{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O124371"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O124371/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MD2562/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MD2562/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019MD2562","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O124371/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O124371","accessionNumber":"S.78-2006","objectType":"Set design","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Great Britain’s leading theatre designer from the early 1930s to the mid 1950s, Oliver Messel (1904-1978) won international acclaim for his lavish, painterly and poetic designs informed by period styles. His work spans ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue. Messel’s traditional style of theatre design became unfashionable from the mid 1950s onwards, and he increasingly concentrated on painting, interior and textile design, including designing luxury homes in the Caribbean.\r\n\r\nMozart’s comic opera <i>The Abduction from the Seraglio</i> was one of four Mozart operas performed  at Glyndebourne in 1956 to celebrate the bi-centenary of his birth. Messel’s exuberant designs are inspired by 18th century Western European art and design and its fascination with the Ottoman Empire, in harmony with the spirit of Mozart’s opera.\r\n\r\nMessel’s fantastic and imaginative approach suited the light and artificial mood of the opera. He thought that Mozart’s music distilled the spirit of the 18th century, a period he much admired. He borrowed motifs from the Asian-style pavilions depicted in 18th century English tapestries, and Meissen porcelain influenced his design for the intricate lattice windows of the palace.","physicalDescription":"Set design by Oliver Messel for a Glyndebourne production of <i>Die Entführung aus dem Serail</i>, 1956.  An ink drawing on squared tracing paper of the entrance to Selim's Palace.  Three arch entrance with central tower, with lattice windows on the left and right.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Messel, Oliver Hilary Sambourne","id":"A4929"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"tracing paper","id":"AAT14161"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Ink and pencil on tracing paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2019MD2562"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"007","id":"THES356273"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"set design","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1956","earliest":"1956-01-01","latest":"1956-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.198-2006","id":"O126254"},"association":"Model"}],"creditLine":"Acquired with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and the Friends of the V&A","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"45.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"37.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"<i>Die Entführung aus dem Serail</i> (1782), an opera in two acts by Mozart with  libretto by Bretzner.  Oliver Messel’s production was first performed by Glyndebourne Festival Opera at Glyndebourne on 10 June 1956; directed by Peter Ebert and featuring Ernst Häefliger as Belmonte and Arnold Van Mill as Osmin.  It was revived at Glyndebourne in 1957 and 1961.  \n\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.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Set design by Oliver Messel for the Entrance to Pasha Selim's Palace in Mozart's opera <i>Die Entführung aus dem Serail</i>, Glyndebourne 1956.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Pinkham, Roger (ed.) <u>Oliver Messel: an exhibition held at the Theatre Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, 22 June - 30 September 1983.</u> \r\nLondon: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983.  200p., ill\r\nISBN 0905209508)"}],"production":"Reason For Production: Commission","productionType":{"text":"Design","id":"THES48872"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.78-2006"],"accessionNumberNum":"78","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2006,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"TM Rotation Number","id":"THES50368"},"number":"ROT 707"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2006-05-26","availableToBook":true}}