![[Music & Dance of the French Court] Studio of Daniel Rabel (1578-1637) 1627 "Silvain" Costume Design - ONE OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN DANCE COSTUME DESIGNS](http://www.schubertiademusic.com/cdn/shop/files/Rabel_dance_design_9969a.jpg?v=1722187819)
![[Music & Dance of the French Court] Studio of Daniel Rabel (1578-1637) 1627 "Silvain" Costume Design - ONE OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN DANCE COSTUME DESIGNS](http://www.schubertiademusic.com/cdn/shop/files/Rabel_dance_design_9969c.jpg?v=1722187819)
[Music & Dance of the French Court] Studio of Daniel Rabel (1578-1637) . 1627 "Silvain" Costume Design - ONE OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN DANCE COSTUME DESIGNS. Costume design for a wood spirit, identified "silvain" upper right corner, depicting a male figure, probably masked, carrying a walking stick. Ink and watercolor on paper, chiefly incarnadine in colour, with yellow leaves for the ruff and head-band. Notes on the drawing indicating different colors: "vert naissant," "jaune doré" (light green, golden yellow). Sheet size 12 3/4 x 8 in. (32.4 x 20.3 cm), framed. In fine condition with subtle rippling, staining and foxing, backed to sheet from original binding. Provenance: Wheelock Whitney Collection, New York. Literature: Margaret M. McGowan, The Court Ballet of Louis XIII: A Collection of Working Designs for Costumes, 1615-33 (London:Victoria and Albert Museum, 1986), this image illustrated as plate no. 120.
An original costume design from the "Ballet des nymphes bocagères de la forest sacrée," danced by Queen Marie de Medici at the Louvre during Carnival, 1627, and one of the earliest known dance costume designs, created in the workshop of Daniel Rabel for the court ballets of Louis XIII. A working drawing, on which the original costume, hat, mask etc. would have been based, probably also retained as a source for a later generation of costume makers, one of whom has annotated the drawing with ideas for different colorations.
The "Ballet des nymphes bocagères de la forest sacrée," was devised by Boisrobert and set to music by Boësset. The action takes place in the Fortunate Isles and represents harmony and enchantment. According to the libretto, the ballet opened with the "Entrée de Sylvain" and featured the wood spirits as depicted in this costume design:
"Les Silenes par leur haubois
Rompent le silence des bois,
Et déja nous voyons parestre
Le plus grand des Dieux Bocagers,
Sylvain des Satyres le maistre,
Et des Faunes aux pieds legers."
"The original designers of Court Ballet were attempting to recreate what they thought was the modern equivalent of Greek drama with all its therapeutic effects. To achieve the sense of moral and spiritual uplift that such effects implied, poets (who were generally given overall charge of the spectacle) sought the collaboration of painters, stage designers, choreographers and musicians so that they might create together a work which blended harmoniously the powers of all the arts....For the principal spectacles of the season, expenditure could be phenomenal: for a ballet performed in 1625, for example, the King was prepared to pay 16, 280 livres tournois, 12 sous, and just for the costumes alone. The Queen, richly attired, performed regularly, as did the King and his nobles, dancing both solemn and burlesque parts....Most royal ballets were given at least three performances: in the Royal Palace of the Louvre; at the Arsenal where Sully had had a 'salle de Fetes' specially created for the performance of ballets; and at the Hotel de Ville for the benefit of the Burghers of Paris." (Margaret McGowan, "The Court Ballet of Louis XIII," p. ii - iii)
An original costume design from the "Ballet des nymphes bocagères de la forest sacrée," danced by Queen Marie de Medici at the Louvre during Carnival, 1627, and one of the earliest known dance costume designs, created in the workshop of Daniel Rabel for the court ballets of Louis XIII. A working drawing, on which the original costume, hat, mask etc. would have been based, probably also retained as a source for a later generation of costume makers, one of whom has annotated the drawing with ideas for different colorations.
The "Ballet des nymphes bocagères de la forest sacrée," was devised by Boisrobert and set to music by Boësset. The action takes place in the Fortunate Isles and represents harmony and enchantment. According to the libretto, the ballet opened with the "Entrée de Sylvain" and featured the wood spirits as depicted in this costume design:
"Les Silenes par leur haubois
Rompent le silence des bois,
Et déja nous voyons parestre
Le plus grand des Dieux Bocagers,
Sylvain des Satyres le maistre,
Et des Faunes aux pieds legers."
"The original designers of Court Ballet were attempting to recreate what they thought was the modern equivalent of Greek drama with all its therapeutic effects. To achieve the sense of moral and spiritual uplift that such effects implied, poets (who were generally given overall charge of the spectacle) sought the collaboration of painters, stage designers, choreographers and musicians so that they might create together a work which blended harmoniously the powers of all the arts....For the principal spectacles of the season, expenditure could be phenomenal: for a ballet performed in 1625, for example, the King was prepared to pay 16, 280 livres tournois, 12 sous, and just for the costumes alone. The Queen, richly attired, performed regularly, as did the King and his nobles, dancing both solemn and burlesque parts....Most royal ballets were given at least three performances: in the Royal Palace of the Louvre; at the Arsenal where Sully had had a 'salle de Fetes' specially created for the performance of ballets; and at the Hotel de Ville for the benefit of the Burghers of Paris." (Margaret McGowan, "The Court Ballet of Louis XIII," p. ii - iii)
[Music & Dance of the French Court] Studio of Daniel Rabel (1578-1637) . 1627 "Silvain" Costume Design - ONE OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN DANCE COSTUME DESIGNS. Costume design for a wood spirit, identified "silvain" upper right corner, depicting a male figure, probably masked, carrying a walking stick. Ink and watercolor on paper, chiefly incarnadine in colour, with yellow leaves for the ruff and head-band. Notes on the drawing indicating different colors: "vert naissant," "jaune doré" (light green, golden yellow). Sheet size 12 3/4 x 8 in. (32.4 x 20.3 cm), framed. In fine condition with subtle rippling, staining and foxing, backed to sheet from original binding. Provenance: Wheelock Whitney Collection, New York. Literature: Margaret M. McGowan, The Court Ballet of Louis XIII: A Collection of Working Designs for Costumes, 1615-33 (London:Victoria and Albert Museum, 1986), this image illustrated as plate no. 120.
An original costume design from the "Ballet des nymphes bocagères de la forest sacrée," danced by Queen Marie de Medici at the Louvre during Carnival, 1627, and one of the earliest known dance costume designs, created in the workshop of Daniel Rabel for the court ballets of Louis XIII. A working drawing, on which the original costume, hat, mask etc. would have been based, probably also retained as a source for a later generation of costume makers, one of whom has annotated the drawing with ideas for different colorations.
The "Ballet des nymphes bocagères de la forest sacrée," was devised by Boisrobert and set to music by Boësset. The action takes place in the Fortunate Isles and represents harmony and enchantment. According to the libretto, the ballet opened with the "Entrée de Sylvain" and featured the wood spirits as depicted in this costume design:
"Les Silenes par leur haubois
Rompent le silence des bois,
Et déja nous voyons parestre
Le plus grand des Dieux Bocagers,
Sylvain des Satyres le maistre,
Et des Faunes aux pieds legers."
"The original designers of Court Ballet were attempting to recreate what they thought was the modern equivalent of Greek drama with all its therapeutic effects. To achieve the sense of moral and spiritual uplift that such effects implied, poets (who were generally given overall charge of the spectacle) sought the collaboration of painters, stage designers, choreographers and musicians so that they might create together a work which blended harmoniously the powers of all the arts....For the principal spectacles of the season, expenditure could be phenomenal: for a ballet performed in 1625, for example, the King was prepared to pay 16, 280 livres tournois, 12 sous, and just for the costumes alone. The Queen, richly attired, performed regularly, as did the King and his nobles, dancing both solemn and burlesque parts....Most royal ballets were given at least three performances: in the Royal Palace of the Louvre; at the Arsenal where Sully had had a 'salle de Fetes' specially created for the performance of ballets; and at the Hotel de Ville for the benefit of the Burghers of Paris." (Margaret McGowan, "The Court Ballet of Louis XIII," p. ii - iii)
An original costume design from the "Ballet des nymphes bocagères de la forest sacrée," danced by Queen Marie de Medici at the Louvre during Carnival, 1627, and one of the earliest known dance costume designs, created in the workshop of Daniel Rabel for the court ballets of Louis XIII. A working drawing, on which the original costume, hat, mask etc. would have been based, probably also retained as a source for a later generation of costume makers, one of whom has annotated the drawing with ideas for different colorations.
The "Ballet des nymphes bocagères de la forest sacrée," was devised by Boisrobert and set to music by Boësset. The action takes place in the Fortunate Isles and represents harmony and enchantment. According to the libretto, the ballet opened with the "Entrée de Sylvain" and featured the wood spirits as depicted in this costume design:
"Les Silenes par leur haubois
Rompent le silence des bois,
Et déja nous voyons parestre
Le plus grand des Dieux Bocagers,
Sylvain des Satyres le maistre,
Et des Faunes aux pieds legers."
"The original designers of Court Ballet were attempting to recreate what they thought was the modern equivalent of Greek drama with all its therapeutic effects. To achieve the sense of moral and spiritual uplift that such effects implied, poets (who were generally given overall charge of the spectacle) sought the collaboration of painters, stage designers, choreographers and musicians so that they might create together a work which blended harmoniously the powers of all the arts....For the principal spectacles of the season, expenditure could be phenomenal: for a ballet performed in 1625, for example, the King was prepared to pay 16, 280 livres tournois, 12 sous, and just for the costumes alone. The Queen, richly attired, performed regularly, as did the King and his nobles, dancing both solemn and burlesque parts....Most royal ballets were given at least three performances: in the Royal Palace of the Louvre; at the Arsenal where Sully had had a 'salle de Fetes' specially created for the performance of ballets; and at the Hotel de Ville for the benefit of the Burghers of Paris." (Margaret McGowan, "The Court Ballet of Louis XIII," p. ii - iii)