{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O144891"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O144891/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EL6337/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EL6337/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EL6337","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EL6352","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EL6351","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O144891","accessionNumber":"S.303-1978","objectType":"Set model","titles":[{"title":"Miracle in the Gorbals","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Artist Edward Burra (1905-76) is well known for his watercolour paintings inspired by the Parisian underworld and the red light districts of Marseilles and the Mediterranean towns. His influences were wide, ranging from the satires of Grosz and the townscapes of de Chirico to the art of Latin America, and elements of all these can be seen in his theatre design.  From the 1930s until the 1950s he was creating costumes and settings, notably for opera at Covent Garden and for dance works by the Sadler's Wells Ballet.  His designs for Robert Helpmann's one-act ballet, <i>Miracle in the Gorbals</i>, are widely regarded as his finest achievement for the stage. \r\n\r\nThe set model for the ballet shows how Burra created an atmospheric setting and provided an open space for the dancers without relying solely on painted drop curtains and wing flats. His three-dimensional tenements give a strong sense of place. The use of watercolour, where other artists would have chosen gouache or poster paint, was forced on Burra by circumstance. He suffered badly from arthritis and found it easier to work in watercolour than in other paints, but when reproduced the muted shades of his designs were appropriate to the ballet, the greys and dull reds reflecting the drab lives of the inhabitants of the Glasgow slums. <i>Miracle in the Gorbals</i> is a modern morality play. Christ returns to earth in the person of the Stranger, danced by Helpmann.  He converts a prostitute and restores a young girl to life after her suicide, but is betrayed by the Official and murdered by a gang of razor-wielding thugs. The power of the ballet disconcerted some reviewers and the subject of gang violence in Glasgow was a little too contemporary for comfort. Sadler's Wells Ballet did take <i>Miracle in the Gorbals</i> on tour but when they visited Scotland they deliberately chose not to bring it to Glasgow.","physicalDescription":"Set model by Edward Burra for Robert Helpmann's ballet <i>Miracle in the Gorbals</i>, Sadler's Wells Ballet at the Prince's Theatre, 1944. Model with symmetrical three-dimensional tenement blocks to the sides of the stage, the details of the building painted on card glued to wood panels. To the left the 'Shamrock Bar'. To the right Macs fish shop. At the upper storey windows figures looking out. Washing hanging from two windows at the left. At centre an open space with a painted perspective backdrop at rear showing a wide alleyway between grey buildings leading to a fence and beyond the fence tall factory chimneys. At centre left a cutout figure of a woman in a red coat reaching into a sack, a man sitting and two pieces of rubbish. On base to left behind the buildings are pencilled notes and a British Council label. On base at right edge a metal plate with the name of the model makers Cockade Ltd.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Burra, Edward","id":"A2054"},"association":{"text":"set designer","id":"x33230"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Cockade Ltd","id":"A23757"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"water-colour","id":"AAT15045"},{"text":"card","id":"x30344"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"}],"techniques":[{"text":"model-making","id":"AAT53619"},{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour, card and wood","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2010EL6337","2010EL6352","2010EL6351"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES384083"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"set model","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1944","earliest":"1944-01-01","latest":"1944-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.2118-1986","id":"O1224156"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by the British Council","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"56","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"overall height of whole model","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"93","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"76.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"770","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"26/05/16","earliest":"2016-05-26","latest":"2016-05-26"},"part":"depth at deepest part","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'15W 120V flying lamps / 6 sheets pale steel gelatine / chocolate'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"pencil notes"},{"content":"'From the British Council'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"printed British Council label with typed details of the object"},{"content":"Model made by / Cockade Ltd / 35 Thurloe Place, London, SW7","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Engraved metal trade label"}],"objectHistory":"Set model for the one-act ballet <i>Miracle in the Gorbals</i>, choreographed by Robert Helpmann to music by Arthur Bliss. The scenario was written by Michael Benthall. The ballet was first staged by Sadler's Wells Ballet (now the Royal Ballet) at the Prince's Theatre (now the Shaftesbury Theatre), 26 October, 1944. The scenery was painted by Alick Johnstone.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Set model by Edward Burra (1905-1976)  for Robert Helpmann's ballet <i>Miracle in the Gorbals</i>, Sadler's Wells Ballet at the Prince's Theatre, 1944","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.303-1978"],"accessionNumberNum":"303","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1978,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN9744","2019LN7649","2019LP0964","2019LT6389","2019LV1058","2019LW7623","2019LV9411"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-08","recordCreationDate":"2008-02-08","availableToBook":false}}