Not currently on display at the V&A

Hugh Stevenson design

Costume Design
1950 (painted)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Costume design by Hugh Stevenson for Cardinal Wolsey in Henry VIII, showing full length male figure facing to right in cardinal's robes surrounded by pencil drawings of costume details and notes to the makers. The design is inscribed with the name of the role and is signed and dated.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleHugh Stevenson design (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pencil and gouache on paper
Brief description
Costume design by Hugh Stevenson for Cardinal Wolsey in Henry VIII in a programme of scenes from Shakespeare, British Council tour, early 1950s
Physical description
Costume design by Hugh Stevenson for Cardinal Wolsey in Henry VIII, showing full length male figure facing to right in cardinal's robes surrounded by pencil drawings of costume details and notes to the makers. The design is inscribed with the name of the role and is signed and dated.
Dimensions
  • Height: 558mm
  • Width: 380mm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Cardinal Wolsey.' (Textual information; Upper right hand corner; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • 'Hugh Stevenson 1950.' (Signature; date; Lower right hand corner; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • 'red cap (not a modern biretta) / purple velvet cap worn beneath. / & just showing at sides & back / could be made with a small under piece attached to cap.' 'red braiding & buttons / on front of shoulder cape.' 'red gloves / small gauntlet./ red cords & tassells.' 'purple velvet / correctly but / otherwise red silk / the black should / appear to be the / sleeves of the black / soutane showing / beneath.' (Textual information; Down right side; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • 'red hood / full shoulder / cape' (Textual information; Middle left side; Handwriting; Pencil)
Credit line
Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest
Object history
This is one of 25 designs by Hugh Stevenson for a programme of excerpts from Shakespeare devised for a British Council tour in the early 1950s. It was performed by a small company led by Walter Fitzgerald and called for costumes that would clearly indicate the different characters while allowing for quick changes. This Stevenson achieved by creating a basic costume in the Elizabethan style for each actor to which were added robes, tunics, overdresses or accessories.
The designs are part of the collection that came to the Museum from the dance historian and publisher Cyril Beaumont and may originally have formed part of the London Archives of the Dance.
Subjects depicted
Literary referenceHenry VIII
Collection
Accession number
S.172-2000

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Record createdSeptember 14, 2000
Record URL
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