Caesar and Cleopatra
Theatre Costume
ca. 1945 (designed)
ca. 1945 (designed)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Great Britain’s leading theatre designer from the early 1930s to the mid 1950s, Oliver Messel (1904-1978) won international acclaim for his lavish, painterly and poetic designs informed by period styles. His work spans ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue. Messel’s traditional style of theatre design became unfashionable from the mid 1950s onwards, and he increasingly concentrated on painting, interior and textile design, including designing luxury homes in the Caribbean.
In 1944, Messel was released from his war duties as a Camouflage Officer in Norwich to work on the Gabriel Pascal (1894-1954) film Caesar and Cleopatra, reputedly the most expensive film made in Britain at the time. Despite war time rationing and scarcity of materials, he successfully combined pastiche of period Egyptian and Classical style with the liberty that a 1940s audience would understand.
Messel probably mocked up this Roman Soldier’s helmet in his home studio at Pelham Place, prior to mass production of the design. He used Plaster of Paris to create a solid structure, to which he attached bristles from a household broom. The relief decorations are suitably classical, in the form of arabesques and Pegasus, a winged horse from Greek mythology.
In 1944, Messel was released from his war duties as a Camouflage Officer in Norwich to work on the Gabriel Pascal (1894-1954) film Caesar and Cleopatra, reputedly the most expensive film made in Britain at the time. Despite war time rationing and scarcity of materials, he successfully combined pastiche of period Egyptian and Classical style with the liberty that a 1940s audience would understand.
Messel probably mocked up this Roman Soldier’s helmet in his home studio at Pelham Place, prior to mass production of the design. He used Plaster of Paris to create a solid structure, to which he attached bristles from a household broom. The relief decorations are suitably classical, in the form of arabesques and Pegasus, a winged horse from Greek mythology.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Caesar and Cleopatra (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Plaster of Paris, paint, thread, synthetic hair, artificial suede |
Brief description | Helmet for a Roman soldier designed by Oliver Messel ca.1945 for the film Caesar and Cleopatra, adapted from the play by George Bernard Shaw. |
Physical description | A helmet for a Roman soldier by Oliver Messel for the film Caesar and Cleopatra. The helmet is made from Plaster of Paris and painted black and gold, with a suede lining. Red synthetic hair on the top of the helmet, attached by thread to the helmet. The helmet is decorated with shallow reliefs of galloping winged horses with serpentine tails and arabesques. |
Dimensions |
|
Production type | Design |
Credit line | Acquired with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and the Friends of the V&A |
Object history | The film of George Bernard Shaw's play Caesar and Cleopatra, starring Claude Rains and Vivien Leigh, was directed by Gabriel Pascal and released in England in 1945. Messel designed the costumes and the set interiors. It was the only colour film which he designed. Lord Snowdon, Oliver Messel's nephew, inherited Messel's remaining designs and artefacts (many designs were sold or given away during the artist's lifetime). The collection was briefly stored in a disused chapel in Kensington Palace before being placed on indefinite loan to the V&A Theatre Museum from 1981. The Oliver Messel Collection was purchased from Lord Snowdon in 2005 with the aid of the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Art Fund and the Friends of the V&A. |
Production | Designed for the film of George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, released in England in 1945. Reason For Production: Commission |
Summary | Great Britain’s leading theatre designer from the early 1930s to the mid 1950s, Oliver Messel (1904-1978) won international acclaim for his lavish, painterly and poetic designs informed by period styles. His work spans ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue. Messel’s traditional style of theatre design became unfashionable from the mid 1950s onwards, and he increasingly concentrated on painting, interior and textile design, including designing luxury homes in the Caribbean. In 1944, Messel was released from his war duties as a Camouflage Officer in Norwich to work on the Gabriel Pascal (1894-1954) film Caesar and Cleopatra, reputedly the most expensive film made in Britain at the time. Despite war time rationing and scarcity of materials, he successfully combined pastiche of period Egyptian and Classical style with the liberty that a 1940s audience would understand. Messel probably mocked up this Roman Soldier’s helmet in his home studio at Pelham Place, prior to mass production of the design. He used Plaster of Paris to create a solid structure, to which he attached bristles from a household broom. The relief decorations are suitably classical, in the form of arabesques and Pegasus, a winged horse from Greek mythology. |
Bibliographic reference | Pinkham, Roger (ed.) Oliver Messel: an exhibition held at the Theatre Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, 22 June - 30 September 1983.
London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983. 200p., ill
ISBN 0905209508) |
Other number | ROT 8862 - TM Rotation Number |
Collection | |
Accession number | S.513-2006 |
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
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | October 17, 2006 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest