{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O87616"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O87616/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK9362/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK9362/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AK9362","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O87616","accessionNumber":"S.131:120-2002","objectType":"Caricature","titles":[{"title":"Peggy Ashcroft as Viola in <i>Twelfth Night</i>","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Pencil and watercolour caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976) of Peggy Ashcroft as Viola in <i>Twelfth Night</i>, Old Vic Company, 1950. \n\nGilbert Sommerlad (1904–1976), a professional pianist and violinist, began his career in Brighton as an accompanist at local cinemas and theatres, and in 1936 moved to the recently built New Theatre at Oxford, where his brother Roy, also a musician, was already working. Gilbert Sommerlad was an orchestral violinist and rehearsal pianist at the New Theatre for over 40 years and, when not required in the orchestra pit, he occupied himself by sketching the performers, becoming well known in the profession as a caricaturist. His sketches, a total of 441, many signed by their subjects, were mounted in six albums which his son donated to the V&amp;A in 2001. \r\n\r\nThe Old Vic company’s production of <i>Twelfth Night</i> visited Oxford in October 1950, prior to its staging in London. The Old Vic theatre had suffered bomb damage in 1941 and remained derelict until 1950 when it was restored in time for the 1951 Festival of Britain. It reopened on 14 November with a gala performance of the <i>Twelfth Night</i> seen by Sommerlad. Peggy Ashcroft played Viola with Roger Livesey as Sir Toby, Alec Clunes as Orsino and Paul Rogers as Malvolio. \n\nDame Peggy Ashcroft (1907-1991) made her first stage appearance at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1926, and established her West End reputation as Juliet at the Old Vic in 1935.  Equally at home in drama and comedy, she appeared in television and film and won an Oscar for the role of Mrs. Moore in the 1984 film <i>A Passage to India</i>. Her 1950 Viola delighted the London critics. W.A. Darlington, writing in the <i>Daily Telegraph</i> (15 November 1950), called her 'the most delightful Viola of my experience. She has passion, she has her own personal gift of perennial youth, and she makes a really credible boy.'","physicalDescription":"Pencil and watercolour caricature of Peggy Ashcroft as Viola in <i>Twelfth Night</i>. From a hard-backed sketch book containing caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad. Full-length figure of Viola in male disguise, her face in profile, facing viewer's right. She wears a grey-blue doublet with striped apricot sleeves, and tan breeches, and carries a rolled-up letter in her right hand. Dated 16.10.50 by the artist and signed by Peggy Ashcroft.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sommerlad, Gilbert","id":"A5980"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pencil and watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Caricatures & Cartoons","id":"THES48983"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AK9362"],"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":"16 October 1950","earliest":"1950-10-16","latest":"1950-10-16"},"association":{"text":"dated","id":"AAT54714"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Michael Sommerlad","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"17.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"12.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Peggy Ashcroft'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Subject's signature in ink"}],"objectHistory":"Gilbert Sommerlad was a member of the resident orchestra at the New Theatre, Oxford when he drew this caricature.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Pencil and watercolour caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976) of Peggy Ashcroft as Viola in <i>Twelfth Night</i>, Old Vic Company, 1950","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Ashcroft, Peggy (Dame)","id":"N2914"},{"text":"Viola","id":"N2576"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["<i>Twelfth Night</i>"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.131:120-2002"],"accessionNumberNum":"131","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2002,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-24","recordCreationDate":"2003-12-18","availableToBook":true}}