Pas comique du 1er ballet (Mr. Ferdinand). Dans La lampe merveilleuse, opera, (Acade. Rle. de Musique)

What you are looking at

A single male dancer stands barefoot in a three-quarter pose against a pale neutral ground, with his shadow cast to the right. He wears an ornate tunic-like garment in cream or pale yellow, densely decorated with embroidered or printed patterns in red, blue, green, and gold—geometric designs, floral motifs, and what appear to be jeweled ornaments arranged symmetrically down the front and sleeves. A wrapped turban or decorative headdress in green and gold sits on his head. His left arm is raised with the hand positioned at roughly shoulder height in a gesture that appears gestural or expressive rather than decorative; his right arm hangs loosely at his side. His weight appears evenly distributed on both feet. The figure is rendered with delicate hand-coloring in this print, and the composition presents him as a figure study or costume documentation rather than as part of a narrative scene.

The dancing

The dancer's pose is upright and frontal, with the body held in an open, self-presenting manner. The raised left arm and hand position suggest a gestural or theatrical convention rather than a technical hold—the hand is open and the arm gently flexed, as if indicating something or making a narrative point. The stance is wide and stable, with weight evenly placed. There is no partner, and the gesture reads as a moment of address or expression rather than technical execution.

The dance depicted

The catalogue identifies this as the comic dance ('pas comique') from the first ballet in 'La lampe merveilleuse' ('The Wonderful Lamp'), an opera at the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opéra). The costume and setting identify this as French theatrical dance of the 18th century, most likely the 1730s–1760s. 'Pas comique' indicates a character dance, a subordinate role or entertainment interlude distinct from the principal noble or serious dances; the ornate, exotic costume suggests a comedic or 'character' role—possibly a Chinese, Turkish, or other orientalised figure, which was common comic or exotic casting in period opera-ballet. The lightness of the pose, the theatrical gesture, and the frontal presentation all support the conventions of comic theater dance rather than serious ballet.

How it was made

This is a hand-colored engraving or etching, as established by the fine linear work, the planar background, and the evidence of watercolor application over a printed line. The delicate cross-hatching and the precision of the costume detail are characteristic of 18th-century dance documentation prints, which served as records of roles, costumes, and performers for the theatrical public and for archives. Such prints were widely distributed and affordable, making them primary sources for performance history. The hand-coloring adds specificity and appeal but also introduces variation between impressions.

About this work

This is a documentation print of a comic character dance from an 18th-century French opera-ballet, showing a single dancer in full theatrical costume. It belongs to a tradition of printed records of operatic and balletic roles that served audiences, historians, and the theatrical profession itself. The work demonstrates how comic or character dances were differentiated by costume, gesture, and presentation from the 'noble' ballet technique that was being codified in the same period. It is both a performance document and a record of how dance was culturized and categorized in institutional French theater.

How to look at it

Attend to the costume as a primary document: the symmetry, density, and ornamental quality of the embroidery or printing indicate a high-status, theatrical role, not a simple or servant character. The raised arm and open hand gesture are conventions of 18th-century theater acting and dance, not technical ballet vocabulary; they communicate character, emotion, or narrative. The barefoot stance and the neutral, frontal pose are typical of theatrical dance documentation prints of the period, which aimed to show the figure clearly and completely, in the manner of a fashion plate or a costume study. The ornate headdress and the pale, formal ground emphasize the role and the spectacle, not the movement itself.

The artist

The print is attributed to 'Chas. Bennatier' (or similar) as the draftsman and 'E.Desmadryl' [uncertain] as engraver, but neither figure is reliably documented. The work belongs to the French theater print tradition of the 18th century, in which performers and roles were recorded and distributed to audiences. Such prints were often sold in theater lobbies or by print sellers near the Opéra, making them commercial products as well as archives.

The period

In the early–mid 18th century, the Paris Opéra was the center of European theatrical dance, and ballet was being rapidly professionalized and systematized under the influence of teachers and choreographers like Michel Fokine's predecessors. At the same time, opera-ballet remained the primary vehicle for public dance performance; pure ballet as a independent art form was still developing. Comic or character dances, pantomime, and exotic roles were stock elements of operatic spectacle, often used for variety and comic relief. The costume and presentation conventions visible in this print—the orientalised dress, the frontal pose, the gestural arm—reflect both the exoticism and the comedic traditions of period theater.

Where it lives

The print is held in the New York Public Library's collection of prints depicting dance. It is part of a larger archive of 18th-century theater and dance documentation, which includes similar records of roles, performers, and costumes from European opera houses.

Dance in this work

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