Best Seller Lully, Jean Baptiste. (1632–1687) [molière. (1622–1673)] Seconde Journée : Theatre Fait Dans La Mesme Allée, Sur Le Quel La Comédie, Et Le Ballet De La Princesse D'elide Furent Representéz Set [IXYfrUdG]

Large oblong folio, 29.5 X 43.5 cm. In very fine condition. A great rarity, an original engraving by Israel Silvestre of the first performance of the Molière and Lully collaboration, "La princesse d'Élide," as presented on the second day of the celebrations of the "Plaisirs de l'Isle enchantée" at Versailles from May 7 -14, 1664. The scenery was by Carlo Vigarani, and the present image shows a scene from the play as well ast the King and members of the court, who may be seen in the foreground of the image.


The engraving was issued as part of a suite illustrating the open-air party held in the grounds of the palace of Versailles and providing a vivid record of the cultural aspirations of Louis XIV and his court. Beginning in 1663, Louis XIV commissioned a series of "comédie-ballets" which brought Molière into collaboration with Lully, the "maitre de la musique de la famille royale." "La princesse d'Elide " was one of these commissioned collaborations which fueled the emergence of the "comédie-ballet" as an influential new performance genre. "Although this theatrical form drew upon previous models of court festival, it quickly evolved a unique contour: each of the pieces written between 1664 and 1667 demonstrated the artists' lively experiments in content, structure and theme." (Gretchen Elizabeth Smtih, "The Performance of Male Nobility in Molière's Comédie-ballets," p. 49)