Drawing of the Day: A Costume Design for Cyrano de Bergerac, 1946

Click for bigger Ralph Richardson-ishness

Costume Design for Cyrano
Old Vic Company, 1946
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This drawing shows the design for the wig and makeup for the title character in the 1946 production of Cyrano de Bergerac staged at the New Theatre by the Old Vic Company. The drawing of pencil and watercolor is the work of the accomplished costume designer Tanya Moiseiwitsch (1914-2003). She’s taken the time to show the details for the makeup, false beard, prosthetic nose and intricate wig.

These sorts of detailed designs not only ensured that Moiseiwitsch’s specific vision could be realized for each character, but also made the work of her dedicated team much easier by showing specifically what was required for each actor.

Notably, Cyrano was being played by the great Ralph Richardson who is, I’m sure, very familiar to fans of the film, “The Heiress.”