{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O123746"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O123746/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BH6946/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BH6946/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BH6946","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O123746/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O123746","accessionNumber":"S.36-2006","objectType":"Costume design","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Oliver Messel (1904-1978) was Britain’s leading theatre designer throughout the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s, mastering every aspect of entertainment - ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue - as well as working in interior decoration and textile design. His lavish, painterly and romantic concepts were perfectly in tune with the times and earned him an international reputation.  By 1960, however, that style was becoming unfashionable, and Messel gradually abandoned theatre and built a new career designing luxury homes in the Caribbean. \r\n\r\nRossini’s opera <i>The Barber of Seville</i> (1816) is based on a comedy (1775) by Beaumarchais (1732-1799). Count Almaviva is in love with Rosina, Dr. Bartolo’s beautiful ward. With the aid of Figaro, a mischievous and clever barber, he seeks to release Rosina from Dr. Bartolo’s clutches. Messel designed costumes and sets for a Glyndebourne production in 1954 which, despite its popularity, was only revived twice.  \r\n\r\nFigaro enters the stage and declares ‘I’m the factotum of the town’; his occupation as a barber enables him to occupy a position of influence and power. He assists Count Almaviva to win the heart of Rosina. Sesto Bruscantini (1919-2003), a baritone, played the role of Figaro in this Messel production, and reprised the role over the course of his career.","physicalDescription":"Costume design for Figaro in <i>Il Barbiere di Siviglia</i>, 1954.  Figaro is depicted in full length facing  to his right with his right hand raised. He wears a navy and light blue striped jacket and matching breeches, with mustard yellow decorative details on shoulders, knees and cuffs, and white stockings with dark red decoration and black shoes. He has a  burgundy sash at his waist and black ribbons in his hair..","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Messel, Oliver Hilary Sambourne","id":"A4929"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"charcoal","id":"AAT12862"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"gouache","id":"AAT70114"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Charcoal, pencil, gouache, watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006BH6946"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES356274"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"costume design","id":"AAT163423"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1954","earliest":"1954-01-01","latest":"1954-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Acquired with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and the Friends of the V&A","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"37.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"25.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Oliver Messel'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Artist's signature in pencil on the bottom right-hand corner on the front of the sheet"},{"content":"'Figaro'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Top right-hand corner on the front of the sheet."}],"objectHistory":"<i>Il Barbiere di Siviglia</i> (<i>The Barber of Seville</i>), an opera (1816) in two acts, was composed by Rossini with  libretto by Sterbini after Beaumarchais’s comedy of the same name (1775).  Oliver Messel’s production was first performed by the Glyndebourne Festival Opera at Glyndebourne on 10 June, 1954; directed by Carl Ebert, featuring Bruscantini as Figaro and Graziella Sciutti as Rosina.  It was revived at the Edinburgh Festival in 1955 and at Glyndebourne in 1961.  Roger Pinkham has said of this production that “Messel chose a palette which echoed the contrasted and thus dramatic coloration of Goya’s paintings.” (Pinkham, ed., 1983).\r\nLord Snowdon, Oliver Messel's nephew, inherited Messel's theatre designs and other designs and artefacts.  The designs were briefly stored in a disused chapel in Kensington Palace before being housed at the V&A from 1981 on indefinite loan.  The V&A Theatre Museum purchased the Oliver Messel collection from Lord Snowdon in 2005.\n\nHistorical significance: Messel worked for Glyndebourne from 1951 to 1959, when he was at the height of his popularity as a designer for the stage.  His work for Glyndebourne in this period is regarded as some of his best designs.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Costume design by Oliver Messel for Figaro in Rossini's opera <i>Il Barbiere di Siviglia</i> (<i>The Barber of Seville</i>), Glyndebourne 1954.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Pinkham, Roger (ed.) <i>Oliver Messel</i>, London, V&A, 1983","id":"AUTH353280"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"Reason For Production: Commission","productionType":{"text":"Design","id":"THES48872"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"costume","id":"AAT178802"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.36-2006"],"accessionNumberNum":"36","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2006,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"TM Rotation Number","id":"THES50368"},"number":"ROT 217"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-08","recordCreationDate":"2006-05-08","availableToBook":true}}