Artwork
Ballerina
Ballerina is a print by the Impressionist artist Henri Eugéne Le Sidaner. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Henri Eugène Le Sidaner’s monotype titled *Ballerina*, executed around 1894, is part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection in Washington, D.C. The work presents a solitary dancer captured in a fleeting gesture, rendered in a limited palette of blue‑green, yellow‑green and the stark white of her costume against a tan wove paper support.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a female figure caught mid‑twirl, her arms lifted in an elegant arc. The surrounding space dissolves into abstracted swaths of green and blue, suggesting a blur of landscape or foliage that rushes past the performer, emphasizing movement and the transient nature of performance.
Technique & Style
Le Sidaner employed the monotype process, pressing inked brushstrokes directly onto the paper to create uneven, sketch‑like marks. This method yields a textured, almost ghostly surface where the dancer’s crisp white silhouette contrasts with the softer, impressionistic background, reinforcing a sense of immediacy and visual vibration.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑1890s, the print entered the National Gallery of Art’s holdings through acquisition (date of purchase not specified). Its presence in a major American institution reflects the artist’s international reach and the growing appreciation for monotype works in the early twentieth‑century museum context.
Artist & collection
