Artwork
Mlle Laprairie Pas Grec
Mlle Laprairie Pas Grec is a print by the Romanticist artist Emile Desmaisons. It dates from 10 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Later, her husband-to-be settled down and married her, and her life changed completely.
This print shows a dancer from the 18th century—someone famous in her time. It’s not meant to be true to life. It was made long after she lived.
The story behind the image is wild. She started as a performer, then became a mistress to powerful men. Later, her husband-to-be settled down and married her, and her life changed completely.
The print was made in 1844, long after her story ended. Check out the museum that holds it: Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Mlle Laprairie Pas Grec is a print created in 1844, depicting a romanticized 18th-century dancer. The work is not a historical representation but rather a nostalgic interpretation of the era.
Subject & Meaning
The print portrays Mlle Laprairie, a dancer at the Paris Opera from 1767, known more for her personal life than professional achievements. Her life involved notable relationships, including with dancer Maximilian Gardel, whom she eventually married, marking a significant shift in her persona.
Technique & Style
The print features an 18th-century dancer in an inaccurately revealing and unstructured costume, with a short skirt and flowing hair, characteristic of a romanticized 19th-century view of the past.
History & Provenance
Created in 1844, long after Mlle Laprairie's active career, the print is housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Artist & collection
Artist
A Paris print-maker in the 1840s, Emile Desmaisons turned celebrity faces into lithographs for the boulevard audience.
