Is this artwork under copyright?

No, this artwork is in the public domain.

Order a reproduction of None - 19th Century

Artwork Description

An example of the renowned Delphos gown of the multifaceted artist Mariano Fortuny (1871–1949) came into the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts in 2001. The original owner of this casual dress made in the 1910s was Klára Zichy (1875–1946), the wife of Endre Hadik-Barkóczy and considered one of Hungary’s most beautiful women. This dress was considered a luxury item and was made fashionable by the famous celebrities of the day, the dancer Isadora Duncan and the actress Sarah Bernhardt. The person who dreamt up the Delphos gown was Fortuny’s wife, Henriette Negrin (1877–1965), and so the patent was registered under her name.This pleated dress created in 1907 and called the Delphos was probably inspired by the statue “The Charioteer of Delphi,” which was discovered in 1896 in three parts. The original purpose of this richly pleated dress was to show off the natural beauty of the female body without a corset. A genuine movement had begun in several areas of Europe to free women from this unhealthy piece of attire, however it remained in style despite this.This Greek-inspired dress was at first only worn as a housedress, but it proved to be too long for this. It was possible to adjust the length and width of the gown by pulling a cord adorned with glass Murano beads running along the side seams and the arm holes. The dense, vertical pleating, which may have contained as many as 450 folds, was first made by hand, and then by using heated copper or ceramic rods. Fortuny also designed dress materials himself. Besides black, the Delphos gown was also available in coral red or ultramarine blue. It was worn with a belt or some other Fortuny creation, such as a Knossos scarf or a tunic inspired by the Greek Peplos.

Related Artworks

Artist Biography

early life and inspiration

mariano fortuny, a spanish fashion designer, was born on may 11, 1871, in granada, spain. his father, mariano fortuny y marsal, was a genre painter who passed away when mariano was just three years old. this event led to the family's move to paris, france, where mariano's mother introduced him to various textiles and fabrics that would later influence his creativity.

artistic talents and inventions

mariano fortuny showcased his artistic talents from a young age, demonstrating skills in painting, photography, sculpting, architecture, etching, and theatrical stage lighting. his inventions, including over twenty patented between 1901 and 1934, revolutionized the world of theater design.

he developed the fortuny cyclorama dome, a quarter dome-shaped structure of plaster or cloth, which used indirect lighting to create a seamless transition between scenes.
his treatise "eclairage scenique" (1904) described his discovery of reflecting light off different surfaces, changing its color, intensity, and properties.

notable contributions and collaborations

mariano fortuny's work gained widespread recognition in the 1920s. he collaborated with notable figures, including:

richard wagner, a german composer, whose operas inspired mariano to paint scenes.
the famous opera house, la scala of milan, where he installed his dome, adapting it for the larger theater and inventing a suction fan to maintain its taut structure.

legacy and later life

mariano fortuny passed away on may 3, 1949, in venice, italy. his work inspired french novelist marcel proust, and his life was depicted in pere gimferrer's novel "fortuny." mariano's legacy continues to influence the world of theatrical design.

explore more about mariano fortuny's inventions and designs at ArtsDot's collection.
discover the impact of his work on theatrical lighting in the museum destroyed by fire (united states), a story of an unfortunate event that shaped american art history, available at ArtsDot's blog.