7028 - Oppler, Ernst

Oppler, Ernst Pawlowa in Rondino Watercolor on dark gray vellum. Circa 1916. 34.7 x 25.2 cm. Signed “E Oppler” in dark blue with a brush in the lower left corner; on the reverse of the mat, inscribed “Ernst Oppler. Berlin W. 62 'Pawlowa in Rondino'", and with fragments of an old paper label, on which is written in blue colored pencil—difficult to read—"Oppler Schwebende des Balletts" (?). The Ballets Russes’ performance in Berlin in 1909, sponsored by the Berlin Secession and Paul Cassirer, was legendary. At the time, the press described Anna Pavlova as the “incarnation of grace”; another publication ran the headline “Queen of the Art of Dance.” From that moment on until his death, the world of stage dance became the essential core of Ernst Oppler’s artistic work. He tirelessly painted, drew, and etched the dancers—not in the studio, but as snapshots taken from the audience. In this view, Pavlova appears to be literally floating through the room in a solo dance titled “Rondino,” presumably set to music by Beethoven. Her pink tulle dress with a white bonnet billows out lavishly; her posture is graceful and extremely elegant, with a color-coordinated feather fan in her left hand. In contrast to the soloist’s radiant presence, Oppler renders the surrounding space dark, reflecting the conditions of the auditorium during the performance. Provenance: Private collection, Lower Saxony (in the family for generations) - Please ask for condition reports for the lots, as the condition is usually not mentioned in the catalog. - Please ask for condition reports for individual lots, as the condition is usually not mentioned in the catalog.