Art Deco Original Watercolor Costume Sketch by Mabel E. Johnston (one of six)

Fine Art : Paintings

 

Submitted for your consideration is a dazzling watercolor of a costume sketch by Mabel E. Johnston from the 1920’s. Mabel Johnson studied art in Philadelphia and in New York and she was considered to be one of the top costume designers of the Broadway Stage during the roaring twenties. Her work was seen in the Ziegfield Follies, Earl Carroll’s Vanities of 1928, Animal Crackers, Cross My Heart, and Hold Everything. We were fortunate to acquire six of her original costume designs from the Park Avenue apartment of an editor of a major fashion magazine and her Broadway composer husband and this is one drawing from that suite.

Please note the exceptional detail of this lovely work. The top hat and cane anticipate an image made famous by Ginger Rogers in her movies with Fred Astaire. The figure is of a beautiful blond woman endearingly presented in the tattered remains of what was once a proud outfit. Her blouse is ragged and torn with patches in at least two different places. The left pants leg of her trousers is missing. Her hat, a symbol of elegance, is in ruins. A pair of red suspenders preserves her dignity as she leans ever so slightly on her cane. She presents the classic image of a lovable hobo. Despite her disheveled dress, her posture is perfect in her fashionable high heels and we suspect that her exposed leg in her costume would be considered a sign of the decadent times. She is a most charming and appealing character, and we can imagine her high leg kicks as she entertains on the stage of the Great White Way.

Please recognize that this is not a print. It is a one of a kind pen and ink drawing that the designer has then water colored as a final step before creating the costume. If you look closely you can see the outline of the strokes that formed the initial draft. The piece is signed in the bottom corner of the drawing in ink, which then has the artist pencil signature imposed over it. Given its age, and the fact that this was a working drawing used to help seamstresses sew together the costume, this work of art is in remarkably good shape. The top of the image has an inscription in pencil that identifies the work as the design for an “American Dancer”. The watercolor is encased in a custom rich burled walnut wood frame with black lacquered edges and double matted with a black external and blue internal matte. The frame shows some slight signs of wear, but this does not detract from the gestalt of the work and it actually enhances the vision of a beautiful vintage piece. This framed work measures 21.5" x 17.5". We have included a photo of an article in the September 1929 issue of Dance Magazine that extols the talents of Ms. Johnston.

All six of the works that we are offering decorated one large wall in the luxurious Manhattan apartment that was their home, but while they would make for a stunning wall grouping, each one can certainly stand on its own as a striking work of art.

Item ID: RL-5064