Tony Duquette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tony Duquette
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Duquette at his ranch in Malibu
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Anthony Duquette
11 June 1914 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Died | 9 September 1999 (aged 85) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Artist, designer, costume and set designer for stage and film |
| Years active | 1935–1999 |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Duquette (1949–1995) |
Anthony Duquette (born June 11, 1914 – died September 9, 1999) was a famous American artist. He was known for creating amazing designs for plays, movies, and even homes. He also designed jewelry and special art pieces.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Tony Duquette was born in Los Angeles, California. He was the oldest of four children. He spent his winters in Los Angeles and the rest of the year in Three Rivers, Michigan.
Tony was a very talented student. He won scholarships to two art schools. These were the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and the Yale School of the Theatre.
After finishing school at Chouinard, Tony started working in advertising. He created special displays for new fashion styles. He also worked as a freelance designer for other famous designers. In the early 1940s, a well-known designer named Elsie de Wolfe discovered Tony. With her help, Tony became a top designer in Los Angeles. He began working more and more for movies, especially for Metro Goldwyn Mayer studios.
Amazing Career as a Designer
Early Work (1935–1946)
Tony Duquette designed many things during this time. He created costumes and settings for movies. He also designed the insides of homes for stars like Mary Pickford. He made special jewelry and furniture for Lady Mendl. Tony even designed many nightclubs and public places.
He served in the United States Army for four years during World War II. After the war, he traveled to Europe. There, he met many important people through his friends, Sir Charles and Lady Mendl.
Big Exhibitions (1947–1960)
When Tony returned from Europe in 1947, he kept working for private clients. He also continued his designs for theater and movies. In 1949, he had his first art show in Los Angeles. Soon after, he was asked to show his work at the Louvre Museum in Paris. This was a huge honor! Tony Duquette was the first American artist to have his own show at the Louvre.
After spending a year in France, he came back to the U.S. He had another big show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Many other museums also showed his art. These included museums in San Francisco, New York, and even Rio de Janeiro.
In 1956, Tony and his wife, Elizabeth (called Beegle), opened a special place. It was in an old movie studio once used by actress Norma Talmadge. They often invited famous friends like Arthur Rubenstein and Aldous Huxley there.
Busy Years (1960s–1970s)
During the 1960s and 1970s, the Duquettes traveled a lot. They worked in many countries and cities. Tony designed interiors for famous people like Doris Duke. He also created designs for big hotels and public places. These included the Hilton Hawaiian Village and the Los Angeles Music Center.
Tony also designed for many films and plays. Some of his movie designs were for Yolanda and the Thief and Kismet. For the theater, he designed for the San Francisco Ballet. He also designed costumes and sets for operas. His designs for the Broadway musical Camelot won him a special award called the Tony Award.
"Our Lady Queen of the Angels"
Tony created a huge art project called Our Lady Queen of the Angels. He gave this amazing work to the people of Los Angeles. It was a gift to celebrate the city's name and its 200th birthday. This exhibit was a big success. Hundreds of thousands of people saw it over three years.
The exhibit was multi-sensory, meaning it used many senses. It had a poetic story told by Ray Bradbury, voiced by Charlton Heston. There was also original music by Garth Hudson. The building was very large, with an 18-foot Madonna hanging from the 80-foot ceiling. She was surrounded by angels and beautiful tapestries. Special lights changed the Madonna's face color to show different races. Tony wanted this exhibit to show "the brotherhood of man." He hoped it would take viewers to "another dimension."
Lasting Influence
In 1979, the Duquettes started a special foundation. It was called the Anthony and Elizabeth Duquette Foundation for the Living Arts. This group helps show Tony's art in museums. It also works to keep his art safe for the future. The foundation has put on many exhibitions. These shows teach people about art and design. They have been held in places like Mission San Fernando and through the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Tony even bought an old synagogue in San Francisco. He fixed it up and named it The Duquette Pavilion of Saint Francis. He used it to house an exhibition honoring Saint Francis of Assisi.
Later Years and Passing (1980s–Death)
Tony worked on his final projects with his business partner, Hutton Wilkinson. These included designing the insides of old buildings. One was an 18th-century apartment in Paris. Another was a 12th-century palace in Venice, Italy.
Loss by Fire
San Francisco Fire of 1983
Sadly, a fire destroyed much of Tony's art in the Duquette Pavilion in San Francisco. This included huge metal sculptures and jewel-covered fabric mosaic tapestries.
Malibu Fire of 1993
After the San Francisco fire, the Duquettes focused on their ranch in the Malibu Mountains. Tony called his work there Sortilegium, which means "fortune-telling." He wanted to create a living work of art on his 150-acre ranch.
After many years of work, this amazing project was also destroyed. It was lost in the Green Meadow fire of 1993. Before the fire, this work had been shown on TV and in magazines. In 2007, the Malibu property was bought by someone else. An architect designed a new house there using parts from a Boeing 747-100 airplane. It is now known as the 747 Wing House.
Personal Life
Marriage
In 1949, Tony married artist Elizabeth "Beegle" Johnstone. Their wedding was at Pickfair, a famous estate. Many Hollywood stars attended their reception. These included Gloria Swanson, Fred Astaire, and Greta Garbo. Tony and Elizabeth worked together on many design projects. They were also very active in the Hollywood social scene.
Elizabeth passed away in Los Angeles after 46 years of marriage. Tony continued designing until his own death at age 85. For his 80th birthday, he created a new artwork. It was called "The Phoenix Rising from His Flames." He gave it to UCLA.
Death
Tony Duquette died on September 9, 1999, from a heart attack. He was 85 years old.
Legacy
Tony Duquette's house in Beverly Hills, called "Dawnridge," is still used today. It is the main office for his design business. His longtime partner, Hutton Wilkinson, now leads the business.
Images for kids
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A fire like this one in Malibu destroyed much of Duquette's work at his home.
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See also
In Spanish: Tony Duquette para niños
