Our Amazing Invited Artists!
Jackie Reinhart
Gwen Smith
Dina Leacock
Brandi Shields
Lynn Luebkemann
Jean Gazurian
& an Exhibition of Screen Costumes from The Barrios Collection
The Barrios Collection
"Robe of State" Queen Christina (MGM, 1933)
Costume for Jayne Meadows David and Bathsheba (20th Century-Fox, 1951)
Costume for Jayne Meadows David and Bathsheba (20th Century-Fox, 1951)
QUEEN CHRISTINA, one of the most prestigious films of its time, was a highly romanticized depiction of events in the life of the 17th-century Swedish monarch. The legendary Greta Garbo starred as Christina, with one of Hollywood's most respected character actors, Lewis Stone, as the queen's chancellor (and a real-life statesman), Axel Oxenstierna. For scenes in the queen's court, Mr. Stone wore this elaborate velvet robe, as envisioned by MGM's foremost costume designer, Adrian. What appears to be ermine is actually rabbit fur, with black spots added. Although there was originally fur trim on the sleeves, it was removed for use in a later film. Except for this, the 92-year-old costume has survived in very good condition.
Costume for Jayne Meadows David and Bathsheba (20th Century-Fox, 1951)
Costume for Jayne Meadows David and Bathsheba (20th Century-Fox, 1951)
Costume for Jayne Meadows David and Bathsheba (20th Century-Fox, 1951)
One way the movies combated the rise of television, in the early 1950s, was by making spectacle films adapted from the Bible. One of the most successful of these--in fact the most popular film of 1951--was DAVID AND BATHSHEBA, starring Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward. In a major supporting role, Jayne Meadows portrayed King David's vengeful wife Michal. Designer Edward Stevenson created this gown for an important scene in which Michal confronts her husband, with violet colors that looked especially dramatic in Technicolor. For his work on this film, Edward Stevenson was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.