{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O86642"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O86642/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK7145/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK7145/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AK7145","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O86642","accessionNumber":"S.130:12-2002","objectType":"Caricature","titles":[{"title":"Robert Probst at the grand piano, for <font -i>Over The Moon</font -i>at the New Theatre Oxford, 1953.","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This caricature shows the musical director Robert Probst at the grand piano, for <i>Over The Moon</i> at the Oxford New Theatre on 11 March 1953. 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\n<i>Over The Moon</i>, a musical by Vivian Ellis, opened at the New Theatre on 3 March 1953 and ran for two weeks, starring Cicely Courtneidge, with dances choreographed by Jack Hulbert. The programme credits 'Bob Probst and His Orchestra'. For some time in the 1950s and 1960s Robert Probst was the pianist and orchestral conductor at the Wimbledon Theatre.","physicalDescription":"Pencil caricature of the musical director Robert Probst at the grand piano, for <i>Over The Moon</i>, dated 11 March 1953. Part of an artist's hard-backed sketch book manufactured by George Rowney & Co., called 'The Euston Sketch Book'. The pencilled sketch is drawn directly onto the page (cream cartridge paper).  Titled and dated by the artist and signed by the subject.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sommerlad, Gilbert","id":"A5980"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pencil","id":"THES398741"},{"text":"paper (fiber product)","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"AAT54196"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pencil on cream cartridge paper","categories":[{"text":"Caricatures & Cartoons","id":"THES48983"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AK7145"],"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":"11 March 1953","earliest":"1953-03-11","latest":"1953-03-11"},"association":{"text":"dated","id":"AAT54714"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Michael Sommerlad","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"17.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"12.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The artist of these caricatures, Gilbert Sommerlad, was by profession a musician who was born into a family that had a long tradition of professional musicians.    In 1936 he moved to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist.\r\n\r\nGilbert was an exceptionally good and popular rehearsal pianist, and visiting companies and individual performers used to make sure that he would be available.  He became well-known in the profession and his ability as a caricaturist became common knowledge.  The volume that includes this drawing contains sketches mostly of musical directors and conductors working at the Oxford New Theatre with Gilbert Sommerlad.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Pencil caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad of Robert Probst, musical director of <font -i>Over The Moon</font -i>, Oxford New Theatre. Dated 11 March 1953","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Probst, Robert","id":"N3158"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.130:12-2002"],"accessionNumberNum":"130","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2002,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-24","recordCreationDate":"2003-12-02","availableToBook":true}}