{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1172507"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1172507/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FB5662/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FB5662/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011FB5662","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1172507/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1172507","accessionNumber":"S.2109-2010","objectType":"Costume Design","titles":[{"title":"Drury Lane Design Collection","type":"named collection"}],"summaryDescription":"Costume design by Comelli for a butterfly in the ballet scene of <i>Puss in Boots</i>, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 1915.\r\n\r\nA production of <i>Puss in Boots</i> first performed at Covent Garden in 1817-1818, but was not a success. In 1832 another version entitled, <i>Puss In Boots: or Harlequin and The Miller's Son</i> was also performed at Covent Garden in which Eliza Povey (who played the role of the Miller's Son) was one of the earliest Principal Boys. These early productions were chiefly Harlequinades rather than the pantomime versions which are more familiar to modern audiences. \r\n\r\nDrury Lane first produced <i>Puss In Boots: or Harlequin and the Fairy Of The Golden Palms</i> in 1859, and in 1868 the theatre produced <i>Grimalkin The Great: or Harlequin Puss In Boots and The Miller's Son</i>. They had more success with their sumptuous 1887 production, which as its title (<i>Puss in Boots</i>) suggests followed the 'rags to riches' storyline of the traditional fairytale. \r\n\r\nThese designs come from a production at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in December of 1915 entitled <i>Puss in Boots, (A fairy tale)</i>. The script was written by Geo.R.Sims, Frank Dix and Arthur Collins featured music composed and arranged by J.M.Glover. It starred Miss Renée Meayer as Puss in Boots. All the costumes we 'specially designed and supervised' by Comelli. The production was mounted during World War One when business was understandably poor for the theatre, with the result that the cast were actually asked to accept a half salary for the run. Fortunately the subsequent success of the show meant that it ran from December until Easter and the cast were eventually presented with cheques making up their salary to the full amount.\r\n\r\nComelli (1858-1925) was the house designer of the Royal Opera House from the late 1880s to the early 1920s. During this period he also worked for the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and also designed costumes from a number of Gilbert & Sullivan productions.\r\n\r\nThis design comes from a collection of costume designs, some of which are costumier's copies, which were originally part of the Archives of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.","physicalDescription":"Costume design by Comelli for a butterfly in the ballet scene of <i>Puss in Boots</i>, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 1915. A watercolour costume sketch showing a young woman dressed in a vivid yellow tunic over a fitted yellow body. The skirt of the tunic is divided into two flaring wings, patterned in the tones and veins of butterfly wings. She also wears a closely fitted cap with two tall upstanding antennae and in her left hand she carries two green strands with an open winged butterfly fixed on the end of both. The design is signed and dated Comelli, 1915.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Comelli, Attilio","id":"A30582"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"Watercolour on paper","id":"x32486"},{"text":"pen","id":"x32505"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"},{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2011FB5662"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"007","id":"THES356632"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"costume design","id":"AAT163423"}],[{"text":"paintings","id":"AAT33618"}],[{"text":"drawings","id":"AAT33973"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1915","earliest":"1915-01-01","latest":"1915-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by George Hoare, Archivist of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"36.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"26.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"8 [illegible]","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten annotation in pencil at the bottom right hand corner of the design"},{"content":"Comelli 1915","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten signature in pen at the left hand side of the design"},{"content":"8. Children/Sketch No.9/1.Miss Warren/2.\"Stillman/3.\"Bedding/4.\"Maughan/5.\"Fei/6.\"Pollock/7.\"Touergey/8.\"Molthis","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten annotation in pencil on the rear of the design"},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":" ","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Costume design by Comelli for one of the butterflies in the ballet scene of <i>Puss in Boots</i> Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 1915. Drury Lane Design Collection.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Theatre Royal, Drury Lane","id":"x45049"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Puss in Boots"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.2109-2010"],"accessionNumberNum":"2109","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2010,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"","id":""},"number":"Puss in Boots File"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2010-09-20","availableToBook":true}}