Yvonne Blake - Costume design for the film “Music of Yesterday”
Handwritten inscription by the artist, in pencil, in the upper right corner: “ ‘Musica de Ayer’ - / Doña Lola -5- / (Vá al Molino -)”. There are various handwritten notes by the artist, accompanied by arrows, intended to specify the types of materials that will make up the textiles and accessories for the proposed costume: “Black gauze with / motifs [sic] of / velvet -”. “Brown / velvet / trim -”. “Darker green / checkered wool”. Signed and dated 1958 in the lower right corner. Dimensions: 316 x 245 mm.
Costume sketch for a female character in the Spanish film *Música de Ayer*, released in 1958 and directed by Juan de Orduña, produced by Producciones Orduña Films, in which Ana María Olaria plays the lead role of Laura Gayán.
The role of Doña Lola Gasparín is played by actress María Fernando Ladrón de Guevara (mother of Amparo Rivelles and Carlos Larrañaga, and grandmother of Larrañaga and Luis Merlo).
The design shown here, created by Yvonne Blake for the final costume in the film, must correspond to the one Doña Lola wore when she went to the mill in search of Laura, with some variations in the final garment.
The reverse side of the drawing features a set design sketch, done in black pencil, which could correspond to a scene from this film (see last images).
Blake is remembered as the designer of the Superman costume (directed by Richard Donner, 1978) worn by Christopher Reeve; the filming was plagued by issues related to the fabric and color tones of the fictional hero’s outfit.
She won four Goya Awards in Spain for Best Costume Design for *Remando al viento* (1988), *Canción de cuna* (1994), *Carmen* (2003), and *El puente de San Luis Rey* (2004).
Her film costume designs appeared in movies starring prominent actors and actresses such as Sophia Loren (*The Venus of Anger* in Israel, directed by Daniel Mann, 1966), Liza Minnelli (*Fahrenheit 451*, directed by François Truffaut), Michael Caine and Omar Sharif (The Last Valley, directed by James Clavell), Anthony Hopkins (All Creatures Great and Small), Elizabeth Taylor (An Hour in the Night), Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn (Robin and Marian), Ava Gardner (Harem), Al Pacino (Looking for Richard), not to mention his significant contribution to the musical Jesus Christ Superstar (by Andrew Lloyd Webber).
She collaborated with the prestigious Peris Hermanos fashion house, beginning in the 1960s, on the final production of their designs. With Gonzalo Suárez, she worked on *Remando al viento*, *Don Juan en los infiernos*, *La reina anónima*, and *El detective y la muerte*; with Vicente Aranda, she worked on *Carmen* and *Tirante el Blanco*.
Although she was not an actress, she was the first woman to be awarded the National Film Award in 2012 and served as President of the Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AACCE) in 2016. She passed away in Madrid in July 2018.
Handwritten inscription by the artist, in pencil, in the upper right corner: “ ‘Musica de Ayer’ - / Doña Lola -5- / (Vá al Molino -)”. There are various handwritten notes by the artist, accompanied by arrows, intended to specify the types of materials that will make up the textiles and accessories for the proposed costume: “Black gauze with / motifs [sic] of / velvet -”. “Brown / velvet / trim -”. “Darker green / checkered wool”. Signed and dated 1958 in the lower right corner. Dimensions: 316 x 245 mm.
Costume sketch for a female character in the Spanish film *Música de Ayer*, released in 1958 and directed by Juan de Orduña, produced by Producciones Orduña Films, in which Ana María Olaria plays the lead role of Laura Gayán.
The role of Doña Lola Gasparín is played by actress María Fernando Ladrón de Guevara (mother of Amparo Rivelles and Carlos Larrañaga, and grandmother of Larrañaga and Luis Merlo).
The design shown here, created by Yvonne Blake for the final costume in the film, must correspond to the one Doña Lola wore when she went to the mill in search of Laura, with some variations in the final garment.
The reverse side of the drawing features a set design sketch, done in black pencil, which could correspond to a scene from this film (see last images).
Blake is remembered as the designer of the Superman costume (directed by Richard Donner, 1978) worn by Christopher Reeve; the filming was plagued by issues related to the fabric and color tones of the fictional hero’s outfit.
She won four Goya Awards in Spain for Best Costume Design for *Remando al viento* (1988), *Canción de cuna* (1994), *Carmen* (2003), and *El puente de San Luis Rey* (2004).
Her film costume designs appeared in movies starring prominent actors and actresses such as Sophia Loren (*The Venus of Anger* in Israel, directed by Daniel Mann, 1966), Liza Minnelli (*Fahrenheit 451*, directed by François Truffaut), Michael Caine and Omar Sharif (The Last Valley, directed by James Clavell), Anthony Hopkins (All Creatures Great and Small), Elizabeth Taylor (An Hour in the Night), Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn (Robin and Marian), Ava Gardner (Harem), Al Pacino (Looking for Richard), not to mention his significant contribution to the musical Jesus Christ Superstar (by Andrew Lloyd Webber).
She collaborated with the prestigious Peris Hermanos fashion house, beginning in the 1960s, on the final production of their designs. With Gonzalo Suárez, she worked on *Remando al viento*, *Don Juan en los infiernos*, *La reina anónima*, and *El detective y la muerte*; with Vicente Aranda, she worked on *Carmen* and *Tirante el Blanco*.
Although she was not an actress, she was the first woman to be awarded the National Film Award in 2012 and served as President of the Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AACCE) in 2016. She passed away in Madrid in July 2018.
