{"id":42087,"date":"2024-12-20T17:55:59","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T22:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.georgeglazer.com\/wpmain\/?post_type=product&p=42087"},"modified":"2026-04-22T17:57:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T21:57:36","slug":"costume-design-musical-will-barnes-queen-of-the-moulin-rouge-antique-watercolors-early-20th-century","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.georgeglazer.com\/wpmain\/product\/costume-design-musical-will-barnes-queen-of-the-moulin-rouge-antique-watercolors-early-20th-century\/","title":{"rendered":"Costume Design, Musical, Will Barnes, Queen of the Moulin Rouge, Antique Watercolors, Early 20th Century"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Queen of the Moulin Rouge<\/strong> was Broadway musical about a composer who falls in love with an actress at the Moulin Rouge nightclub in Paris during the Belle Epoque in 1899. The production ran at the Circle Theatre in New York City from 1908 to 1909. The lyrics were by Vincent Bryan with music by John T. Hall. The show starred Richard F. Carroll.<\/p>\n

The original program for the production describes it as follows:<\/p>\n

Thomas W. Ryley’s production, “The Queen of the Moulin Rouge,” written by Paul M. Potter, music by John T. Hall, lyrics by Vincent Bryan, is an attempt to portray the night-life of Paris exactly as it exists. For this purpose, the adventures of the young King of Orcanla and his bride-elect, the Princess Marotz, are narrated, as they took place on the night of the famous Quat-z-Arts Ball, the annual dance organized by the studios of the city, visitors being admitted by private invitation only. The “floats,” each containing the prettiest model of the studio, are shown as they circle around the Moulin Rouge and as they are afterwards thrown into the Seine. The peculiar songs and dances of the occasion are literally reproduced. Then are disclosed the odd resorts to which the dancers betake themselves when the ball is done. First, still in the masquerade costumes, they are seen at Madame St. Angelo’s gaming place, “The House with the Green Shutters.” Then they adjourn, for a Welsh rarebit, to the celebrated “Cafe au Rat Mort,” in front of which the tramps, rag-pickers, Apaches, and prowlers of the night defile. Then the dawn comes to end the revelry, and the roisterers escape, weary and ashamed, to meet the sweet school girls of the Academy Savourette, where the idyl of the young king and queen is consummated.<\/p>\n

Costumes designed by Will R. Barnes, Art Students’ gowns by Lubin, costumes by Buch, uniforms by Warnock Uniform Co., men’s clothes by Whitaker & Co., wigs by William Hepner, shoes by I. Miller, scenery painted by Unitt & Wickes and made by T. B. McDonald, properties by Joseph Turner.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Will R. Barnes designed costumes for numerous Broadway productions between 1898 and 1924. Born in Australia, he came to the U.S. in the late 1890s and began designing costumes for a number of Joe Weber and Lew Fields\u2019 Music Hall shows. Later he worked with the designers Cora MacGeachy and William Henry Mathews on the Hippodrome spectacles until the final show there in 1922. Some extant examples of Barnes\u2019 designs bear his signature with his address \u201c165 W. 48th Street, NYC\u201d in the lower margin. This address is located in the heart of the Broadway Theater District in Midtown Manhattan. Other extant examples bear his signature with his address \u201c27 W. 30th Street, NY\u201d in the lower margin.\u00a0Barnes specialized in costumes for the lighthearted musical entertainment that was extremely popular at the time: musical comedies, operettas, revues, vaudeville productions and burlesques. The best known of these productions today is probably Naughty Marietta<\/strong>, which was scored by Victor Herbert. Art historian Stefanie Munsing Winkelbauer notes that Barnes\u2019s designs show a predilection for striking contrasts and bold pattern. The National Library of Australia and the New York Public Library have large collections of his costume designs. Barnes also was known for his watercolor landscapes.<\/p>\n

New York City emerged at the turn of the century as a booming entertainment venue with some 41 legitimate theaters, the most in the world for a single city. The first three decades of the 20th century were the heyday of lighthearted musicals whose plots served as a contrivance to tie together lavish production numbers. According to Stefanie Munsing Winkelbauer, this booming industry supported dozens of costume designers, on whom the producers depended \u201cto give their shows the necessary optical razzle-dazzle.\u201d She further described the extravagance of the costumes:<\/p>\n

No-one expected the stories to be believable or the characters to be ordinary people: in this colorful land of make-believe, innocent snobbery, royalty galore and generous bank-accounts abounded, allowing the designers\u2019 fancies to run riot with gorgeous gowns, stunning uniforms and saucy outfits for the chorus girls. Plots, such as they were, were often confused and banal but lent themselves to numerous changes of costume often combining wildly different geographical, social or historical themes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Original Program Guide, The Queen of the Moulin Rouge<\/strong>: Acts and Scenes:<\/p>\n

ACT I.
\nFirst Scene\u2014Roof of the Academy Savourette, Quarter Montparnasse.
\nSecond Scene\u2014A Telegraph Office.
\nThird Scene\u2014Cafe of the Quat-z-Arts.<\/p>\n

ACT II.
\nFirst Scene\u2014Street in Mont Martra.
\nSecond Scene\u2014Cabaret du Sourire.
\nThird Scene\u2014”The House with the Green Shutters.”
\nFourth Scene\u2014A Police Station.
\nFifth Scene\u2014Place Pigalle, in front of “The Rat Mort.”
\nSixth Scene\u2014Boulevard Clichy.
\nSeventh Scene\u2014Roof of the Academy Savourette.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The following is a list of 15 Barnes costume designs in the offered collection, compiled by George Glazer Gallery. Note that numbering system from 1 to 15 is simply for inventorying, not as numbered originally for the production, and not indicating any degree or relative importance or otherwise:<\/p>\n

No. 1:
\nDescription: Male soldier with red feather in his hat and surprised facial expression.
\nSigned with address lower right
\nTitled Front: #4, Bonnivard, Act I, Sc I
\nTitled Back: 1, Fred Rivernhalls
\nReferred to in Original Program: Major General Bonnivard<\/p>\n

No. 2:
\nDescription: Pierrot (jester) figure in white and black polka dots, playing a banjo
\nSigned with address in lower right
\nTitle Front: Male Chorus, Act II, Sc I, Pierrot
\nTitle Back: 14, 4, [illegible]<\/p>\n

No. 3:
\nQuick Description: Man wearing purple suit with purple checkered pants
\nSigned with address in lower right
\nTitle Front: Quat-z-arts, boy, artist
\nTitle Back: 11
\nReferred to in Original Program: Apparently present at the Quat-z-Arts Ball<\/p>\n

No. 4:
\nDescription: Man wearing Russian hat with feather in it, sword in belt, blue coat, red thigh high boots, and red pants
\nSigned with address in lower right
\nTitle Front: Quat-z-arts, boys
\nTitle Back: n\/a
\nReferred to in Original Program: Apparently present at the Quat-z-Arts Ball<\/p>\n

No. 5:
\nDescription: Man with somber expression, red feather in top hat, sword in pants, blue and red soldier uniform
\nSigned with address in address in lower right
\nTitle Front: Male chorus, act II, Sc I, \u201cMussar\u201d, 1803
\nTitle Back: n\/a<\/p>\n

No. 6:
\nDescription: man with red hat and black suit pointing to the right, holding a ticket, perhaps a train conductor
\nSigned with address in lower left
\nTitle Front: Sasha, Act I, Sc I
\nTitle Back: 19, 3, 14G mad, Mr. Russell, Carter Daltar, all blue<\/p>\n

No 7:
\nDescription: woman with brown hair and a white feather in her headband, yellow dress with pink sash and black detailing, thick pearl necklace
\nSigned with address in lower right
\nTitle Front: Quat-z-arts, girl, act I, Sc II
\nTitle Back: 8
\nReferred to in Original Program: Apparently present at the Quat-z-Arts Ball<\/p>\n

No. 8:
\nDescription: woman with brown hair and tan hat with large adornment of flowers, pearl necklace, elbow-length white gloves, purple dress with white detailing, and holding a lorgnette
\nSigned with address in lower right
\nTitle Front: Olga, Act I, Sc II
\nTitle Back: 13
\nReferred to in Original Program: Olga Zu Linar<\/p>\n

No. 9:
\nDescription: woman with brown hair, large pink and purple hat adorned with lilies, pink and purple dress with floral detailing, white lace shall, thick white necklace
\nSigned with address in lower right
\nTitle Front: Quat-z-arts, lady, Act I, Sc II
\nTitle Back: 14
\nReferred to in Original Program: Apparently present at the Quat-z-Arts Ball<\/p>\n

No. 10:
\nDescription: Woman with dark brown hair, large pink sun hat with white roses, baby pink dress with lace sleeves, pink heels, holding lorgnettes
\nSigned with address in lower right
\nTitle Front: #4 \u00bd, 8th showgirl, Act I
\nTitle Back: 1b, 4, 62100, R, Beliuout, #3<\/p>\n

No. 11:
\nDescription: Man with top hat and large white feather, red suit with jacket on one shoulder, sword in pants
\nSigned with address in lower right
\nTitle Front: #4B, Mr. Rorke, Hussar, 8-show-girls, act II
\nTitle Back 6R, 16<\/p>\n

No. 12:
\nDescription: man wearing red riding coat with riding boots, holding a black satchel in left hand and white cloak in right hand, black riding cap
\nSigned with address in lower right
\nTitle Front: n\/a
\nTitle Back: 2, Russell<\/p>\n

No. 13:
\nDescription: Woman with white hair and a clownish hat, light blue dress with billowing sleeves and gold detailing
\nSigned lower left
\nTitle Front: Pierrot-boys, \u201cwrap\u201d, act I, Sc II, guliance
\nTitle Back: 33<\/p>\n

No. 14:
\nDescription: Woman with white sun hat with a feather and white and orange flowers, white lace dress with orange floral detailing, holding white parasol
\nSigned with address in lower right
\nTitle Front: 10, act I, #4, 6th show girl, Act I
\nTitle Back: 4, S, #2, 1R, Le clair, 10\/15<\/p>\n

No. 15:
\nDescription: Man with light blue suit and black top hat smoking a cigarette and holding a cane behind his back
\nSigned with address in lower right
\nFront Title: Quat-z-arts, Boy , Act I, Sc II, St. Etienne
\nTitle Back: 17, this Dr. Vassey, Whoruell, 6 1\/8. 19 W. 31st st
\nReferred to in Original Program: Apparently present at the Quat-z-Arts Ball<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Condition: Each generally very good variously with the usual overall light toning, wear, soiling, soft creases, handling expected for working costume designs. Each slightly bowed from shrinkage, can flatten as framed. Some minor glue residue and associated abrasions verso. Some scattered chips to corners, scattered other wear and short tears to edges.<\/p>\n

References:<\/p>\n

\u201cOlympic Theatre, Queen of Moulin Rouge, August 29 1909.\u201d Chicago Public Library. https:\/\/cdm16818.contentdm.oclc.org\/digital\/collection\/CPB01\/id\/4750\/ (17 January 2025).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Queen of Moulin Rouge.\u201d Internet Broadway Database. 2001-2025. https:\/\/www.ibdb.com\/broadway-production\/the-queen-of-the-moulin-rouge-6619 (17 January 2025).<\/p>\n

\u201cWill R. Barnes.\u201d Internet Broadway Database. 2001-2010. http:\/\/www.ibdb.com\/person.php?id=25434 (13 May 2010).<\/p>\n

\u201cWill R. Barnes Costume Designs for Alfred Hill\u2019s Tapu.\u201d National Library of Australia. http:\/\/nla.gov.au\/nla.pic-an3703095 (13 May 2010).<\/p>\n

Winkelbauer, Stefanie Munsing. Wake up and dream! Costume Designs for Broadway Musicals 1900-1925 from the Theatre Collection of the Austrian National Library. Vienna: Hermann B\u00f6hlaus Nachf, 1986. pp. 16-17, 22, 31-34.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Will R. Barnes (d. 1939)
\nThe Queen of the Moulin Rouge<\/strong>
\n15 Costume Designs
\n<\/strong>27 W. 30th Street, New York: 1st Quarter 20th Century
\nWatercolor, pencil, on stiff card
\nTitled and signed in pencil, variously
\n12.5 x 7.25 inches or 11 x 7 inches<\/p>\n

A grouping of 15 original, inventive, and whimsical costume designs by the famous and prolific New York costume designer Will R. Barnes for the 1909 Broadway production of The Queen of the Moulin Rouge<\/strong>. Each watercolor includes rich color and detailing such as the arrangement of purple and white flowers on the women\u2019s hats or the deep reds and blues of the soldiers\u2019 jackets. The character, scene, and act number for each design are identified in pencil by Barnes on the watercolors, and some have additional identification notes on the back in his hand. A list of all 15 of the designs is set forth at the end of this description.<\/p>\n

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