'Heavenly Twins' dress
Summary
A black and scarlet moss crêpe cocktail dress, un-labelled. Entitled the 'heavenly twin' the dress incorporates a spiral of scarlet crêpe descending from the shoulders to the cuffs and streamer-like red and black ties to the neck. This is one of the most famous and iconic of all Ossie's designs. Celia chose to wear this dress in David Hockney's famous double portrait of the couple 'Mr & Mrs Clark & Percy'.The white cat seated on Ossie's knee was actually called 'Blanche' but Hockney decided to re-name it as he felt it had a 'better ring'. Painted in their Linden Garden home, Celia stands whilst Ossie slouches in a chair, his bare feet buried in the white shag-pile carpet. Literature: illustrated in 'Ossie Clark, 1965-74' by Judith Watt, V&A Publications, pp114-5; 'Celia Birtwell' by Celia Birtwell pp127-131 for David Hockney's preparatory photographs and photographs of him working on the canvas of the large double portrait. Provenance: Celia Birtwell
Object Name
'Heavenly Twins' dress
Creators Name
Date Created
1970
Dimensions
bust: 86cm
accession number
2015.23
Collection Group
Medium
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