Polly Peachum
Figurine
ca.1920 (made)
ca.1920 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This figurine represents the character Polly Peachum in Nigel Playfair's celebrated revival of John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, which opened at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, in June 1920, designed by Claud Lovat Fraser. It probably represents Sylvia Nelis who played Polly in the original cast. With music re-written and supplemented by Frederic Austin, Gay's 18th century ballad opera, featuring traditional tunes, took London by storm and put Hammersmith firmly on the theatrical map.
The huge popularity of this production, which ran for over three years, spawned a surprising quantity of figurines in porcelain and wax. They are an indication of the impact that the production made on designers and artists. The highly simplified, almost illustrative, quality of the designs was characteristic of British theatrical design in the wake of the impact of the Diaghilev Ballets Russes and in reaction against the detailed 19th century tradition of realism and historicism. This figurine is one of a set produced around 1920 featuring several of the main characters in the cast.
The huge popularity of this production, which ran for over three years, spawned a surprising quantity of figurines in porcelain and wax. They are an indication of the impact that the production made on designers and artists. The highly simplified, almost illustrative, quality of the designs was characteristic of British theatrical design in the wake of the impact of the Diaghilev Ballets Russes and in reaction against the detailed 19th century tradition of realism and historicism. This figurine is one of a set produced around 1920 featuring several of the main characters in the cast.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Polly Peachum (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Moulded and glazed porcelain |
| Brief description | Figurine of Polly Peachum, probably of Sylvia Nelis who played the role in John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, arranged and added to by Frederic Austin, dressed in the costume designed by Claud Lovat Fraser for Nigel Playfair's production at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, 5 June 1920 |
| Physical description | Glazed porcelain figurine of Polly Peachum in The Beggar's Opera, wearing a full- length pink dress with a blue underskirt panel, holding the skirt out to each side as if preparing to curtsey. She has turquoise green mittens and shoes, a white mop-cap, a square-cut bodice with a turquoise green bow at the neckline and bows of the same colour at her elbows. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Mervyn Jones-Evans |
| Subject depicted | |
| Literary reference | The Beggar's Opera |
| Summary | This figurine represents the character Polly Peachum in Nigel Playfair's celebrated revival of John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, which opened at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, in June 1920, designed by Claud Lovat Fraser. It probably represents Sylvia Nelis who played Polly in the original cast. With music re-written and supplemented by Frederic Austin, Gay's 18th century ballad opera, featuring traditional tunes, took London by storm and put Hammersmith firmly on the theatrical map. The huge popularity of this production, which ran for over three years, spawned a surprising quantity of figurines in porcelain and wax. They are an indication of the impact that the production made on designers and artists. The highly simplified, almost illustrative, quality of the designs was characteristic of British theatrical design in the wake of the impact of the Diaghilev Ballets Russes and in reaction against the detailed 19th century tradition of realism and historicism. This figurine is one of a set produced around 1920 featuring several of the main characters in the cast. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.680-1981 |
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| Record created | December 6, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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