SPENCER, Sir Stanley (1891-1959): Personal papers

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0070 TGA 733
Held at	: Tate Britain   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.tate.org.uk/research/researchservices/archive/ ›
Full title	: SPENCER, Sir Stanley (1891-1959): Personal papers
Date(s)	: 1910-1964
Level of description	: Fonds
Extent	: 29 boxes, 1 solander box and 2 volumes.
Name of creator(s)	: Spencer | Sir | Stanley | 1891-1959 | Knight | artist
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Stanley Spencer (1891-1959) was born in Cookham, Berkshire, where he spent much of his life. He attended the Slade School under Tonks, 1908-12; returning in 1923, where he concentrated on drawing. His contemporaries at the Slade included Nevinson, Bomberg, Roberts, Gertler, Wadsworth, Carrington, Allinson, Jacque & Gwen Raverat, Lightfoot and Ihlee; the latter four being his closest friends. In 1912, Spencer exhibited in the 2nd Post-Impressionist exhibition, organised by Roger Fry, and in 1913 he met Edward Marsh who, with fellow artist Henry Lamb, supported his work. Between 1915 and 1918 he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps where he saw action in Salonika. In 1918 he was commissioned for an official war picture: 'Travoys with Wounded Soldiers' (Imperial War Museum). In 1919 Spencer met Hilda Carline (sister to Richard and Sydney), and they married in 1925. They had two children, Shirin, born 1925 and Unity, born in 1930. A member of the New English Art Club, 1919-27, his first solo exhibition was at the Goupil Gallery in 1927, where he exhibited 'The Resurrection, Cookham', 1924-26 (Tate). Between 1927 and 1932 he worked on the decorations for the Sandham Memorial Chapel, Burghclere, and he subsequently exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 1928, 1930, 1932 and 1938, and at the Tooth, Leger and Zwemmer Galleries in London. Elected Associate Royal Academician in 1932 (resigned 1935) he was re-elected Royal Academician in 1950. In 1937 Hilda divorced Stanley so he could marry Patricia Preece. His second marriage only lasted two years and Spencer remained in love, and close contact, with Hilda until her death in 1950. From the 1930s he worked on a series of paintings for his Church-House scheme and in 1940 he was commissioned by the WAAC to paint shipbuilding subjects at Port Glasgow (Imerpial War Museum). 'The Resurrection, Port Glasgow' (Tate) was one of nine pictures of the Resurrection painted between 1945 and 1950. He received his CBE in 1950 and was knighted in 1959. In 1954 he visited China as part of a cultural delegation, and in 1955 the Tate held a retrospective exhibition of his work. His painting gives an autobiographical, visionary interpretation of secular and religious subjects, often depicting biblical scenes in the contemporary environment of Cookham. Influenced by early Italian painting and work by his contemporaries at the Slade, he used distortions of scale, perspective and anatomy, heightened realistic detail, cool, earthy colour and rhythmical forms to produce work of great imaginative intensity. In the 1920s and 1930s he painted urban, domestic subjects, sometimes with an erotic content. His sharply defined work was based on drawn preparation and painted in a methodical manner which rarely altered or overpainted images. In December 1958 Spencer was diagnosed with cancer and taken into hospital for a colostomy operation. The operation was a success, but Spencer's recovery was slow and painful. During 1959 Spencer limited his social engagements to allow more time for his painting. He also moved back into 'Fernlea', Cookham, his childhood home. Stanley Spencer died at the Canadian War Memorial Hospital, Cliveden, on 14th December 1959.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

This collection largely consists of correspondence to and from Stanley Spencer and his writings on himself, his paintings, religion and his relationships. The correspondence dates from the late 1930s, with the majority coming from the 1940s and 1950s. Important correspondents include: the British Broadcasting Corporation, Mary and Louis Behrend (patrons and founders of Sandham Memorial Chapel, Burghclere), Spencer's sister Florence Image, his first wife Hilda, his children Unity and Shirin, John and Elizabeth Rothenstein and the Tate, and Arthur Tooth and Sons (his agents). The collection also contains Spencer's writings, notebooks and diaries. Spencer was a prolific writer who appeared to use his writings as an opportunity to expand or refine his ideas for paintings, and his personal thoughts. Along with his letters, the continuous writings, notebooks and diaries often contain detailed descriptions of his paintings, compositions and schemes; his opinions on art, life, philosophy, religion and sex; and his autobiography and preparation for a proposed book. The collection is completed by a number of sketches and drawings by Spencer, the majority of which relate to larger, painted works; and some printed ephemera including press cuttings, photographs, postcards, private view cards and exhibition catalogues.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

The material has been arranged into the following series:, TGA 733/1 Correspondence (A-Z), TGA 733/2 Continuous Writings (1932-49), TGA 733/3 Notebooks (1918-56), TGA 733/4 Diaries (1918-57), TGA 733/5 Writings (pre-1920), TGA 733/6 Writings (1930s), TGA 733/7 Writings (1930s?), TGA 733/8 Writings (1940s), TGA 733/9 Writings (1940s?), TGA 733/10 Writings (1950s), TGA 733/11 Sketches and Drawings (1910-40), TGA 733/12 Miscellaneous (1915-64), Reference numbers TGA 733/1/871-890, 733/1/1217, 733/3/4, 733/3/8, 733/3/15, 733/3/27, 733/3/29 and 733/3/36 have not been used.

Conditions governing access:

PERMISSION TO CONSULT THESE PAPERS MUST BE OBTAINED FROM THE SPENCER ESTATE.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Usual copyright restrictions apply

Finding aids:

Online and paper catalogue available

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Purchased from the Spencer Estate, 1973.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Other collections containing material related to Spencer include: Richard Carline (TGA 825 and TAM B3-17), The Goupil Gallery (TGA 739 and TGA 8314), Henry Lamb (TAM 15A), Gwen Raverat (TGA 8116), John Rothenstein (TGA 8419) and Arthur Tooth and Sons Limited (TGA 8917).

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Entry compiled by Suzanne Keyte for AIM25 from the Tate Archive catalogue

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with the General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD (G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
2004