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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level D , Case DT, Shelf 34, Box A

Design

1928 (made)
Artist/Maker
Exter, Alexandra (artist)
Place of origin
Paris (made)

Stage design for a ballet. Background is upright geometric shapes in various shades of blue, possibly dividing screens. The centre features another set of screens in shades of yellow, orange and white. A set of four dancers in blue and black skirts with one leg aloft, emerge from this area. In the foreground another three dancers, wearing close fitting black costumes, kneel on one knee.


Object details

Categories
Theatre
Designs
Woman Artist
Object type
Design
Materials and techniques
Distemper on paper
Painting
Brief description
Design by Alexandra Exter, stage design for an unidentified ballet, showing construction of light, distemper on paper, 1928.
Physical description
Stage design for a ballet. Background is upright geometric shapes in various shades of blue, possibly dividing screens. The centre features another set of screens in shades of yellow, orange and white. A set of four dancers in blue and black skirts with one leg aloft, emerge from this area. In the foreground another three dancers, wearing close fitting black costumes, kneel on one knee.
Dimensions
  • Object height: 460mm
  • Object width: 565mm
Dimensions from catalogue - checked on 10/02/2021.
Marks and inscriptions
  • Alex. Exter (Signed)
  • 28 (Dated)
    Translation
    [1928]
Object history
In the catalogue of the exhibition 'Beeldend Experiment op de Planken' held at Antwerp by the Stedelijk van Abbe-Museum Eindhoven in 1964, this object is listed as a décor for an unrealised ballet 'Les Diaboliques', but this is not altogether convincing since another sketch for the same ballet in the Schweizerische Theatersammlung, Bern is dated 1922.
Subjects depicted
Theatre Design
Ballet-Dancers
Bibliographic references
  • Gabriella Belli, ed. La Danza delle Avanguardie. Dipinti, scene e costumi, da Degas a Picasso, da Matisse a Keith Haring. Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto, 2005. ISBN: 887624557X
  • Um Teatro sem Teatro>/u> Barcelona: Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona, 2007. ISBN: 9789899541627.
  • Victoria & Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1928. London: HMSO, 1929
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.3311-1928

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Record createdApril 26, 2007
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O134250/design-exter-alexandra/
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