{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O66781"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O66781/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O66781","accessionNumber":"S.196-1998","objectType":"Sculpture","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Lena Ashwell (1872-1957) was an actress, theatre owner, and founder of the Lena Ashwell Players and the Century Theatre. She received an OBE for her war work during the 1914-18 war when she organised several companies to entertain the troops in France, and after the war when she organised entertainment for the Army of the Occupation in Germany.  \r\n\r\nThe sculptor Peter Lambda was born in Budapest and turned to sculpture after studying medicine in Vienna.  By 1939 when he settled in London, he had already established the main strengths of his work as portraits, caricatures and figure studies. One of his earlier English busts is probably the last sculpted portrait of Sigmund Freud, a family friend in Vienna. Many of his theatrical busts created in the 1950s were also of performers who became friends including Laurence Olivier, Leslie Banks and Claire Bloom.  Lambda alsoexecuted caricature busts such as those of Lena Horne and John Gielgud. He rarely exhibited and his later years were largely occupied by portraits of his children.  Many of his portraits are in public collections, including the National Portrait Gallery and the British Film Institute.  He was married to the actress Betty Paul, with whom he aslo wrote film and televison scripts.","physicalDescription":"Ochre to deep orange painted plaster bust of the head of the actress Lena Ashwell (1872-1957) on a rectangular plaster base.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Lambda, Peter","id":"A6155"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"AAT25181"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"plaster","id":"AAT14922"}],"techniques":[{"text":"sculpted","id":"x30774"},{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted plaster","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES396959"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"busts","id":"AAT47457"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"sculpted","id":"x30774"},"note":"possibly"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1950","earliest":"1945-01-01","latest":"1954-12-31"},"association":{"text":"sculpted","id":"x30774"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Betty Lambda","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"43","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Sculpted of the actress Lena Ashwell (1872-1957) who was one of the leading actresses of her day both in the West End and on Broadway.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painted plaster bust of Lena Ashwell (1872-1957) by Peter Lambda (1911-1995)","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Sotheby's Sale Catalogue for 13 May 1998 sale of Peter Lambda Studio Works.\r\n'Modern Troubadours'.  Lena Ashwell, 1922.\r\n'Myself a Player'.   Lena Ashwell, 1936."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Ashwell, Lena","id":"N1458"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.196-1998"],"accessionNumberNum":"196","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1998,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2024-11-05","recordCreationDate":"2002-07-25","availableToBook":true}}