Costume Design
1929 (Drawn)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Full length faceless female figure on pointe, wearing calf-length stylized peasant dress. The black elbow-sleeved bodice is fastened at the front with red lacing, and the lower balloon sleeves are gathered into red cuffs; the pale bistre yellow skirt is decorated with grey brown crosses and has a transparent band around the hem; over the side hips is a is a short overskirt in turquoise blue edged in white, with a similar panel at centre front. On the head is a pale bistre yellow beret with a white bandeau brim, trimmed with a turquoise blue stylized feather. To lower left is a drawing of the hat seen from the back and lower right pencil drawing of the back of the costume showing the skirt. Worn with red pointe shoes. Annotated. Signed and annotated. Pencil, watercolour and gouache.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Pencil, watercolour and gouache on paper |
Brief description | Costume design by Hedley Briggs for Phoebe (Molly Lake) in Ninette de Valois' ballet The Picnic, Old Vic, 1929. |
Physical description | Full length faceless female figure on pointe, wearing calf-length stylized peasant dress. The black elbow-sleeved bodice is fastened at the front with red lacing, and the lower balloon sleeves are gathered into red cuffs; the pale bistre yellow skirt is decorated with grey brown crosses and has a transparent band around the hem; over the side hips is a is a short overskirt in turquoise blue edged in white, with a similar panel at centre front. On the head is a pale bistre yellow beret with a white bandeau brim, trimmed with a turquoise blue stylized feather. To lower left is a drawing of the hat seen from the back and lower right pencil drawing of the back of the costume showing the skirt. Worn with red pointe shoes. Annotated. Signed and annotated. Pencil, watercolour and gouache. |
Dimensions |
|
Production type | Unique |
Marks and inscriptions |
|
Credit line | Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest |
Object history | This design by Hedley Briggs is for Phoebe in Ninette de Valois' ballet The Picnic at the Old Vic 1929, and the role of Phoebe was created by Molly Lake. The design came to the Museum as part of the Cyril Beaumont Bequest. Historical significance: A rare example of ballet costume design from the early years of The Royal Ballet, when de Valois small group of dancers was working at the Old Vic, with the occasional opportunity appear in a short ballet - often as a curtain raiser to the main performance. There were few specialist dance designers at this period, and Briggs is an example of a dancer who could also design productions when necessary. |
Subject depicted | |
Collection | |
Accession number | S.217-2000 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | November 9, 2000 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSON