Artwork
La Castilliana Bolero
La Castilliana Bolero is a print by the Romanticist artist Jules Bouvier. It dates from 5 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This print depicts a scene from the 1843 Romantic ballet *Le Délire d'un peintre*, performed in London.
About this work
Overview
This print depicts a scene from the 1843 Romantic ballet *Le Délire d'un peintre*, performed in London. It captures a moment in the ballet's divertissement, featuring dancers Fanny Elssler and Jules Perrot in a Spanish-style dance, La Castilliana Bolero.
Subject & Meaning
The ballet's narrative revolves around a painter's (Perrot) infatuation with a dancer (Elssler), who impersonates her own portrait come to life. The dance scene shown is part of the ballet's conclusion, where the two characters ultimately marry.
Technique & Style
The dancers' attire—Perrot's decorated bolero jacket and tight breeches, Elssler's lace-trimmed bell-shaped skirt, and their castanets—emphasizes a Spanish theme, a characteristic expected in Elssler's performances following her 1836 success with the Cachucha.
History & Provenance
Produced in London in 1843, *Le Délire d'un peintre* is a typical example of Romantic ballet's emphasis on spectacle and emotion. The print is part of a collection of such ballet illustrations, with similar works available at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Context
The inclusion of a Spanish-style solo (La Castilliana Bolero) in *Le Délire d'un peintre*, despite its non-Spanish narrative, reflects the audience's expectation for such dances in Elssler's performances, capitalizing on her earlier success with the Cachucha in 1836.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jules Bouvier made 19th-century lithographs that turned leading ballet dancers into star prints.
