A painting by world-renowned stage and costume designer Doris Zinkeisen has found a new home at Ipswich Museum.

The portrait of Doris' daughters Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone and her niece, Julia Heseltine, dating from the 1950s, has been purchased thanks to support of the Friends of the Ipswich Museums, Art Fund and Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund.

At the time, the three young women were embarking on careers in the arts, with Janet and Anne about to illustrate The Hundred and One Dalmatians for Dodie Smith.

Doris and her daughters moved to Suffolk in 1966, where she died in 1991. Her designed costumes were worn by the likes of Laurence Olivier and Anna Neagle, while she also worked alongside Noël Coward and Irving Berlin.

Carole Jones, Ipswich Borough Council Museums service portfolio holder, said: “It is wonderful to see another woman artist with connections to Suffolk added to the Ipswich collection.

"Doris Zinkeisen and her family have a fascinating story, and this painting will help tell their stories.”

Richard Wilson, chairman of The Friends of the Ipswich Museums, added: “This is not just a wonderful portrait but also a historical document that portrays a family of important Suffolk painters.

"The Friends are delighted to have helped purchase and then conserve this notable artwork for future generations to admire and enjoy.”