Ervin Bossanyi, stained glass artist: papers

Correspondence from artists, colleagues, friends and relatives (ca. 1890 - 1975); watercolours (1915 - 1919); sketchbooks and sketches (1920 - 1978); press cuttings and published articles (1920 - 1997); designs for bronze bowls, candle holders, ceramic fountains, electric fires, graphics, hanging lamps, home interiors and window blinds (1920s); designs and plans for windows in houses and studios in Germany (1920s); photographs of Ervin Bossanyi (ca. 1925 and ca. 1970); photographs of commissions undertaken in Lübeck (1920s - 1930s); papers and photographs relating to designs for windows installed in the Hamburg Crematorium (1930s); designs for ceramic fireplaces and overmantels (ca. 1935); designs and test samples for pendants (ca. 1940 - 1959); designs (1950s); papers relating to the death and memorial service of Ervin Bossanyi (1975 - 1977); typescript of a lecture delivered by Paul San Casciani (1977); biography and family history written by Jo Bossanyi (1993); location list of Ervin Bossanyi's works compiled by Jo Bossanyi (1996); books, designs and reference material for windows depicting Shivaji (undated); photographs of family (undated); photographs of paintings and artwork (undated); photographs of stained glass commissions (undated).

Ervin Bossanyi (1891 - 1975) was born in Hungary and studied at art academies in Budapest, London, Paris and Rome. He settled and worked in Lübeck and Hamburg, Germany from 1919 to 1934. His stained glass commissions included windows for the Technical and Arts and Crafts College in Lübeck and 37 windows for the new Hamburg Crematorium. He also worked in other media such as ceramics, furniture and interior design, metalwork and sculpture. With Hitler's rise to power, he emigrated to Britain in 1934 where he continued working as a stained glass designer and artist. His British commissions included stained glass windows for Canterbury Cathedral in 1956 and York Minster from 1974 to 1975. he also made important windows for the New West End Synagogue, Tate Britain, Senate House at the University of London, and Uxbridge underground station. He also worked on a number of projects overseas, including windows for the Anglican Cathedral in Washington DC and an Indian project to design a series of windows depicting Shivaji which were never executed. Exhibitions of Bossanyi's work were held at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford in 1979, in Lübeck, Germany in 1988, and in Hungary in the Budapest National Gallery in 1980, and in Baja in 1984 and 1991.

This archive collection is available for consultation in the V&A Study Rooms by appointment only. Full details of access arrangements may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/.

Access to some of the material may be restricted. These restrictions are noted in the catalogue where relevant.

Given by Jo Bossanyi, 1978, AAD/1978/7.

Given by Jo Bossanyi, 1995, AAD/1995/6.

Given by Jo Bossanyi, 1997, AAD/1997/11.

Given by Jo Bossanyi, 1999, AAD/1999/2.

Given by Jo Bossanyi, 2003, AAD/2003/7.

Given by Jo Bossanyi, 2008, AAD/2008/8.

Given by Jo Bossanyi, 2010, AAD/2010/7.

Cataloguing supported by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of The David Berg Foundation, New York.

Bibliography:

Dagmar Hayes 'Ervin Bossanyi - the Splendour of Stained Glass' (Canterbury: Friends of Canterbury Cathedral, 1965).

'Ervin Bossanyi : Encounter with an artist' Supplement to Beacon, Spring Term, 1974, Natal, S. Africa.

Full catalogue available at the AAD.

Information on copying and commercial reproduction may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/.

Bibliography:

Dagmar Hayes 'Ervin Bossanyi - the Splendour of Stained Glass' (Canterbury: Friends of Canterbury Cathedral, 1965).

'Ervin Bossanyi : Encounter with an artist' Supplement to Beacon, Spring Term, 1974, Natal, S. Africa.

Bibliography:

Dagmar Hayes 'Ervin Bossanyi - the Splendour of Stained Glass' (Canterbury: Friends of Canterbury Cathedral, 1965).

'Ervin Bossanyi : Encounter with an artist' Supplement to Beacon, Spring Term, 1974, Natal, S. Africa.