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This is a drawing of a grand ball or dance scene. The image depicts a group of figures elegantly dressed in flowing gowns and elaborate costumes partaking in a courtly dance inside a palatial hall. The intricate pencil and ink lines suggest movement and grace. The figures are in motion, some twirling while others maintain poised gestures. The background features ornate architectural details with tall columns and arches, enhancing the grandeur of the setting. This is rendered with light shading and careful line work, creating a sense of depth and drama. The drawing conveys an atmosphere of elegance and celebration.
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This is a drawing of a grand ball or dance scene. The image depicts a group of figures elegantly dressed in flowing gowns and elaborate costumes partaking in a courtly dance inside a palatial hall. The intricate pencil and ink lines suggest movement and grace. The figures are in motion, some twirling while others maintain poised gestures. The background features ornate architectural details with tall columns and arches, enhancing the grandeur of the setting. This is rendered with light shading and careful line work, creating a sense of depth and drama. The drawing conveys an atmosphere of elegance and celebration.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

Ballet from "The Rival Fairies"

Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin

Date
1748
Medium
pen and black ink with gray wash on light beige laid paper, with a loose border line by the artist in pen and gray ink
Dimensions
overall: 13.7 x 20.6 cm (5 3/8 x 8 1/8 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
2000.9.23.a
Credit line
Gift of Gertrude Laughlin Chanler
Time span
1726 to 1750
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • French
  • interior
  • architecture
  • Dancer
  • Costume
  • Dress
  • Figures
Provenance

M. Pérignon (his sale, Paris, 30-31 May 1864); his son, A. Pérignon (his sale, Paris, 17-23 May 1865, no. 141). Private collection (sale, Paris, 20-21 May 1873, no. 127). M. Audouin, by 1877. (Thomas Agnew and Sons, London); The Hon. Irwin Boyle Laughlin, 1917, Washington, D.C.; his wife, Therese Iselin Laughlin, Washington, D.C., 1941; their daughter, Gertrude Laughlin Chanler, New York, 1958; gift to NGA, 2000.

Inscription

by the artist in pen and gray ink at lower left: ballet des fée rivalles italiens

NGA object ID 111607. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.