LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART, 1951

IN 1951 TONY DUQUETTE WAS INVITED BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART (THE OLD MUSEUM IN EXPOSITION PARK) TO BRING HIS UNPRECEDENTED EXHIBITION FROM THE LOUVRE MUSEUM TO HIS HOME TOWN. SHOWING HERE IS ONE OF HIS THREE-DIMENSIONAL COSTUME DESIGNS FOR CHARLES LAUGHTON’S THEATRE IN THE ROUND.

DUQUETTE HUNG THE GALLERIES AT LACMA WITH PALE BLUE TAFFETA AS A BACKGROUND FOR HIS WORKS.  SHOWN HERE FROM THE LEFT ARE TWO THREE-DIMENSIONAL COSTUMED FIGURES ALONG WITH THEIR COMPANION SKETCH, A HANGING METAL LEAF AND LUCITE POLYCHROMED CHANDELIER, A PAIR OF CORAL AND LEAF GREEN STANDING TORCHERES AND A FRAMED WATERCOLOR DEPICTING ST. MARKS SQUARE IN VENICE.

FROM THE LEFT AT THE TONY DUQUETTE EXHIBITION AT LACMA 1952. IN THE GLASS CASE, A TORTOISE SHELL AND VERMEIL TABLE GARNITURE WITH “MODERN” SCULPTURAL VERMEIL FRUITS AND DRIED POMEGRANATES. THE LOW CHAIR (ORIGINALLY DESIGNED BY DUQUETTE FOR ELSIE DE WOLFE’S HOUSE “AFTER ALL”) IS UPHOLSTERED IN NEEDLEWORK TO DUQUETTE’S DESIGN. ON THE WALL HANG TWO COSTUME SKETCHES IN DUQUETTE’S OWN WOOD AND PASSEMENTERIE FRAMES.

THE VIEW THROUGH THE GALLERIES AT LACMA WITH DUQUETTE’S SIGNATURE CHANDELIERS AND HIS METAL PAGODA HOLDING HIS “MODERNE” GILDED KLISMOS CHAIRS AND CARD TABLE.

FROM THE LEFT AT THE DUQUETTE EXHIBITION: A THREE-DIMENSIONAL COSTUMED FIGURE UNDER GLASS, DUQUETTE’S CHESS SET DEPICTING THE ANCIENT HAWAIIANS FIGHTING CAPTAIN COOK AND HIS SAILORS, TWO FRAMED WATERCOLORS OF VENICE AND A SECRETARY DESK WITH PANELS PAINTED BY DUQUETTE IN REVERSE PAINTING ON GLASS BACKED WITH ANTIQUE BROCADES. NOTE DUQUETTE’S MODERNE GILDED KLISMOS CHAIR.