Thedosian Artists and Performers
Here's a little list I compiled over time of Thedosian artists and performers, professionals and hobbyists, that are explicitely named across the franchise. Many more artists haunt the narrative but saddly remain unnamed.
I saw someone earlier this week struggling with finding canon thedosian artists but the app crashed before I could note their name. Hopefully this will find its way to you, unknown person! I'll post (hopefully soon) additional lists compiling in details all form of Arts, Techniques and Music that are mentionned to exist in Thedas along with named artisans and specialized workers, in the hope it could be useful references for someone. Don't hesitate to fire a DM my way if you need something specific fast! ^-^
Abbreviations you might be not familiar with, just in case :DAtV : Dragon Age - The VeilguardTLC : The Last CourtTME : The Masked EmpireTN : Tevinter NightsTST : The Stolen ThroneWoT and WoT2 : World of Thedas and World of Thedas 2.
Actors :
Interesting tidbits : Orlesian theater actors wear color-coded shape-coded facemasks on stage. A half-face Green mask is to signal the lead masculine role, a half-face purple one for the lead feminine role, blue masks for supporting masculine characters and red masks for supporting feminine characters. Full white masks are for spirits while demons are played wearing red-striken black masks. The race, gender or age of the actors themselves don't matter in the least in the attribution of roles. There are also professional theater critics in Orlais (and maybe Tevinter as well).- Maudine : Orlesian actress, played in front of the Orlesian court in 9:41 (last name unknown, source : DAI)- Juliette : Orlesian actress, played in front of the Orlesian court in 9:41 (last name unknown, source : DAI)- Robert : Orlesian actor, played in front of the Orlesian court in 9:41 (last name unknown, source : DAI)- Stephan : Orlesian actor, played in front of the Orlesian court in 9:41 (last name unknown, source : DAI)- Rendell : Elven actor from Markham, Free Marches (has a slight accent which is frowned upon), played in front of the Orlesian court in 9:41 (last name unknown, source : DAI)- Victor Boyet : Elven orlesian actor, made his big break as the lead in "The Heir of Verchiel". (timeline unknown, before 9:20, source : DAI)
Playwrights : (See : Codex entry: A Compendium of Orlesian Theater, for more lore on those!)
- A. Pourri : Orlais, known for the popular "Wilkshire Downs" (which includes a lot of... farting. Might be why the french adjective used as a name here literally translate as "rotten"). (timeline unknown, likely pre-DragonAge, source : DAI)- Lumière Bartlet : Orlais, author of very little renown during his life, wrote "The Setting of the Light", considered to be one of the strangest plays to have been written and a possibly cursed one, as many of the crew and even the author himself suffered fatal accidents (demon deal gone bad?). (around 4:52, Black Age, source : DAI)- Marquise Freyette : Orlais, author of several plays, her most famous being "The Sword of Drakon : An Examination of the Life and History of the Father of Orlais", the play almost got banned by the Chantry for depicting Drakon as a man with doubts and feelings instead of a perfect hero. (timeline unknown, likely pre-DragonAge, source : DAI)- Paul Legrand : Orlais, author of the play "The Heir of Verchiel", a story of betrayals and revenge beloved by the Orlesian aristocracy. (timeline unknown but an "emperor" on the throne at the time, likely pre-DragonAge, at the very least pre-9:20, source : DAI)- Violette Armand : Orlais, author of the melodrama "Death in the Mansion", very avant-garde in its uses of masks' codification as a tool for subverting expectations. (timeline unknown, likely pre-DragonAge, source : DAI)
Artists and Artisans of various crafts and renown :
- Baldassare of Antiva : master artisan in Antiva City, unknown artistic specialty, sponsored by Orlesian nobility, active in 9:41. (source : DAI)- Chantal of Val Royaux : Orlais, unknown artistic specialty, sponsored by Orlesian nobility, active in 9:41. (source : DAI)
- Gustav of Val Fontaine : Orlais?, master cabinet-maker and virtuoso of fine marquetry. Designed and realised all the furniture of the library of the Winter Palace (one of the biggest library in Thedas). (timeline unknown, assumed dead, source : DAI)- Lady Cinthia : Ferelden or Orlais, renowned master seamstress and glove-maker whose work is recognizable by its stitchwork. (full name unknown, timeline unknown, presumed dead as of 9:30, source : DAO)- Ambrose Forfex : Tevinter (Venatori blood mage), wigmaker of renown, used to host seasonal "wig shows" for the nobility to attend, with models parading on stages in his estate in Vyrantium. (exact timeline unknown, but post-9:41 and pre-DAtV, deceased, source : TN)
Musicians, Singers and Dancers :
Interesting tidbits : Musicians seem especially valued in Orlais but exist everywhere, even under the Qun (Sten is even surprised it is not obvious to Leliana when she asks him). Nobles all around Thedas seem to receive some form of musical education and the most common instrument across the continent is the lute.
Dancers : - Veridian (stage name) : Llomerryn, twins exotic dancers, active in 9:41. (source : DAI)
Singers :- Carlota Montivecchio "The Songbird" : Antiva, famous opera singer, tried to murder a rival soprano only to be murdered in turn. (timeline unknown, source : TN) - Ser Corram "The Bard": Ferelden, famed singer and warrior, active in the Steel or Storm Age and lover of Arl Jacen Guerrin. (source : DAI)
Musicians :- Emeline de Montsimmard : orlesian music composer and private music teacher to the orlesian nobility, active in 9:41. (source : DAI)- Lord Edmond : orlesian, music student under the tutelage of Emeline de Montsimmard. (source : DAI)- Maryden Halewell : identified as both bard (but not the orlesian kind) and minstrel, published an anthology songbook called "A Garden's Grace : Songs of the Field", active in 9:41. (source : DAI) - Zither! (stage name) : Orlais, (actually a mage!), active in 9:41 (actual name unknown, source : DAI, playable character in multi.)- Edmond : Orlais, active in 9:41?, harpsichordist in Zither!'s band. (last name unknown, source : DAI)
Orlesian Bards : I set them aside a bit, since they're versed in music and arts but technically Art is not their primary goal, just a means to an end.- Arianna (deceased, source : DAA)- Bastien (deceased, source : WoT2/DAI)- Katriel (deceased, source : TST)- Leliana- Marjolaine Vasseur (deceased, source DAO)- Melcendre (deceased, source : TME)- Rosalyn (situation unknown, source DAA)- Shayd (active in 9:41, member of the Inquisition, source : TN)- The Black Fox (situation unknown, likely deceased as he was active in the Blessed Age, source : WoT2)- The Black Hart (situation unknown, Charter's previous identity? source : DAI).
Bonus : Named Bands Those were likely made just for the joke but since they're in the game, you can pry them from my cold dead hands lol. (source : DAI)- Evading Demons ("Didn’t they lose their singer to an abomination?")- Fuchsia Lotus ("They had a song about that. “I need to live” or, maybe “Hey! Don’t kill me!” " -Zither!)- Gemstone and the Oculara ("A marvelous band. Sexy too." "With mad skills." -Zither!)- Spymaster ("Great musicians, but rubbish in the sack." -Zither!)- Apostacy - Bluebird Coop ("avant-garde rubbish" - Zither!)
Painters, engravers and illustrators :
Interesting tidbits : Thedas has several "traditional painting schools" [WoT2] and Orlais has a "classical period" for paintings [TME]. Commissioning artists seem to be pretty common in noble households in Orlais, the Free Marches, Nevarra, Orzammar and Ferelden. Lockets with painted miniatures of loved ones in them are common in Ferelden, Orlais and Nevarra.
(Funny additions : Adult books with raunchy illustrations are very much a thing in Thedas. Paintings with peepholes hidden in them for spying purposes are totally a thing as well! [TN] There also are professional art critics in Thedas as well as art forgers. Orlais had a critic named "DeCassoulet" (after the French dish) who recently fell from grace because of his association with art forgers. [WoT2] )
Painters :- Ambrose Poirier : Orlais, specialty unknown, sponsored by Orlesian nobility, active in 9:41. (source : DAI)- An Ortienz : unknown origin (maybe the Anderfels given the name?), portraistist of talent, active in Serault, Orlais, during the Blessed Age. (exact timeline unknown, source : TLC)- Caliastri : unknown origin (maybe Antiva given the name?), their style is easily recognisable (and often forged?) and their paintings are found in Orlesian noble homes. (full name unknown, timeline unknown but still famous in 9:40, source : TME)- Griselda Reiniger : Anderfels, portraitist in the "traditional Anderfels style", came to prominence with the painting "The Chant of Light" depicting Andraste playing the harp the night before her execution. Won a price at the University of Orlais for it and is sponsored by both the imperial Orlesian court and the Chantry. Supposedly active in 9:41. (source : WoT2)- Tillendall Lemallen : portraitist and wild-life painter for the Orlesian court. (given his name and his knowledge of Halla, he might be elven or even Dalish of origin, timeline unknown, source : DAI)- Yvette Gabriella Montilyet : Antiva, learned her trade under Antiva's royal tutors and her works are expected to be exposed in antivan salons in 9:41. (source : DAI)
Engravers :- Ambrose Dumont : Orlais, of humble origins, famous for his woodcut carvings and prints, especially pieces representing Nugs, sponsored by Orlesian nobility, active in 9:41. (source : WoT2)
Hobbyists : - Henri Ducette : Orlais, amateur historian and artist, sketched numerous statues around the Forbidden Oasis shortly before or in early 9:41. (source : DAI)- Horace Medford : Orlais, adventurer, took charcoal rubbings of elven carvings in the Exalted Plains for the University of Orlais before 9:41. (source : DAI)- Isabella : loves to doodle in (Hawke's) books, she gets an honorable mention (because I can). (source : DA2)- Lady Marchellette : young Orlesian girl drawing fanart of shirtless Calenhad (lol what an icon), sometime before 9:41. (source : DAI)- Prince Baldewin of the Anderfels : young boy who sent his drawings and fanart to the Inquisitor, deserves a mention for being adorable. (source : DAI)- Solas (source : DAI)- Sera (source : DAI)- Yves Montilyet : Antiva, Josephine's father, hobbyist painter? who hosts salons and art shows. (source : DAI)Known titled artworks : - "Abel d'Onterre" (portrait, source : DAI)- "Anita Chayeau, beloved Grand-mère" (portrait, source : DAI)- "The Chant of Light" by Griselda Reiniger (source : DAI)- "The Dalish Woods in Summer" (landscape, source : DAI)- "General Mathieu d'Onterre, Feared by the Dog Lords" (portrait or statue?, source : DAI)- "Giroux Lemarque" (portrait, source : DAI)- "Jeanette d'Onterre, Matriarch of House d'Onterre" (portrait, source : DAI)- "Nanette d'Onterre, Ma belle Rose" (portrait, source : DAI)- "Portrait of a Goosegirl" (source : DAO)- "Portrait of Leandra Amell" (source : DA2)- "The Rebel Queen" (heroic portrait, source : DAO)- "Val Royaux" (landscape, source : DAI)- "Skyball" (a black stone painted to look like the night sky and showing constellations) (source : DAO)
Poets :
Poetry is fairly common across Thedas. It is canonically taught as a discipline to noble children in Orlais, Antiva, Orzammar, the Free Marches and Nevarra but seems to be accessible to broader masses as well; as several occurrences of commoners trying their luck at it demonstrate. Published poetry works and anthology books aren't uncommon either and have existed at the very least for 300 years [DAI]. Orzammar has a long tradition of poetry and haikus [DAO, DAI, WoT2].
- Carlol of House Yonoch : Orzammar, known as a "wordsmith", published in "The Noladar Anthology of Dwarven Poetry". (active during the early Dragon Age, source : WoT2)- Karsten Groeke : poet and philosopher, gave a lecture at the Univeristy of Orlais and was consequently chased out by the students following a bad bit of poetry praising absynthe (a strong alcohol). (Orlais? Anderfels given the name?, timeline unknown, source : DAI)- Lady Madeline : renowned poet and writer, daughter of the Rivaini Ambassador at the imperial Orlesian court, active in 9:41. (source : DAI)- Magister Oratius : Tevinter, known for his Sonnets Anthology titled "A Chant for Dreamers". (timeline unknown, source : DAI)- Paragon Lynchar : Orzammar, known for his Haikus, published in "The Noladar Anthology of Dwarven Poetry". (active during the Steel Age, source : WoT2)- Paragon Seuss : Orzammar, known for his mastery of rhymes, published in "The Noladar Anthology of Dwarven Poetry". (active during the Glory Age, source : WoT2)(- Kaariss of the mercenary group Valos-Kas loves to try his hand at poetry, to the great despair of his companions.)Unsure : - Paragon Ebryan : Orzammar, famous for his "Songs only Nugs can hear", unknown if they were a musician or a poet or both. (Exalted Age, source : DAO)
Sculptors :
Also common throughtout Thedas and despite varying through the ages, sculpture styles are seemingly recognisable for most people. Nevarra and Orlais have a long tradition of heroic statues of their historical figures, while Ferelden, the Chasind and the Avvar have a tradition of animalistic and votive sculptures. Both Orlesian and Tevinter imperial Houses as well as the Anderfels' Chantry seem to have a love for gigantic statues carved out of cliffs. One of Orlais' distinctive sculpture style is called "amour-tourmente style" ("love-torment"), examples of it can be found in Art History books or seen in the Nevarran Grand Necropolis. One Fereldan Arl has a drawing room where carvings are exposed for visitors to enjoy, including one representing Yusaris, the legendary sword.To quote Lesha in Tevinter Nights : "Look, every culture has their own artistic signature—something that makes it theirs. Tevinter is all about sharp angles. Ferelden is hard and brutish, and Orlais is delicate and opulent. Dwarves are . . . well, simple is the wrong word, but they get right to the truth.”(Funny side-note : Ice sculptures are a thing in Orlais! [TME] They also have liqueur bottles with peach pits carved with erotica scenes in them. [DAI])
- Appius Trius : Ancient Tevinter, (also published in "Artists of Ancient Tevinter") famous for "sparking the imagination of all gazing at his work". (Ancient Age, source : DAI)- Gatsi Sturhald : formely Orzammar, now on self-imposed exile on the surface, the Inquisition's lead stonemason, produced several carvings of Paragons during his years as a sculptor in Orzammar, alive in 9:41. (source : DAI)- Hemiare Allegri : Antiva, commissioned by Duke Prosper de Montfort, active in Orlais during the first half of the Dragon Age. (exact timeline unknown, but alive during the Dragon Age, source : WoT2)- Juliette Coreau : Orlais, famous for a carving of Emperor Kordillus Drakon The Great commemorating the 800th anniversary of the foundation of the Orlesian Empire. Work displayed in the Winter Palace. (exact timeline unknown, but Blessed Age, so assumed dead, source : DAI)- L'Etourneau (stage name, French for "starling") : Orlais, known for a carving of Maferath The Betrayer, commissioned by Empress Yvette during the Blessed Age. (exact timeline unknown, but Storm/Blessed Age, so assumed dead, source : DAI)- Natalie Breault : Orlais, famous for her carving of "Lambert Valmont, The Swaggering Lion", commissioned by Emperor Judicael I. (exact timeline unknown, but Blessed Age, so asumed dead, source : DAI)
Thanks for making it all the way down! Hopefully, I didn't miss any name (don't hesitate to tell me if you find one I missed!) and this will be of some help to someone! Have a lovely day! ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ
