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Art Deco Metal Sculpture "the Dancer With Cymbals" By Enrique Molins-balleste
$5,485.51
£4,061.79
€4,600
CA$7,576.77
A$8,114.72
CHF 4,362.42
MX$98,558.06
NOK 55,121.30
SEK 50,467.65
DKK 35,057.82
About the Item
This is a sculpture made of spelter (or art metal), depicting a young dancer performing a dynamic dance figure, balanced on the toe of one foot. The artist has captured the subject's movement and grace, with the body slightly inclined and one leg raised and bent at the knee.
Subject: A dancer in the Cabaret or Music-hall style of the 1920s–1930s.Accessories: She holds two cymbals in her outstretched hands, suggesting a rhythmic performance.
- Attire: The dancer wears a molded headdress over her short hair (characteristic of the era, often a bob or a low bun), an ornate armband on one arm, and short trousers/culottes with a low waistline, richly decorated with stylized floral motifs in relief.
- Material and Finish: The sculpture is executed in spelter and features a sea-green or very pale blue-green patina, potentially imitating a bronze patina or a ceramic color.
- Presentation: It rests on a simple parallelepiped-shaped black/dark marble base, which contrasts with the figure's lightness and emphasizes her posture.The work is an excellent example of the interwar period aesthetic, blending the dynamism of movement with stylized elegance.
2. Artistic Movement: Art Deco
This piece is fully aligned with the Art Deco movement (a contraction of Arts Décoratifs), which dominated decorative arts, architecture, fashion, and sculpture from 1910 to 1939, reaching its peak after the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris in 1925.
Artistic Justifications for Art Deco:
2.1. Contrasting Materials and Luxury: The use of spelter (often to make art accessible) combined with a black marble base (or Portor/Belgian marble) is typical of Art Deco, playing on the contrast between textures and dark colors against the figure's brightness.
2.2. Stylized Ornamentation: The floral ornamentation on the clothing is not naturalistic but is geometrized and repetitive—a key characteristic of Art Deco, which rejects the complex volutes of Art Nouveau in favor of clean, angular, or cascading motifs.
2.3. Style and Geometric Stylization: Although there is movement, the body is stylized and the forms are simplified. The hairstyle, the balanced posture, and the treatment of the limbs favor a clean, elegant line rather than pure naturalism.
2.4. Subject and Theme of the New Woman: The work features a "Garçonne" (Flapper), an emblematic figure of feminine freedom and emancipation of the era. Dancers, athletes, and subjects in motion are central motifs in Art Deco, celebrating speed, dynamism, and the machine age.
3. Artist Biography: Enrique BALLESTE (or Enric)
- Identification: Full Name: Enrique Balleste y BuxóPeriod of Activity: Late 19th – Early 20th century (primarily active during the Art Deco period).Nationality: Spanish (Catalan).
- Career and Style: Enrique Balleste is a sculptor of Spanish origin (often associated with Catalonia) who emigrated to France, where he achieved notable success during the Art Deco period, particularly in Paris, the movement's center.
- Production and Materials: Balleste is best known for his small bronzes and spelter sculptures (like the piece shown), often with applications of colored patinas (green, ivory, gold) or carved ivory parts (a technique known as Chryselephantine), which was very popular at the time.
- Preferred Themes: His work is emblematic of Art Deco through its themes. He specialized in representing the modern, athletic woman: exotic dancers, sportswomen, and opera or theater figures, always capturing momentum and movement with great linear elegance.
- Recognition: While not as universally famous as contemporaries like Demêtre Chiparus or Ferdinand Preiss, his works are highly collectible and sought after on the antiques market for their quality of execution and perfect adherence to the Art Deco style.His work embodies the spirit of an era that celebrated optimism, modernity, and the aesthetics of the body in motion.
- Creator:Enrique Molins-Balleste (Artist)
- Dimensions:Height: 18.31 in (46.5 cm)Width: 3.15 in (8 cm)Depth: 3.15 in (8 cm)
- Style:Art Deco (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1920-1940
- Condition:Minor losses.
- Seller Location:Ixelles, BE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU10116247630252
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