Not currently on display at the V&A

Masques d'Or

Set Design
1932 (painted)
Artist/Maker
Shanks, Alec (Mr) (theatre designer)
Place of origin
France (designed)

Design by Alec Shanks for the Masques d'Or in the revue, Les Masques, Folies Bergere, Paris, 1932


Object details

Categories
Entertainment & Leisure
Designs
Object type
Set design
TitleMasques d'Or (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Gouache, pencil, pen and ink, gold paint, silver paint and bronze paint on paper
Gouache
Pencil
Ink
Gold Paint
Bronze Paint
Silver Paint
Paper
Painting
Brief description
Design by Alec Shanks for the Masques d'Or in the revue, Les Masques, Folies Bergere, Paris, 1932
Physical description
Design for the Masque d'Or in Les Masques, showing a gold proscenium arch of stylized geometric shapes and four golden steps leading up to a stylized Greek mask, each eye socket containing a nude showgirl in a gold headdress, holding a circular golden shield to form the eyeball. Two figures wearing fantasticated Greek helmets and holding gold shields and spears stand one on either side of the proscenium opening, with two similar figures at the top of the steps centre stage. The design is painted on black paper and is signed and dated on the lower right hand side.
Dimensions
  • Height: 362mm
  • Width: 508mm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'ALEC / SHANKS / '32' (Signature; Lower right hand corner; Handwriting; Paint)
  • 'Tableau cree Pour / MAX WELDY, Paris / Par Alec Shanks' (Textual information; French; Reverse, upper left hand corner; Handwriting; Crayon)
  • '"Les Masques." / B. MASQUES D'OR' (Textual information; Reverse, upper centre; Handwriting; Gouache)
  • '- DECOR / 6 costumes / + / La Chanteuse' (Textual information; Reverse, upper right hand corner; Handwriting; Crayon)
Credit line
Given by Dame Margaret Booth
Object history
This design was made for a revue, Les Masques, at the Folies Bergere, Paris, 1932
Literary referenceLes Masques
Summary
Design by Alec Shanks for the Masques d'Or in the revue, Les Masques, Folies Bergere, Paris, 1932
Collection
Theatre and Performance Collection
Accession number
S.176-1999

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Record createdNovember 30, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O12439/masques-dor-set-design-shanks-alec-mr/
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