The Good-Humoured Ladies

Originally created as a color reference guide for hand colorists by Ethelbert White, the loose, quick sketch features scribbled color notes (e.g., 'chrome yellow', 'alizarin crimson') around a busy, black-line drawing of the scene.

Part of a series by White capturing key Ballets Russes moments, this print was likely used to guide colorists in reproducing the ballet's visual elements accurately.

Commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, the work reflects the company's influence on early 20th-century dance and art, with the print serving a practical role in color reproduction for related materials.

While the print itself is a working document, it contributes to the archival record of Ballets Russes productions; further works by the artist can be found at the Victoria and Albert Museum.