Jessica Dragonette | People | Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

The World of Radio by Arthur Gordon Smith (Canadian, b. 1901–n.d.) features the central figure of soprano and radio star Jessica Dragonette. Commissioned by her sister, Nadea Dragonette Loftus (American, 1892–1982) and completed in 1934, the mural decorated the singer’s top floor apartment on East 57th Street. Dragonette was at the peak of her popularity with weekly performances on NBC’s Cities Service Concerts, entertaining more than sixty-six million listeners and winning legions of devoted fans. Dragonette’s parents were Italian immigrants who became American citizens. She was their fourth child and was born in Calcutta, India where her father, a construction engineer, was engaged on a... more.

We have 18 objects that Jessica Dragonette has been involved with.

A close-up detail from the right edge of a voluminous, horizontal mural, showing in muted colors, a crowned, allegorical figure representing Music. Against a backgdrop of electrical drawing symbols, the long-haired figure stands tall in front of an orange-red halo. The tumble of curls fall from either side of the crown, and highlights the almond-shaped eyes, long nose, and unsmiling, closed lips. The figure is dressed in a long robe with a pleated skirt and cincture sash with decorative circle-and-cross emblems. Supernaturally elongated arms extend from the wide, kimono sleeves under a shoulder cape. The figure's left arm holds a wide scroll of music below the waist while the right arm cradles a five-string, lute-like instrument. The mural is framed along the right border with rotating right-triangles in a repetitive color scheme and varying sizes.

A close-up detail from the bottom right side of a voluminous, horizontal mural, showing in muted colors, allegorical figures representing Industry and Agriculture. Against a background -- from left to right -- illustrating a globe, a grand theatrical staircase, a cityscape, and waterfront, two figures stand behind a seated figure holding a childlike figure. On the left stands Industry, looking toward the left and holding a plumed pen in the right hand with a scroll and ledgers on the left. Dressed in a buttoned, long robe and short, caped jacket, the long, straight hair is secured under a shell-shaped cap, highlighting an almond-shaped eye, long nose, and closed lips. Standing on the right is Agriculture, holding an armload of wheat sheaves cradled in the right hand while the left holds an oversized, curving sickle. Agriculture's squared face is downcast, with arched eyebrows and a serious expression. Seated in front is a thickly robed figure, and surrounded by vignettes of birds and of fruit tumbling out of a basket on the viewer's left. Continuing clockwise is a horizontal wave pattern an opera medallion, and a gathering of coated figures under a tree. The mural is framed along the bottom with a border of triangles in a repetitive color scheme and varying sizes.

A close-up detail of a circle located near the top left portion of a voluminous, horizontal mural, showing in muted color and centered on a man, Graham McNamee, standing in front of a microphone next to transmission towers. McNamee was the first sports announcer to do play-by-play reporting for Major League Baseball. Zigzag lines radiate outward from the towers. The inner circle is surrounded by a larger, segmented circle emphasizing sports and spectacles of the early twentieth century. Above McNamee is a referee is flanked by boxers. To the right is a divider with the word 'pageant.' Clockwise to the right is a scene of a crowd behind a medieval banner, facing a pedestal with several waving flags. Another divider states, in opposite directions, the words 'Spectacles' and 'Races.' The next scene near the bottom depicts the America’s Cup yacht races of September 1899. Following dividers annotating 'Yacht' and 'Stratosphere' is a manned stratostat balloon being held by several coat-wearing figures and a crowd in the background. Above the circle in arched arrangement, reads 'Broadcasting News Events.'

A close-up detail of a mid-right portion of a voluminous, horizontal mural, showing an airship in muted colors. The finned airship, marked 'U.S. Navy' is shown flying over a cityscape -- presumably Manhattan -- with billowing clouds in the background. A line of musical score lies diagonally across the scene, with some of the bars upside-down. A transmission tower is featured on the left side.

A close-up detail from the center of a voluminous, horizontal mural, featuring a gowned, female figure -- the soprano opera singer and radio star Jessica Dragonnette -- standing atop a globe in front of a square microphone. She is surrounded by radiating lines of music which expand into a dense collage of scenes in shades of muted khaki brown, pale orange-red, dark blue, and olive green. Dragonnette is posed at an angle, her face turned slightly to her left and surrounded by dark, long, wavy hair. Her dreamy gaze is cast toward the distance and beyond the viewer. She is dressed in a pale red full-length ball gown --the vintage Worth gown she wore for 'Lights Golden Jubilee' in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Thomas Edison's invention of the lightbulb -- with a sweetheart neckline accented in the center with a floral detail. Decorative ferns and fleur de lis accent the front of the outer gown, its layered fabric swept forward. A large back bow peeks from the right side and the laced, cap sleeve highlights the singer's bent arm, hands clasped in front of the V-shaped basque waistline. A crescent moon and star to her left cast a glow onto and surrounding the singer. Celebrating the history of radio, the mural features skyscrapers, steamships, zeppelins, microphones, and allegorical figures.

Short URL: http://cprhw.tt/p/2FYvhT/
Person ID: 1108724919
Tag as: ch:person=1108724919