Zephyr et Flore
Theatre Costume
1925 (made)
1925 (made)
| Artist/Maker |
Costume designed by George Braque for Alice Nikitina in Zéphire et Flore, choreographed by Léonide Massine. Braque painted the floral decoration on the original tights, and costumiers outlined his pattern with stitches. The costume was originally completed with a chic hat trimmed with flowers. Braque had become interested in designing for the stage in the 1920s and the previous year had collabotated with Massine on Braque on Sa lade for Soirées de Paris. This is a significant costume indicating how the body was more widely revealed on the ballet stage in the 1920s than in previous decades. Nikitina, herself, was a slim dancer and Flore was the role designed to promote her to principal status and show off her technical prowess. At the first performance in Paris she caught her foot in a hole on stage (there were no dance floors in those days) and cracked a bone in her ankle. It was an unlucky ballet plagued by dancers’ injuries in Monte Carlo and Paris in 1925.
Zéphire et Flore was premiered on 28 April 1925 at the Théâtre de Monte Carlo and first performed by the Ballets Russes in London on 12 November 1925 at the London Coliseum. It appears to have had 29 performances over 2 years It was well-received in London and Berlin and received its last performance on 12th May 1927 at Teatro Liceo in Barcelona.
Zéphire et Florewas a modern adaptation of an 18th century telling of a mythological subject that had attracted many choreographers. Boreas (god of the north wind) abducts Flore (Flora, goddess of Spring), wife of Zéphire (Zephyr, the gentle west wind) whom he shoots with an arrow during a game of blind man’s buff. The Muses bring the body of Zéphire to Flore and he is miraculously revived, the lovers are re-united and Boreas punished.
Boris Kochno, who was responsible for the libretto, created an over-elaborate narrative which required simplification. His desire to give the ballet an early 19th century Russian style was only evident in the Kokoshniks worn by the Muses. The music was comissioned from by Vladimir Dukelsky [Vernon Duke].
Silk and tarlatan, with beads and sequins (reproduction sleeves)
Designed by Georges Braque (1882–1983)
Made by Maison Weldy
Given by the British Theatre Museum Association
Zéphire et Flore was premiered on 28 April 1925 at the Théâtre de Monte Carlo and first performed by the Ballets Russes in London on 12 November 1925 at the London Coliseum. It appears to have had 29 performances over 2 years It was well-received in London and Berlin and received its last performance on 12th May 1927 at Teatro Liceo in Barcelona.
Zéphire et Florewas a modern adaptation of an 18th century telling of a mythological subject that had attracted many choreographers. Boreas (god of the north wind) abducts Flore (Flora, goddess of Spring), wife of Zéphire (Zephyr, the gentle west wind) whom he shoots with an arrow during a game of blind man’s buff. The Muses bring the body of Zéphire to Flore and he is miraculously revived, the lovers are re-united and Boreas punished.
Boris Kochno, who was responsible for the libretto, created an over-elaborate narrative which required simplification. His desire to give the ballet an early 19th century Russian style was only evident in the Kokoshniks worn by the Muses. The music was comissioned from by Vladimir Dukelsky [Vernon Duke].
Silk and tarlatan, with beads and sequins (reproduction sleeves)
Designed by Georges Braque (1882–1983)
Made by Maison Weldy
Given by the British Theatre Museum Association
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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| Title | Zephyr et Flore (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Silk satin and tarlatan, with silver braid, sequins and beads, cotton lining, copper hooks and eyes, paint, silk jersey tights embroidered in stranded cotton |
| Brief description | Costume designed by Georges Braque for Flore in Leonide Massine's ballet Zephyr et Flore made for Alice Nikitina for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1925. |
| Physical description | Costume for Flore in Leonide Massine's ballet Zephyr et Flore designed by Georges Braque, for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes 1925. Ice blue satin 'leotard' with upward curving low neckline painted with leaves outlined in sequins and flowers in silver braid. At the hips, a tight swathe finishes centre front in a pleated 'fan'. At the shoulders are short loose sleeves of ivory georgette (replacement). Attached to the back and side hips is a brief skirt of layered tarlatan. Made by Maison Weldy Two pairs of silk tights in pale sky-blue painted with green and pink leaves outlined in dark brown running stitch. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by the British Theatre Museum Association |
| Object history | Purchased from the Diaghilev and de Basil Ballet Foundation by I.K. Fletcher on behalf of the British Theatre Museum Association for £160 at the auction of Costumes and curtains from Diaghilev and de Basil Ballets held by Sotheby & Co at the Scala Theatre, London 17 July 1968 Lot 111. Given bythem to the Victoria and Albert Museum. |
| Summary | Costume designed by George Braque for Alice Nikitina in Zéphire et Flore, choreographed by Léonide Massine. Braque painted the floral decoration on the original tights, and costumiers outlined his pattern with stitches. The costume was originally completed with a chic hat trimmed with flowers. Braque had become interested in designing for the stage in the 1920s and the previous year had collabotated with Massine on Braque on Sa lade for Soirées de Paris. This is a significant costume indicating how the body was more widely revealed on the ballet stage in the 1920s than in previous decades. Nikitina, herself, was a slim dancer and Flore was the role designed to promote her to principal status and show off her technical prowess. At the first performance in Paris she caught her foot in a hole on stage (there were no dance floors in those days) and cracked a bone in her ankle. It was an unlucky ballet plagued by dancers’ injuries in Monte Carlo and Paris in 1925. Zéphire et Flore was premiered on 28 April 1925 at the Théâtre de Monte Carlo and first performed by the Ballets Russes in London on 12 November 1925 at the London Coliseum. It appears to have had 29 performances over 2 years It was well-received in London and Berlin and received its last performance on 12th May 1927 at Teatro Liceo in Barcelona. Zéphire et Florewas a modern adaptation of an 18th century telling of a mythological subject that had attracted many choreographers. Boreas (god of the north wind) abducts Flore (Flora, goddess of Spring), wife of Zéphire (Zephyr, the gentle west wind) whom he shoots with an arrow during a game of blind man’s buff. The Muses bring the body of Zéphire to Flore and he is miraculously revived, the lovers are re-united and Boreas punished. Boris Kochno, who was responsible for the libretto, created an over-elaborate narrative which required simplification. His desire to give the ballet an early 19th century Russian style was only evident in the Kokoshniks worn by the Muses. The music was comissioned from by Vladimir Dukelsky [Vernon Duke]. Silk and tarlatan, with beads and sequins (reproduction sleeves) Designed by Georges Braque (1882–1983) Made by Maison Weldy Given by the British Theatre Museum Association |
| Other number | 1968/A/76 - BTMA accession number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.838&B-1980 |
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| Record created | July 1, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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