Not currently on display at the V&A

Backcloth

ca.1870 (painted)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is one of several 19th century scenic cloths for travelling marionette shows performed by the Clowes and Tiller companies, and possibly the only surviving group of 19th century scenic cloths of their type. They are rare survivals which offer first-hand evidence about marionette shows of their time, and about 19th century scene painting in general. They were given to the museum by George Speaight after he had looked after them in his attic for almost fifty years. He and Gerald Morice had bought them in the late 1940s from Harriet Clowes who remembered performing with them when she was a girl. At the same time they bought a quantity of marionettes which are now also in the museum's collection.

Scene-painters were much in demand for marionette shows, as they were for the theatre generally, and when companies didn't have the expertise themselves, they advertised for scene- painters. Each play had several scenes, and to save on the expense of canvas, many of these cloths are painted on both sides, with different scenes. Some even have eyelets which may show their origins as sails.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
painted canvas
Brief description
Backcloth representing a countryside lane with a bridge and village. Painted canvas for a marionette theatre play, probably c.1870 and originally made by the Tiller marionette company family. Gift of George Speaight.
Physical description
Painted backcloth on very fine plain weave linen attached to wooden battens top and bottom, representing a sandy brown road by a river leading to a 3-arched bridge over the river connecting the village, stage right, to the road. There are dark brown trees on either side of the road to the bridge, and purple hills in the distance. The cloth is painted on the reverse with an interior of a room hung with portraits.[S.196:2-2007]. There are two eye rings screwed into the top batten, which is slightly curved. There is a cord threaded through the upper batten at the right edge. There are side seams with the cloth folded back to the 'Interior' side.
Dimensions
  • Canvas height: 141.0cm
  • Cloth at the top width: 306.7cm
  • Top batten width: 631.3cm
  • Cloth at the bottom width: 321.4cm
  • Lower batten width: 361.2cm
Credit line
Given by George Speaight.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This is one of several 19th century scenic cloths for travelling marionette shows performed by the Clowes and Tiller companies, and possibly the only surviving group of 19th century scenic cloths of their type. They are rare survivals which offer first-hand evidence about marionette shows of their time, and about 19th century scene painting in general. They were given to the museum by George Speaight after he had looked after them in his attic for almost fifty years. He and Gerald Morice had bought them in the late 1940s from Harriet Clowes who remembered performing with them when she was a girl. At the same time they bought a quantity of marionettes which are now also in the museum's collection.

Scene-painters were much in demand for marionette shows, as they were for the theatre generally, and when companies didn't have the expertise themselves, they advertised for scene- painters. Each play had several scenes, and to save on the expense of canvas, many of these cloths are painted on both sides, with different scenes. Some even have eyelets which may show their origins as sails.
Associated object
S.196:2-2007 (Object)
Collection
Accession number
S.196:1-2007

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Record createdSeptember 9, 2008
Record URL
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