Special Collections
("L'Ete." Costume by Umberta Brunelleschi. (see catalogue item no.36)
EXTRAVAGANZA!
Fantasy Scenes and Costumes from 100 Years of Variety Theatre, 1850 - 1950
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY LIBRARIES
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Occasional Paper No. 7
The Nickle Arts Museum
The University of Calgary
April 7 - May 10, 1981
Sponsored by
The Department of Drama,
The Faculty of Fine Arts, and
The University Library,
Special Collections Division, of
The University of Calgary
Acknowledgement
I wish gratefully to acknowledge the invaluable assistance and support
of the following persons in the preparation of the exhibition:
- Kenneth A. Lohf, Librarian for Rare Books and
- Manuscripts, Columbia University, New York
- Heather McCallum, Head of the Theatre Department,
- Metropolitan Toronto Library
- Alexander Schouvaloff, Keeper of the Theatre Museum,
- The Victoria and Albert Museum, London
- Dorothy L. Swerdlove, Curator of The Billy Rose
- Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library
- Olive Wilson
- Ouida Touche
and for The University of Calgary:
- Alan MacDonald, Director of Libraries
- Apollonia Steele, Special Collections Librarian
- Richard Graburn, Director, Nickle Arts Museum
- Alan Robertson, Dean Faculty of Fine Arts
- Robert Moore, Head of the Department of Drama
- Douglas McCullough
- Sheila Lee
- J. James Andrews
- Audrey Ott
- Theresa Schemenauer
- Tom Legg
- Susan Snowdon
- Martin Herbert
- Michael Taugher
- Tracy C. Davis
- Nigel Scott
Philip McCoy
Curator for the Exhibit
This Catalogue is Occasional Paper no. 7,1981, (ISBN: 0-88953-017-3) in the series published
by The University of Calgary Libraries Special Collections Division.
Its publication has been made possible by the assistance of the Dean of
the Faculty of Fine Arts, Alan Robertson.
THE PLAN OF THE EXHIBITION
Entrance to the exhibition is through the doorway marked "Folies-
Bergere" in the silver and green drop-curtain recreated by Douglas
McCullough from Freddy Wittop's design for a 1930's Folies-Bergere
production. The orginal drawing is mounted on a wall near the
doorway.
For EXTRAVAGANZA! the term "variety theatre" has been used loosely
to mean theatrical performances which fall under the categories of
revue, music hall, operetta, cabaret, musical comedy, pantomime, tab
leaux vivant and parades.A few examples from opera, film, and straight
theatre have been included where the style of design reflects variety
theatre influences.
THE WALL OF THE FANTASY PARADE
Immediately to the left as one enters is a rendering, forty-eight feet
long, by Charles Betout, of a comic parade celebrating all the elements
of a gourmet feast. Titled "Bombance: Cortege Humoristique", the
piece depicts every conceivable course of an elaborate meal from the
aperitifs to the inevitable digestive medicines at the end. That the plan
was conceived as a practical parade is proved by a schematic diagram
for the drawing in the University Library collection showing that the
event would require 52 women, 361 men, 84 children and 44 animals!
THE WALL OF FANTASTIC OCCUPATIONS
After the parade, stretching down the side wall of the exhibition area, is
a group of designs illustrating various designers' conceptions of occu
pational costume for variety theatre forms. In some cases such as the
soldier costumes and the different versions of cowboys and cowgirls
the silhouettes are authentic but the colour and decoration lift them
into the fanciful world of the stage: the Greek warriors in pastel armour
and the gladiator in a paisley loin cloth are good examples. In other
drawings the occupations have been whimsically idealized: the vivan
dieres of Betout, Wilhelm and Compte-Calix bear little resemblance to
the grubby camp followers they represent, and Jenny Carre's "Femme
de Chambre" is the epitome of all flirtatious maids, just as her fantasy
on a Viennese officer is the perfect image of a dashing operetta soldier.
The charm of some of these occupations lies in their rarity or quaint
ness: who has seen an egg seller, a "fileuse", or a seller of mussels,
except in the theatre? Completing the wall is a group of musicians and
actors in their workaday dress: several of Maurice Sand's drawings
illustrate 19th century additions to the commedia dell'arte genre; the
Paris music hall comedian and the three musicians of Soudeikine
clearly bear a family resemblance to the commedia dell'arte.
THE GALLERY OF THE NATIONS
Opposite the wall of Occupations on the outer wall of the centre
corridor is the Gallery of Nations: fantasy costumes of different
nationalities.Of chief interest are Brunelleschi's native characters from
exotic lands--Cambodia, Morocco, Algeria, and India--and his three
imaginative treatments of the American Indian. Jenny Carre contri
butes three highly romanticised versions of "English" dress and Mo
rain's "Russian Prince" is a study in decadence. Herman Rosse's "Shawl
Curtain" adds an ethnic grace note.
BEDROOM SCENE FOR HELEN
In the far corner of the gallery is a recreation of part of Oliver Messel's
famous 1932 all-white setting for the operetta Helen. White had long
been considered an "impossible" colour for stage scenes. This recon
struction was made by University Theatre Services under supervision of
Tom Legg, Martin Herbert, and Douglas McCullough. A photograph of
the original setting is mounted at the entrance.
THE GALLERY OF PURE FANTASIES
The remaining three walls of the central corridor are devoted to scenes
and costumes representing pure flights of imagination. One section
surveys briefly the history of the showgirl from the demure dance
dresses for music hall performers by Shoubrac and Betout, through the
cubist impressions of Ksanna, to the extravagant confections of Jose de
Zamora where showgirls carry yards of beads and pull trains twenty feet
long. Carre's late 1930's dancer in her "scanties" is paired with a
chorusboy in pink and white polka-dots. Freddy Wittop's setting for the
Folies-Bergere is an ideal world for the fantasies of "Marcelle" and
James Reynolds, and the elegant gowns of Charles Le Maire recall the
glittering dress worn to parties and nightclubs in the 1920's.
The showgirl is also well represented in a section dealing with allegor
ies: here one finds actresses dressed as the four seasons, fire, rainbows
and bells. Even character qualities such as "Hope", "Gaiety", and
"L'insouciance" are given form. Sometimes allegories become more
elaborate, as are seen in a section dominated by Joseph Urban's de
signs for The Garden of Paradise and Wilheim's costumes for Le Voyage
dans la Lune.
At time pure fantasy finds its best expression in masquerade, as illus
trated in Betout's sequence for Sidonie Panache, or in travesty as
shown in Percy Anderson's costumes for Monte Christo Junior and The
Duchess of Dantzig.
THE GALLERY OF HISTORY
The whole of the right hand gallery is given to costumes and scenes in
which designers have worked fantastic variations on historical themes
and silhouettes. Beginning at the back wall are two more parades by
Charles Betout, one representing Egypt and the other Ancient Greece.
Whether these mardi gras processions were actually realized for the
stage is, as yet, undiscovered, but they show how a designer's mind can
marry fancy with authentic historical form.
After the Betout parades, the historical section jumps to the 18th
century, a time when fashion was already extravagant; the day-dream
elaborations in this group push that extravagance to its limit. Two
figures in particular seem to have captured the imaginations of desig
ners: Casanova and Madame Pompadour. Indeed, the whole of the
reign of Louis XV is a fertile field for costume experimentation, ranging
from the heightened realism of Betout to the extreme fancies of Mo
rain. Brunelleschi's sophisticated Venetian woman is paired with
Joseph Urban's dreamlike setting of Venice for the Ziegfeld Follies of
1921.
The 19th century group is dominated by the exquisite exhuberance of
Brunelleschi's Second Empire revue costumes. This section concludes
with two costumes for Charpentier's opera Louise, set in 1900.
The 20th century is represented by Ksanna's cubist couple and jenny
Carre's burlesques on French political figures. Of particular curiosity is
a suite of revue costumes for political figures of the 1930's including
Adolph Hitler in a Tyrolean smock.
COSTUME FOR A REVUE IN THE STYLE OF LOUIS XV
In the middle of the Gallery of History is a recreation of one of the most
elaborate of the costume designs from The University of Calgary collec
tion. Constructed by costumer Olive Wilson under the supervision of
designer Sheila Lee, this revue costume of Umberto Brunelleschi (ca.
1935) includes over fifty yards of material and too many artificial flowers
to count.
ORIGINAL ERTE MODEL
On a pillar near the exit is Erte's model for Under the Sea in its own
lighted box, loaned for the exhibition by The Theatre Museum,
London.
A NOTE ON THE LIST OF EXHIBITS
Ideally each design in the exhibit would be identified by the full name
of the designer with dates, the title of the production, the character
shown in costume drawings, the act and scene of stage designs, the
medium of the work, and the size. Unfortunately, since the Calgary
collection is a relatively new one and since theatre drawings are often
lacking these kinds of documentation, much of this basic research still
remains to be done. Sadly, many theatre designers do not annotate and
sign every piece of work in a suite of drawings. The problems of
documentation are compounded by the scarcity of biographical in
formation about many scene and costume designers whose reputa
tions have vanished in the general ephemerality which characterzies
theatre production.
One of the purposes of this exhibit is to interest students and scholars
in the University of Calgary collection and in this area of theatre re
search so that in future all such information will be readly available. In
some cases I have made preliminary and conjectural identifications
based on stylistic similarities, cryptic annotations on the drawings and
tentative forays into secondary materials. In every case these conjec
tures are marked with question signs. I apologize now for errors which
future researchers may bring to light.
The identification of media is not always simple: the distinctions be
tween transparent watercolour, opaque watercolour, gouache, and
tempera have changed with varying stages of technical development.
In this list "watercolour" refers to what appears to be transparent
waterpaint; gouache refers generally to opaque watercolours and what
are sometimes termed "poster paints" and designer colours. I have
used the term "tempera" where there is documented reason for doing
so. Modern terms such as case in and acrylic do not apply. I have also
noted whether drawings are on paper, card, or board and I have
assigned colour designations ranging through cream, manila, buff, tan,
and grey.
P. McCoy
LIST OF THE EXHIBITS
The exhibits are arranged alphabetically by designer. Except where otherwise
noted all designs are owned by The University of Calgary Library, Special
Collections Division.
PERCY ANDERSON (1 852 - 1928)
"Leading English stage designer in the 1880 to 1928 period; collaborated with Sir
Herbert Beerbohm Tree at Her Majesty's Theatre, 1898-1904; worked for the
Gaiety Theatre, designed ballets at the Coliseum; Gilbert and Sullivan operas;
The Quaker Girl, Chu Chin Chow, The Persian Princess, etc. Illustrated Costume:
Fanciful, Historical, and Theatrical by Mrs. Aria (London: Macmillan and Co.,
1906." From design exhibition catalogue notes by Charles Spencer, 1976.
1 . "The Eggseller, Act I." Man in exotic loose trousers and tunic, green cloak
and hat trimmed with curious wheel holding eggs. The Persian Princess, operetta
by Ivan Caryll, based on Sardou's Madame Sans Gene, Lyceum Theatre, London,
1903. Pencil and watercolour on cream paper. 17.8 x 25.4. Initialled, titled, and
annotated. Owner: Ouida Touche and Associates, Calgary.
2. "Papillon, Act I." Streetseller in white knee-trousers, blue and white
striped jacket and stockings, cloak, lavishlydecorated with ribbons. The Duchess
of Dantzig, Lyric Theatre, London, 1903, role played by Courtice Pounds. Pencil
and watercolour on cream board. 23.5 x 29.8. Unsigned, but labelled in Anderson's
hand.
3. Man in Spanish Costume. Knee-trousers, white shirt, elaborate cloak and
hat in grey, white, and red. The Count of Monte Christo Junior by Richard Henry,
Gaiety Theatre, London, 1886. Ink and watercolour on cream card. 15.2 x 22.2.
Unsigned, but labelled in Anderson's hand. Owner: private collector, Calgary.
4. Woman in Spanish Costume. Skirt, blouse, and cloak with staff in hand,
matching item no.3. Ink and watercolour on cream card. 15.2 x 22.2. Unsigned.
Owner: private collector, Calgary.
GEORGES BARBIER (1882 - 1932)
"Painter, designer, and illustrator. Became famous with two rare albums repre
senting the dancers Nijinsky and Karsavina in the years 1913-1914. A prolific
designer, he worked for a long time in the field of theatre design, cultivating an
aptitude for vivid colour effects derived from the example of Bakst. He frequent
ly contributed to important fashion publications." From Parisian Fashion, Vol. 1,
(New York, Rizzoli, 1979) by Cristina Nuzzi.
5. "Casanova, Planche I." Man in green and pink dressing gown, tall white
turban with pink ribbon. For the play Casanova by Maurice Rostand (?).
Zincograph signed in the plateand dated 1918, hand coloured by the artist in
gouache. 17.8 x 22.9. Owner: private collector, Calgary.
ALEXANDRE BENOIS (1870 - 1960)
Russian designer, part-founder of the Ballets Russe, especially known for Pet
rushka, 1911. The four designs cited below are initialled "AB" and their attibu
tion to Benois is tentative, based upon the similarity of the intialled signature to
known drawings from the 1930-1940 period which bear the same sign.
6. "Casanova, costume no. 2.' Man in mid 18th century suit, ochre
breeches, monochrome coat, brown cape. The rendering technique suggests
that this is a costume for a film. Pencil, watercolour on cream paper. 21.6x37.5.
Unsigned, but clearly part of a suite, others of which are titled, annotated, and
initialled.
7. "Casanova, costume no. 3." Man in mid 18th century suit, monochrome
trousers and waistcoat, green coat, tricorne hat, sword. Pencil and watercolour
on cream paper. 19 x 35.6. Initialled, titled, annotated.
8. "Lucienne." Street dress, style 1900, with swatches of green silk and white
lace attached. Louise, opera by Charpentier. Pencil on cream card. 32.4 x 49.5.
Initialled, titled, and annotated. Lucienne refers to an actress, not a character.
9. "Lucienne." Evening dress, style 1900, with swatches of red silk and white
lace attached. Louise, opera by Charpentier. Pencil on cream card. 32.4 x 45.9.
Initialled, titled, annotated.
CHARLES BETOUT (active ca. 1900 - 1939)
Costume designer for French opera, operetta, revue and film. Principal costume
designer for the Comedie-Francaise from 1919 to ca. 1939. Especially notable for
his careful attention to period research and detail; created large suites of
designs for historical productions requiring hundreds of costumes.
10. Woman in Egyptian dress of gold, turquoise and deep blue with hawk
headdress; detail of dagger in upper right corner. Costume for Cleopatra,
ca.1910 (?). Pencil, watercolour, gold paint, and glitter on tan card. 24.8 x 32.4.
Unsigned but clearly part of Betout folio.
11. Woman in Spanish riding costume, tan, with orange scarf, hat with
tassel, shawl over shoulder, boots and spurs. ca. 1910 (?). Pencil, watercolour
and silver paint on eggshell board. 21 x 44.5. Signed.
12. "Merveilleuse.' Woman in pink gown with green and gold decoration,
matching shawl and headpiece, style ca. 1905. Pencil, gouache, gold paint and
glitter on tan card. 21.6 x 44.5. Signed.
13. Dancer in ankle-length dress, style 1830's, pink and green trimmed with
garlands of cherries and brown ribbon, feather headdress. Pencil, watercolour,
gouache, on buff paper. 21.6 x 29.8. Unsigned.
14. 'L'Anglaise." Woman in masquerade dress, blue ankle-length skirt,
orange waistcoat, admiral's hat with white plume, riding whip. Sidonie Panache,
(untraced production). Crayon and watercolour on cream paper. 16.5 x 31.8.
Titled in Betout's hand, unsigned but clearly part of Sidonie Panache suite.
15. "Seraphina: espagnola." Woman in masquerade, Spanish peasant dress,
face mask, mode 1842. Sidonie Panache. Pencil and watercolour on cream paper.
15.9 x 31.1. signed and titled.
16. "L'irlandaise." Girl in kilt-tike plaid skirt and bodice, knee-stockings,
admiral's hat with plumes. Sidonie Panache. Cravon, watercolour on cream
paper. 15.9 x 31.1. Unsigned, but titled in Betout;s hand.
17. Figures in masquerade or carnival costume, style ca. 1840. 21 male
figures in 4 drawings, dressed variously in commedia dell'arte style, animal
costumes, soldiers' uniforms, and national costumes. Sidonie Panache. Pencil,
crayon and watercolour on cream paper. Each of 4 sheets-- 31.8 x 16.5. Unsigned
but annotated and titled in Betout's hand.
18. "Rosalie." Vivandiere in red pantaloons with blue skirt and jacket
trimmed in red and yellow, with keg and shoulder strap; swatch of blue satin
attached. Sidonie Panache. Pencil,watercolour and gold paint on cream paper.
16.5 x 31.8. Initialled.
19. "George Sand." Woman in male attire, style 1840's, trousers, coat and
waistcoat in shades of lavender, hat in hand. Crayon, watercolour on grey
paper. 22.2 x 30.5. Signed and titled.
20. "Madeleine Biron, toilette de cour." Court dress, style Louis XV, in
lavender and white with salmon and white flowers. Crayon, watercolour,
gouache on cream paper. 31.1 x 47. Signed and titled.
21. "Madeleine Biron en nymphe." Court ballet dress, in green and laven-
der, style Louis XV, decorated with pink flowers on green lily pads. Pencil,
crayon, watercolour, gouache on cream paper. 31.1 x 47. Signed and titled.
22. "La Pompadour, toilette de cheval." Blue-grey riding dress, style Louis
XV, with silver trim. Crayon, watercolour and silver painton cream paper. 31.1 x
47. Signed and titled.
23. "La Pompadour en Bergere." Pink shepherdess dress, style Louis XVwith
cream lace overskirt, yellow hat trimmed with roses. Crayon and watercolour on
cream paper. 31.1 x 47. Signed and titled.
24. "La Pompadour, Grand Gala." Ball gown, style Louis XV, white skirt, gold
decoration, bodice and overskirt of gold and black in leopardskin pattern, trim
of orange roses. Crayon, watercolour, gold paint on cream paper. 31.1 x 47.
Signed and titled.
25. "Mme. d'Esprades, apres midi." Afternoon dress, style Louis XV, in
brown with cream, grey, and orange decorations, holding pekinese dog and
walking stick. Crayon, watercolour, gouache, silver paint on cream paper. 31.3 x
47. Signed and titled.
26. "Mme. d'Esprades, costume pour la voiture." Coaching dress, style
Louis XV, rose dress with purple mantle trimmed in grey fur. Crayon and
watercolour on cream paper. 31.3 x 47. Signed and titled.
27. "Mme. d'Esprades, Gala." Ball gown, style Louis XV, in green with silver
decoration and silver lace bodice, trim of roses. Crayon, watercolour, silver
paint on cream paper. 31.3 x 47. Signed and titled.
28. "Le Prestidigitateur." Fat conjuror in blue and green with decoration of
gold question marks, pagoda shoulder wings, matching hat. Pencil, waterco-
lour, gouache, gold paint on cream paper. 15.9 x 26. Unsigned, but titled and
annotated in Betout's hand.
29. "Bombance: Cortege Humoristique." Procession of figures represent-
ing courses in a French gourmet banquet. 32 panels in one panorama, 13.7
meters by 21.5 cm. (panel no. 31 missing). An attached scheme listing personnel
indicates the parade was actually performed, but the occasion is untraced.
Pencil, watercolour, gouache, metallic paint, glitter on cream board. Signed arid
labelled.
30. "L'tgypte des Pharaons: Cortege Triomphal." Procession of historical
and mythical figures from acient Egypt. Labelled by Betout as a "composition",
this parade may not have been concieved for actual stage presentation, but
rather as a resume of Betout's talents as a designer of historical costume. The
style of the rendering would place the work in the 1900-1910 period when
compared with other dated work by Betout. Pencil, ink, watercolour, gouache,
metallic paint on cream board. 12 panels, in one piece, 5.5 meters by 21 cm.
Signed and labelled.
31. "LaGrece Heroique." Procession of historical and mythical figures from
ancient Greece. Similar in style and format to item no. 30. Pencil, ink, waterco-
lour, gouache, metallic paint on cream board. 13 panels, in one piece, 5.9
meters by 21 cm. Signed and labelled. (The Calgary collection also includes a
parade for ancient Rome, not shown in the exhibition.)
BORIS BILINSKY (1907 - 1948)
"Born in Odessa, lived and worked in Paris as a leading designer for stage and
cinema, including the film Metropolis, 1926. Collaborated with Nijinska and
Massine. Opera productions include Russian and Ludmila by Glinka for the Paris
Opera, 1930." From design exhibition catalogue notes by Charles Spencer, 1976.
32. "Casanova." Man in costume, style Louis XV, magenta coat with rust
flowers and grey leaves, cream waistcoat, deep blue knee-trousers. Labelled
"Casanova", this design may be for the film of the same title designed by Bilinsky
in 1927. Ink, gouache, silver paint on tan paper mounted on cream board. 31.1 x
45.7. Labelled in one hand; attributed in another.
33. Woman in gown, style Louis XV, deep purple with rust, silver and gold
flowers. Clearly a companion piece to the "Casanova" costume (no. 32). Ink,
gouache, and metallic paints on tan paper mounted on cream board. 30.5 x 45.
Attributed in unknown hand.
34. "Les Perles." Showgirl in grey, aquamarine and white, ropes of pearls
over grey sheer fabric with long train and giant feather attachment. Revue, ca.
1925 (?). Pencil, watercolour, raised gouache on cream paper. 31.1 x 41.3.
Attributed in unknown hand: attribution may be doubtful since the style is
atypical of Bilinsky's work.
UMBERTO BRUNELLESCHI (1879 - 1949)
"Painter, designer and book illustrator. After completing his studies in Florence,
in 1900 he moved to Paris. In the years 1912-1914 he gained esteem as a book
illustrator, and after having contributed to the leading fashion magazines of the
time, he embarked on his successful career as a costume and set designer,
pursued mostly in Paris (Ba-ta-clan, Les Folies-Bergere, Casino de Paris), but also
in Italy (Teatro alla Scala), Germany, and America (Roxy Theatre in New York.)"
Quoted from Parisian Fashion, Vol. 11, by Cristina Nuzzi, (Rizzoli: New York,
1980).
In her survey of Brunelleschi's work, Umberto Brunelleschi, (Rizzoli: New York,
1979), Cristina Nuzzi indicates that his paint medium was "tempera"; I have,
therefore, labelled these designs as tempera throughout. The rendering style of
the designs in the Calgary collection is very similarto that shown in Nuzzi's book
for the years 1930-1940; it seems likely that most come from that period. None of
the drawings are annotated with the names of the productions.
35. "La Printemps." Allegorical dress, style Louis XV, skirt showing blue sky
with birds and clouds, bodice and headdress decorated with birdnest and sprays
of pink flowers. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, and tempera on cream card. 24.8 x
32.4. Signed.
36. "L'Ete." Allegorical costume, pink petal-skirt with green bodice, large
butterfly and sheaf of grain at waist, leaf-patterned stockings, hat of giant daisy
and poppy. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil and tempera on cream card. 24.8 x 32.4.
Signed.
37. "L'Autonne." Allegorical dress, gold and yellow tunic with black and
gold leaves, festooned with garlands of fruit, leafy headdress with bunches of
grapes, holding red lyre. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, watercolour, tempera, gold
paint on cream card. 24.8 x 32.4. Signed.
38. "L'Hiver." Allegorical costume, silver dress with "snow" trim and over-
skirt, inset with windows, headdress of green branch laden with snow. Revue,
ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, tempera, silver paint on cream card. 24.8 x 32.4. Signed.
39. 'Le Feu." Dancer in allegorical dress, skirt of yellow, orange, and red
"flames", bodice trimmed in gold, flying ribbons in headdress and at wrists.
Revue or Ballet ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, watercolour, tempera, gold paint on cream
paper. 29.2 x 32.4. Signed.
40. Woman in pink gown with tiered skirt, silvertrim, black lace mantle, pink
flowered bonnet, style Second Empire. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, watercolour,
tempera, silver paint on cream paper. 40.6 x 32.4. Signed.
41. Woman in elaborate ball gown, pink, silver, and blue, decorated with
flowers, blue feather fan, flower and lace headdress, labelled "1860". Revue, ca.
1935 (?). Pencil, watercolour, tempera, silver paint on cream card. 30.5 x 31.8.
Signed.
42. Woman in white dress with pattern of black birds, trimmed in red, pink
hat and plumes, red parasol, style labelled "1860". Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil
with touches of colour in tempera on cream card. 25.4 x 34.9. Signed
43. Woman in turquoise dress with pink flowers, pink flowered hat, tur-
quoise plumes and pink parasol, labelled "Second Empire." Revue, ca. 1935 (?).
Pencil, watercolour, tempera on cream paper. 38.1 x3l.8. Signed.
44. "Venetienne." Woman in mid 18th century carnival dress and mantle,
white with grey, silver, and black flowers, black hat with white plumes. Revue,
ca. 1935, (?). Pencil, tempera, silver paint on cream paper. 29.8 x 27.3. Signed.
(reverse: light pencil sketch of man in a peasant costume.)
45. Woman in elaborate court dress, style Louis XV, pink, black, aquamarine,
with bunches and garlands of flowers, powdered wig decorated with flower
sprays. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, watercolour, tempera on cream paper. 32.4 x
45. Signed.
46. East Indian woman in blue flowered trousers and pink bodicewith gold,
jeweled-encrusted breastplate, gold lace veil. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, water-
colour, tempera, gold paint on cream paper. 24.8 x 35.6. Signed.
47. East Indian princess in gold trousers with green tunic and black overskirt,
all richly jeweled and decorated, turban and arm bands. Revue, ca. 1935 (?).
Pencil, tempera, gold paint on cream paper. 28.6 x 39.4. Signed.
48. East Indian prince in green flowered trousers, with sheer blue skirt, gold
belt and pink shirt all delicatedly flowered, turban with blue brush-feather,
sword. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, tempera with raised detail, gold paint on
cream paper. 24.8 x 32.4. Signed.
49. "Algerienne." Woman in harem trousers and bodice of magenta and
white stripes with gold decorations, black tasseled belt, white net sleeves with
green trim, magenta hat. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, tempera, gold paint on
cream paper. 24.8 x 32.4. Signed.
50. Black Berber chief in gold trousers with blue jacket, blue feather head-
dress on white turban, white cloak, maroon boots with silver inlay. Revue, ca.
1935 (?). Pencil, tempera, silver paint on cream paper. 24.8 x 32.4. Signed.
51. Moroccan with white beard in loose trouser and jacket of maroon and
blue trim, greycloak, long pipe in hand, red slippers, turban. Revue, ca. 1935 (?).
Pencil, tempera, silver paint on cream paper. 24.8 x 32.4. Signed.
52. Cambodian woman in black quilted trouser with magenta bodice and
skirt, gold and black decorations, gold pagoda headpiece. high-heeled gold
shoes. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, raised tempera detail, gold paint on cream
paper. 24.8 x 32.4. Signed.
53. Cambodian princess in turquoise, white and silver, elaborate silver
winged panels at shoulders and hips. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, tempera, silver
paint on cream paper. 24.8 x 32.4. Signed.
54. "Peau Rouge lndien." Warrior in plaid tunic, shield of blue and black
with decoration of a white hand, elaborate headdress with rust, yellow and
green feathers, body paint. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, tempera gold paint on
cream paper. 28.6 x 38.7. Signed.
55. American Indian girl seated, gold breastplate and shield, skirt of red and
white stripes with grey animal-tail fringe, hairdressing of green and black feath-
ers, body paint, blue javelin. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil, tempera, gold paint on
cream paper. 28.6 x 38.7. Signed.
56. "Peau Rouge." Indian man in yellow cloak over green and white tunic
with black fur fringe and brown animal tails, feathered headdress in yellow and
green, blue and yellow sandals. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil and tempera on cream
paper. 28.6 x 38.7. Signed.
57. "Russe." Woman in Russian peasant dress, black and green skirt with
pink, blue, and white flowers, gold leaves, gold bodice and sleeve, white
blouse, headscarf and apron. Revue, ca. 1935 (?). Pencil and tempera on cream
paper. 24.8 x 32.4. Signed
58. "Gladiateur." Man in gold armour and face mask with rose body-cloth
decorated in blue and green flowers, spike in hand. Revue, ca. 1930 (?). Pencil,
tempera, gold paint on cream card. 19.7 x 31.1. Signed.
GLADYS CALTHROP (b. early 20th cent.)
Began working as scene and costume designer in 1925, has been especially
associated with the works of Noel Coward.
59. "Girl no. 2 of The Merry Wives of Windsor." Woman in lavender hoop-
skirt and jacket with white and black trim, pink flowered bonnet. Sigh No More,
revue by Noel Coward, 1945, costume for song --
"The Merry Wives of Windsor"
"We're the Merry Wives of Windsor,
And if good luck comes our way
We shall all be merry Widows
One fine day."
Pencil, watercolour on cream paper with purple swatch attached. 38.1 x 51.4.
Signed, titled, annotated and dated.
JENNY CARRE
Parisian painter and theatrical designer, daughter of actor and playwright Albert
Carre and singer Marguerite Giraud Carre (married 1901), she would appear to
have become active as a designer of revue costumes ca. 1930. In 1932 she
designed the setting for Le Roi Bossu by her father at the Opera Comique.
60. "Officier Viennois Fantaisie." Man in blue trousers and white uniform
jacket with blue and silver trim. Pencil, gouache, and silver paint on cream
paper. 32.4 x 50.1. This, and all other designs in the Carre section are unsigned,
but bear an authoritative attribution in an unknown hand.
61. Man in motorcycle policeman's uniform, with blue jacket, white jodh-
purs, boots, gauntlets and cap. Pencil and gouache on tan paper. 32.4 x 48.3
Attributed.
62. "Cowboy." Man in red, white, and blue cowboy outfit, with lasso and
silver belt buckle. Costume for early post-war revue (?). Pencil, gouache and
silver paint on grey paper. 32.4 x 49.5. Attributed.
63. Cowgirl in blue dress and boots with red hat, scarf and trim. Early
post-war revue (?). Pencil, and gouache on grey paper. 32.4 x 49.5. Attributed.
64. "Femme Chambre." Girl with red hair in brief maid'scostume,whiteand
gold, with gold and orange feather duster. Revue. Pencil, gouache, gold paint
on cream paper. 26.7 x 37.5. Labelled in one hand, attributed in another.
65. Watergirl in red, white, and blue peasant dress. Pencil and gouache on
buff paper with swatch of blue satin attached. 24.1 x 31.8. Attributed.
66. "Vendeuse." Salesgirl in rust long dress with white trim. Pencil,
gouache, on tan paper. 31.1 x 47. Labelled in one hand,attributed in another.
67. Girl in flowered blue and white skirt, polka-dot blouse, apron, carrying
basket of mussels or oysters. Pencil and gouache on tan paper. 31.1 x 47.
Attributed.
