Two original and unusually early Beaton costume designs from "Gainsborough’s Girls" a play about the London triumphs and trials of the eighteenth century society portraitist, written by by the noted photographer and costume designer. First produced at the Theatre Royal in Brighton as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations of 1951. Watercolor and gouache on paper, laid down to backing, scattered stains and notations, both framed. Unexamined out of frames but in apparently good condition. Sight measures 9.25 x 7 inches (23.5 x 18 cm.) framed to an overall size of 18.25 x 15.5 inches (46 x 40 cm).
Beaton, who won three Tony awards on Broadway for costume and set design, and Academy Awards for Gigi and My Fair Lady, was a lifelong fan of the painter and hoped to have the piece performed under the title “Landscape with Figures” with the actor/manager Donald Wolfit. But he and Beaton fell out.
Two original and unusually early Beaton costume designs from "Gainsborough’s Girls" a play about the London triumphs and trials of the eighteenth century society portraitist, written by by the noted photographer and costume designer. First produced at the Theatre Royal in Brighton as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations of 1951. Watercolor and gouache on paper, laid down to backing, scattered stains and notations, both framed. Unexamined out of frames but in apparently good condition. Sight measures 9.25 x 7 inches (23.5 x 18 cm.) framed to an overall size of 18.25 x 15.5 inches (46 x 40 cm).
Beaton, who won three Tony awards on Broadway for costume and set design, and Academy Awards for Gigi and My Fair Lady, was a lifelong fan of the painter and hoped to have the piece performed under the title “Landscape with Figures” with the actor/manager Donald Wolfit. But he and Beaton fell out.