Not currently on display at the V&A

Drawing

1952 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A stage indicated by black border and wings, the backcloth tinted blue; upstage across the backcloth is a white picket fence. To the left, a bench against a carmine wall the top of which is formed of black drapes; from the upstage right wing a 'porch' with red and black rising roof. The stage floor is washed grey. Pencil, watercolour, wash and gouache on grey paper.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pencil, watercolour, wash and gouache on grey paper
Brief description
Projected set design by Andrée Howard for scene 1 of her ballet "Mirror for Witches", produced by the Sadler's Wells (now Royal) Ballet, 1952
Physical description
A stage indicated by black border and wings, the backcloth tinted blue; upstage across the backcloth is a white picket fence. To the left, a bench against a carmine wall the top of which is formed of black drapes; from the upstage right wing a 'porch' with red and black rising roof. The stage floor is washed grey. Pencil, watercolour, wash and gouache on grey paper.
Dimensions
  • Height: 268mm
  • Width: 387mm
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Given by Maude Gosling
Object history
Projected design for scene 1, a village in New England, in Andrée Howard's ballet Mirror for Witches, produced by the Sadler's Wells (now Royal) Ballet at the Royal Opera House in 1952. The ballet was based upon Esther Forbes' eponymous novel. Howard designed the costumes and collaborated on the scene design with Norman Adams.
This drawing may be a stage in the collaborative process.
The drawing came to the Museum from Maude Gosling, the dancer Maude Lloyd, who was a close friend of Andrée Howard.

Historical significance: Although not in Howard's usual style, it must be assumed that these are her drawings highlighting groupings and atmosphere for various scenes in the ballet and, along with the related pages containing a 'storyboard' and an outline of the scenario, are rare insights into the creative process.
Collection
Accession number
S.644-2001

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Record createdOctober 2, 2001
Record URL
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