Not currently on display at the V&A

Land of Orchids

Costume Design
ca.1897 (designed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Costume designed by Comelli for the ‘Land of Orchids’ scene 7 of the 1897-98 Christmas pantomime The Babes in the Wood created for the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The pantomime by Arthur Sturgess and Arthur P Collins with music by James Glover. Choreography was by Carlo Coppi (who was responsible for the Land of Orchids) and John D’Auban. The production opened on 27 December 1897 and running until 26 March 1898 a total of 135 performances.

The costumes were designed to evoke orchids and include those for taller women who also hold orchids on staves who probably did little more than parade to show off their costumes and shorter women without props (such as this) for whom the flower’s petals make the skirts who appear to have danced on stage. The costumes may be seen as they appeared in performance in the illustration by Charles M Sheldon of the ballet reproduced1 January 1898 in which the tall women pose at the edges of the stage, the shorter perform a dance kicking their legs while the Grigolatis troupe fly overhead.

Attilio Comelli (c.1858-1925) and his brother, E.(?), were both regularly employed as costume designers for ballets, extravaganzas, operas and pantomimes at the Alhambra, Drury Lane, the Royal Opera House and other London theatres at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleLand of Orchids (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Watercolour and pencil on artist's board
Brief description
Costume design by Attilio Comelli for a Pink and Brown Orchid woman in the Land of Orchids scene in Babes in the Wood at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane 1897-98
Physical description
The design shows a full-length image of a woman facing forward. Her costume evokes pink and brown orchid, the bodice of the costume suggesting the flower's labellum (the most colourful or specially shaped part used by the flower to attract insects for pollination). The costume falls into a skirt suggestive of petals. The dancer has an orchid-inspired headdress and a brown leading into green fine fabric veil attached to the back of her costume with loops of fabric to link over her fingers to hold it open.
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'A.Comelli / '99' (Signature. Lower left hand corner.)
  • 'C.A. / 1910' (Stamp. Reverse.)
Object history
Attilio Comelli (c.1858-1925) and his brother, E.(?), were both regularly employed as costume designers for extravaganzas and pantomimes at the Alhambra, Drury Lane and other London theatres at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries. Associated production: Designer: Attilio Comelli. c.1899. Performance category: Pantomime?
Subjects depicted
Summary
Costume designed by Comelli for the ‘Land of Orchids’ scene 7 of the 1897-98 Christmas pantomime The Babes in the Wood created for the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The pantomime by Arthur Sturgess and Arthur P Collins with music by James Glover. Choreography was by Carlo Coppi (who was responsible for the Land of Orchids) and John D’Auban. The production opened on 27 December 1897 and running until 26 March 1898 a total of 135 performances.

The costumes were designed to evoke orchids and include those for taller women who also hold orchids on staves who probably did little more than parade to show off their costumes and shorter women without props (such as this) for whom the flower’s petals make the skirts who appear to have danced on stage. The costumes may be seen as they appeared in performance in the illustration by Charles M Sheldon of the ballet reproduced1 January 1898 in which the tall women pose at the edges of the stage, the shorter perform a dance kicking their legs while the Grigolatis troupe fly overhead.

Attilio Comelli (c.1858-1925) and his brother, E.(?), were both regularly employed as costume designers for ballets, extravaganzas, operas and pantomimes at the Alhambra, Drury Lane, the Royal Opera House and other London theatres at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries.
Collection
Accession number
S.974-1997

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdOctober 7, 2010
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest