- Title:
- Modern Grace...The Ballet of Alonzo e Cara
- Additional Title(s):
- Modern Grace - or the Operatical Finale of the Ballet of 'Alonzo e Cara' -
- Date:
- 1796
- Materials & Techniques:
- Watercolor with pen and brown ink on medium, smooth, cream wove paper
- Dimensions:
- Mount: 9 7/8 x 11 3/8 inches (25.1 x 28.9 cm), Sheet: 6 7/8 x 9 1/8 inches (17.5 x 23.2 cm)
- Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:
Inscribed in pen in brown ink, lower center: "Modern Grace - or the Operatical Finale of the Ballet of Alonzo e cara -" ; in graphite, on mount, lower right: "19x12 1/2 mount open with gold strip ["blue" crossed out] grey over mount" Inscribed by hand by L.G. Duke, in black-gray ink, on beige, medium, smooth paper that has been mounted on the matted frame of object, center: "On the fifteen of May following [ie. 1796] Gillray caricatured this new style of Dancing [ie. the small | [enormity?] of apparel which was allowed to the [Dansseurs?], and the freedom with which they exposed their forms | to public view"] in a caricature entitled 'Modern Grace; or the operatical finale to the ballet of 'Alanzo | e Caro.' Thomas Wright, 'Caricature History of the Georges' (1867), p555. | The ballet was 'Alonzo e Cora', and Gilray substitutes 'Caro' [flesh] for Cora. Rowlandson | follows the Gillray print closely, but writes 'Cara' for 'Caro' | An advt. in the Morning Chronicle of April 2, 1796, announces the production of Alonzo e Cora. | The three chief Dancers, l to r, are Mme Rose, Didelot, & Mlle, Parisot. The advt. also | names Mlle Hilligsberg. The Danseures (danseures is underlined) were famous. Mme. Rose became Mme Rose Didelot. Didelot | himself became famous as Premier Danseur(premier danseur is underlined), ballet master, & producer. The Ballet [...?] | Dealt with the customs & pastimes of the [...?] of Paris". In blue ink, lower right of inscribed sheet: "The ballet, by Onorati, had its first performance | on April 6, 1796" in dark gray ink, lower right: "LGD"
- Credit Line:
- Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
- Copyright Status:
- Public Domain
- Accession Number:
- B1975.3.72
- Classification:
- Drawings & Watercolors
- Collection:
- Prints and Drawings
- Subject Terms:
- ballet | Costumes | dancers | genre subject | men | women
- Access:
- Accessible by appointment in the Study Room [Request]
Note: The Study Room is open by appointment. Please visit the Study Room page on our website for more details. - Link:
- https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:5599
- Export:
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Thomas Rowlandson, 1756–1827, British, Modern Grace...The Ballet of Alonzo e Cara, 1796
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