Artwork
The Pet of the Ballet.
The Pet of the Ballet. is a print by the Romanticist artist Robert Gallon. It dates from 1843 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This print is part of a series of eight images depicting anonymous ballet dancers from the 1840s.
About this work
Overview
This print is part of a series of eight images depicting anonymous ballet dancers from the 1840s.
Subject & Meaning
The print focuses on a background dancer, often referred to as 'peris', 'nymphs', or 'sylphs' in programs, who provided a decorative backdrop for the principal ballerinas. Such dancers were nicknamed 'les petits rats' in Paris and 'les danseuses près de l'eau' in Russia.
Technique & Style
The artist adopted a slightly comedic and realistic style, diverging from the idealized representations common in 19th-century ballet prints.
Context
The title 'The Pet of the Ballet' may be derived from an operatic burlesque of the same name performed in London during the 1840s.
Artist & collection
