Drawing of the Day: Homage to the Queen, 1953

Homage to the Queen
Design for the Coronation Ballet
Oliver Messel, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

“Homage to the Queen” was choreographed by Frederick Ashton as the Sadler's Wells Ballet tribute for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June, 1953. The production was performed at the Royal Opera House. We can tell from production notes which were made at the time that it appears that the production designer, Oliver Hilary Sambourne Messel, (1904 - 1978 ) conceived the ballet opening with an extravagant procession, incorporating both English folk and mythological figures which would close with an Apotheosis showing Elizabeth I as Queen of the Past, handing the Imperial orb to Elizabeth II as Queen of the Present. At the end of the opening, the image of the Queen would be left, as Messel put it, “surrounded with all the virtues and gifts.”

Messel, one of Britain’s leading theatrical designers of the 1930s through 1950s, envisioned this spectacle to be something like a 17th century Jacobean court masque in the manner of Inigo Jones and produced “lavish, fantastical designs” which managers of the ballet noted, “would have cost more than his sets and costumes for the main ballet.” Because of the potential expense, the stage procession of the homage was reduced to a simple entry for the queens of the four elements - Earth, Water, Fire and Air - and their attendant. Messel still got his way—partially. After the ballet, an apotheosis is performed wherein the spirit of the first Elizabeth passes the orb to the second. Here we see one of the storyboard images which Messel produced for his original concept of the homage ballet. This image shows the lion and the unicorn of the Royal arms. The sketch shows the two figures, dancing, facing each other, and carrying flowers which were to be presented to the Queen.

Lord Snowdon, onetime husband of Princess Margaret, and Oliver Messel's nephew, inherited Messel's theatrical designs and other artifacts. According to the V&A, “The designs were briefly stored in a disused chapel in Kensington Palace before being housed at the V&A from 1981 on indefinite loan. The V&A Theatre Museum purchased the Oliver Messel collection from Lord Snowdon in 2005.”

History’s Runway: The John Cavanagh Orchid Gown, 1953

Gown
John Cavanagh, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Can you picture the young Queen Elizabeth II wearing this beautiful gown?  Here, we see an evening dress of brocaded silk with a design of semi-naturalistic orchids woven in oyster, pale-pink and green silk punctuated with gold threads. The gown has a heart-shaped, fitted bodice with two shoulder straps, and a semi-full skirt with a small train at the back.

This dessert-like creation is composes of two layers of fine silk which are separate except where they are joined together to form the design. Lines of gold thread peek through at random points allowing the gown to shimmer.

This magnificent evening gown is the work of the John Cavanagh (1914-2003) and was part of his Spring/Summer 1953 “Coronation Collection.” The gown was made for and worn by Lady Cornwallis (nee Esme d’Beaumont, 1901-69) expressly for the coronation celebrations in June.

The intricate fabrics were designed by Oliver Messel (1904-1978), at the time Britain’s foremost designer of costumes and sets for stage and film.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Oxford Street for the 1953 Coronation

Click Image to Enlarge
Proposed Decoration Scheme for Oxford Street
Coronation, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This painting is by Edward Bawden (born Braintree 1903; died Saffron Walden, Essex 1989). The artist taught at the Royal College of Art from 1933. This design shows a perspective view of the Oxford Street frontage of the famed Selfridges department store and is meant to demonstrate the proposed decorations for the doorway and windows to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

This is one of three drawings which were made as proposals for the Coronation decoration of Selfridges' exterior. 

Antique Image of the Day: Mum's the Word, c. 1953

Mum's the Word
John Drysdale, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The photographer John Drysdale worked as an assistant to Cecil Beaton taking the official photos of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. During this project, Drysdale amused himself by taking candid photographs of children in the streets of London as the celebrations for the coronation began.

Here’s one of those images.  This black and white portrait photograph with a white border shows two girls talking on the street next to some steps leading to a front door. One of the girls is holding the handle to a stroller with a baby asleep inside.  Drysdale cleverly called the photo, Mum’s the Word,” and it’s a good representation of daily life in London at the time of the 1953 coronation.

Drawing of the Day: Homage to the Queen, 1953

Homage to the Queen
Design for the Coronation Ballet
Oliver Messel, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

“Homage to the Queen” was choreographed by Frederick Ashton as the Sadler's Wells Ballet tribute for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June, 1953. The production was performed at the Royal Opera House. We can tell from production notes which were made at the time that it appears that the production designer, Oliver Hilary Sambourne Messel, (1904 - 1978 ) conceived the ballet opening with an extravagant procession, incorporating both English folk and mythological figures which would close with an Apotheosis showing Elizabeth I as Queen of the Past, handing the Imperial orb to Elizabeth II as Queen of the Present. At the end of the opening, the image of the Queen would be left, as Messel put it, “surrounded with all the virtues and gifts.”

Messel, one of Britain’s leading theatrical designers of the 1930s through 1950s, envisioned this spectacle to be something like a 17th century Jacobean court masque in the manner of Inigo Jones and produced “lavish, fantastical designs” which managers of the ballet noted, “would have cost more than his sets and costumes for the main ballet.” Because of the potential expense, the stage procession of the homage was reduced to a simple entry for the queens of the four elements - Earth, Water, Fire and Air - and their attendant. Messel still got his way—partially. After the ballet, an apotheosis is performed wherein the spirit of the first Elizabeth passes the orb to the second. Here we see one of the storyboard images which Messel produced for his original concept of the homage ballet. This image shows the lion and the unicorn of the Royal arms. The sketch shows the two figures, dancing, facing each other, and carrying flowers which were to be presented to the Queen.

Lord Snowdon, onetime husband of Princess Margaret, and Oliver Messel's nephew, inherited Messel's theatrical designs and other artifacts. According to the V&A, “The designs were briefly stored in a disused chapel in Kensington Palace before being housed at the V&A from 1981 on indefinite loan. The V&A Theatre Museum purchased the Oliver Messel collection from Lord Snowdon in 2005.”

History’s Runway: The John Cavanagh Orchid Gown, 1953

Gown
John Cavanagh, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Can you picture the young Queen Elizabeth II wearing this beautiful gown?  Here, we see an evening dress of brocaded silk with a design of semi-naturalistic orchids woven in oyster, pale-pink and green silk punctuated with gold threads. The gown has a heart-shaped, fitted bodice with two shoulder straps, and a semi-full skirt with a small train at the back.

This dessert-like creation is composes of two layers of fine silk which are separate except where they are joined together to form the design. Lines of gold thread peek through at random points allowing the gown to shimmer.

This magnificent evening gown is the work of the John Cavanagh (1914-2003) and was part of his Spring/Summer 1953 “Coronation Collection.” The gown was made for and worn by Lady Cornwallis (nee Esme d’Beaumont, 1901-69) expressly for the coronation celebrations in June.

The intricate fabrics were designed by Oliver Messel (1904-1978), at the time Britain’s foremost designer of costumes and sets for stage and film.

Antique Image of the Day: Mum's the Word, c. 1953

Mum's the Word
John Drysdale, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The photographer John Drysdale worked as an assistant to Cecil Beaton taking the official photos of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. During this project, Drysdale amused himself by taking candid photographs of children in the streets of London as the celebrations for the coronation began.

Here’s one of those images.  This black and white portrait photograph with a white border shows two girls talking on the street next to some steps leading to a front door. One of the girls is holding the handle to a stroller with a baby asleep inside.  Drysdale cleverly called the photo, Mum’s the Word,” and it’s a good representation of daily life in London at the time of the 1953 coronation.

Drawing of the Day: Homage to the Queen, 1953

Homage to the Queen
Design for the Coronation Ballet
Oliver Messel, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

“Homage to the Queen” was choreographed by Frederick Ashton as the Sadler's Wells Ballet tribute for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June, 1953. The production was performed at the Royal Opera House. We can tell from production notes which were made at the time that it appears that the production designer, Oliver Hilary Sambourne Messel, (1904 - 1978 ) conceived the ballet opening with an extravagant procession, incorporating both English folk and mythological figures which would close with an Apotheosis showing Elizabeth I as Queen of the Past, handing the Imperial orb to Elizabeth II as Queen of the Present. At the end of the opening, the image of the Queen would be left, as Messel put it, “surrounded with all the virtues and gifts.”

Messel, one of Britain’s leading theatrical designers of the 1930s through 1950s, envisioned this spectacle to be something like a 17th century Jacobean court masque in the manner of Inigo Jones and produced “lavish, fantastical designs” which managers of the ballet noted, “would have cost more than his sets and costumes for the main ballet.” Because of the potential expense, the stage procession of the homage was reduced to a simple entry for the queens of the four elements - Earth, Water, Fire and Air - and their attendant. Messel still got his way—partially. After the ballet, an apotheosis is performed wherein the spirit of the first Elizabeth passes the orb to the second. Here we see one of the storyboard images which Messel produced for his original concept of the homage ballet. This image shows the lion and the unicorn of the Royal arms. The sketch shows the two figures, dancing, facing each other, and carrying flowers which were to be presented to the Queen.

Lord Snowdon, onetime husband of Princess Margaret, and Oliver Messel's nephew, inherited Messel's theatrical designs and other artifacts. According to the V&A, “The designs were briefly stored in a disused chapel in Kensington Palace before being housed at the V&A from 1981 on indefinite loan. The V&A Theatre Museum purchased the Oliver Messel collection from Lord Snowdon in 2005.”

Painting of the Day: Oxford Street for the 1953 Coronation

Click Image to Enlarge
Proposed Decoration Scheme for Oxford Street
Coronation, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This painting is by Edward Bawden (born Braintree 1903; died Saffron Walden, Essex 1989). The artist taught at the Royal College of Art from 1933. This design shows a perspective view of the Oxford Street frontage of the famed Selfridges department store and is meant to demonstrate the proposed decorations for the doorway and windows to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

This is one of three drawings which were made as proposals for the Coronation decoration of Selfridges' exterior. 

Long May She Reign!

Today begins the Central Weekend of the festivities in honor of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.  It is also the anniversary of her June 2, 1953 coronation.  We wish Her Majesty all the best on this very special day!

If you'd like to show your support of Her Majesty, visit our online store to view our special "Diamond Jubilee" designs.