{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O85723"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O85723/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK9390/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK9390/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AK9390","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O85723","accessionNumber":"S.134:1-2002","objectType":"Caricature","titles":[{"title":"Tony Britton as Professor Higgins in <i>My Fair Lady</i>","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This caricature shows Tony Britton (b. 1922) as Professor Higgins in <i>My Fair Lady</i> by Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe, at the Oxford New Theatre in December 1965.  It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years.  Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.\r\n\r\nTony Britton was considered one of cinema's most good-looking actors when his film career took off in the 1950s, but when film roles weren't forthcoming, embarked on a two-and-a-half year stage tour of <i>My Fair Lady</i> in the 1960s.  He became best known nationally in the 1970s and 1980s in television's <i>Robin's Nest</i> and <i>Don't Wait Up</i>.","physicalDescription":"Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash caricature of Tony Britton as Professor Higgins in <i>My Fair Lady</i> at the New Theatre Oxford.  Dated 8/12/1965. From a hard-backed sketch book containing caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sommerlad, Gilbert","id":"A5980"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"painting","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash on paper","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Caricatures & Cartoons","id":"THES48983"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AK9390"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES356599"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"caricatures","id":"AAT15634"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Oxford","id":"x31203"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"8 December 1965","earliest":"1965-12-08","latest":"1965-12-08"},"association":{"text":"dated","id":"AAT54714"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Michael Sommerlad","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"25.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approximately","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"18.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approximately","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This caricature comes from an album of caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn (with one exception) by Gilbert J. Sommerlad (1904-1976) between December 1965 and September 1971 at the Oxford New Theatre. Gilbert Sommerlad moved from Brighton to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist in 1936. He continued with his caricatures until his retirement.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash caricature of Tony Britton as Professor Higgins in <i>My Fair Lady</i> at the New Theatre Oxford, by Gilbert Sommerlad, 8 December 1965.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Britton, Tony","id":"N2939"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.134:1-2002"],"accessionNumberNum":"134","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2002,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-24","recordCreationDate":"2003-11-14","availableToBook":true}}