Artwork
MADMOISELLE (SIC) PLUNKETT.
MADMOISELLE (SIC) PLUNKETT. is a print by the Impressionist artist Richard Buckner. It dates from 10 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The print depicts Adelina Plunkett, a 19th‑century ballerina, dressed as a Spanish dancer.
About this work
Overview
The print depicts Adelina Plunkett, a 19th‑century ballerina, dressed as a Spanish dancer. Her costume combines the standard ballet attire of the era—a low‑cut, fitted bodice and a bell‑shaped skirt—with a small bolero jacket and a coiffure that suggest Iberian influence. The image likely captures her performing the celebrated solo La Manola.
Subject & Meaning
Plunkett’s portrayal reflects the period’s fascination with national dances, where choreographers and performers adapted the generic ballet dress to include a few distinctive elements of a chosen culture. In this case, the added bolero and hairstyle serve to signal a Spanish identity, aligning the dancer with the exotic appeal that audiences sought in ballets of the time.
Technique & Style
The print renders the delicate fabrics and the contrast between the smooth bodice and the flared skirt with fine line work typical of 19th‑century printmaking. The bolero’s crisp edges and the dancer’s poised stance emphasize both the technical precision of classical ballet and the spirited character of Spanish folk movement.
Context
Spanish-themed ballets surged in popularity after Fanny Elssler’s success with the cachucha, prompting many prima ballerinas to create their own Spanish‑styled solos and pas de deux. Plunkett, alongside contemporaries such as Fanny Cerrito, performed versions of La Manola, contributing to the vogue for Andalusian motifs on the European stage.
Legacy
Contemporary critics once praised Plunkett—born in Belgium—as one of the most authentic Andalusian dancers, a claim that sparked skepticism among native Spanish performers. Nonetheless, her image endures as a visual record of the era’s cross‑cultural ballet experimentation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Richard Buckner (1812–1883) of Cleveland Row in St James's, London was an English painter best known for his prolific portraiture, particularly of Victorian society ladies (1840–1877).
