Lot number 2531 - Auction 160
DIE BALLETTKLASSE VON ROSITA MAURI IN DER PARISER OPER

HENRI GERVEX 1852 Paris - 1929 ibid. ROSITA MAURI'S BALLET CLASS AT THE PARIS OPERA Oil on panel. 10.5 x 18 cm (Frame: 16.5 x 23 cm). Signed lower right. Verso: inscribed. Framed. The handwritten inscriptions on the reverse of the wood panel identify this work as a depiction of a ballet class at the Paris Opera. Two dancers in tutus are sketched schematically in an abrupt, dynamic movement, while another figure in dark clothing sits on the stage. We are likely witnessing a 'Classe de perfection'-the prestigious masterclass led by the famous prima ballerina Rosita Mauri starting in 1898, following the conclusion of her illustrious stage career. Mauri was one of the most influential figures of her time and served as a muse for prominent painters such as Renoir and Manet. The fleeting, sketch-like nature of the work underscores the immediacy of this scene from the daily working life of the Paris Ballet.