Percy Anderson Theatre Costume Design for 'Cairo': Chinese Slave

Theatre Costume Designs: Anderson | Comelli | Wilhelm

This painting forms part of a collection of original theatrical costume designs that we have for sale by influential designers Percy Anderson, Attilio Comelli and Wilhelm. Designs such as these are valuable artefacts of the Edwardian era and the history of stage production. Edwardian musical comedy was immensely popular—and captured the optimism, energy and good humour of the new century as well as providing comfort during the First World War. Produced in an age before mass photography, these colour designs form the only remaining record of the costumes which made up these productions.

Percy Anderson (1851–1928) had private means and was part of a wealthy artistic and bohemian circle, which included Lord Ronald Gower, the courtier Alec Yorke and Charles Hamilton Aide. Anderson has been described as ‘lover’ of the novelist Hugh Walpole and through him met the novelist Joseph Conrad, whose portrait Anderson painted (now in the National Portrait Gallery, London).

Percy Anderson designed the costumes for all the original productions of the Savoy Operas and continued to design costumes for the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, as well as for The Royal Opera House and Broadway amongst others. His design work was particularly innovative and has influenced many future designers in England as well as the United States. He thoroughly researched the period of the play to inform his design choices, sharing his research in numerous articles and being the first costume designer to define elements such as line, colour and texture.

Much of his work is held in public collections internationally and does not often come on to the open market. His designs are in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, National Library of Australia and The Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin. His portraits can be seen at the National Portrait Gallery and British Museum in London and the Louvre, Paris.