Not currently on display at the V&A

Maurice Chevalier

Caricature
1953 (dated)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This caricature shows Maurice Chevalier (1888-1972) starring in a one-man show at the Oxford New Theatre in February 1953. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.

Maurice Chevalier started in show business at the age of 12 singing in cafés. After working at the Folie-Bergères and the Casino de Paris he secured the first of several film roles in 1906, in La Mariée Récalcitrante. He performed 40 songs in his one-man show, many with music and/or lyrics that he had written himself.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMaurice Chevalier (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pencil, ink and watercolour on paper
Brief description
Pencil, ink and watercolour caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976) of Maurice Chevalier at the Oxford New Theatre, 1953.
Physical description
Pencil, ink and watercolour caricature of the singer Maurice Chevalier at the Oxford New Theatre, 1953. From a hard-backed sketch book containing caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad.
Dimensions
  • Height: 23.1cm
  • Width: 18.3cm
Credit line
Given by Michael Sommerlad
Object history
This caricature comes from an album of caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert J.Sommerlad (1904-1976) between December 1951 and October 1957 at the Oxford New Theatre. Gilbert Sommerlad moved from Brighton to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist in 1936. He continued with his caricatures until his retirement.
Subject depicted
Summary
This caricature shows Maurice Chevalier (1888-1972) starring in a one-man show at the Oxford New Theatre in February 1953. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.

Maurice Chevalier started in show business at the age of 12 singing in cafés. After working at the Folie-Bergères and the Casino de Paris he secured the first of several film roles in 1906, in La Mariée Récalcitrante. He performed 40 songs in his one-man show, many with music and/or lyrics that he had written himself.
Collection
Accession number
S.132:19-2002

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

Record createdNovember 28, 2003
Record URL
Download as: JSON