Theatre Costume
1975 (made)
Artist/Maker |
Dress in 18th century style; the bodice has a pointed front, squared off neck and elbow length sleeves ending in a bold flounce; the very full 'paniered' skirt has a slight train and is open at the front to reval a fixed panel simulating the petticoat. The basic fabric is a nut brown artificial chiffon woven with an all-over foliate design in gold. The graduated front bodice panel is of gold mesh set with five graduated bows of a chestnut coloured chiffon with gold brown weave. The neck and front panel are edged with four frills - gold lace, brown net with a frill held down by a central strip of gold braid, the chestnut chiffon, and an elaborate gold and orange brocade on a neutral ground.
The sleeves end in a narrow brocade band underlaid with a dark brown net and overlaid with a gold artificial chiffon stitched to create a ruched central band with a bold frill to either side. The graduated flounce is made up of 3 layers of white artificial organza edged with white lace, over which a gold brown artificial chiffon edged with gold braid and a small frill of the brown chiffon woven with the gold foliate design.
The skirt is overlaid with gold brown artificial chiffon, the 'petticoat' with gold brown chiffon and gold mesh.. Both skirt and 'petticoat' are decorated with elaborately constructed frills and bands in running figure of eight formation, formed of several complex layers of chiffons in shades of brown and gold-brown, gold mesh and brocade, with some centres decorated with small floral motifs, hips and seed heads.
The dress fastens down the back with hooks and bars on the back of the bodice and waistband; the pointed bodice back is 'boned' using modern stiffening tape.
The sleeves end in a narrow brocade band underlaid with a dark brown net and overlaid with a gold artificial chiffon stitched to create a ruched central band with a bold frill to either side. The graduated flounce is made up of 3 layers of white artificial organza edged with white lace, over which a gold brown artificial chiffon edged with gold braid and a small frill of the brown chiffon woven with the gold foliate design.
The skirt is overlaid with gold brown artificial chiffon, the 'petticoat' with gold brown chiffon and gold mesh.. Both skirt and 'petticoat' are decorated with elaborately constructed frills and bands in running figure of eight formation, formed of several complex layers of chiffons in shades of brown and gold-brown, gold mesh and brocade, with some centres decorated with small floral motifs, hips and seed heads.
The dress fastens down the back with hooks and bars on the back of the bodice and waistband; the pointed bodice back is 'boned' using modern stiffening tape.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Synthetic chiffon, lace, net, gold mesh, braid, gold paint |
Brief description | Chestnut brown 18th century style dress of artificial chiffon and brocade, richly decorated with patterns of ruched chiffon, chiffon frills, lace, gold braid and sequins, designed by David Walker for the Marshallin in Richard Strauss' opera Der Rosenkavalier, English National Opera, 1975 |
Physical description | Dress in 18th century style; the bodice has a pointed front, squared off neck and elbow length sleeves ending in a bold flounce; the very full 'paniered' skirt has a slight train and is open at the front to reval a fixed panel simulating the petticoat. The basic fabric is a nut brown artificial chiffon woven with an all-over foliate design in gold. The graduated front bodice panel is of gold mesh set with five graduated bows of a chestnut coloured chiffon with gold brown weave. The neck and front panel are edged with four frills - gold lace, brown net with a frill held down by a central strip of gold braid, the chestnut chiffon, and an elaborate gold and orange brocade on a neutral ground. The sleeves end in a narrow brocade band underlaid with a dark brown net and overlaid with a gold artificial chiffon stitched to create a ruched central band with a bold frill to either side. The graduated flounce is made up of 3 layers of white artificial organza edged with white lace, over which a gold brown artificial chiffon edged with gold braid and a small frill of the brown chiffon woven with the gold foliate design. The skirt is overlaid with gold brown artificial chiffon, the 'petticoat' with gold brown chiffon and gold mesh.. Both skirt and 'petticoat' are decorated with elaborately constructed frills and bands in running figure of eight formation, formed of several complex layers of chiffons in shades of brown and gold-brown, gold mesh and brocade, with some centres decorated with small floral motifs, hips and seed heads. The dress fastens down the back with hooks and bars on the back of the bodice and waistband; the pointed bodice back is 'boned' using modern stiffening tape. |
Dimensions |
|
Marks and inscriptions |
|
Credit line | Given by English National Opera |
Object history | The costume was designed by David Walker for the Marshallin in Richard Strauss' opera Der Rosenkavalier, English National Opera, 1975. Historical significance: A fine example of theatre costume making from the 1970s, showing how period costume can be at once a reflection of historical understand and theatrical effectiveness, so that it is recognisable as period costume but, in its cut and use of materials, obvious as a creation of its time. |
Collection | |
Accession number | S.262-1999 |
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
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | September 1, 2000 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSON