Louis Fortuney - Ballerina In Motion - Pastel On Paper - Signed

Louis FORTUNEY (1875 – 1951)
Ballerina in Motion
Pastel on paper, 33 x 25 cm
Signed lower left

This pastel depicts a ballerina caught in mid-movement, a recurring subject in the work of Louis Fortuney, who was particularly interested in the world of Parisian theater and ballet.

The dancer is dressed in a tutu in pale blue and white tones, whose ruffles create an effect of movement. The artist demonstrates here his mastery of pastel, a technique he particularly favored. This garment is rendered with a quick and spontaneous touch that accentuates the dynamism of the composition.

The background is composed of dark touches blending deep greens, grays, and browns, evoking the atmosphere of a theater. Accents of golden yellow warm the whole and reinforce the contrast with the central figure. This chromatic approach, where light is concentrated on the main subject, is characteristic of Fortuney's work.

The spontaneous execution and the immediacy of the pose testify to the influence of Toulouse-Lautrec, with whom Fortuney trained in Paris during his youth. This work belongs to the artist's body of work dedicated to the entertainments of the Belle Époque, a period during which he documented Parisian cultural life.

The work is signed in the lower left corner. It is in very good condition. It is displayed under glass in a modern and understated varnished wooden frame. The frame shows some signs of wear.

The artist
Born Louis Ernest Fortuné Andrieux in 1875 in Argeliers, Aude, he adopted the pseudonym "Fortuney" to avoid confusion with a namesake. Trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Toulouse, he moved to Paris at the age of twenty and perfected his illustration skills under Toulouse-Lautrec.

A master pastelist of the Belle Époque, Fortuney distinguished himself by his technical virtuosity and his talent for capturing Parisian life with an immediacy akin to the Impressionists. His favorite subjects included elegant Parisian women, cafés, theaters, the opera, and the ballet. An expert in the use of pastels, a highly prized medium of his time, he particularly excelled at rendering the velvety texture of fabrics and the delicacy of skin tones.

Later, Fortuney devoted himself more to Mediterranean landscapes and seascapes, capturing the light of Brittany and the French Riviera. He received important commissions from the French government to decorate the Ministry of the Navy, attesting to the official recognition of his talent.

His personal style oscillates between Post-Impressionism and Fauvism, never allowing itself to be confined to a single category.

Artwork on display at the gallery (07240).
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