Bidspirit auction | Everett Shinn ”Ballet Dancers” Pastel

Everett Shinn ”Ballet Dancers” Pastel 1911 - Everett Shinn (American, 1876-1953). Pastel and charcoal on canvas drawing titled ”Ballet Dancers, ” 1911. Depicting a candid, behind-the-scenes theatrical moment of five female ballet dancers practicing as two male observers watch from the wings. A prominent ballerina faces the viewer, standing with her arms in en couronne and her left leg crossed behind her right in croisee derriere. She wears a luminous, bright white tutu that beautifully catches the stage light. Beside her, another dancer rests on a low chair, while to her left, a third performer bends forward to adjust her ballet slipper she has propped upon a wooden chair. In the shadowy depths of the far right, two top-hatted men stand watching the performers prepare. Signed and dated along the lower right. Provenance: Private New York Collection; Private Illinois Collection; Hammer Galleries, New York, NY, January 26, 1988; The Distinguished Collection of Leo & Doris Hodroff. Lot Essay: American painter and illustrator Everett Shinn was born in Woodstown, New Jersey, on November 6, 1876. Best known for his vivid depictions of urban life and theater scenes, Shinn emerged as a leading figure of both the Ashcan School and the group of artists known as ”The Eight.” After studying art in Philadelphia, he established his career in New York City, where the energy and spectacle of modern life became the defining subjects of his work. Shinn began his artistic career in the early 1890s as an artist-reporter for a Philadelphia newspaper, capturing the drama of current events. While working as an illustrator, he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 1893 to 1897. There, he formed lasting friendships with fellow newspaper illustrators William Glackens, George Luks, and John Sloan, all of whom shared his interest in portraying everyday contemporary life. Under the influence of their friend and teacher Robert Henri, who believed that any subject was worthy of artistic treatment, the group eventually relocated to New York City and turned their attention to painting its streets and inhabitants. Joined by several other artists, they became known as ”The Eight.” Their candid, realistic depictions of urban life, often emphasizing its grittier aspects, challenged academic traditions and helped define what became known as the Ashcan School. In New York, Shinn continued to work as an illustrator for newspapers and magazines, including Harper's Weekly and McClure's, while developing a successful career as a painter. Working frequently in pastel, he depicted subjects ranging from crowded city streets and impoverished neighborhoods to elegant audiences at the opera. The theater soon became one of his favorite subjects, inspiring works such as ”Ballet Dancers, ” which reveal the influence of Edgar Degas. Beyond easel painting, Shinn also designed murals, decorative panels, and theatrical sets, and served as an art director for motion picture companies between 1917 and 1923. Throughout his long career, New York City remained his greatest source of inspiration, providing the vibrant urban scenes that became the hallmark of his art. Unframed; height: 26 in x width: 36 in. Framed; height: 36 in x width: 46 in x depth: 3 in. Condition: The work has been relined. There are no visible signs of inpainting when inspected under UV light. Verso and edges not inspected. Framed under glass; light wear to the frame.