{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1682354"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1682354/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022NC5180/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022NC5180/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2022NC5180","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2022NC5181","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1682354/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1682354","accessionNumber":"S.1-2022","objectType":"Costume design","titles":[{"title":"Costume design for Jessie Vokes in Cinderella","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Wilhelm (William Charles Pitcher RI, 1858-1925), the designer of this costume, was one of the most inventive and prolific late-19th century costume designers. His imagination, attention to detail and ability to design visually stunning and decorative costumes appealed to producers and public alike, and led to a constant stream of work. He was also a well-known illustrator of children's books, but it was his detailed and superbly decorative designs for Empire Theatre ballet costumes from 1908 to 1915 that led to an obituary writer noting: 'The name C. Wilhelm should be written in gold on the history of ballet'.\n\nJessie Vokes (1848-1884), for whom this costume was designed, was part of the acrobatic dancing and singing Vokes family troupe that was extremely popular in Drury Lane pantomimes in the 1870s. It comprised the eccentric 'legmania' or contortionist dancer Fred Vokes, his sisters Jessie, Rosina and Victoria, and the actor Walter Fawdon, who changed his name to Fawdon Vokes when 'adopted' as their brother and part of the act. Fred and his sisters were the children of Sarah Biddulph, who came from an acting family, and Frederick Vokes, a theatrical costumier.\n\nThe troupe made its debut at Christmas 1861 at William Howard's Operetta House in Edinburgh, and its London debut in 1862 at the Alhambra Theatre, billed as 'The Five Little Vokes'. The Vokes appeared in W.S. Gilbert's pantomime <i>Harlequin Cock Robin and Jenny Wren</i> at the Lyceum Theatre in 1867, made their Paris debut in August 1870 at the Théâtre du Châtelet and their New York debut at the Union Square Theatre in April 1872.  After their first Drury Lane pantomime engagement in 1869, they appeared in the pantomimes there every year until 1879 (except 1873 when they were touring abroad), taking all the principal parts. The production of <i>Cinderella</i>, for which this was designed, ran into debt and closed early in February 1879.","physicalDescription":"Costume design in watercolour and gouache on beige card showing the Principal Boy, Prince Amabel, played by Jessie Vokes. She stands on steps leading to a throne on which she rests her left hand. The top left hand corner and both lower corners of the card are missing.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Wilhelm, C. RI","id":"A8989"},"association":{"text":"costume designers","id":"AAT163428"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"card","id":"x30344"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"gouache","id":"AAT70114"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour and gouache on card","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Pantomime","id":"THES266218"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2022NC5180","2022NC5181"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"CAGE","id":"THES49689"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"costume designs","id":""}],[{"text":"theatre designs","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1878","earliest":"1878-01-01","latest":"1878-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"23.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"17.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Costume design for Jessie Vokes (1848-1884) as Prince Amabel in <i>Cinderella</i> by E.L. Blanchard, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 26 December 1878. Watercolour and gouache by Charles Wilhelm (1858-1925)","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Vokes, Jessie","id":"N5402"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1-2022"],"accessionNumberNum":"1","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2022,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-02","recordCreationDate":"2022-01-19","availableToBook":false}}