Antique 19th-Century French Costume Studies Theatrical Costume Design Sketch Renaissance Dress

An original watercolor, ink, and pencil costume study on paper by Paul Delaroche (1797–1856), whose works are held in major museum collections worldwide, including the Louvre, Versailles, Chantilly, the National Gallery (London), the Wallace Collection, the Hermitage, and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Drawn circa 1829–1830 and monogrammed “HD” at the lower right. The sheet presents eight figures in 16th-century French Renaissance dress, moving between swift pencil planning and carefully applied color, like a page lifted from the artist’s own working world. You are watching decisions being made. 

The notes in the margins are the real seduction: fabric and color instructions (velvet, satin, taffeta, and color indications) written with the practical authority of someone who cared about historical truth.

The sheet is closely associated with the breakthrough Romantic drama Henri III et sa cour (“Henry III and His Court”), premiered in 1829 at the Comédie-Française, when costumes were not mere decoration but part of the spectacle’s credibility. Related Delaroche costume models for the same drama are preserved from the Paris Opera library and are now held at the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), placing this drawing inside a documented lineage of theatrical design. This work comes from Delaroche’s personal sketchbook and surfaced through a family sale.

Perfect for a library, a dressing area or walk-in closet, and especially a creative space or designer studio, where the fashion-history notes and theatrical precision feel like daily inspiration rather than “decor.”

This drawing pairs beautifully with the other Delaroche costume sheet in our collection, a natural companion piece if you love building a small, coherent wall story.

About the Artist

Paul Delaroche was one of the most celebrated French painters of his generation, admired for emotionally charged, meticulously researched history paintings. In 1832, he was elected to the Institut de France, and he taught at the École des Beaux-Arts, training influential artists including Jean-Léon Gérôme, later one of the defining figures of 19th-century French academic art.

Why We Love It

Because it’s the rare intersection of beauty and documentation. You get the elegance of Renaissance silhouettes, and you also get Delaroche’s working intelligence: fabric choices, color notes, and the selective finish that shows exactly what mattered most.

This is not just a lovely sheet to frame. It’s a window into the moment when Romantic Paris decided that history should feel real on stage. That’s why it has such presence in a home. It carries a story, a standard, and a kind of French seriousness that makes everything around it look better.

And yes, the frame elevates everything. The substantial gilt makes it read like a small museum wall. Effortless, but with authority.

Key Features:

• Medium: Watercolor, ink, and pencil on paper
• Era: 1829-1830
• Signature: Monogram at lower right
• Dimensions: 20.1" x 17.3"
• Condition: Excellent antique condition with light, age-consistent foxing. Presented in an early 20th-century stuccoed and gilded wood frame with a bronze-toned patina. Please see photos for details.