Alick Johnstone's Scenic Studios (with Charles Ricketts and Rex Whistler in attendance supervising the realisation for 'Henry VIII' and 'Victoria Regina')
Oil Painting
1970 (painted)
1970 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Laurence Irving (1897-1988), grandson of the actor Henry Irving, trained at the Royal Academy and became an artist and set designer working in the theatre and for films. He would have known Alick Johnstone's scene painting studio very well. Johnstone established his studio in 1922 and for the next 50 years was responsible for the scenery for major West End productions.
Irving's painting emphasises the space and light required for the painting of scenery and shows two large backdrops stretched over the paint frames. It brings together two productions that actually took placed at different times. The two figures in the centre are Alick Johnstone (on the right) and the designer Charles Ricketts who is looking at the drop curtain on the left hand paint frame. This is the backdrop for the final scene of Shakespeare's Henry VIII which opened at the Empire Theatre in 1925. The right hand backdrop is for Laurence Housman's play, Victoria Regina, staged at the Lyric Theatre in 1937. It is being examined by its designer, the artist Rex Whistler (wearing the suit) with one of Alick Johnstone's assistants. In the foreground, stirring a bucket, is John Bryan, another assistant, who went on to become a successful film designer .
Irving's painting emphasises the space and light required for the painting of scenery and shows two large backdrops stretched over the paint frames. It brings together two productions that actually took placed at different times. The two figures in the centre are Alick Johnstone (on the right) and the designer Charles Ricketts who is looking at the drop curtain on the left hand paint frame. This is the backdrop for the final scene of Shakespeare's Henry VIII which opened at the Empire Theatre in 1925. The right hand backdrop is for Laurence Housman's play, Victoria Regina, staged at the Lyric Theatre in 1937. It is being examined by its designer, the artist Rex Whistler (wearing the suit) with one of Alick Johnstone's assistants. In the foreground, stirring a bucket, is John Bryan, another assistant, who went on to become a successful film designer .
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Alick Johnstone's Scenic Studios (with Charles Ricketts and Rex Whistler in attendance supervising the realisation for 'Henry VIII' and 'Victoria Regina') |
| Materials and techniques | Oil on canvas |
| Brief description | Oil painting, Alick Johnstone's Scenic Studios with Charles Ricketts and Rex Whistler in attendance supervising the realisation of their designs for 'Henry VIII' and 'Victoria Regina' painted by Laurence Irving, 1970 |
| Physical description | Design studio with backcloths on wooden paint frames to left and right and a flight of stairs at rear. At centre two men holding a piece of paper and a table. Two painters work on the left hand backdrop, two men examine the backdrop on the right. In right foreground a man stirs a bucket. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Monogram and date (Bottom left hand corner) |
| Gallery label | 1 Charles Ricketts and Rex Whistler Supervising the Painting of ‘Henry VI ’ and ‘Victoria Regina’
1970
Scene painters need large studios with plenty of light and enough space for drop curtains and big pieces of canvas scenery. During painting the canvas is stretched over wooden frames so it keeps its shape. Here artist Laurence Irving gives an accurate impression of Alick Johnstone’s studio but brings together two productions that actually happened at different times.
Oil on canvas
Painted by Laurence Irving (1897-1983)
Given by Laurence Irving
Museum no. S.1115–1983(March 2009) |
| Credit line | Given by Laurence Irving |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Laurence Irving (1897-1988), grandson of the actor Henry Irving, trained at the Royal Academy and became an artist and set designer working in the theatre and for films. He would have known Alick Johnstone's scene painting studio very well. Johnstone established his studio in 1922 and for the next 50 years was responsible for the scenery for major West End productions. Irving's painting emphasises the space and light required for the painting of scenery and shows two large backdrops stretched over the paint frames. It brings together two productions that actually took placed at different times. The two figures in the centre are Alick Johnstone (on the right) and the designer Charles Ricketts who is looking at the drop curtain on the left hand paint frame. This is the backdrop for the final scene of Shakespeare's Henry VIII which opened at the Empire Theatre in 1925. The right hand backdrop is for Laurence Housman's play, Victoria Regina, staged at the Lyric Theatre in 1937. It is being examined by its designer, the artist Rex Whistler (wearing the suit) with one of Alick Johnstone's assistants. In the foreground, stirring a bucket, is John Bryan, another assistant, who went on to become a successful film designer . |
| Bibliographic reference | Ashton, Geoffrey. Catalogue of Paintings at the Theatre Museum, London. ed. James Fowler, London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1992. 224p. ill. ISBN 1851771026 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.1115-1983 |
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| Record created | June 5, 2007 |
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