French Literature Reviews - 2026

Anne Verdier, L'Habit de théâtre. Histoire et Poétique de l'habit de théâtre en France au XVIIe s.
Theatre and Performance

Just published:

Anne Verdier, L'Habit de théâtre. Histoire et Poétique de l'habit de théâtre en France au XVIIe siècle (1606-1680), with a preface by Christian Biet, Lampsaque, collection "Le Studiolo-Essais", 2006.
447 pages, 35 euros.
ISBN: 2-911825-09-8

The seventeenth century in France witnessed a profound transformation of theatrical arts, where visual presentation on stage became increasingly central to dramatic representation. Scholarly inquiry into this period often explores how material culture, stagecraft, and the visual arts intersected with dramatic texts and performance practices. Within French literary and theatrical history, studies of stage costume generally address the evolving conventions of representation, courtly influences, and the changing status of actors and spectacles during the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV. Readers interested in the history of French stagecraft and seventeenth-century theatrical practices may find this study relevant to their pursuits. Anne Verdier examines the history and poetics of theatrical costume in seventeenth-century France, covering the period from 1606 to 1680 in a 447-page volume with a preface by Christian Biet, published by Lampsaque in 2006.