Repertoire - 19th Century Ballet Portfolio
From the charismatic and transformative years when the classical ballet grew from an adjunct to the Opera into a center stage, stand-alone art form, we present a visual record of the period, for research or display, in a special limited edition set. Rucker Archive has searched out the finest examples of mid -19th Century ballet images in lithographic art, which were issued exclusively on period sheet music covers. By bringing together twelve of the finest images of North American professional ballet from the era spanning 1842 to 1867, there is created a visual document informing both dance history and the early mass production of popular subjects in lithography. The progression of the creative process in printing perfectly accompanied the growth and change in the ballet as it flourished in the New World.This time period witnessed a two-fold cultural transformation in Western art. The educated classes wanted to participate in the expansion of culture going on all around them, and following the Civil War, women became more public in their activities, which included theater going. They also wanted to bring token of that culture into their homes and into their lives. The best way to do this was to purchase sheet music, printed at this time in large quantities, some of which was illustrated with topical lithographs. Mass-produced color lithography was first developed during this mid-19th Century era, and many of the sheets for ballet music included lithographic covers, both in black and white and color. North America adopted the technology full force, and was producing lithographs to rival European companies almost from the beginning, thanks in greatest part to the talented artists who were steadily immigrating to cities like New York and Cincinnati. The introduction of color into the lithographic works of the late 1830s and the early 1840s complicated the process considerably, but made the printed creations much more popular.Contact The Rucker Archive or call 303-494-6715 to learn more about or view the entire edition.
Price: $495/ea including shipping