Sketchbooks from 1917 by the Czech Artist T.F. Simon (1877-1942)

T.F. Šimon (1877-1942)

SKETCHBOOK
1905-1908

On this page we show some of Simon's drawings in a sketchbook. Starting with three drawings of the Japanese actress Sada Yacco dated 8th February 1908,Theatre Moderne in Paris.
Darrel C. Karl collection

Entire sketchbook

(Interview with Sada Jacco)

Frontcover

Drawing signed in pencil with the monogram TFS dated 1908 8/2 (February 8).
A the 'Theatre Moderne' Paris. FS 1908 8/2.
Title of performance in pencil "Les trois Seures (soeures = sisters)"
The Three Sisters is a play by the Russian author Anton Czekhov (1860-1904).
Big image

Sada Yacco. Theatre Moderne Paris
A preliminary Sketch for the Oil painting Sada Yacco

Oilpainting 1908

According to Lesley Downer, author of Madame Sadayakko: The Geisha Who Bewitched The West (Gotham Books 2003), "The following month [February 1908] she was persuaded to play a brief season at the Théȃtre Moderne. A French paper revealed that she commanded the phenomenal sum of twenty-five hundred francs per appearance." Page 223. Downer doesn't mention the (play or plays) that Yakko performed at the Théȃtre Moderne in Paris. However, it's known that she previously performed twice in January 1908 a version of Momiji-gari (Maple Viewing) called "Le Dragon des Érables" (The Dragon of the Maples) at the Théȃtre Réjane in Paris, as well as another play called "The Geisha and the Knight." Pages 222-223. On January 31, 1908, there was a reception held at the Japanese Legation, and at the end of the night she and her troupe gave a performance of Anton Chekhov's "The Three Sisters" and a comedy called "The Cat's Mew." Page 223.
"The Three Sisters" in French is "Les trois soeurs" - which is similar in spelling to what appears on the dated drawing.