{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1174428"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1174428/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1174428","accessionNumber":"S.108-2010","objectType":"Backcloth","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The French artist Jean Hugo (1894-1984) produced this as one of a set of six canvases he painted for the Shakespeare Festival Exhibition, organised by the ballet critic Richard Buckle in Stratford-upon-Avon. Opened by Prince Phillip on 23 April 1964, the exhibition celebrated the quatercentenary of Shakespeare's birth and aimed to portray the world of Tudor England as it may have appeared to Shakespeare, but it was criticised for elements of gimmickry, a confusing mixture of styles, an exhibition guide that was hard to follow, and Buckle's extravagance. Nevertheless, Hugo's canvases depict Stratford in the understated, tranquil and lyrical style to which Buckle was so attracted.\n\nJean Hugo was born in Paris the great-grandson of the poet and novelist Victor Hugo. He was a painter, illustrator, theatre designer and author, whose artistic career spanned the 20th century and whose work brought him into contact with many of the most influential artistic figures of the 20th century including Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso, Paul Elouard, Francis Poulenc, Max Jacob, Cecil Beaton and many others.","physicalDescription":"Linen cloth painted in portrait format with a graveyard scene (the same location as S.112-2010); dark blue sky, white clouds, autumnal trees almost bare of leaves, tombstones and a man and a woman walking along a grey path, the man in Elizabethan dress with a stick. Brass eyelets almost all the way round (a few missing), approximately 22cm apart. Seams top and bottom, the right and left hand edges turned under and held together by the eyelets. First of a set of six cloths.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Hugo, Jean","id":"A3482"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"cotton (textile)","id":"AAT14067"}],"techniques":[{"text":"priming","id":"AAT53400"},{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted linen cloth","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES398490"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"painted cloth","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1964","earliest":"1964-01-01","latest":"1964-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.109-2010","id":"O1174434"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.110-2010","id":"O1174435"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.111-2010","id":"O1174437"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.112-2010","id":"O1174439"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.113-2010","id":"O1174440"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by the Friends of the Museum of the Performing Arts","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"402.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"297.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"With label attached printed: 'Archer, Cowley & Co. Ltd. / Removals & Storage - Overseas Removals / Oxford'. Inscribed: '9.10.65 / Richard Buckle Esq. / 6 Large Canvases / 1/6'.","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":"Stage cloth designed by Jean Hugo for <i>Shakespeare Quatercentenary Exhibition</i> at Stratford-upon-Avon, organised by Richard Buckle. Painted linen cloth.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Stratford-upon-Avon","id":"x33841"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"graveyard","id":"x36229"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.108-2010"],"accessionNumberNum":"108","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2010,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2010-10-08","availableToBook":true}}