{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O110100"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O110100/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PD9076/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PD9076/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PD9076","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NY2137","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NY2012","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NY1996","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O110100/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O110100","accessionNumber":"S.2630-1986","objectType":"Sculpture","titles":[{"title":"The Spirit of Gaiety","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"<i>The Spirit of Gaiety</i> stood on top of the dome of the second Gaiety Theatre in London, which opened in October 1903 on the corner of the Aldwych and the Strand. Though known as the Gaiety Angel, the figure is a representation of Fame, who is trumpeting the theatre's good reputation to the world. It was added to the building in March 1904. \r\n\r\nThe new theatre was built by George Edwardes (1852-1915), who had run the original Gaiety, on a nearby site, since 1896. The first Gaiety was demolished in 1903 as part of a road-widening scheme. The second theatre was designed by the architect George Runtz (1859-1913), and, on either side of the proscenium arch, featured sculptures of Music and Dancing by Hibbert C. Binney (1872-1951), the sculptor of the angel. Runtz liked the conjunction of sculpture and architecture and also incorporated a bronze figure group by Binney into a later work, the Norwich Union building in Piccadilly, which Runtz designed in 1907.\r\n\r\nThe second Gaiety Theatre closed in 1939 because of a proposed scheme for widening the approaches to Waterloo Bridge. This did not take place and the theatre was left derelict until it was eventually demolished in 1957. The angel was removed from the building in the July of 1957. English Electric House, subsequently Citibank House, was built on the site and the angel was displayed in the new premises until it was given to the V&amp;A in 1984.","physicalDescription":"Carved solid teak angel with gilding on a gesso base, holding a trumpet to her lips. The angel stands on a teak gilt ball which in turn stands on a circular concrete base with rough rendering beneath, in the centre of which is a large iron pin.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Binney, Hibbert C.","id":"A14274"},"association":{"text":"designer and maker","id":"x34662"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Teak","id":"AAT12453"},{"text":"Gesso","id":"AAT14952"},{"text":"Gold leaf","id":"x33207"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Gilded gesso on teak ","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"},{"text":"Entertainment and leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2025PD9076","2024NY2137","2024NY2012","2024NY1996"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"81ST","id":"THES49176"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Sculpture","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1904","earliest":"1904-01-01","latest":"1904-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Citibank, its landlord the Prudential Assurance Company, and the Greater London Council.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"4,500","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"base to tip of wings","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2,200","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"right elbow to tip of trumpet held in her left hand","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"1,000","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"diameter of ball on which the angel stands","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1,600","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"back of wing to front of trumpet","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"1","unit":"t","qualifier":"approximate maximum weight","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"<i>The Spirit of Gaiety</i> was designed for the dome of the second Gaiety Theatre in London, which opened in October 1903 on the corner of the Aldwych and the Strand. The angel was erected in March 1904.\r\n\r\nThe original Gaiety Theatre, which had stood on a nearby site, was demolished in 1903 as part of a road-widening scheme. The new theatre was built by George Edwardes (1852-1915), who had run the earlier Gaiety since 1896. It was designed by the architect George Runtz (1859-1913). The second Gaiety closed in 1939 and was eventually demolished in 1957.  English Electric House, which became Citibank House, was built on the site. The angel was preserved and stood in the Citibank premises until it was presented to the V&amp;A Theatre Museum in 1984. It was restored by the V&A's gilder Malcolm Green who remembered being told by the V&A's former Master Gilder, Albert Payne, of the time he spent as a young apprentice re-gilding the angel on top of the Gaiety Theatre, working on scaffolding. This must have been in 1904 after damage occurred while hoisting the angel into place.\n\nThe angel was restored by V&amp;A conservators before being put on display in its current location. A film detailing the process is available on the V&amp;A website: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/conservation-of-the-spirit-of-gaiety","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Gilded teak angel by Hibbert Charles Binney  (1872-1951). Representing Fame and known as <i>The Spirit of Gaiety</i>, it was originally designed for the dome of the second Gaiety Theatre, Aldwych, London, where it was erected in March 1904.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.2630-1986"],"accessionNumberNum":"2630","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1986,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-10","recordCreationDate":"2005-03-11","availableToBook":false}}