Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level D , Case DT, Shelf 104, Box A

Costume design

Costume Design
early 20th century (made), 1905 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is a costume for a character named ‘Electrigal’, whose dress and headgear are comprised of sparks of electricity. The evident novelty of electricity in this design suggests it may date from the 1880s when the newly invented lightbulb began to make a more widespread appearance.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCostume design (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Drawn with pencil on paper and then coloured with gouache, signed and inscribed with pencil.
Brief description
H A Homann; design for a costume for 'Electri-gal', 1905
Physical description
Design/ illustration of a woman in theatrical garments on card. The figure of the woman is in the centre of the stage wearing a dress and headdress of white, with red, blue and yellow electric bolts and 'TRIGAL' spelt out at bottom of dress. 'ELECTRI-GAL' is written lightly in pencil beneath the figure & signed 'Homann 1905'. The back of the card has the outline of part of a figure.
Dimensions
  • Height: 30.5cm
  • Width: 20.1cm
Production typeDesign
Marks and inscriptions
  • ELECTRI-GAL (Name of the character, presumably a pun on 'electrical'. )
  • Homann 1905 (Signature)
Credit line
Given by Jillian Lees
Object history
The firm of W. Homann & Son of 60 Berners Street, London, were interior designers and house painters. Their most prestigious commission came from Queen Victoria for Osborne House (c.1847-50), and throughout the 19th century they continued to design interiors for grand houses. It seems that William Henry Homann originally established the firm in the 1840s. His son, Henry William Homann was admitted to the Company of Painters and Stainers in 1864. H. W. Homann’s son, H. A. Homann, continued the family business into the 20th century. Under H. A. Homann the company seems to have diversified and undertook work for the Drury Lane Theatre, for which the donor believes these works to have been completed.
Production
Believed to have been made for an un-identified production at Drury Lane theatre.
Summary
This is a costume for a character named ‘Electrigal’, whose dress and headgear are comprised of sparks of electricity. The evident novelty of electricity in this design suggests it may date from the 1880s when the newly invented lightbulb began to make a more widespread appearance.
Collection
Accession number
E.2782-2016

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 createdJuly 11, 2016
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest