Artwork
Print is a print by Ethelbert White. It dates from 1934 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This hand‑coloured print, executed by Ethelbert White in the early 1930s, depicts a scene from the Ballets Russes production Cimarosiana. The image centers on a classical pas de deux, surrounded by dancers in military costume performing the contre‑danse. It forms part of a limited series of souvenir prints commissioned by ballet historian Cyril Beaumont.
Subject & Meaning
Cimarosiana, a divertissement named after composer Domenico Cimarosa, combines a lyrical central duet with energetic ensemble figures. The choreography juxtaposes the intimacy of the pas de deux against the vigor of the surrounding group dances, reflecting the work’s blend of classical elegance and theatrical spectacle.
Technique & Style
White employed a line‑based drawing technique, later enhanced with delicate hand‑applied colour. The composition balances a clear focal point—the central dancers—with a panoramic backdrop that recedes into stylised architectural elements, creating depth while retaining the flatness typical of early 20th‑century printmaking.
History & Provenance
The print, produced in the early 1930s, was among the last of Beaumont’s commissioned souvenir series and is now held by the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The ballet premiered on 27 May 1920 in Paris, choreographed by Léonide Massine for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. It entered the company’s repertoire as an independent divertissement in January 1924 at Monte Carlo, remaining in performance until the company’s final show on 4 August 1929 in Vichy. The print, produced in the early 1930s, was among the last of Beaumont’s commissioned souvenir series and is now held by the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Context
Set design by José Marie Sert portrays a nocturnal view of Rome, with a terrace, stone pedestals, and distant domes bathed in a yellow‑green moonlight. This atmospheric backdrop frames the dancers, linking the ballet’s Italian musical heritage to a romanticized vision of the city.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ethelbert White was an English artist and wood engraver. He was an early member of the Society of Wood Engravers and a founding member of the English Wood Engraving Society in 1925. He also worked in oils and water…
