A. de Valentini

Amedeo de Valentini was the kind of guy who kept a tiny print of a ballerina in his pocket for twenty years. He drew dancers so often that their poses feel like second nature, as if he caught them mid-leap on the way to his studio. Look at *Mademoiselle Cerrito* from 1840—her skirt swirls like it’s still spinning from the stage, and the linework stays light enough to suggest silk instead of ink. Tap this print and you’ll notice the dancer’s face barely changes across his sheets, a quiet clue that de Valentini cared more about rhythm than realism.