Coat
1937 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Cecil Beaton designed and wore this 18th-century-style jacket, with surreal touches, for a fête champêtre he hosted at his country house, Ashcombe. Gordon Anthony photographed him wearing it, gazing into a flower-framed mirror with a rabbit mask on the back of his head.
Cecil Beaton compiled a significant part of the V&A's Twentieth Century Dress Collection. This jacket is shown here to acknowledge this important contribution and to reveal how the collection inspires designers.
Cecil Beaton compiled a significant part of the V&A's Twentieth Century Dress Collection. This jacket is shown here to acknowledge this important contribution and to reveal how the collection inspires designers.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Corduroy decorated with muslin, woollen yarn and plastic |
| Brief description | Surrealist corduroy coat with muslin roses, woollen yarn, and plastic, designed by Sir Cecil Beaton, Great Britain, 1937 |
| Physical description | Cream corduroy coat decorated with applied muslin roses, irregular shaped pieces of woollen yarn pulled through canvas, and cellulose nitrate egg shells glued to PVC egg whites. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production type | Unique |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | This coat was worn by Cecil Beaton in 1937 for his Fête Champêtre party at Ashcombe House, his home in Wiltshire. |
| Historical context | A copy of Gordon Anthony's photograph of Cecil Beaton wearing this coat is in the National Portrait Gallery's collection (NPG x126402). |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | Cecil Beaton designed and wore this 18th-century-style jacket, with surreal touches, for a fête champêtre he hosted at his country house, Ashcombe. Gordon Anthony photographed him wearing it, gazing into a flower-framed mirror with a rabbit mask on the back of his head. Cecil Beaton compiled a significant part of the V&A's Twentieth Century Dress Collection. This jacket is shown here to acknowledge this important contribution and to reveal how the collection inspires designers. |
| Associated object | |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.47-1997 |
About this object record
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| Record created | September 30, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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