Broad Campden: Essex House Press, 1908); Coomaraswamy wrote the text and Ethel Mary provided the photographs. His work in Ceylon fueled Coomaraswamy's anti-Westernization sentiment, a surprising position since his father had been a prominent supporter of English presence and reform in their native country.
Coomaraswamy spent 1907-1908 in England writing and developing new philosophies of art, then between 1909 and 1913 he traveled frequently back to India. Around 1910 Coomaraswamy and Ethel Mary divorced. Not long after, Coomaraswamy met Alice Richardson, also an Englishwoman, who studied Indian music and later went by the name Ratan Dev. The couple were married in short order and had two children, a son, Naranda (b. ca.1912), and a daughter, Rohini (b. 1914). Coomaraswamy and Dev produced together Thirty Songs from the Panjab and Kashmir (London: Olde Bourne Press, 1913); he wrote the introduction and she translated the music and words.
By 1916 Coomaraswamy encountered problems in England as a result of his political position: he was a supporter of Indian nationalism and claimed that Indians should not have to fight with the British during World War I. In order to travel with Dev as part of her United States music tour, Coomaraswamy enlisted the help of an influential friend to secure the appropriate permissions. During the trip he made two important encounters, one professional and one personal. Coomaraswamy transformed his professional career through a meeting with Dr. Denman W. Ross, an influential patron of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, who purchased Coomaraswamy's collection of Indian art for the museum and helped appoint him curator of the new department. The personal meeting was between 39-year-old Coomaraswamy and 17-year-old Bloch at one of Dev's rehearsals in New York.
In 1917 Coomaraswamy left England definitively for Boston and began communicating frequently with Bloch. Although Dev joined her husband in the United States, their relationship quickly soured and ended in divorce only a few years later. For her part, Bloch remained in New York where she continued to dance and paint, and even exhibit her work. Her initial uneasiness about Coomaraswamy wore off and she slowly became captivated by her older mentor and admirer. When the Boston Museum of Fine Arts sent Coomaraswamy on a collecting trip to India and Asia from 1920 to1921, Bloch accompanied him. She was an adventurous young woman who followed her heart despite her mother's objections. During their travels Bloch's appreciation for Asian art, dance, culture, and philosophy blossomed. She studied dances from every country they visited and later performed them back in New York and Boston.
Coomaraswamy and Bloch eventually made their relationship official by marrying in November 1922. However, theirs would never be a conventional union, in part because they each maintained separate residences in their respective cities. Coomaraswamy's museum career kept him in Boston, while Bloch preferred the nightlife and dance community in New York. They often visited each other, and vacationed in Maine and Wyoming. Correspondence was their primary means of communication for both personal and professional matters; Coomaraswamy's letters to Bloch cover the spectrum from expressions of love to discussions of writing projects. Despite both the physical distance and age gap, Coomaraswamy and Bloch shared compatible interests in art and culture, and their marriage lasted eight years, until November 1930. Even after going their different ways, Coomaraswamy and Bloch maintained an amicable friendship.
Almost immediately after his divorce from Bloch, Coomaraswamy married Argentine-born Doña Luisa Runstein on November 18, 1930. Doña Luisa was only 25 at the time, while Coomaraswamy was 53, and worked as a society photographer under the pseudonym Xlata Llamas. This relationship produced a son, Coomaraswamy's third child, Rama Ronnambalam (b. 1932). In 1933 Coomaraswamy's responsibilities and title changed from curator to Fellow for Research in Indian, Persian, and Mohammedan Art. He now had more time to dedicate to his research and writing on philology, iconography, and other topics; his collected works are extensive. These intellectual pursuits engaged Coomaraswamy until his death of a heart attack at his home in Needham, Mass., on September 9, 1947.
Bloch had an equally fulfilling and successful life after the divorce.
In 1931 she married Edward Eliscu, a lyricist, and had two sons, Peter
and David. Eliscu and Bloch were married for 67 years until his death in
June 1998. Also in 1931 the couple moved to Hollywood where Eliscu wrote
songs and Bloch worked in the movie industry. In the 1950s they returned
to New York and Bloch began using life in Harlem and the vibrant jazz scene
as subjects of her art. Some of the performers that she drew and painted
include Bessie Smith, Bo Jangles, Snake Hips Tucker, Josephine Baker, and
Thelonious Monk. Eliscu supported his wife's artistic production and also
promoted her work to be shown in galleries and exhibits. Bloch's works
can be found in the following collections: New York City Public Library
for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, Harvard Theatre Collection,
Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture (New York), Katherine Hepburn
(private), and George Cukor (private). She enjoyed a long career as an
artist and continued producing into her 90s. Bloch died of pneumonia one
day shy of her 101st birthday on January 10, 1999.
Collection Description
Scope NoteConsists primarily of correspondence by Coomaraswamy to Bloch from 1917 to 1942. These letters document both professional and personal issues, particularly their long-distance marriage. Also present is a small amount of correspondence by Bloch to Coomaraswamy, and miscellaneous correspondence between Coomaraswamy and Bloch and others, such as Charlotte Bloch ["Binney"] [Bloch's mother], Elizabeth Coomaraswamy [Coomaraswamy's mother], and S. Durai Raja Singam.
There are also manuscripts of Coomaraswamy's articles, lectures, and radio broadcasts--including two co-authored by Bloch--on topics of Indian art, religion, and philosophy. The variety of printed material comprises books by Coomaraswamy (Domestic Handicraft and Culture: A Lecture Read before the Association of Teachers of Domestic Science, 28 May 1910 [1910], The taking of Toll: Being the Dna Ll of Rjendra [1915] [English translation], and Twenty-eight Drawings [1920]) and by Bloch (Dancing and the Drama East and West [1922]), articles by Coomaraswamy and by Bloch, assorted material about Coomaraswamy and Bloch, and other miscellaneous material.
The drawings capture some images of Coomaraswamy and Bloch, but the main subject is anonymous female figures. The drawings by Coomaraswamy include three figures in pen and ink that also appear in Twenty-eight Drawings (1920), and three prints of drawings of Bloch. The drawings by Bloch consist of four unbound pencil drawings of her and Coomaraswamy, and two sketchbooks from their travels to Bali and Java. The photographs include portraits of Coomaraswamy and Bloch individually, together, and with others, as well as the couple's trips to Southeast Asia, Maine, and Wyoming, and a small selection of miscellanea. The series of un-mailed postcards were collected as mementos to document scenery, people, and dance from India and several Southeast Asian countries, as well as a few natural domestic landscapes.
Arrangement
The collection has been arranged in the following series: I. Writings by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy; II. Correspondence--A. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, B. Stella Bloch; III. Drawings--A. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, B. Stella Bloch; IV. Photographs; V. Printed Material--A. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, B. Stella Bloch, C. About Ananda K. Coomaraswamy and Stella Bloch, D. Miscellaneous; VI. Postcards.
Added Entries
The following added entries have been assigned to this collection to highlight significant sources (other than the main entry), subjects, and forms of the collection's materials. Where possible Library of Congress Subjects Headings have been used, and the forms of names reflect international cataloging standards. As a result, all of these entries may be searched in the Department's database (MASC), in the Library's online catalog, and the public card catalog to find other related material.
Subject Headings (in uppercase) / Form Headings (in upper and lower case):
ART, HINDU
ART, INDONESIAN
Art historians--United States--20th century--Correspondence
Art historians--United States--20th century--Drawings
Art historians--United States--20th century--Manuscripts
Artists-United States--20th century--Correspondence
Artists-United States--20th century--Drawings
Artists-United States--20th century--Notebooks,
sketchbooks, etc.
Bloch, Stella, 1898-1999--Correspondence
Bloch, Stella, 1898-1999--Drawings
Bloch, Stella, 1898-1999--Manuscripts
Bloch, Stella, 1898-1999--Notebooks, sketchbooks,
etc.
Bloch, Stella, 1898-1999--Photographs
Cambodia--20th century--Photographs
DANCE, INDIAN
DANCE, INDONESIAN
Dancers--United States--20th century--Correspondence
Dancing and the drama East and West / Stella Bloch
Domestic handicraft and culture: a lecture read
before the association of teachers of domestic science, 28 May 1910 / Ananda
K. Coomaraswamy
Husband and wife--United States--20th century--Correspondence
INDIAN ART
Indonesia--20th century--Photographs
Philosophers--United States--20th century--Correspondence
Philosophers--United States--20th century--Manuscripts
PHILOSOPHY, HINDU
Taking of Toll: being the Dna Ll of Rjendra / Ananda
K. Coomaraswamy
Twenty-eight drawings / Ananda K. Coomaraswamy
Related Publications
Some of the drawings found in the collection came to print in the following
publications: Coomaraswamy: 3: His Life and Work by Roger Lipsey
(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1977), and Twenty-eight Drawings
by Coomaraswamy (New York: Sunwise Turn, 1920).
Series Descriptions
| I. Writings by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy | Box 1 | |||||||||
| This series consists of manuscripts of articles, lectures, and radio broadcasts, as well as a few miscellaneous notes. The subjects include Indian art, religion, and philosophy. Two of the articles are co-authored with Bloch. The majority of the titles can also be found in the series "II. Works" of the Ananda K. Coomaraswamy Papers (C0038). This series is organized alphabetically by title, with miscellaneous materials located at the end. | ||||||||||
| II. Correspondence | ||||||||||
| A. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy | Boxes 1-4 | |||||||||
| This sub-series consists of correspondence, primarily to Bloch (1917-1942), as well as some correspondence between Coomaraswamy and others. The letters to Bloch include a variety of enclosures, and nearly all retain the original envelopes. This sub-series is organized alphabetically by correspondent, and then chronologically by date. All undated or partially dated letters are located at the beginning of the corresponding folder or correspondent section within the miscellaneous folder. | ||||||||||
| B. Stella Bloch | Box 4 | |||||||||
| This sub-series consists of correspondence with Coomaraswamy, Charlotte Bloch ["Binney"] [Bloch's mother], Elizabeth Coomaraswamy [Coomaraswamy's mother], S. Durai Raja Singam, and others. This sub-series is organized alphabetically by correspondent, and then chronologically by date. All undated or partially dated letters are located at the beginning of the corresponding folder or correspondent section within the miscellaneous folder. | ||||||||||
| III. Drawings | ||||||||||
| A. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy | Box 5 | |||||||||
| This sub-series consists of both pen-and-ink and pencil drawings, as well as three prints and one tracing. The primary subject is female figures, but there are also two portraits and a small selection of miscellaneous drawings. Three drawings, "Relaxation," "Memory," and "Extension" [ca.1919-1920], were published in Twenty-eight Drawings [see also Box 7, Folder 1]. Furthermore, this sub-series contains three prints of drawings of Bloch. This sub-series is organized by subject and then by medium, with miscellaneous material located at the end. | ||||||||||
| B. Stella Bloch | Boxes 5-6 | |||||||||
| This sub-series consists of unbound pencil drawings and two sketchbooks from Bloch's travels, one each from Bali (1919) and Java (1919-1920). The primary subject of the unbound drawings is Coomaraswamy and Bloch, while that of the sketchbooks is indigenous people and dancers of Bali and Java. Also included in the Bali sketchbook are two drawings of Coomaraswamy, one of him wearing a typical Balinese hat, and two prints of a Balinese dancer, one hand-colored [see also Box 8, Folder 1]. This sub-series is organized by format (unbound or sketchbook), and then chronologically by year. | ||||||||||
| IV. Photographs | Boxes 6 | |||||||||
| This series consists of photograph portraits of Bloch and Coomaraswamy, as well as other photographs that document their travels and artistic interests. The majority of both the formal and informal portraits of Bloch were taken by Coomaraswamy. In some photographs Bloch appears in Asian dress, dancing, or traveling. The portraits of Coomaraswamy include some in Indian dress; two by Mortimer Offner [Bloch's cousin]; two silver prints, one each by Count de Streclicki and Arnold Genthe; and a W. C. Ward photo of Jo Davidson's bust of Coomaraswamy signed by the sculptor. There are also portraits of Coomaraswamy and Bloch together and with others, such as members of Bloch's family and other unidentified individuals. The subjects of the Southeast Asia photographs include dancers (Bali, Java), market scenes, rural life, monuments, sculptures, theater, and shadow theater. Also present is a selection of photographs from camping and country excursions to Maine and Wyoming. Furthermore, there are two landscapes by Coomaraswamy that were later used for a calendar with the Camera Club. All photographs include subject, location, and date information, if known; and some contain inscriptions by Bloch. This series is organized alphabetically by subject. | ||||||||||
| V. Printed Material | ||||||||||
| A. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy | Box 7 | |||||||||
| This sub-series consists of books and articles by Coomaraswamy. The selection of books includes Domestic Handicraft and Culture: A Lecture Read before the Association of Teachers of Domestic Science, 28 May 1910 (1910), The Taking of Toll: Being the Dna Ll of Rjendra (1915) [English translation by Coomaraswamy], and Twenty-eight Drawings (1920). Also present are a variety of articles in journals, reprints, and clippings that cover the following topics: Chinese and Javanese theater; Indian sculpture, painting, architecture, texts, and religion; Eastern philosophy; book reviews; metaphysics; and poetry. This sub-series is organized by genre (books and then journals, reprints, and clippings), with the books alphabetized by title. | ||||||||||
| B. Stella Bloch | Box 8 | |||||||||
| This sub-series consists of the book Dancing and the Drama East and West (1922) [introduction by Coomaraswamy] and articles by Bloch. The assorted articles in journals, reprints, and clippings cover the following topics: dance and theater; Siamese, Khmer, and Chinese art; and Buddhist texts. This sub-series is organized by genre (books and then journals, reprints, and clippings). | ||||||||||
| C. About Ananda K. Coomaraswamy and Stella Bloch | Box 8 | |||||||||
| This sub-series consists of assorted printed material about Coomaraswamy and Bloch, and includes the following: autobiographical sketch by Bloch; brochures from Beaux Arts Gallery (Woodbury, CT) exhibits of Bloch's art; clippings of Bloch's dancing, and of Coomaraswamy in Asia; pamphlets of Coomaraswamy's publications and lectures; catalogs of Orientalia books, and of Coomaraswamy and Bloch's drawings; and travel brochures. | ||||||||||
| D. Miscellaneous | Box 8 | |||||||||
| This sub-series consists of assorted printed material associated with the intellectual and artistic interests of Coomaraswamy and Bloch, and includes the following: Coomaraswamy's lecture notes from a university course on Indian art edited by S. Durai Raja Singam; programs of dance performances in Java; texts about Javanese dance, theater, and music (in Dutch); prints of Javanese dance; a Japanese theater program; A Dream of John Ball by William Morris (New York: Little Leather Library, n.d.); and a manuscript of the radio broadcast "The Chinese Exhibition at London" by Langdon Warner. | ||||||||||
| VI. Postcards | Box 9 | |||||||||
| This series consists primarily of postcards from Southeast Asia, with a few from domestic locations. The featured countries include the following: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Singapore, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and Viet Nam. All the postcards are free of writing, stamps, and postmarks. | ||||||||||
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Last Modified: July 01 2003
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