{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O109884"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O109884/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2020MN8658/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2020MN8658/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2020MN8658","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O109884","accessionNumber":"S.3:1/2-2004","objectType":"Theatre costume","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This costume was designed by Henri Matisse for a Court Lady in Leonide Massine's ballet  Le Chant du rossignol (The Song of the Nightingale), first produced by the Diaghilev Ballets Russes in 1920.  The great impresario, Serge Diaghilev, was famous for using painters to design productions for his ballet company, although many, like Matisse had never designed for the stage before.  \r\nMatisse's spare style and subtle use of colour proved ideal for the ballet.  Using only the simplest patterns of flowers and clouds, he implies the Chinese setting without overuse of realism or detail.  The design has been subtly translated into fabric and texture by the costume maker, using a silk base over which is laid the slightly padded silver brocade, which has then been stitched down with the relevant patterns, giving a quilted effect.  Silk is not an ideal fabric, as it deteriorates over time and the brocade overlay causes additional stress, but, of course, there was no thought of posterity when the costume was made - no one thought that it would end up as an iconic object in a museum.","physicalDescription":"Costume consisting of a Chinese-style coat with long, wide sleeves in green silk. On the scallop-edged silver brocade collar are padded and black embroidered flowers. On skirt and sleeves the silver brocade is cut and embroidered in black into cloud pattern. Water stained. There is also a skull cap in pale pink silk with a fringe of black beads, hand-painted with 'roses' in black, orange and yellow.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Matisse, Henri Emile Benoît","id":"A6845"},"association":{"text":"costume designer","id":"AAT163428"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"},{"text":"brocade","id":"AAT227779"},{"text":"beads","id":"x32809"}],"techniques":[{"text":"embroidering","id":"AAT53653"},{"text":"painting techniques","id":"AAT53343"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Costumes","id":"THES269529"},{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2020MN8658"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES366625"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342536"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Theatre costume","id":""}],[{"text":"dance costume","id":"x34504"}],[{"text":"coat","id":"AAT46143"}],[{"text":"Theatre costume","id":""}],[{"text":"dance costume","id":"x34504"}],[{"text":"Hats","id":"AAT46106"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1920","earliest":"1920-01-01","latest":"1920-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased with the assistance of the London Archives of the Dance","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Historical significance: An imaginative and theatrical translation of Chinoiserie for the stage","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Costume for a Court Lady in Massine's ballet Le Chant du rossignol, designed by Henri Matisse, Diaghilev Ballet, 1920","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.3:1-2004","S.3:2-2004"],"accessionNumberNum":"3","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2004,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Theatre costume [1]","Theatre costume [2]"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-05","recordCreationDate":"2005-03-03","availableToBook":true}}