Narcisse
Theatre Costume
Circa 1911 (Designed)
Circa 1911 (Designed)
| Artist/Maker |
Costume designed by Leon Bakst for a Boeotian Youth in Narcisse presented by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1911.
The costumes and set of this original production were designed by Leon Bakst. The ballet was choreographed by Mikhial Fokine to music composed by Nicolas Tcherepnine. It appears that designer Léon Bakst repurposed his original set and costumes for the planned Daphnis et Chloe but some were also re-used in the second work in 1912. Narcisse was first performed by the Ballets Russes on 29 April 1911 at the Théâtre de Monte Carlo. It continued in the repertoire until 1917 and was revived 1923-25. Narcisse was first performed by the Ballets Russes in London on 9 July 1912 at the Royal Opera House
Narcisse, described as a mythological poem one act,was the first ballet with a classical Greek subject and hurriedly mounted when Maurice Ravel had failed to complete the score for the proposed Daphnis et Chloes. Its subject matter was based on Echo and Narcissus from Metamorphosis by Ovid and focusing on a beautiful Oread (mountain nymph), Echo, who fell in love with the strikingly handsome Boeotian hunter who was obsessed by his own image.
Narcisse was set in a verdant glade complete with shrine of Pomona and a glassy pool and after woodland creatures have frolicked Boeotian peasants and bacchantes dance and make offerings to the gods setting the scene for the main narrative.
The costumes and set of this original production were designed by Leon Bakst. The ballet was choreographed by Mikhial Fokine to music composed by Nicolas Tcherepnine. It appears that designer Léon Bakst repurposed his original set and costumes for the planned Daphnis et Chloe but some were also re-used in the second work in 1912. Narcisse was first performed by the Ballets Russes on 29 April 1911 at the Théâtre de Monte Carlo. It continued in the repertoire until 1917 and was revived 1923-25. Narcisse was first performed by the Ballets Russes in London on 9 July 1912 at the Royal Opera House
Narcisse, described as a mythological poem one act,was the first ballet with a classical Greek subject and hurriedly mounted when Maurice Ravel had failed to complete the score for the proposed Daphnis et Chloes. Its subject matter was based on Echo and Narcissus from Metamorphosis by Ovid and focusing on a beautiful Oread (mountain nymph), Echo, who fell in love with the strikingly handsome Boeotian hunter who was obsessed by his own image.
Narcisse was set in a verdant glade complete with shrine of Pomona and a glassy pool and after woodland creatures have frolicked Boeotian peasants and bacchantes dance and make offerings to the gods setting the scene for the main narrative.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 5 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
|
| Title | Narcisse (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Cotton |
| Brief description | Costume for a Boeotian Youth in Fokine's ballet Narcisse, Diaghilev Ballet, 1911 |
| Physical description | Costume for a Boeotian Youth in Fokine's ballet Narcisse, Diaghilev Ballet, 1911. Loose fitting, square necked cotton/wool blend tunic with a yellow ground reaching to the wearer's knee. It has been painted with a geometric pattern of rectangles in burnt orange at the neckline. These are arranged in two parallel rows above a thick line in the same burnt orange. The tunic skirt and bodice have also painted decoration. Both are decorated with a repeated circular motif in dark brown bordered with pale green and with a burnt orange dot at the centre. These circles are interspersed with smaller motifs of three circular dots in pale green. The skirt has been painted with two lines, both parallel to the hem, the first is other dark brown in a waving pattern and the other is straight and pale green. Each shoulder strap has been decorated with a pair of wooden, acorn shaped beads, bound in gold braid. |
| Credit line | Given by the Friends of the Museum of the Performing Arts |
| Object history | Having been the property of the Diaghilev and de Basil Foundation Ltd, this costume was acquired by the Museum of the Performing Arts as Lot 34 (ii) at the Sotheby action of 'Costumes and curtains from Diaghilev & de Basil ballets' on 19 December 1969 (£300 for 5 costumes from Narcisse). It was given by the Friends of the Museum of the Performing Arts to the V&A. |
| Literary reference | Narcisse |
| Summary | Costume designed by Leon Bakst for a Boeotian Youth in Narcisse presented by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1911. The costumes and set of this original production were designed by Leon Bakst. The ballet was choreographed by Mikhial Fokine to music composed by Nicolas Tcherepnine. It appears that designer Léon Bakst repurposed his original set and costumes for the planned Daphnis et Chloe but some were also re-used in the second work in 1912. Narcisse was first performed by the Ballets Russes on 29 April 1911 at the Théâtre de Monte Carlo. It continued in the repertoire until 1917 and was revived 1923-25. Narcisse was first performed by the Ballets Russes in London on 9 July 1912 at the Royal Opera House Narcisse, described as a mythological poem one act,was the first ballet with a classical Greek subject and hurriedly mounted when Maurice Ravel had failed to complete the score for the proposed Daphnis et Chloes. Its subject matter was based on Echo and Narcissus from Metamorphosis by Ovid and focusing on a beautiful Oread (mountain nymph), Echo, who fell in love with the strikingly handsome Boeotian hunter who was obsessed by his own image. Narcisse was set in a verdant glade complete with shrine of Pomona and a glassy pool and after woodland creatures have frolicked Boeotian peasants and bacchantes dance and make offerings to the gods setting the scene for the main narrative. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.608&D-1980 |
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| Record created | July 1, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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