{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O85682"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O85682/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV3239/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV3239/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AV3239","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/John Irving","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O85682","accessionNumber":"S.1116-1983","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"John Clements Conducting a Rehearsal of 'Pygmalion' by George Bernard Shaw","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Laurence Irving (1897-1988), grandson of the actor Henry Irving, trained at the Royal Academy and became an artist and set designer, working in the theatre and for films. Irving designed the sets for George Bernard Shaw's play <i>Pygmalion</i> when it was staged at the St James's Theatre in 1953. He painted his picture of a rehearsal in 1972, working from sketches made at the time. The play was directed by the actor-manager John Clements, who also played Professor Henry Higgins. His wife, Kay Hammond, was Eliza Doolittle.  \r\n\r\nThe painting shows stage hands setting the scenery for Professor Higgins's sitting room. Irving painted himself in the picture: he is the figure in painter's overalls standing in the stalls. John Clements is sitting in the front row; his assistant, taking notes, is on his left. At the front of the stage, shielding his eyes from the lights, is stage manager Harry Fine. In the right hand corner is the theatre cleaner who, according to the artist, vacuumed the carpet regardless of rehearsals.","physicalDescription":"Auditorium of a theatre, with stage hands moving scenery on stage. A male figure in a yellow jacket stands at front of stage shielding his eyes from the light. Sitting in the stalls two male figures, with a third standing in the row behind. In the right hand corner a woman vacuuming the carpet.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Irving, Laurence","id":"A10516"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oil on canvas","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AV3239"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"106","id":"THES49925"},"free":"","case":"CA005A","shelf":"WALL","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"oil paintings","id":"AAT33799"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1972","earliest":"1972-01-01","latest":"1972-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the artist","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"51","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"76.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Monogram and date","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Bottom right hand corner"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painting entitled \"John Clements conducting a rehearsal of 'Pygmalion' by George Bernard Shaw\" by Laurence Irving, 1972","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Ashton, Geoffrey. <u>Catalogue of Paintings at the Theatre Museum, London.</u> ed. James Fowler, London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1992. 224p. ill. ISBN 1851771026"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Clements, John (Sir)","id":"N2937"},{"text":"Irving, Laurence","id":"N6138"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The painting shows the on-stage assembly of Professor Higgins's Wimpole Street sitting room. Other participants discuss the rehearsal: the stage manager Harry Fine (in yellow), the designer Laurence Irving, and the director and lead actor John Clements. Irving painted this scene from sketches almost 30 years later.","date":{"text":"2014","earliest":"2014-01-01","latest":"2014-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["S.1116-1983"],"accessionNumberNum":"1116","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1983,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LV9825"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-29","recordCreationDate":"2003-11-13","availableToBook":false}}