Fanchon Moreau dancing at the Paris Opera. Engraving, late 17th - early 18th century

On a stage with a column and a low balustrade beyond which is glimpsed a formal garden with a trellised tunnel and tree, stands a female dancer in 18th century stage costume. She faces the viewer, her head turned slightly to her left, her hands daintily holding out her overskirt. On her head she wears a small band with ostrich plumes and an aigrette and a large pearl necklace is fitted round her neck. The long pointed bodice has a square neck and short sleeves, held across by bows and with a large bow at the elbow from which the sleeves fall into a long frill at the back; at centre neck is a large bow with a jewel and drop pearl and down the front are smaller bows; the undersleeves are fitted to the wrist. The shaped overskirt fits over a two-tiered underskirt, the top tier with the scalloped edge decorated with 'lace' and jewels, the lower having vertical 'lace' bands to a broad lace band around at calf height and around the hem is another broad 'lace' band trimmed with swags of pearls. The overskirt and lower edge of the bodice are decorated with a fringe.

Given by Dame Marie Rambert

Françoise Moreau was born in 1668 and became a famous singer at the Paris Opera as Fanchon (a variation on Françoise) Moreau. She and her sister became mistresses of the dauphin. Moreau left the stage in 1702 and entered a convent, but in 1705 she renounced her vows and married the Marquis de Villiers.
The print is part of the collection of dance prints amassed by Marie Rambert and her husband, Ashley Dukes in the first half of the 20th century. Eventually numbering 145 items, some of which had belonged to the ballerina Anna Pavlova, it was one of the first and most important specialist collections in private hands.
Rambert bought the first print as a wedding present but could not bear to give it away. As the collection grew, it was displayed in the bar of the Mercury Theatre, the headquarters of Ballet Rambert, but in 1968, Rambert gave the collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum (except for seven duplicates, which were returned to Rambert). Although often referred to as a collection of Romantic Ballet prints, important engravings of 17th and 18th century performers are included, as well as lithographs from the later 19th century, by which time the great days of the ballet in London and Paris were over.

Françoise Moreau was born in 1668 and became a famous singer at the Paris Opera as Fanchon (a variation on Françoise) Moreau. On one occasion, the dauphin, heir to the French throne, asked the Director of the Opera to arrange a meeting with her, but the letter was sent in error to her plainer sister, Louison; when the Director tried to rectify the situation, he found the dauphin was quite happy with the substitute, and both sisters became his mistresses. Moreau was also pursued by the singer Julie Maupin, who attempted suicide when her advances were rejected.
Moreau left the stage in 1702 and entered a convent, but in 1705 she came out again and married the Marquis de Villiers.
Moreau wears a typically elaborate theatrical costume of the time, based on fashionable dress, but with the hair plumes worn by tragic heroines in opera and drama.

E.4957-1968