Artwork
Print is a print by Eileen Mayo. It dates from 1924 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The print depicts a scene from the 1925 Diaghilev Ballets Russes production of Leonide Massine’s Les Matelots, with set and costume design by Pedro Pruna and music composed by Georges Auric. In the narrative, a sailor promises marriage to a girl before departing on a voyage, and later his shipmates disguise themselves to test her loyalty, which she ultimately maintains despite external pressure.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures the moment of fidelity testing, illustrating the girl's steadfastness amid temptation. The tableau reflects themes of devotion, trust, and the social rituals surrounding courtship, common motifs in early twentieth‑century ballet storytelling.
Technique & Style
Created as a hand‑coloured print, the work belongs to a series produced by publisher Beaumont that sought to render precise, stage‑accurate moments. The print combines line work with selective colour washes, echoing the aesthetic of contemporary illustration while preserving the choreography’s dynamism.
History & Provenance
Beaumont issued a limited run of 22 such prints, collaborating with artists Adrian Allinson, Ethelbert White, Randolph Schwabe, and Eileen Mayo—many of whom also contributed to Beaumont’s Impressions of the Russian Ballet booklets and plywood dancer figures. Exact publication dates are undocumented, but catalogue records confirm the series’ existence in the mid‑1920s.
Context
During the 1920s, interest in the Diagherev Ballet and dance imagery surged, prompting publishers to produce illustrated booklets, figurines, and prints that documented performances. Beaumont’s series aimed to provide both faithful visual records and interpretive perspectives on the ballet repertoire.
Artist & collection
Artist
Eileen Mayo made prints in the 1920s, mostly small black-and-white works that feel sharp and spare at a glance.
