{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1629184"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1629184/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MY3160/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MY3160/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MY3160","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1629184","accessionNumber":"S.526-2021","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"The Flower Princess","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"<i>The Flower Princess</i>, choreographed by Letty Littlewood to music by Debussy, was allegedly based on a Brazilian tale of an unhappy orphaned Prince (Antony Tudor) who wanders in a forest where a Water Nymph (Marjorie Field) tells him to pluck three flowers which will be transformed to princesses. He must give each a drink from the Nymph's pool. The first two (Vera Lavrova as the Eastern Princess and Irene Gwynn as the Fair Princess) both fade before he can give them water, so before plucking the third flower he brings water so that the Princess can drink immediately. The Princess, danced by Nini Theilade, holds out her arms to him and the court is summonsed to celebrate, ‘dancing gaily in minuets’.\n\nDancers led by Danish ballerina Nini Theilade were a feature of the Shakespearean productions presented at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park in the 1930s. The seasons' programmes also included full evenings devoted to ballet and an impressive cast gathered for these presentations. <i>The Flower Princess</i> was presented as part of a programme of Alfresco Ballets, staged for a week, 26-31 August 1935, and including three matinees: 'Nini Theilade, the première danseuse of the Ballet, danced a charming princess in the arms of Anthony [sic] Tudor, the Prince. It is the confidence of her dancing, detailed to the pose of every finger, that gives her such lightness and such grace.'","physicalDescription":"Photographic postcard showing a man in an elaborate coat, breeches and cravat (but without his wig), surrounded by three women in elaborately decorated gowns.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"J. W. Debenham","id":"AUTH325548"},"association":{"text":"photographers","id":"AAT25687"},"note":"Debenham was photographer for the Open Air Theatre in the 1930s and produced series of photographic postcards which were sold to the audience as souvenirs."}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Photograph","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2021MY3160"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES356629"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}],[{"text":"photographic postcards","id":"AAT192703"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":"photographed in Regent's Park at the Open Air Theatre"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1935","earliest":"1935-01-01","latest":"1935-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":"The ballet was only performed in 1935."}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the British Theatre Museum Association","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"14","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This photograph is from the J.W. Debenham collection of photographs and negatives, purchased by the British Theatre Museum Association from A&C Black on 19 March 1963.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photographic postcard by J.W. Debenham of the ballet, <i>The Flower Princess</i>, choreographed by Letty Littlewood at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, in 1935","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.526-2021"],"accessionNumberNum":"526","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2021,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"BTMA accession number","id":"THES51752"},"number":"1963/W/37"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2021-06-01","availableToBook":true}}