Bodice worn by ballerina Marie Taglioni (1804-1884). Silk taffeta with cotton lining and silk lacing.

Bodice worn by ballerina Marie Taglioni (1804-1884). Bodice of deep rose pink silk taffeta lined in fine white cotton, with exaggerated point at centre front and a point at centre back; the upper edges of the front and back rise to a single point at centre. The lower edge of the bodice is finely piped. The bodice fastens down the side with laceing and fine hooks and eyes; there are three bones at centre front, one at the side, three at centre back and one either side of the laceing.All are placed at seams

Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest

The bodice is part of a unique collection of memorabilia and personal effects which evoke the great Romantic ballerina Marie Taglioni. The collection contains two stage bodices (S.256-1979 and S.158-1979) which would have fitted around the midriff, under the breasts, and worn over a lightweight chemise or blouse. The fabric and side laceing of these bodices indicate a non-peasant character, where the laceing would be a feature down centre front. The bodice came with a note in Margaret Rolfe's hand: "This pink bodice was worn by Marie Taglioni. Princess Marguerite Troubetzkoi her niece geve it to me Margaret Rolfe."

A collection of Taglioni memorabilia was amassed by Margaret Rolfe, the granddaughter of Taglioni's closest friend in London, Mrs Boggs Rolfe; she attended Taglioni's dancing classes and received many gifts of Taglioni memorabilia, from Taglioni herself, from her grandmother and from Taglioni's niece, Marguerite Troubetzkoi, after Taglioni's death. She kept these, with a series of related notes, in various boxes and annotated envelopes (filed separately). These she passed to Cyril Beaumont, probably for the London Archives of the Dance (a number of the objects were referred to in "The London Archives of the Dance and some of its Treasures" by Cyril Beaumont, Ballet Annual, first issue, Adam & Charles Black, London, 1947, p110); the Archives never achieved an independent home and part of the collection, including the Taglioni memorabilia, was stored with Cyril Beaumont, where it became inextricably mixed with his own collection and came to the Museum as part of the Cyril Beaumont Bequest.

The bodice is part of a unique collection of memorabilia and personal effects which evoke the great Romantic ballerina Marie Taglioni. The collection contains two stage bodices (S.256-1979 and S.158-1979) which would have fitted around the midriff, under the breasts, and worn over a lightweight chemise or blouse. The fabric and side laceing of these bodices indicate a non-peasant character, where the laceing would be a feature down centre front. The bodice came with a note in Margaret Rolfe's hand: "This pink bodice was worn by Marie Taglioni. Princess Marguerite Troubetzkoi her niece geve it to me Margaret Rolfe."

In 1982, David Walker designed Bournonville's "Konservatoriet" for The Royal Ballet; wanting his costumes to follow an authentic design, he had the Taglioini bodices copied as a pattern by the Wardrobe of the Royal Opera House and used it as the basis for the construction of the costumes.

S.256-1979