{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1726949"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1726949/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1726949","accessionNumber":"S.94-2023","objectType":"Costume design","titles":[{"title":"Costume design for the Marchioness of Dorset in Henry VIII","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This design was given to Margaret Courtenay (1923-1996) as a Christmas present in 1955 by her friend, the costume designer Tanya Moiseiwitsch. Courtenay wore this costume as the Marchioness of Dorset  in Shakespeare's <i>Henry Vll</i>, directed by Tyrone Guthrie at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. The production opened on 15 July 1949. The cast included Anthony Quayle as Henry VIII, Diana Wynyard as Queen Katherine, Harry Andrews as Cardinal Wolsey and Kathleen Michael as Anne Bullen (Boleyn).\n\nIn a note on the back of the design, the artist regrets that the design for Queen Katherine's attendant, Patience, that Courtenay presumably also requested, has gone, and apologises for her spelling of Courtenay's surname on the design. The design for Patience's costume is now in the V&amp;A collections (S.2331-1986).\n\nMargaret Courtenay’s long career spanned 65 years, encompassing stage, television and film. Courtenay's obituary in <i>The Independent</i> described her as: ‘the grande dame of British comedy... a formidable exponent of both classical and modern drama, opera and musical comedy’, and noted her command of the stage as: ’a physical presence which demanded attention and a voice of all-embracing resonance.’\r\n\r\nCourtenay’s early career included two seasons at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford upon Avon, in 1947 and 1949, and three seasons at the Old Vic. where she played Goneril in <i>King Lear</i> and Gertrude in <i>Hamlet</i> for the company’s 1959 Yugoslavian tour with Judi Dench as Ophelia. Courtenay starred alongside Vivien Leigh in <i>The Lady of the Camellias</i> and <i>Duel of Angels</i> on the Old Vic’s 1961/1962 tour of South and North America, Australia and New Zealand, and her many West End roles include Vera Charles in <i>Mame</i>, starring Ginger Rogers, at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane (1969-70); Lady Macbeth in <i>Macbeth</i> at the Old Vic Theatre (1972), and Muriel Wicksteed to Alan Guinness’s Arthur Wicksteed in the original production of Alan Bennett’s <i>Habeas Corpus</i> at the Lyric Theatre (1973).\n\n\r\nTanya Moiseiwitsch (1914-2003) was a prolific and innovative designer who was responsible for the set and costumes of <i>Henry VIII</i>. The critic Muriel St Clare Byrne wrote of it: 'When the audience entered the theatre, instead of seeing a curtain, they had before their eyes a lighted permanent set which remained unchanged and unhidden until the end. An excellent compromise between a platform and a picture-frame stage, it suggests a basic design which might well provide a happy and practicable solution to the problem of securing the effect of the Elizabethan stage within our modern theatres. Miss Tanya Moiseiwitsch is to be congratulated on the pleasing and dignified appearance as well as on the admirably functional qualities of this set, with its varied levels, its ample forestage, fifteen feet deep, and its well thought-out modifications and rearrangements of the gallery and the inner-stage.'\n\n","physicalDescription":"Costume design for Margaret Courtenay as the Marchioness of Dorset, standing full-length, three-quarters view, looking to her left. Pen, ink, watercolour and silver paint on tracing paper attached to a card support. Signed and dated by the artist. With four strips of paper attached, inscribed in ink by the artist","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Moiseiwitsch, Tanya","id":"A5050"},"association":{"text":"designers","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"pen and ink","id":"x30618"},{"text":"silver paint","id":"x30378"},{"text":"tracing paper","id":"AAT14161"},{"text":"card","id":"x30344"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"},{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour and pen and ink with silver pen highlights and pen and ink inscription on tracing paper and card","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Shakespeare","id":"THES253244"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"FWK10","id":"THES49145"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"costume design","id":"AAT163423"}],[{"text":"designs","id":"AAT102051"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1949","earliest":"1949-01-01","latest":"1949-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.184-1978","id":"O1221685"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.2331-1986","id":"O1221686"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.2332-1986","id":"O1221687"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.2333-1986","id":"O1221688"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.2334-1986","id":"O1221689"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.2335-1986","id":"O1221690"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.2336-1986","id":"O1224595"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by Julian Courtenay","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"38.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"28.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Inscribed recto: 'M. Courtnay (sic) / Marchioness of Dorset / Sc 16 Christening / Henry VIII 1949 / Tanya M'   \r\nInscribed verso:' Dear Maggie, A very happy Christmas, & here you are, all patched together after so long, & splendid spelling of your name, I see! Apologies & love from Tanya. 1955.  I'm afraid Patience has gone' ","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscriptions in pen and ink by the artist Tanya Moiseiwitsch"}],"objectHistory":"Given by the artist at Christmas 1955 to Margaret Courtenay, for whom the design was intended","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Costume design by Tanya Moiseiwitsch for Margaret Courtenay as the Marchioness of Dorset in <i>Henry VIII</i>, Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, opening 15 July 1949 ","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Courtenay, Margaret","id":"AUTH388832"},{"text":"Moiseiwitsch, Tanya CBE","id":"A5050"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[{"text":"Royal Shakespeare Company","id":"C1696"}],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.94-2023"],"accessionNumberNum":"94","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2023,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-27","recordCreationDate":"2022-08-08","availableToBook":true}}