Prop shield from the Derek Jarman film Caravaggio, designed by Christopher Hobbs (1986).

Derek Jarman was one of the most influential film makers of the 1970s and 80s. He trained as a painter, at the Slade School of Fine Art, and later worked as a set designer for opera and as the designer for the Ken Russell film The Devils (1971). Jarmen began making his own films in 1976 with Sebastiane. The film Caravaggio (1986) depicted the Renaissance artist in a post-modern setting. 20th century props were mixed with a 15th century mis-en-scene. This shield was designed by Christopher Hobbs, a frequent collaborator with Jarman, who faithfully recreated Caravaggio’s painting Medusa. The costumes were designed by Sandy Powell, also a frequent collaborator. Jarmen’s work often explored narratives which featured the lives of lesbian and gay men. He was a prominent activist in the Gay Liberation Movement which gained momentum in the 1970s and 80s.

The British Film Institute (BFI) acquired its costume collection for display at the Museum of the Moving Image, which existed on the South Bank in London between 1988 and 1999. The collection is made up of British, European, American and Japanese films and covers the period from the silent film era to the mid-1990s. It contains a wealth of historic and significant film costumes worn by major performers and designed by some of the 20th century’s most important film costume designers. The collection was transferred to the V&A in 2015.