Not currently on display at the V&A

The Chalk Garden

Set Design
ca. 1955 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Set design by Cecil Beaton for Enid Bagnold's The Chalk Garden, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, ca. 1955.

Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980) was best known as a photographer. Beaton also worked as an illustrator, a diarist, and designer for stage and film. He won three Oscars for costume and art direction for the film version of My Fair Lady (1965) and for Gigi (1958).

The Chalk Garden focuses on Laurel who lives under the care of her grandmother, Mrs. St. Maugham, in a manor in the Sussex countryside. Miss Madrigal has been employed as a governess for Laurel.

The Chalk Garden by Enid Bagnold premiered at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York on 26 October 1955 and received several Tony Award Nominations. The producer was Irene Mayer Selznick and Gladys Cooper played Mrs. St Maugham, with Siobhán McKenna as Miss Madrigal, Betsy von Furstenberg as Laurel, and Fritz Weaver as Maitland.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Chalk Garden (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Black ink on paper
Brief description
Set design by Cecil Beaton for Enid Bagnold's The Chalk Garden, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, ca. 1955
Physical description
Set design for for Chalk Garden in 1955 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
Black ink drawing of a walled garden. In centre of drawing, Mrs Maugham holds a gardening basket.
Signed by Cecil Beaton.
Dimensions
  • Height: 44cm
  • Width: 32cm
Credit line
Given by the executors of Eileen Hose
Summary
Set design by Cecil Beaton for Enid Bagnold's The Chalk Garden, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, ca. 1955.

Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980) was best known as a photographer. Beaton also worked as an illustrator, a diarist, and designer for stage and film. He won three Oscars for costume and art direction for the film version of My Fair Lady (1965) and for Gigi (1958).

The Chalk Garden focuses on Laurel who lives under the care of her grandmother, Mrs. St. Maugham, in a manor in the Sussex countryside. Miss Madrigal has been employed as a governess for Laurel.

The Chalk Garden by Enid Bagnold premiered at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York on 26 October 1955 and received several Tony Award Nominations. The producer was Irene Mayer Selznick and Gladys Cooper played Mrs. St Maugham, with Siobhán McKenna as Miss Madrigal, Betsy von Furstenberg as Laurel, and Fritz Weaver as Maitland.
Collection
Accession number
S.1923-2014

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Record createdSeptember 11, 2014
Record URL
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