Ballet

Mediums: oil, canvas.
Location: The Edinburgh National Gallery (Scotland).

From the beginning of the XXth century, many easel artists worked on theatrical productions. The successes of “Ballet Russe”, which toured extensively throughout Europe, contributed to this in many ways. W. Roberts was no exception and collaborated with the Savoy Theater in London, developing a curtain for the Camargo ballet troupe. According to art experts, this picture was noticeably influenced by the work of Walter Sickert, who was closely interested in the behaviour of not only theatrical performers, but also the audience. Even though the dancer on the stage is in the spotlight, half of the canvas is filled with spectators. Although the audience is in the shade, each character is carefully “learned” by the author of the picture and portrayed as a person with their emotions.