Jules Léotard Invents Flying Trapeze Aerial Acrobatics & Creates One-Piece Tight Gym Wear Now Called Leotards

11/12/1859 to 1860
Title page of Leotard's book
Creative Commons LicenseJeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative Commons
Upper printed wrapper of Léotard's book.
Creative Commons LicenseJeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative Commons
Cover of the song inspired by Léotard from the Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University: "He'd fly through the air with the greatest of ease, a daring young man on the flying t
Image Source: levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu
Cover of the song inspired by Léotard from the Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University: "He'd fly through the air with the greatest of ease, a daring young man on the flying trapeze" etc.
An image of Jules Léotard in the garment that bears his name.
Image Source: en.wikipedia.org
An image of Jules Léotard in the garment that bears his name. 
Detail map of Paris, Île-de-France, France

A: Paris, Île-de-France, France

Large folding lithographic caricature by Durandeau signed rather boldly by the artist in the lower right corner of the stone
Creative Commons LicenseJeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative Commons
Large folding lithographic caricature by Durandeau signed rather boldly by the artist in the lower right corner of the stone. Note the surrealistic hobgoblin type characters accompanying Léotard on the flying trapeze along with various kites, people standing on building tops, etc.
In 1860 French circus performer and trapeze artist extraordinaire Jules Léotard published an unusually small volume entitled Mémoires de Léotard. This work promoted Léotard's achievements. A member of both the Cirque Napoléon and the Cirque d’Hiver, Léotard first made a flying somersault between two swinging bars at the Cirque Napoléon on 12 November 1859, perfecting the flying trapeze. His achievements inspired the 1867 song "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze," sung by George Leybourne.

Léotard also invented the one-piece skin tight gym wear that carries his name, but the name was not applied to the costume until about 1880.

Leotard's small volume contains a particularly remarkable, rather surrealistic satirical lithograph showing Léotard on the flying trapeze by Jean Émile Durandeau.

Timeline Themes

Games / Sports / Simulations
Prints and Printmaking
Music
Book Illustration
Title page of Leotard's book
Creative Commons LicenseJeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative Commons
Upper printed wrapper of Léotard's book.
Creative Commons LicenseJeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative Commons
Cover of the song inspired by Léotard from the Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University: "He'd fly through the air with the greatest of ease, a daring young man on the flying t
Image Source: levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu
Cover of the song inspired by Léotard from the Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University: "He'd fly through the air with the greatest of ease, a daring young man on the flying trapeze" etc.
An image of Jules Léotard in the garment that bears his name.
Image Source: en.wikipedia.org
An image of Jules Léotard in the garment that bears his name.