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title

Theodora Souvenir Program (p. 1)

 
Accession number AR.EP.PP.0555
Creator
Places
Paris (France)
France
Date
1902
Measurements
9.75 x 12.75 inches
Materials/Techniques
drawing
Work types
play program

Description

TRANSCRIPTION

Détail du Sceptre, noeud supérieur "Le Ciel" ["Detail of the Scepter, upper node, "The Sky"]

Théodora

Croquis de l'Affiche ["Sketch of the Poster"]

Stylet  /  Sceptre ["Stylus  /  Scepter"]

[See "Related Content" tab for additional pages of the program.]

EXHIBITION

Imagining the Empress: Theodora in Popular Culture, 1882-1922
April-October 2017

Victorien Sardou’s Théodora  attracted theater-goers in 1884 and 1902 with its tale of violence and seduction, but the play offered more than simple scandal. Sardou crafted meticulously detailed sets and costumes in an attempt to immerse his audience in Theodora’s world. Although professional historians raised objections to the play’s period elements, the general public was enraptured by Sardou’s vision.

The first page of the souvenir program for the 1902 production of the play, starring Sarah Bernhardt as the empress, features the poster design by Georges Clairin (1843–1919), a French painter and illustrator and Bernhardt’s reputed lover. Also represented are prop designs by René Foy, a French jewelry designer.

The program highlights the importance of costuming and set design in the enduring popularity of Sardou’s play.

Collection

Ephemera Collection
 

Repository

Dumbarton Oaks Archives, 054.SUZ.02.PCbox.096
Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, DC