Loudon Sainthill

Loudon Sainthill photographed by Max Dupain, 1946

Loudon Sainthill was an Australian artist and stage and costume designer.

Born in Hobart, Tasmania in 1918, Sainthill grew up in Melbourne. By his early twenties he'd exhibted his paintings in gallery shows and was working professionally in Australia.

Learning and working in Australia in that era made him appear as a bit of an outlier in the art world. His work bore many influences and influenced others in turn. His artistic style continued to blend the fantastic and whimsical with a degree of melancholy and dream-like elements.

Post-WW2, Sainthill worked predominantly in the United Kingdom, designing for numerous stage productions and film. He died in 1969. 

For more info: - A Loudon Sainthill bio, available at The Day Gallery.

Man with Guitar (1958) 

Figure with Guitar, 1950

The Musician

The Woman From a Far Country, 1947

Cover illustration; Ballet Rambert in Australia program

The Dancer, 1950

Costume design for 'The Tempest'

Set design for 'The Tempest'; Prospero's Cell, 1951

Photos below feature Sainthill's set and costume designs for a RSC production of William Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', directed by Michael Benthall at The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, 1951 & 1952

The photos were found at: 'Shakespeare, Decolonisation, and the Cold War', a 2017 PhD thesis by James LeeTaylor, available as a  pdf at The Open University

Sir Ralph Richardson as Prospero, Margaret Leighton as Ariel, in 1952.

Hugh Griffith as Caliban, in 1951.

Hugh Griffith was also a memorable character actor in many films, such as 'Tom Jones' from 1963. (photo at right)

Prospero, Miranda and Caliban in 1952.

Margaret Leighton as Ariel in 1952.

Michael Hordern as Caliban in 1952.

Set design, for The Queen of Shemakhan's Magic Tent from 'Le Coq d'Or'.

Set design: The Ship Pericles

Set design for 'Aladdin', back cloth

The Zebra, costume design, 1958

Costume design from 'Can Heironymus Mirkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppee and Find True Happiness?', 1968

Attendant; Costume design from 'The Man Who Loved Redheads' 1954.

Christmas Card sent to the Misses Wood

Christmas card design 

Acrobat, costume design

Design for Cinderella; Detail drawing of a Tree Candelabra

Loudon Sainthill photographed by John Deakin, early 1950's

Tambourine Player

See also:

- Dozens of Loudon Sainthill works exhibited at The National Gallery of Australia website.