La Boutique Fantasque
Silhouette
1930s (Cut)
1930s (Cut)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Black paper silhouette by the pioneering shadow-puppeteer, Lotte Reiniger, of Alexandra Danilova in Massines’s ballet La Boutique fantasque. The silhouette conveys the exuberance of the Can-can which was the highlight of the ballet. Originally created for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. La Boutique fantasque was first performed by the De Basil’s Ballets Russes at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden on 16 July 1934.
La Boutique fantasque was one of the most popular ballets choreographed by Léonide Massine for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Alhambra Theatre, London on 5 June 1919. It was inspired by the popular Viennese ballet Puppenfée in which the toys in a shop come to life. The Can-can dancers replace the Fairy Doll as the stars of the show dancing a show-stopping Can-can before eloping to prevent their separation when purchased by different families. Massine had created the role of the male danseur while Alexandra Danilova became one of the most famous interpreters of the female can-can dancer. The ballet was performed to an arrangement of music by Gioachino Rossini arranged by Ottorino Respighi; the designs were by Andre Derain.
Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) created silhouettes of De Basil’s Ballets Russes for illustrations in periodicals and as souveniers sold through the book dealer Ifan Kyrle Fletcher. They came in a folder marked Boutique Fantasque and stating 2 Danilova 2gns each; 1 Danilova and Massine 2gns, 3 Danilova & Massine 3 gns each.
La Boutique fantasque was one of the most popular ballets choreographed by Léonide Massine for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Alhambra Theatre, London on 5 June 1919. It was inspired by the popular Viennese ballet Puppenfée in which the toys in a shop come to life. The Can-can dancers replace the Fairy Doll as the stars of the show dancing a show-stopping Can-can before eloping to prevent their separation when purchased by different families. Massine had created the role of the male danseur while Alexandra Danilova became one of the most famous interpreters of the female can-can dancer. The ballet was performed to an arrangement of music by Gioachino Rossini arranged by Ottorino Respighi; the designs were by Andre Derain.
Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) created silhouettes of De Basil’s Ballets Russes for illustrations in periodicals and as souveniers sold through the book dealer Ifan Kyrle Fletcher. They came in a folder marked Boutique Fantasque and stating 2 Danilova 2gns each; 1 Danilova and Massine 2gns, 3 Danilova & Massine 3 gns each.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | La Boutique Fantasque (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Cut paper |
| Brief description | Black silhouette figure by Lotte Reiniger of Alexandra Danilova in Léonde Massine’s ballet, La Boutique fantasque as performed by the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo 1930s |
| Physical description | Black silhouette figure by Lotte Reiniger of Alexandra Danilova in Léonde Massine’s ballet, La Boutique fantasque as performed by the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo 1930s Danilova is holding her skirts high and kicking her leg on a black base. The outstretched leg in this version is straighter than in the similar S.3672-2013. Black paper silhouette mounted on Japanesse tissue mounted on while paper mounted on pale blue card signed LR: Annotated DANILOVA – BOUTIQUE FANTASQUE. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Purchased as one of seven silhouettes of La Boutique fantasque as lot 847 Bloomsbury Action 486 29 April 2004. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Literary reference | La Boutique fantasque |
| Summary | Black paper silhouette by the pioneering shadow-puppeteer, Lotte Reiniger, of Alexandra Danilova in Massines’s ballet La Boutique fantasque. The silhouette conveys the exuberance of the Can-can which was the highlight of the ballet. Originally created for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. La Boutique fantasque was first performed by the De Basil’s Ballets Russes at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden on 16 July 1934. La Boutique fantasque was one of the most popular ballets choreographed by Léonide Massine for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Alhambra Theatre, London on 5 June 1919. It was inspired by the popular Viennese ballet Puppenfée in which the toys in a shop come to life. The Can-can dancers replace the Fairy Doll as the stars of the show dancing a show-stopping Can-can before eloping to prevent their separation when purchased by different families. Massine had created the role of the male danseur while Alexandra Danilova became one of the most famous interpreters of the female can-can dancer. The ballet was performed to an arrangement of music by Gioachino Rossini arranged by Ottorino Respighi; the designs were by Andre Derain. Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) created silhouettes of De Basil’s Ballets Russes for illustrations in periodicals and as souveniers sold through the book dealer Ifan Kyrle Fletcher. They came in a folder marked Boutique Fantasque and stating 2 Danilova 2gns each; 1 Danilova and Massine 2gns, 3 Danilova & Massine 3 gns each. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.3673-2013 |
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| Record created | September 18, 2013 |
| Record URL |
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