Figure of King Edward VII
Figure
1977
1977
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This figure made by the property maker Martin Adams represents Albert Edward - King Edward VII, the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India from 1901 until his death in 1910. Due to the long reign of his mother he held the title of Prince of Wales for longer than any of his predecessors, and came to be known to personify the fashionable, leisured elite.
King Edward VII was fond of the theatre, and of actresses. It is in this connection that this figure was made to be part of Royal Box, the V&A exhibition about royalty and the theatre in 1977, the Silver Jubilee of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne.
Since making this figures, one of ten he made for the exhibition, Martin Adams went on to specialise in jewellery and jewellery-related props, making items including crowns, jewellery and sceptres for hundreds of films, television shows and theatrical productions.
King Edward VII was fond of the theatre, and of actresses. It is in this connection that this figure was made to be part of Royal Box, the V&A exhibition about royalty and the theatre in 1977, the Silver Jubilee of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne.
Since making this figures, one of ten he made for the exhibition, Martin Adams went on to specialise in jewellery and jewellery-related props, making items including crowns, jewellery and sceptres for hundreds of films, television shows and theatrical productions.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Figure of King Edward VII (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Galvanised wire armature on metal rod, modelled with DAX self-hardening modelling clay painted in acrylic paint base with gouache details. Yak and synthetic hair, mixed fabrics, beads, buttons and sequins, ribbon, lace and Copydex adhesive. |
| Brief description | Figure of King Edward VII (1841-1910) made for the exhibition Royal Box, V&A 1977. Mixed media, made by Martin Adams, 1977, after the portrait by Sir Luke Filldes, 1901 |
| Physical description | Figure of King Edward VII mounted on a metal rod wearing Court regalia of an ermine-trimmed, lined and caped red velvet cloak over a red military jacket, white breeches and black boots. He is carrying a gold sceptre in his right hand |
| Object history | This figure is one of ten Victorian and Edwardian personalities made by the property maker Martin Adams for the exhibition Royal Box, held at the V&A from 3rd May until 2nd October 1977. They were commissioned by Alexander Schouvaloff, Head of the Theatre Collections at the Victoria & Albert Museum, for the exhibition designed by the set designer Bruno Santini. Each was made on a two inch to one foot scale, and was mouted on a metal rod for display purposes, the rods planted in blocks of polystyrene foam. The set comprised King Edward VII, The Mikado, Marie Taglioni, Niccoló Paginini, Lily Langtry, Vesta Tilley, Dan Leno, and Henry Irving and Queen Victoria, made to hold hands |
| Association | |
| Summary | This figure made by the property maker Martin Adams represents Albert Edward - King Edward VII, the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India from 1901 until his death in 1910. Due to the long reign of his mother he held the title of Prince of Wales for longer than any of his predecessors, and came to be known to personify the fashionable, leisured elite. King Edward VII was fond of the theatre, and of actresses. It is in this connection that this figure was made to be part of Royal Box, the V&A exhibition about royalty and the theatre in 1977, the Silver Jubilee of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne. Since making this figures, one of ten he made for the exhibition, Martin Adams went on to specialise in jewellery and jewellery-related props, making items including crowns, jewellery and sceptres for hundreds of films, television shows and theatrical productions. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.617-2019 |
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| Record created | September 25, 2019 |
| Record URL |
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