Pas de Deux, Tiré du Second Acte de l'Opera de Sylvie: Exécuté par Mr. Dauberval & Mlle. Allard

Art Historical Context

This elegant etching and engraving captures a graceful pas de deux from the second act of the 1767 opera *Sylvie*, performed by the celebrated dancers Jean Dauberval and Marie Allard. The print preserves a fleeting moment from the French ballet tradition, where the two artists, renowned for their expressive partnership at the Paris Opéra, embody the refined elegance of 18th-century courtly dance. Their poised figures, captured mid-movement, reflect the period’s fascination with theatrical spectacle and the harmony between music, gesture, and costume. Created through the combined techniques of etching and engraving, this work allowed intricate details of the dancers’ attire and choreography to be reproduced for a wider audience. Such prints played a vital role in documenting live performances before photography, serving both as souvenirs for theatergoers and as sources of inspiration for artists and amateurs across Europe. The collaborative effort among designers, engravers, and the dancers themselves highlights the vibrant artistic networks of Enlightenment-era Paris. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection of drawings and prints, this piece offers modern viewers a window into the lively world of 18th-century opera ballet. It reminds us how dance and visual art intertwined to celebrate grace, emotion, and the shared cultural experience of the stage.

About the Artist

Marie Allard|Jean-Baptiste Tilliard|Louis de Carmontelle|Jean Dauberval|François Basan|Jean-Baptiste Tilliard (French|French|French|French|French|French) · 1742 |1740 |1717 |1742 |1723 |1740 –1802 |1740 |1806 |1806 |1797 |1740

French, 1742–1802|French, 1740?–1813|French, Paris 1717–1806 Paris|French, 1742–1806|Paris|French, 1740?–1813