{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O126281"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O126281/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BK7680/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BK7680/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BK7680","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O126281/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O126281","accessionNumber":"S.202-2006","objectType":"Set model","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\n<i>Under the Sycamore Tree</i>, a satire on the human condition, was performed at the Aldwych Theatre, London in 1952 and directed by Peter Glenville, with Alec Guinness and Diana Churchill playing the leading roles.   Glenville recalled that the play was meant to be set in a modern hotel,  but Messel only agreed to work on the production if, instead of a hotel, the action could take place in an underground ant colony, and if the characters could be dressed as humanised ants.  \r\n\r\nThis set model for the Queen Ant’s throne room in an underground ant colony shows the Surrealist side of Messel’s imagination.  He uses pipe cleaners, plasticine, wire and painted gauze to create strange organic structures deep underground.   Insects features as furniture and accessories, including a centipede settee.","physicalDescription":"A set model by Oliver Messel for a H.M. Tennent production of Under the Sycamore Tree, 1952.   The model represents the inside of an ant hill.  A wooden box with  velvet strips on the inside.  Gauze, pipe cleaners and plaster of Paris or plasticine is used to create organic structures.  There is a large centipede and a gramophone record.  Painted gauze at the back of the set is painted with rings, to suggest a series of ant holes.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Messel, Oliver Hilary Sambourne","id":"A4929"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"card","id":"x30344"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"gauze","id":"AAT14083"},{"text":"velvet","id":"AAT133711"},{"text":"wire","id":"AAT11063"},{"text":"glue","id":"AAT14815"},{"text":"perspex","id":"AAT14435"},{"text":"gouache","id":"AAT70114"},{"text":"masking tape","id":"AAT14836"},{"text":"plaster of Paris","id":"AAT14927"},{"text":"Plasticine","id":"x30671"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting (image making)","id":"AAT54216"},{"text":"drawing (image making)","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"glueing","id":"AAT53012"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wood, cardboard, fabric, and paint.","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006BK7680"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"CA004","id":"THES388279"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"set model","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1952","earliest":"1952-01-01","latest":"1952-12-31"},"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":"48.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"62","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"48.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'UNDER THE SYCAMORE TREE / 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":"Ink inscription on a label attached to the side of the wooden box."}],"objectHistory":"<i>Under the Sycamore Tree</i>, a satirical play in three acts by Sam Spewack making comparisons between humans and ants.  Oliver Messel’s production was first produced by H. M. Tennent Productions Ltd. at the Aldwych Theatre, London, 23 April 1952 (with an initial prior performance at the Streatham Hill Theatre, London, 14 April 1952).  It was directed by Peter Glenville and featured Alec Guinness as The Scientist and Diana Churchill as the Ant Queen.  \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 model by Oliver Messel for Sam Spewack's 'farcical fable' <i>Under the Sycamore Tree</i>, Aldwych Theatre 1952.","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":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"<b>A home for ants </b>\n\r\nThis is a model for a play that happened inside an ants’ nest. The designer included home comforts like a sofa… made from a centipede! \n\n<b>Theatre set model for <i>Under the Sycamore Tree </i></b>\r\nMade by Oliver Messel \r\n1952 \r\nLondon \r\nAcquired with the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and the Friends of the V&amp;A \r\nMuseum no. S.202-2006 \n\n[Young V&amp;A, Imagine Gallery, Living Together, short object label] ","date":{"text":"10/07/2023","earliest":"2023-07-10","latest":"2023-07-10"}}],"partNumbers":["S.202-2006"],"accessionNumberNum":"202","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2006,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"TM Rotation Number","id":"THES50368"},"number":"ROT 8873"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2024-05-30","recordCreationDate":"2006-07-21","availableToBook":false}}