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Call number
*MGZEB 19-271
Physical description
3.58 linear feet (9 boxes)
Language
English
Preferred Citation
W. H. Stephan photographs, *MGZEB 19-271. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

W. H. (Wilbur Hulin) Stephan (1921-1959) was a Ohio born photographer who specialized in dance. The W. H. Stephan photographs date from 1949 to 1959 and are comprised of black and white negatives and photographic prints of numerous ballet and modern dance companies throughout New York City and the greater tri-state region. The majority of the collection documents the productions and dancers of well-known companies, chiefly American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, New York City Ballet, and Slavenska-Franklin Ballet. The photographs captured the New York modern dance scene and its well-known figures including Merce Cunningham, Myra Kinch, Pearl Lang, Sophie Maslow, and Paul Taylor.

Biographical/historical information

W. H. (Wilbur Hulin) Stephan (1921-1959) was a photographer who specialized in dance. Stephan was born in Upper Sandusky, Ohio and began exploring photography as a teenager. While still in high school, he opened up a studio for photographic finishing and general photographic work. After serving in World War II as a Public Relations Photographer, he returned to fine arts and studied painting under Hans Hofmann while maintaining a photography practice. Throughout the early 1950s Stephan won several photograph competitions while attending the Illinois Institute of Technology where he earned a bachelor's degree in photography. Following graduation in 1951, he moved to New York City. By 1954, he was regularly exhibiting and publishing dance photographs in books and magazines including Dance Magazine, Dance News, Dance Observer, The New York Times, and The London Dancing Times. He was also a monthly contributor to the Dancing Star Magazine. An enthusiast of motor scooters, Stephan toured Europe by motor scooter in the summer of 1957 where he photographed international ballet companies. From 1953 until his death in 1959, Stephan was employed as a photographer for Pagano, Inc., a company that provided photographs to advertising agencies.

Scope and arrangement

The W. H. Stephan photographs date from 1949 to 1959 and are comprised of black and white negatives and photographic prints of numerous ballet and modern dance companies throughout New York City and the greater tri-state region.

The collection is arranged into two series, Negatives and Photographic Prints. The series are arranged into sections by Companies, Individuals, Productions, Publications, Promotional, and Non-dance photographs. The files are arranged alphabetically.

The majority of the collection documents the productions and dancers of well-known companies, chiefly American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, New York City Ballet, and Slavenska-Franklin Ballet. Productions include American Ballet Theatre's Giselle and Pillar of Fire; Joffrey Ballet's Pas de Deesses; José Limón Dance Company's King's Heart; and Royal Danish Ballet's Napoli. Stephan also paid special attention to dancers Alexandra Danilova and Sonia Arova, both of whom are well-represented within the collection.

Stephan also spent a great deal of time photographing modern dance's most prominent figures. Included in the collection are studio portraits of Merce Cunningham and Paul Taylor; Myra Kinch in a production of Giselle's Revenge; Pearl Lang; Sophie Maslow; and a production of Doris Humphrey's The Shakers, inspired by the 18th century American Christian sect.

Additionally, Stephan drew attention to dance forms outside of ballet and modern dance. He photographed figures such as Indian folk dancer Bhaskar Roy Chowdhury; mime and dancer Angna Enters; traditional Indian dancer Nala Najan; and Ryliss Barnes Simpson, better known as Javanese dancer Hasoutra.

Of special note is a mock-up flyer Stephan designed to promote his 1954 exhibit of Alexandra Danilova photographs at the Kamin Dance Bookshop and Gallery (Box 9, Folder 7). The mock-up consists of a mounted black and white print of Danilova with Stephan's hand drawn type on tracing paper announcing the show and its details.

Finally, there is a small amount of non-dance, personal photographs. These include beach outings, locations around New York City, Chicago, Tarrytown, and many shots of cats.

The W. H. Stephan photographs are arranged in two series:

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift of Mrs. Sally Limbach (sister of W. H. Stephan), 1959.

Processing information

Processed by Tara D. Strongosky, 2019.

Using the collection

Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor