Peacock Costume, The Legend of the Peacock (ensemble)
Costume
Identifier
C-001_a-jDate:
circa 1914 – December 31 1949Description:
Bodice, skirt, tights (opaque stockings), piece of embroidered georgette, headdress, snood, fabric, crest and beads. Worn by Ruth St. Denis in The Legend of the Peacock (The Peacock).Item Details:
C-001_a Blue/green hand-sewn sequined bodice with flesh silk georgette sleeves, beaded loops and mirror back jewels. A more modern machine made sequined fabric has been stitched over the original. This bodice appear to date from 1914 and has been altered over time.
C-001_b Lime green lamé long skirt (92") with a blue/green net overlay and covered in graduating sizes of lurex roundels imitating peacock feathers. The sequined waist band matches the fabric and style of the bodice (C-001_a). This skirt appears to date from 1914 and has been altered over time.
C-001_c A black cotton cap covered in blue/green snood of bugle beads and with a feather and lurex detail in the center. This headdress appears to date from 1914 and has been altered over time, the original feathers have been cut off and replaced with lurex spikes.
C-001_d One pair of blue/green silk tights with a cotton waist band and sequin detail on the foot and calf. The toes have been heavily darned.
C-001_e A large piece of blue/green silk georgette covered in graduating sizes of sequined roundels imitating peacock feathers. This appears to be from a later revival of the piece.
C-001_f A gold leather headdress with sequined and beaded details imitating a peacock feather (this detail matches C-001_e).
C-001_g A piece of the green and gold Peacock skirt lining fabric.
C-001_h A piece of the green and gold Peacock skirt lining fabric.
C-001_i A blue sequined crest possibly used in a version of the solo.
C-001_j A small envelope (labeled Ruth St. Denis Center) with ceramic blue beads from the Peacock snood headdress.
In box is also a replica headdress created by Quinn Czejkowski, June 2018.