Costume Design, Musical, Rene Ranson, Paris, Aret Deco Watercolors

René Ranson (1888-1977)
Endiamantées [Glittering Costume]
Les Notes de Musique [The Musical Notes]
French: c. 1920s-1930s
Colored inks, graphite, paint on stiff card
Each signed Ranson lower right and inscribed as titled upper right
16 x 11 inches, image, average approximate
Endiamantées: 17.25 x 11.75 inches, overall
Musique: 17.5 x 12.75 inches, overall
$1,250 each

Two Art Deco costume designs by René Ranson, one of the major designers during the heyday of the Parisian music hall revue in the period between the two world wars. Endiamantées (which literally means “covered in glittering material,” e.g. sequins) is an elaborately constructed concoction in white with peekaboo cutouts, incorporating a tall headdress, lots of feathers, two long tassels hanging from the hips, and rows of beads connected to the costume from the wrists and headdress. In the lower left corner is a light pencil sketch of the costume from the back, in the artist’s hand. Les Notes de Musiques shows costumes on two showgirls, one in black, one in white, high-stepping down a staircase. The hats and round pillow-like structures they wear on their hips are designed to resemble musical notes when the dancers are seen in profile. The bodices are embroidered with a musical staff and G clef. The designs are rendered with precise, detailed draftsmanship of a very high quality.

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