Drawing for a theatrical costume for captive Portuguese women

Vincente Minnelli

1933–39 · Watercolor over graphite with textile swatch · Drawings and Prints

Drawing, design for a captive Portuguese woman's costume by Vincente Minnelli. The costume consists of a dress with pink bodice with long, bell-shaped sleeves with black and purple trimmings and white ruffles, and broad skirt with a pattern of fruits and tropical birds, executed in various colors over a black ground, with purple borders. An opening on the left side of the skirt reveals ruffles of a colored fabric with small floral embellishments of shades of purple and red. The hair is long, curly, and loose, adorned by a headpiece of purple, green, red, and black color. Large, gold hoop earrings and bangles and high-heeled, pointed-toe red shoes complete the outfit. A swatch of fuchsia fabric is attached to the upper-left corner of the sheet.

Artist

Vincente Minnelli

Date

1933–39

Medium

Watercolor over graphite with textile swatch

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Frank Cambria, 1959