Marie Taglioni in "La Sylphide" ( Portfolio Title: Souvenir...
Marie Taglioni in "La Sylphide" ( Portfolio Title: Souvenir d'Adieu)
Coloured lithograph . Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Marie Taglioni (1804–1884) is widely considered to have been the greatest ballerina of the 19th century. In La Sylphide she played a Sylph, or forest fairy, her most famous role. The love story ends with the death of the Sylph, as her wings fall from her, while she is held in the arms of her suitor. Taglioni’s performance as the Sylph came to encompass femininity and a symbol of ideal womanhood. The costume she wore in the role – a low-necked, calf-length, bell-shaped diaphanous dress – became the 'uniform' of subsequent generations of ballet dancers.
