Black paper silhouette mounted on Japanese tissue showing Léonide Massine with arms outstretched, hands turned towards his face and one leg lifted and Alexandra Danilova with lifted frilled skirt lifted to her shoulders with one leg kicked out in front of her as they dance the Can-can which was the highlight of the ballet La Boutique fantasque. Signed LR in pencil on Japanese tissue with the words MASSINE – DANILOVA and BOUTIQUE FATASQUE in pencil below the base of figures and just above the cream mount the opening of which is trimmed with strips of blue and black.

The silhouette conveys the exuberance of the Can-can which was the highlight of the ballet. 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 La Boutique fantasque was first performed by the De Basil’s Ballets Russes at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden on 16 July 1934.

Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) created silhouettes of De Basil’s Ballets Russes for illustrations in periodicals and as souvenirs 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.