Costume
1947
Artist/Maker |
Costume designed by E McKnight Kauffer for the Red Queen worn by Julia Farron. Silk jersey bodice, with high neckline and long fitted sleeves, composed of irregular triangles, sewn together in high-intersecting X fomation; the neck section is of white, the right front of deep red, the centre front of lighter red and the left front sleeve of yellow painted in gold to create mottled effect; the right sleeve is of a lighter red silk jersey. Across the centre front is appliqued a long broad diagonal, half in the lighter red section of the darker jersey and vice versa. The back of the bodice is in three sections, the left half in yellow mottled gold, the right panel in deep red, and the centre panel in deeper red. Around the waist is a narrow belt of cartridge-pleated yellow felt painted gold. From the centre front around the right hip to the centre back hangs a part skirt of deep red chiffon lined with matching ring velvet; the irregular hemline is short at the side, dipping to mid calf back and front.
Object details
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Object type | |
Materials and techniques | |
Brief description | Costume designed by E McKnight Kauffer for Julia Farron as the Red Queen in Ninette de Valois' ballet Checkmate, Covent Garden, 1947. |
Physical description | Costume designed by E McKnight Kauffer for the Red Queen worn by Julia Farron. Silk jersey bodice, with high neckline and long fitted sleeves, composed of irregular triangles, sewn together in high-intersecting X fomation; the neck section is of white, the right front of deep red, the centre front of lighter red and the left front sleeve of yellow painted in gold to create mottled effect; the right sleeve is of a lighter red silk jersey. Across the centre front is appliqued a long broad diagonal, half in the lighter red section of the darker jersey and vice versa. The back of the bodice is in three sections, the left half in yellow mottled gold, the right panel in deep red, and the centre panel in deeper red. Around the waist is a narrow belt of cartridge-pleated yellow felt painted gold. From the centre front around the right hip to the centre back hangs a part skirt of deep red chiffon lined with matching ring velvet; the irregular hemline is short at the side, dipping to mid calf back and front. |
Dimensions |
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Production type | Unique |
Marks and inscriptions | ' Farron ' (Written on costume) |
Credit line | Given by the Royal Academy of Dance |
Object history | Costume for the Red Queen worn by Julia Farron in Ninette de Valois' ballet 'Checkmate'. The ballet, with music composed by Arthhur Bliss, and designs by E. McKnight Kauffer, was first performed by the Vic-Wells (now Royal) Ballet at the Theatre des Champes-Elysees, Paris, 15th June 1937. The original cast included June Brae, Robert Helpmann, Harold Turner, and Pamela May. The ballet was revived and re-designed by McKnight Kauffer when the ballet was performed for the first time at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on 18th November 1947. This costume was made for the 1947 revival. |
Production | Reason For Production: Commission |
Subject depicted | |
Associations | |
Literary reference | Checkmate |
Bibliographic reference | Strong, Roy, Ivor Guest, Richard Buckle, Sarah C. Woodcock and Philip Dyer, Spotlight: four centuries of ballet costume, a tribute to the Royal Ballet, London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1981. |
Collection | |
Accession number | S.1633-1982 |
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Record created | October 11, 2004 |
Record URL |
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