Jardin des Amoureux

Physical description

Public pleasure gardens with raised balustrade to back surrounded by lights and lanterns in the trees; in foreground, couples dressed in approximation of the fashions of 1830. In a spotlight in the foreground, left of centre, stand a couple, she with dress held out in the left hand, right hand on hip, and to left of them on the ground a girl in a wide brimmed bonnet with man leaning over her. To right of centre, a Master of Ceremonies greets two girls. Signed lower right hand corner: ALLINSON.

Date

1911 (made)

Artist/maker

Allinson, Adrian Paul (ROI, RBA), born 1890 - died 1959 (artist)

Materials and Techniques

Oil on canvas

Marks and inscriptions

"ALLINSON"

Dimensions

Height: 1015 mm, Width: 1270 mm

Object history note

The painting depicts scene 3, Jardin des Amoureux in the ballet 1830, choreographed by Emile Agoust and Elise Clerc to a scenario by Maurice Volney, which opened at the Alhambra Theatre on 23 October 1911. The moment shown is possible the last dance of the evening, with Misses Purzini and Annie Clarke with Messrs R. Vallis and Victor Andre in the Quadrille Eccentrique.
This was the first painting purchased by Cyril Beaumont, who admired Allinson's sense of colour. Beaumont describes the scene as 'Vauxhall Gardens', which may be an assumption, but the subject is certainly an evocation of the London pleasure gardens of the early 19th century.
The painting came to the Museum as part of the Cyril Beaumont Bequest.

Descriptive line

'Jardin des Amoureux' from the ballet '1830', Alhambra Theatre, 1911, by Adrian Allinson. Oil on canvas.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Ashton, Geoffrey, Catalogue of Paintings at theTheatre Museum, London, edited by James Fowler, Victoria & Albert Museum in association with The Society for Theatre Research, London, 1992, cat. 66
Theatre Museum: N8252
Beaumont, Cyril, Bookseller at the Ballet, Memoirs 1891-1929, C. W. Beaumont, London, 1975, p146
Theatre Museum: Z325.B35

Production Note

'1830' by Maurice Volny, Scene 3 'Jardin des Amoureux'

Materials

Canvas; Oil

Techniques

Painting

Subjects depicted

Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens

Categories

Paintings

Collection code

T&P