JO MIELZINER (1901-1976)
"Finian's Rainbow." Scenic design for a the 1947 Broadway production of "Finian's Rainbow" directed by Bretaigne Windust at the 46th Street Theatre. Gouache, watercolor, ink, and wash on paper. 130x250 mm; 5x10 inches, sight size, on 7x10-inch sheet; cornered to original matte which is signed and inscribed by Mielziner to conductor and composer Morton Gould: "with the admiration & affection of Jo Mielziner 1950." Original simple wood frame. Provenance: The artist, gifted to Morton Gould; Private Collection, Long Island, New York.Finian's Rainbow was a keen example of Mielziner's perfectionism. In the essence of economy, he used four columns and a painted transparent drop to represent a Colonial estate. The play, which was a rather unusual musical about the American South, was a critical hit, but when it was sent on the road, the producers cut down the set and lighting to make it more profitable, infuriating Mielziner who felt it so vandalized that he asked for his name to be removed from the credits. He was so fond of the set that he re-worked them for a 1949 production of Prince Littler in London.