Skip to content

Home
Search
Your album
Learn more

Images

Drawing of Two 'Americans' for Ballet de la Douairière de Billebahaut

Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts | CC0 1.0

Start Zooming Stop Zooming

Current search
Add To Album

Date

1626

Artist

Daniel Rabel (c. 1578-1637)

Collection

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Image Link

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/343181

Description

Drawing featuring two theatrical figures in costumes with feather decorations for 'Le Grand Bal de la Douairière de Billebahaut' (The Grand Ball of the Dowager of Billebahaut), a popular ballet burlesque written by René Bordier in 1626. With the young Louis XIII as the star performer, the ballet was performed at the Louvre and the Hôtel de Ville in February of 1626. Featuring an elaborate procession of foreigners arriving from the four parts of the world, the performance lasted over three hours. First arrives 'America,' and the party is lead by King Atabalipa and his musicians. King Atabalipa, ruler of Cuzco, was the fictional leader of Peru, which emphasizes the lack of discernment between North and South America in French lyric literature. The 'Americans' are denoted by feathered headdresses and costumes: in this drawing they wear long-sleeved tonnelets with pleated, scallop-edged skirts, decorated with feather bands and belts, over mid-calf brown breeches bordered with colored feathers. Their feet are bare, and their doublets are skin-colored and with geometric motifs in black, likely simulating the body painting often worn by Native Americans. They wear colorful headpieces, also made up of feathers, and hold large mirrors (?) in their hands. They are represented in movement, possibly performing some kind of dance or in action during some battle. Medium: pen and brown ink, watercolor with silver and gold ink.

Image Licence

CC0 1.0

Image Credit

Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts

Location

Paris, France

Country

Tags

Crafts
Interiors

Category

Buildings & Architecture

Glossary
Search tips

© 2024 Watercolour World | Technology by The Museum Platform

© 2024 Watercolour World | Technology by The Museum Platform