Costume design by P Croce for a Radish in the ballet in Amor, late 19th century

Pink radish head with face to left, the leaves covering the body to the ground from which protrude green hands and arms and legs. To the right from the feet is an indicated shadow. Pen and ink and watercolour over pencil. Signed and annotated.

Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest

This costume was designed for the ballet Amor, and may relate to the ballet with choreography by Luigi Manzotti premiered at La Scala, Milan, in 1886. The design came to the Museum as part of the Cyril Beaumont Bequest and was proably acquired by him as possible illustration in his various publications on ballet design. Four of the designs (this design S.232-2000 with S.234-2000, S.235-2000 and S.354-2001) from the group of ten in the collection were reproduced in Beaumont's Five Centuries of Ballet Design, published by The Studio Ltd., London, nd.

Historical significance: An example of a costume in the shape of a vegetable from one of the large spectacular realistic productions which characterised Italian ballet in the late 19th century.

S.232-2000