Artwork

Design for the Divertissement from "La Pastorale" (First Entrée of the opera-ballet "Les Muses" by Danchet and Campra")

Design for the Divertissement from "La Pastorale" (First Entrée of the opera-ballet "Les Muses" by Danchet and Campra") is a drawing by the Baroque artist Jean I Bérain. It dates from 1703 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This drawing is a design for a stage set, created for the opera-ballet 'Les Muses', which premiered at the Opéra in Paris in 1703.

About this work

This drawing shows a stage set with trees, shepherds, and shepherdesses.
It's a design for an opera-ballet, a popular form of entertainment in 18th century France. The detail that makes it interesting is the way it showcases the elaborate sets and costumes of the time.
You can learn more about this style by looking into the work of artist Jean I Bérain.

Overview

This drawing is a design for a stage set, created for the opera-ballet 'Les Muses', which premiered at the Opéra in Paris in 1703.

Subject & Meaning

The set depicts a wooded grove where shepherds and shepherdesses pay homage to deities, accompanied by musical instruments, as part of a divertissement, a lighthearted interlude in the performance.

Technique & Style

The drawing showcases the elaborate sets and costumes characteristic of 18th-century French opera-ballet, a style associated with the work of Jean I Bérain, the artist responsible for this design.

History & Provenance

The opera-ballet 'Les Muses' was performed at the Opéra, a prestigious public theater in Paris, highlighting the significance of spectacle in the city's cultural life.