The Perfect Photograph of Perfection

[Anjuli_Bai]

This week I finished a painting - the 122nd.  So, it is time to start on another.

 

I am thinking about basing it on an arabesque.  Something very clean, very simple and done in pen and ink - 16 x 20 in size.

 

Sometimes I use a model - such as a photograph as a base - and sometimes not.

 

One image kept coming to mind - buried deep in my right brain storage locker.

 

And there it is - in Keith Money's "The Art of the Royal Ballet," 1967 (I bought it in 1968), on page 118:

 

Margot Fonteyn in simple practice clothes, in the centre, on demi-pointe in arabesque, her arms  in 2nd arabesque (Cecchetti syllabus).  Perfectly balanced, perfectly proportioned, classroom wall behind her. The simple beauty of a clean, clear, classical (in the sense of no modern distortion) arabesque.   No photo-shopping, no artsy photo angles, no draperies, no tricky lighting.

 

This image stayed with me since I first saw it in 1968.

 

Do  you have such treasured images of ballet?  or dance in other genres?

[Buddy]

This is the best that I can do for the moment. 

 

Guess who ?  (I would photoshop away the spot)

 http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/QMEBFhVMZpU/hqdefault.jpg   

 

And this one previously posted. Olga Smirnova

 

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Cj3ZYpG8PJw/UhMWcLBPD-I/AAAAAAAAP5o/HgiQTPQ-CNE/s837/bolchoi_londres0008.jpg

 

 

If I can fine "The" classic photo of all times I'll try to post it as well.

 

These are several of the most visually *Fascinating* ballerinas that come to mind.

 

Veronika Part

http://www.abt.org/images/db_images/dancers/partweb.jpg

 

Simone Messmer

http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/13846_228670781857_3734678_n.jpg

 

Ekaterina Kondaurova

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aeQpYFJmtUA/ThLtiLOW3GI/AAAAAAAACqI/ut17w4DQbQA/s400/KondaurovaHeadshot.jpg

(and as The Blues Brothers )

http://now-here-this.timeout.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/3D_Shades_EvengyIvanchenko__EkaterinaKondaurova.jpg

Edited January 12, 2014 by Buddy

[Anjuli_Bai]

I searched on Google for that photo of Fonteyn and though there are a number of them from that book displayed - not that particular picture.

 

This thread is already up on Google.   

[Buddy]

I love this one although I sense that I'm drifting further and further away from you intent, Anjuli. Once again Olga Smirnova. I think that as a facial portrait it captures the 'ethereal' beauty and poetry of this remarkable young artist. 

 

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02519/Olga_2519177b.jpg

 

The Anna Pavlova one that I posted first has been perhaps my favorite dance image since I first saw it almost ten years ago. It's taken from the film clip made of her and the graininess of the black background looks like stars in the heavens, where I can imagine her dancing.

 

The second one of Olga Smirnova in warmup clothing simply suggests an Earth-Goddess. 

 

I've yet to find a photo of the last three ballerinas that captures their visual enchantment and fascination.

Edited January 13, 2014 by Buddy

[Mike Snow]

Sometimes art captures more of the essence and feeling than a photo. Does anyone have a favourite ballet painter?

[trog]

My two favourite ballet photos are :
Natalia Makarova http://oregonballettheatre.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/slmakarovaodette_odile.jpg (the left hand image - this is superb in the book I have)

Maria Tallchief http://www.ballerinagallery.com/pic/tallch02.jpg by Baron

 

 

[Anjuli_Bai]

This is my favorite of Markarova:

 

http://www.dancespirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/dina-makaroff.jpg

 

I'm hoping just the link comes up.  If the picture comes up - because of copyright concerns - I'll take it down.

[Ellie]

There is a wonderful (in my opinion) photograph of Makarova as Juliet which I believe was used as the cover of a book called Ballerina...Whilst searching for it now I also found a beautiful one of Osipova at ABT (also Juliet) I've tried to post the link, but it's not working....x

[Fonty]

Fonteyn was such a beautiful woman, she had some lovely photos taken.  I have a book with some wonderful pictures of her.  Among my favourites are one taken of her as the Firebird, just leaping on the stage.  It is full of movement, but unfortunately I can't find the exact photo on the web.   You know the costume, of course:

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/11/19/article-1229174-0741C6B8000005DC-693_468x314.jpg

 

There are also some super ones of her in Symphonic Variations, with Pamela May and Moira Shearer.  Again, I can't find anything of good quality on the web, only these:

 

http://archives.dailynews.lk/2006/06/07/z_p34-Engigma2.jpg

[Anjuli_Bai]

This is one of my favorites of Fonteyn:

 

 

I can't get it to work - I'll keep trying

 

Hopefully this is it:

 

 

http://danceviewtimes.com/images/spring04/07/FonteynSwanLake.jpg

Edited January 14, 2014 by Anjuli_Bai

[Buddy]

Sometimes art captures more of the essence and feeling than a photo. Does anyone have a favourite ballet painter?

Painting by 

Anjuli_Bai

 

http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/4682-swan-lake-rhymes-and-bouguereau/

 

Edited January 14, 2014 by Buddy

[Pas de Quatre]

Funny how all the best photos are low arabesques or attitudes! Not a gymnastic split from anyone.  One of my favourites of Fonteyn is where she is simply pointing behind, framed in a stone arch outdoors.  Will try to find it tomorrow. 

[Ellie]

In my opinion the 'photograph of perfection'- as illustrated in the above preferences is of a beautiful (but not necessarily perfect ) line, co-ordination and feeling of abandon, with the spirit, and not just a leg or foot, reaching to infinity. 

 

But that's just what I think. x

[Buddy]

In my opinion the 'photograph of perfection'….

 

with the spirit, and not just a leg or foot, reaching to infinity. 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 15, 2014 by Buddy

[MAB]

 One of my favourites of Fonteyn is where she is simply pointing behind, framed in a stone arch outdoors.  Will try to find it tomorrow. 

 

I think I know the one you mean, it was taken inside the Alhambra in Granada.

 

Dug out my Art of the Royal Ballet last night (dust cover in terrible state now) and had a long look at the picture Anjuli likes so much, it is indeed very beautiful.  My favourite of Fonteyn is in another Keith Money book, Fonteyn & Nureyev, the pages are not numbered but it is one of the last in the book with the pair in costume for Sleeping Beauty.  The perfect line formed between them illustrates why the partnership has become immortal.

[Pas de Quatre]

Yes that is the one.  If you go to Google Images there are masses of photos of her, including that, but I couldn't separate it out to make a link.  Another very old one I love was taken on a boat in the med.  She and Robert Helpmann (if I remember correctly) are doing a barre on deck holding onto the railing.  They look tanned and happy, a great picture.

[Fonty]

Yes, I remember there were a couple of photos of her doing barre work on the boat.  She really was so photogenic, and she also seemed to radiate this air of serenity when she was practising.

 

I am trying to think of current dancers who have had similar photos taken while they were practising, but nothing springs to mind. 

[Anjuli_Bai]

Painting by 

Anjuli_Bai

 

http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/4682-swan-lake-rhymes-and-bouguereau/

 

 

 

Thank you so much Buddy for thinking of that painting.  i really should identify it.  It's called "Starr" because i painted it from a photo of the beautiful dancer Starr Danias.  The painting is oil on canvas - 20 x 16.

 

 

 

I think I know the one you mean, it was taken inside the Alhambra in Granada.

 

Dug out my Art of the Royal Ballet last night (dust cover in terrible state now) and had a long look at the picture Anjuli likes so much, it is indeed very beautiful.  My favourite of Fonteyn is in another Keith Money book, Fonteyn & Nureyev, the pages are not numbered but it is one of the last in the book with the pair in costume for Sleeping Beauty.  The perfect line formed between them illustrates why the partnership has become immortal.

 

I looked at my copy of Fonteyn and Nureyev and the Sleeping Beauty pictures are indeed wonderful as MAB says.

 

As I recall from Fonteyn's auto-bio, she mentioned that often both she and Nureyev were surprised how marvelously their lines matched.  She also said that while performing she caught a glimpse of how he placed his foot on the stage and it mesmerized her.  There is a picture of just such a moment - I  believe it occurs in the Balcony Scene of R & J - (I forget which book) just their feet side by side stepping forward.  Marvelous and memorable.  Not a distorted line anywhere.

[Buddy]

Maybe you could post some more of your paintings sometime, Anjuli. That would be great to see.

[Anjuli_Bai]

Maybe you could post some more of your paintings sometime, Anjuli. That would be great to see.

 

I do enjoy painting dance.  I think having danced is a great help to me; helps to know where the weight is placed.

 

I am still busy on the Fonteyn sketch - I think I captured (or I hope I captured) that serentiy and floating essence of her - although I am not intending it to be a portrait.  I also put my dancer on pointe.  Probably will be pen and ink rather than oil. 

 

As for putting my dance paintings up here - while I am willing - I'm not sure it would be something the Moderators might want.  I would be taking up more than my share of input on the Board.  

 

It seems to me that ballet photographs are much more suceessful  in black and white rather than color.  Does anyone else feel that way?

[Mummykool]

I've found some lovely 'classic' images of Natalia Osipova recently, but for absolute perfection, this shot of Natalia Makarova in Voluntaries is still my all time favourite

 

 

 

[LinMM]

There are so many I love of Fonteyn in my very first book just on her there are some great ones of her in Giselle......can't remember the name of book now.

 

If this link works this is a lovely one of Fonteyn I think

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=499883610104452&set=a.100597200033097.769.100002484511690&type=1&theater

[LinMM]

Also in that book are some lovely ones of her in Symphonic Variations......someone may have mentioned this!

[Odyssey]

This is one of my favourite pictures of Fonteyn. It shows the wonderful proportions of her body and I love the pose.

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/7158635@N05/6824023790/

[MAB]

Chloe!  The first role I saw her dance.