Michael Sadleir
Encyclopedia
Michael Sadleir was a British
novelist and book collector.
, a historian and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds
. The name change was precipitated by the scandal that followed the publication of Sadleir's novel Fanny by Gaslight
, with some of the ensuing abuse being mistakenly directed at Sadleir's father.
Before the First World War, Sadleir and his father were keen collectors of contemporary art, and purchased works by young English artists such as Stanley Spencer
and Mark Gertler. They were amongst the first collectors (and certainly the first English collectors) of the paintings of the Russian-born German Expressionist artist Wassily Kandinsky
. In 1913, both Sadleir and his father travelled to Germany to meet Kandinsky in Munich. This visit led to Sadleir translating into English Kandinsky's seminal written work work on expressionism, Concerning the Spiritual In Art in 1914. This was one of the first coherent arguments for abstract art
in the English language and its effects were profound. Extracts from it were published in the Vorticist literary magazine
BLAST in 1914, and it had a major impact on the development of abstract art in Britain and North America right up until the 1960s. Sadleir's translation is still in print, and it remains one of the most commonly used versions of Kandinsky's book in the English language.
Sadleir was director of the publishing firm of Constable & Robinson
, a British delegate to the Paris Peace Conference, 1919
, a member of the secretariat of the League of Nations
, a novelist, a bibliographer and book collector; Together with Ian Fleming
and others, Sadleir was a director and contributor to The Book Handbook, later renamed The Book Collector, published by Queen Anne Press
. As collector and literary historian, he specialized in 19th century English fiction, notably the work of Anthony Trollope
. He also conducted research on Gothic fiction
and discovered rare original editions of the Northanger Horrid Novels
mentioned in the novel Northanger Abbey
by Jane Austen
. Beforehand, some of these books, with their lurid titles, were thought to be figments of Austen's imagination. Sadleir and Montague Summers
demonstrated that they did really exist. He was President of the Bibliographical Society
from 1944 to 1946.
His best known novel is Fanny by Gaslight
(1940), filmed
in 1944, a fictional exploration of prostitution in Victorian
London. A later novel, Forlorn Sunset
, further explored the characters of the Victorian Underworld. His writings also include a biography of his father.
Sadleir's remarkable collection of Victorian fiction
, now at the UCLA
Department of Special Collections, is the subject of a catalogue published in 1951.
Sadleir lived at Througham Court, Bisley
, in Gloucestershire, a fine Jacobean farmhouse altered for him by the architect Norman Jewson
, c. 1929.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
novelist and book collector.
Biography
He was born Michael Sadler, though upon beginning to publish novels he altered the spelling of his name to differentiate himself from his father, Michael Ernest SadlerMichael Ernest Sadler
Sir Michael Ernest Sadler KCSI was a British historian, educationalist and university administrator. He worked at the universities of Manchester and Leeds. He was a champion of the public school system.-Early life and education:...
, a historian and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
. The name change was precipitated by the scandal that followed the publication of Sadleir's novel Fanny by Gaslight
Fanny by Gaslight (novel)
Fanny by Gaslight is the best known novel of Michael Sadleir. Written in 1940 and filmed in 1944, it is a fictional exploration of prostitution in Victorian London. In 1981 it was turned into a four-part BBC television series Fanny by Gaslight with Chloe Salaman in the title role....
, with some of the ensuing abuse being mistakenly directed at Sadleir's father.
Before the First World War, Sadleir and his father were keen collectors of contemporary art, and purchased works by young English artists such as Stanley Spencer
Stanley Spencer
Sir Stanley Spencer was an English painter. Much of his work depicts Biblical scenes, from miracles to Crucifixion, happening not in the Holy Land but in the small Thames-side village where he was born and spent most of his life...
and Mark Gertler. They were amongst the first collectors (and certainly the first English collectors) of the paintings of the Russian-born German Expressionist artist Wassily Kandinsky
Wassily Kandinsky
Wassily Wassilyevich Kandinsky was an influential Russian painter and art theorist. He is credited with painting the first purely-abstract works. Born in Moscow, Kandinsky spent his childhood in Odessa. He enrolled at the University of Moscow, studying law and economics...
. In 1913, both Sadleir and his father travelled to Germany to meet Kandinsky in Munich. This visit led to Sadleir translating into English Kandinsky's seminal written work work on expressionism, Concerning the Spiritual In Art in 1914. This was one of the first coherent arguments for abstract art
Abstract art
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century, underpinned by the logic of perspective and an...
in the English language and its effects were profound. Extracts from it were published in the Vorticist literary magazine
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
BLAST in 1914, and it had a major impact on the development of abstract art in Britain and North America right up until the 1960s. Sadleir's translation is still in print, and it remains one of the most commonly used versions of Kandinsky's book in the English language.
Sadleir was director of the publishing firm of Constable & Robinson
Constable & Robinson
Constable & Robinson Ltd. is an independent British book publisher of fiction and non-fiction works. Founded in Edinburgh in 1795 by Archibald Constable as Constable & Co. it is probably the oldest independent publisher in the English-speaking world still operating under the name of its...
, a British delegate to the Paris Peace Conference, 1919
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
, a member of the secretariat of the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
, a novelist, a bibliographer and book collector; Together with Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
and others, Sadleir was a director and contributor to The Book Handbook, later renamed The Book Collector, published by Queen Anne Press
Queen Anne Press
The Queen Anne Press is a small private press. It was created in 1951 by Lord Kemsley, proprietor of the Sunday Times, to publish the works of comtemporary authors. In 1952, as a wedding present to his then Foreign Editor, Kemsley made Ian Fleming its managing director. The press concentrated on...
. As collector and literary historian, he specialized in 19th century English fiction, notably the work of Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...
. He also conducted research on Gothic fiction
Gothic fiction
Gothic fiction, sometimes referred to as Gothic horror, is a genre or mode of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. Gothicism's origin is attributed to English author Horace Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto, subtitled "A Gothic Story"...
and discovered rare original editions of the Northanger Horrid Novels
Northanger Horrid Novels
The Northanger Horrid Novels are seven early works of Gothic fiction recommended by Isabella Thorpe to Catherine Morland in Jane Austen's novel Northanger Abbey :*Clermont, a Tale by Regina Maria Roche. London: Minerva Press....
mentioned in the novel Northanger Abbey
Northanger Abbey
Northanger Abbey was the first of Jane Austen's novels to be completed for publication, though she had previously made a start on Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. According to Cassandra Austen's Memorandum, Susan was written approximately during 1798–99...
by Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
. Beforehand, some of these books, with their lurid titles, were thought to be figments of Austen's imagination. Sadleir and Montague Summers
Montague Summers
Augustus Montague Summers was an eccentric English author and clergyman. He is known primarily for his scholarly work on the English drama of the 17th century, as well as for his idiosyncratic studies on witches, vampires, and werewolves, in all of which he professed to believe...
demonstrated that they did really exist. He was President of the Bibliographical Society
Bibliographical Society
Founded in 1892, the Bibliographical Society is the senior learned society dealing with the study of the book and its history, based in London, England....
from 1944 to 1946.
His best known novel is Fanny by Gaslight
Fanny by Gaslight (novel)
Fanny by Gaslight is the best known novel of Michael Sadleir. Written in 1940 and filmed in 1944, it is a fictional exploration of prostitution in Victorian London. In 1981 it was turned into a four-part BBC television series Fanny by Gaslight with Chloe Salaman in the title role....
(1940), filmed
Fanny by Gaslight (film)
Fanny by Gaslight was a 1944 British drama film, produced by Gainsborough Pictures, set in the 1870s and adapted from a novel by Michael Sadleir . It was one of its famous period-set "Gainsborough melodramas"...
in 1944, a fictional exploration of prostitution in Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
London. A later novel, Forlorn Sunset
Forlorn Sunset
Forlorn Sunset is a novel by the British writer Michael Sadleir which was first published in 1947. Like his better known work Fanny by Gaslight the novel is set in Victorian London and explores the underworld of Vice that existed in the city....
, further explored the characters of the Victorian Underworld. His writings also include a biography of his father.
Sadleir's remarkable collection of Victorian fiction
Victorian literature
Victorian literature is the literature produced during the reign of Queen Victoria . It forms a link and transition between the writers of the romantic period and the very different literature of the 20th century....
, now at the UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
Department of Special Collections, is the subject of a catalogue published in 1951.
Sadleir lived at Througham Court, Bisley
Bisley, Gloucestershire
Bisley is a village in Gloucestershire, England, approximately east of Stroud. The parish is today united administratively with the adjoining parish of Lypiatt and the two are usually referred to as Bisley-with-Lypiatt...
, in Gloucestershire, a fine Jacobean farmhouse altered for him by the architect Norman Jewson
Norman Jewson
Norman Jewson was an English architect-craftsman of the Arts and Crafts movement, who practiced in the Cotswolds. He was a distinguished, younger member of the group which had settled in Sapperton, Gloucestershire, a feudal village in rural southwest England, under the influence of Ernest Gimson...
, c. 1929.
Film versions
- Fanny by Gaslight - 1944 (US title: Man of Evil)
External links
- Online text of a brief autobiography, PASSAGES FROM THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A BIBLIOMANIAC, first published in 1951 as the introduction to his XIX Century Fiction: a bibliographical record, and reprinted separately in 1962.
- Sadleir MSS and Sadleir MSS III brief descriptions of manuscripts at the Lilly Library, Indiana University
- Wishful Thinking gravestones of Michael Sadleir and of a relative, Michael Thomas Sadler (born 1916, died 1942)