Isamu Noguchi was primarily a sculptor, although he was also known for his collaborations with the American modern-dance pioneer Martha Graham, for whose dance works he created sets for. When he was commissioned to design King Lear for the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company in 1955, he had little experience of costume.
The style that Noguci chose to present his ideas is unusual. Instead of the usual 2-D figure on paper, he produced little paper dolls, with layers of costumes that could be removed; fixed to each figure was a wire strut so that it could stand upright.
This design is for the costume worn by the Duke of Cornwall's servants. The actual information conveyed by the designs is not easy for a costume-maker to interpret. The use of paper reduces everything to a flat plane, so there is no indication of weight or thickness of materials. Is the dagger intended to be stuck through the fabric of the body armour, or does it have a separate holder? How rigid can the body armour be and still allow for the actor some movement in the body? The costumiers had to warn director George Devine that the costumes demanded stylized fight sequences, but it took a disastrous dress rehearsal to convince him.
Physical description
To right attached a paper figure with metal wire strut, in form of a male figure in grey all-overs, the left leg and hip and right arm in blue green; the left leg is banded in black with black calf-guard and the right leg with brown knee guard. From under the arms to top thighs is a cylindrical 'waistcoat' held across the open front with black bands; through the right side is stuck a dagger. A black helmet with open top encases the sides of the head.
Place of Origin
New York, United States (made)
Date
1955 (designed)
Artist/maker
Noguchi, Isamu, born 1904 - died 1988 (designer)
Materials and Techniques
Collage with pencil, watercolour, metal strut
Marks and inscriptions
"9086 xxi"
20. Cornwall Servants basic and armour, sword and ?carry helmets / Ken Wynne/ Conville / Michael Malnick"
Dimensions
Height: 251 mm sheet, Width: 202 mm sheet, Height: 150 mm figure, Width: 66 mm figure
Object history note
The design was created by Isamu Noguchi for the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company's 1955 touring production of Shakespeare's King Lear. The play was directed by George Devine, with John Gielgud as Lear. The production opened in Brighton on 6 June, then visited festivals in Vienna, Zurich, The Hague, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Berlin and Copenhagen, before playing at London's Palace Theatre, 21 July to 17 September. It then went to Hanover, Bremen, Hamburg, Oslo, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, and finally came to the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon, 29 November to 17 December.
Tthe Duke of Cornwall's servants played by Ken Wynne, David Conville and Michael Malnick. The costumes were made by Carl Bonn and Colin Mackenzie.
Historical significance: This is a most unusual way of presenting a costume design and there is nothing else quite like it in the Museum collections.
Descriptive line
Costume design by Isamu Noguchi for the Duke of Cornwall's servamts in Shakespeare's play King Lear, Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company, Palace Theatre, London, and European tour, 1955
Materials
Pencil; Watercolour; Wire
Techniques
Drawing; Painting; Collage
Categories
Entertainment & Leisure; Designs
Collection code
T&P
