Artwork
Mlle Camargo
Mlle Camargo is a print by Nicolas Lancret. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Mlle Camargo is an 18th-century print based on a painting by Nicholas Lancret, depicting the renowned French dancer Marie Camargo in elegant attire and high-heeled shoes, highlighting her influential role in ballet fashion.
Subject & Meaning
The print portrays Marie Camargo, a pioneering dancer who revolutionized ballet attire by shortening her skirts to showcase intricate footwork and jumps, such as entrechats, thereby influencing subsequent dancers.
Technique & Style
The work, originally a painting by Lancret, was reproduced as an engraving, a common method for disseminating images of notable figures before mass reproduction techniques. The artistic approach likely incorporates chiaroscuro, though this is specifically notable in the original painting.
History & Provenance
Based on Lancret's successful painting of Camargo, multiple versions exist, housed in prominent collections: the Wallace Collection (London), the Hermitage (St Petersburg), and the National Gallery of Art (Washington).
Context
Created in an era where engravings were a primary means for the public to own likenesses of famous individuals or artworks, this print reflects both the artistic and cultural fashions of 18th-century Europe, including the transition in ballet footwear from high heels to heelless slippers by the century's end.
Legacy
Mlle Camargo's image, through both the original paintings and this print, commemorates her lasting impact on ballet attire and technique, echoing through the development of ballet shoes and performance styles that followed.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolas Lancret (French pronunciation: ; 22 January 1690 – 14 September 1743) was a French painter.
