Robes of Thespis: Costume Designs by Modern Artists

1928

Storage PN2067 MC89

London: Ernest Benn Ltd

Organised theatrical productions first occurred in Ancient Greece from about 500 BC. At festivals honouring Dionysus, the god of theatre (and wine), Greek actors, all male, wore masks with exaggerated expressions to denote social status, age and gender. In the modern era, theatre costumes still help the audience with ‘stereotypical characterisation’. This image of a ‘Warrior’ was drawn by leading Irish artist Cecil Ffrench Salkeld (d. 1969). Salkeld’s mother was a writer and actor and he studied art from the age of 15 in Dublin and Germany.