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Third day – The Imaginary Invalid, a comedy performed in the gardens of Versailles in front of the grotto

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)

Medium
etching and engraving

Measurements
27.2 × 41.0 cm (image) 30.0 × 41.6 cm (plate) 44.8 × 59.0 cm (sheet)

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

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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

Place/s of Execution
Paris, France

Catalogue/s Raisonné
IFF 910 ii/ii

Edition
2nd of 2 states

Printing/Publishing
published by l’Imprimerie Royale, Paris

Inscription
printed in ink l.l.: le Pautre Sculps. 1676
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,…

Accession Number
p.183.85-1

Departments
International Prints / International Prints and Drawings

This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of the Joe White Bequest