The Laura Knight exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery includes four pictures of special interest to ballet fans. Firstly, there are the two portraits of Barbara Bonner, one of which seems to be a study for the other, that was commissioned by Earl Hoover, who chose her to be the model. Although the final portrait is “staged”, in that the dancer is shown with a dresser who was actually Knight’s dressmaker, it is interesting not only because the artist (or possibly the patron) has chosen to show the dancer backstage, but also because Bonner is presented as such a strong and meditative figure; this is no wafer-thin dreamy sylph, but a muscular and thoughtful woman. (more…)
September 18, 2013
Dancers on canvas: Laura Knight Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery till 13th October
Posted by susiecrow under reviews, What's happening | Tags: Barbara Bonner, Laura Knight, Lubov Tchernicheva, Lydia Lopokova, Maggie Watson, National Portrait Gallery |Leave a Comment