Terms and conditions of use
Third day – The Imaginary Invalid, a comedy performed in the gardens of Versailles in front of the grotto
(Troisième journée – Le Malade Imaginaire, comédie représentée dans le jardin de Versailles devant la Grotte)
1676
plate 3 from Les Divertissemens de Versailles donnez par le Roy à toute sa cour au retour de la conqueste de la Franche-Comté en l’année 1674 (Festivities at Versailles given by the King to his court following the conquest of Franche-Comté in 1674) (1676)
- Credit Line
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Mr George Collins Levey, 1879
- Gallery location
- 18th Century Decorative Arts & Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
This plate depicts a performance of Molière’s Le Malade Imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid). Staged outdoors on the third day of the 1674 festivities, The Imaginary Invalid was Molière’s final comedy-ballet. The playwright had died the previous year from pulmonary tuberculosis – ironically, just hours after performing the role of Argan, the titular hypochondriac protagonist.
Artwork Details
printed in ink l.l.: Troisiéme Journée / Le Malade imaginaire, Comedie representée / dans le Jardin de Versailles devant la Grotte
printed in ink l.r.: Dies tertius / Dokesinoson, seu Aeger imaginarius,…
Gift of Mr George Collins Levey, 1879
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of the Joe White Bequest
Level 2, NGV International