{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1222350"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1222350/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FD7627/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FD7627/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011FD7627","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1222350","accessionNumber":"S.2414-1986","objectType":"Set design","titles":[{"title":"Pericles","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Preliminary set design by Loudon Sainthill for Shakespeare's play <i>Pericles</i>, Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1958.\n\nStratford's 1958 <i>Pericles</i> was a spectacular affair. Directed by Tony Richardson (1928–1991), it had a cast of 39, led by Richard Johnson as Pericles and Geraldine McEwan as his daughter, Marina. The design, inspired by Greece and Byzantium, was by Tasmanian-born artist Loudon Sainthill (1918–1969). Sainthill came to England in 1949. He had designed for the stage in Australia but it was in Britain that his theatrical career developed and flourished. His lavish sets and costumes for Michael Benthall’s 1951 production of <i>The Tempest</i> at Stratford established him as a leading designer and he became associated with a flamboyant and fantastical style, though he could also create a convincing everyday reality, as demonstrated by his interiors for the film version of John Osborne’s <i>Look Back in Anger</i> (1959).\r\n\r\nRichardson gave unity to the wide-ranging action of <i>Pericles</i> by imagining it as a shipman’s tale brought to life. Edric Connor, the first black actor to appear at Stratford, played the narrator, Gower, as a sailor who related Pericles’s adventures to his fellow shipmates. The action took place within a permanent setting in the form of a ship. The design shown here is Sainthill’s initial drawing: the finished design is also held by the V&A Theatre and Performance Department (S.2416-1986). \r\n","physicalDescription":"Stylised ship with prow and stern, and hanging drapes representing sails, placed at the rear of the stage, the deck formed of steps with a flight of steps stretching from the deck towards the main stage. Stylised waves and geometric blocks in front of the ship, with stairs to left. All in shades of blue and grey.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sainthill, Loudon","id":"A12971"},"association":{"text":"theatre designers","id":"AAT25681"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pastel","id":"x32662"},{"text":"gouache","id":"AAT70114"},{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pastel, gouache and pencil on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Shakespeare","id":"THES253244"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2011FD7627"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"104","id":"THES49929"},"free":"","case":"WE","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"set design","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1958","earliest":"1953-01-01","latest":"1962-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the British Council","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"46","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"64.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Preliminary set design by Loudon Sainthill for Shakespeare's play <i>Pericles</i>, Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 8 July 1958","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.2414-1986"],"accessionNumberNum":"2414","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1986,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-07","recordCreationDate":"2011-05-12","availableToBook":false}}