Artwork
Mlle Caroline Lassia, dans La Fille de marbre. (sic)
Mlle Caroline Lassia, dans La Fille de marbre. (sic) is a print by the Impressionist artist A Lacauchie. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This print shows a dancer from a Paris ballet in about 1850.
The costume gives a hint of Spanish style—bell skirt, tiered layers, fitted top.
Caroline Lassia later taught at the Paris Opera for years.
The print was part of a push to show off many dancers at once.
Costume details told the audience who the character was.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum next.
Overview
Mlle Caroline Lassia, dans La Fille de marbre is a mid-19th-century print depicting Caroline Lassia in a solo or small group dance role from the ballet La Fille de Marbre, first performed in Paris in 1847.
Subject & Meaning
The print showcases Caroline Lassia in character, with costume details signifying her role's Spanish connections, as indicated by distinctive sleeves. The character's identity and nationality are conveyed through these visual cues.
Technique & Style
The costume depicted reflects the recognisable ballet attire of the time: a fitted, low-cut top and a bell-shaped, knee-length skirt with tiered tarlatan layers, topped with a diaphanous layer, combining functionality with character representation.
History & Provenance
Originally part of a series aiming to feature multiple dancers, this print highlights Caroline Lassia's early career before she became a prominent dance teacher at the Paris Opera. Her later role as Mme Dominique underscored her influence on ballet instruction.
Context
Created around 1850, the print is contemporaneous with the Victoria and Albert Museum's holdings, suggesting a broader European artistic and balletic context. The ballet itself, La Fille de Marbre, was typical of mid-19th-century Parisian productions in its goal of showcasing numerous dancers.
Legacy
While the print specifically commemorates Caroline Lassia's performance, its enduring value lies in documenting late 19th-century ballet costumes and the career trajectory of a significant figure in Paris Opera's teaching history, Mme Dominique (née Lassia).
Artist & collection
Artist
A Paris printmaker in the mid-1800s, A Lacauchie focused on portrait prints like Mlle Caroline Lassia, dans La Fille de marbre.
