Theatre Costume
1920 (made)
This costume for one of six warriors in Leonide Massine's ballet Le Chant du rossignol (The Song of the Nightingale) was designed by Henri Matisse first produced by the Diaghilev Ballets Russes to a score by Igor Stravinsky in 1920 when it received a total of 9 performances in Paris and London. The costumes were reused for George Balanchine's slightly more successful new version in 1925. Millicent Hodson ad Kenneth Archer have noted that Matisse based the Warrior's costumes on 'the guardian kings of Buddhist ritual who protected the cardinal points of sacred spaces'. It is likely that Matisse had seen such C8th polychrome wooden figures retrieved from cave temples in western China at the Musee Guimet in Paris. From these he 'copied their armour and dragon-mouth sleeves, wigs, beards and possibly the terracotta of their skins'.
Serge Diaghilev, was famous for using painters to design productions for his ballet company, although many, like Matisse had never designed for the stage before.
Matisse's spare style and subtle use of colour proved ideal for the ballet. Taking original Chinese sources, he has reduced the warrior style to its basic elements, using a subtle mix of brown, blue and white. The costumes were made in the Paris atelier of Mme Muelle, Matisse was often present overseeing their creation.
Le Chant du rossignol was a reworking of Stravinsky's 1914 opera for dance. It was based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Nightingale in which a Chinese Emperor prefers a mechanical nightingale to the real bird although ultimately the real nightingale challenges Death to save the life of the Emperor.
Serge Diaghilev, was famous for using painters to design productions for his ballet company, although many, like Matisse had never designed for the stage before.
Matisse's spare style and subtle use of colour proved ideal for the ballet. Taking original Chinese sources, he has reduced the warrior style to its basic elements, using a subtle mix of brown, blue and white. The costumes were made in the Paris atelier of Mme Muelle, Matisse was often present overseeing their creation.
Le Chant du rossignol was a reworking of Stravinsky's 1914 opera for dance. It was based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Nightingale in which a Chinese Emperor prefers a mechanical nightingale to the real bird although ultimately the real nightingale challenges Death to save the life of the Emperor.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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| Materials and techniques | Painted felt, cotton velvet, japanese silk, cotton lining, metal wrapped cord, right-angled metal decoration, horsehair padding in linen pouches
Breeches of Japanese silk and cotton twill |
| Brief description | Costume designed by Henri Matisse for a Warrior in Leonide Massine's ballet Le Chant du rossignol for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes 1920. Knee length blue silk pantaloons designed by Henri Matisse for a Warrior in Leonide Massine's ballet Le Chant du rossignol for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes 1920 |
| Physical description | Costume designed by Henri Matisse for a Warrior in Leonide Massine's ballet Le Chant du rossignol for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes 1920. Chinese military tunic, the wide short sleeves and skirt in blue silk, the skirt panels and body in white felt with panels of brown velvet overlaid with gold braid lattice. Around the waist is a brown velvet belt set with brass 'L's. Knee length pantaloons in blue silk. |
| Dimensions |
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| Summary | This costume for one of six warriors in Leonide Massine's ballet Le Chant du rossignol (The Song of the Nightingale) was designed by Henri Matisse first produced by the Diaghilev Ballets Russes to a score by Igor Stravinsky in 1920 when it received a total of 9 performances in Paris and London. The costumes were reused for George Balanchine's slightly more successful new version in 1925. Millicent Hodson ad Kenneth Archer have noted that Matisse based the Warrior's costumes on 'the guardian kings of Buddhist ritual who protected the cardinal points of sacred spaces'. It is likely that Matisse had seen such C8th polychrome wooden figures retrieved from cave temples in western China at the Musee Guimet in Paris. From these he 'copied their armour and dragon-mouth sleeves, wigs, beards and possibly the terracotta of their skins'. Serge Diaghilev, was famous for using painters to design productions for his ballet company, although many, like Matisse had never designed for the stage before. Matisse's spare style and subtle use of colour proved ideal for the ballet. Taking original Chinese sources, he has reduced the warrior style to its basic elements, using a subtle mix of brown, blue and white. The costumes were made in the Paris atelier of Mme Muelle, Matisse was often present overseeing their creation. Le Chant du rossignol was a reworking of Stravinsky's 1914 opera for dance. It was based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Nightingale in which a Chinese Emperor prefers a mechanical nightingale to the real bird although ultimately the real nightingale challenges Death to save the life of the Emperor. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.751&A-1980 |
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| Record created | July 1, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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