Rare Signed Franz Löwy Ballet Russe Photograph Possibly Anton Dolin Costume 1922

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Rare Signed Franz Löwy Ballet Russe Photograph Possibly Anton Dolin Costume 1922:
$1866.83

Incredibly beautiful and rare antique photo of a member of the Ballets Russe in typical Ballets Russe costume. Signed in pencil by the photographer Franz Löwy (1883-1949), an influential early twentieth century Austrian photographer who had studios in Paris and Vienna and did several photos of members of the Ballets Russe. The sitter has also signed the photograph in French and dated it 30th October 1922 and it could possibly be the English Ballets Russe dancer Anton Dolin. Photos from the same period as this show him to have a very similar profile with heavy eye lids etc. Dolin had only just started in Paris at the Ballets Russe in 1921 as principal dancer. Comparing his autograph is difficult as he changed his way of writing and his signature several times throughout his life. He seems to have been trying out different tyoes of handwriting and signatures to see which looked best on photos. Furthermore, Antoine is the French version of Anton, and the surname, which is a made up one, could be him making a joke. Mounted under UV glass in a stained oak frame by Pure & Applied conservators of London.Sir Anton Dolin (1904-1983), was an English ballet dancer and choreographer. He was born in Slinfold in Sussex as Sydney Francis Patrick Chippendall Healey-Kay but was generally known as Patrick Kay. Trained by the notable Russian teachers Serafima Astafieva and Bronislava Nijinska, Dolin began his ballet career in 1921 in the corps de ballet of Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. As a soloist with Diaghilev’s company, he created the leading role in Nijinska’s Train Bleu (1924) and an important role (one of two Servants) in George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son (1929). Dolin was considered to be one of the finest partners of his time. The Ballets Russes was an itinerant ballet company based in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society. After its initial Paris season, the company had no formal ties there.Originally conceived by impresario Sergei Diaghilev, the Ballets Russes is widely regarded as the most influential ballet company of the 20th century, in part because it promoted ground-breaking artistic collaborations among young choreographers, composers, designers, and dancers, all at the forefront of their several fields. Diaghilev commissioned works from composers such as Igor Stravinsky, Claude Debussy, and Sergei Prokofiev, artists such as Vasily Kandinsky, Alexandre Benois, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse, and costume designers Léon Bakst and Coco Chanel.The company\'s productions created a huge sensation, completely reinvigorating the art of performing dance, bringing many visual artists to public attention, and significantly affecting the course of musical composition. It also introduced European and American audiences to tales, music and design motifs drawn from Russian folklore. The influence of the Ballets Russes lasts to the present day.Size of Photo: 45 x 34 cm approx
Size of Frame: 58 x 45.5 cm approxFree Worldwide Shipping

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