Set Design
1935 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Skyscape in front of which, to the left, two stylized trees resembling open parachutes, in the centre, a three barred wooden fence and to the right the entrance to a sports stadium with the notice above the entrance 'Portal 6 7/8 A' and on the roof five pennants. Pen and ink and watercolour inscribed 'Scele ½ inch to the ft.' On the reverse a sketch, possibly for a rostrum.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Pen and ink, watercolour and pencil on art board |
Brief description | Set design by John Held Jr. for George Balanchine's ballet Alma Mater, produced by American Ballet, Adelphi Theatre, New York, 1935 |
Physical description | Skyscape in front of which, to the left, two stylized trees resembling open parachutes, in the centre, a three barred wooden fence and to the right the entrance to a sports stadium with the notice above the entrance 'Portal 6 7/8 A' and on the roof five pennants. Pen and ink and watercolour inscribed 'Scele ½ inch to the ft.' On the reverse a sketch, possibly for a rostrum. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions |
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Credit line | Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest |
Object history | One of a group of designs by John Held Jr. for George Balanchine's ballet Alma Mater, produced by the Producing Company of the School of American Ballet in 1934 and by American Ballet in 1935. These designs are part of the Cyril Beaumont Bequest and were probably acquired by him in connection with his publications on dance design in the 20th century, although they do not appear to have been reproduced. The set designs for Alma Mater were by Eugene Dunkel, but this is clearly by Held and may have been either a drop curtain or a rejected design. Historical significance: When Lincoln Kirstein brought George Balanchine to America with the express purpose of founding a native American ballet, there was some feeling that this should have been entrusted to an American and not a Russian. To counter this criticisim, Kirstein set about searching for suitable American themes for Balanchine and E E Warburg evolved the idea of a ballet based around American college football. The ballet has thus a significance in the 'Americanization' of Balanchine, although he refused to see an actual game before choreographing the work, which may account for the less than enthusiastic reception of the ballet. The designs by John Held Jr, the celebrated cartoonist, perfectly suited the subject and treatment of Balanchine's first excursion into the world of American popular culture and sport. |
Collection | |
Accession number | S.181-2000 |
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Record created | October 12, 2000 |
Record URL |
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