Jean Target
Ballet Dancer, Micheline Bardin, l'Oiseau Bleu
1957

About the Item

This artwork titled "Michelle Bardin, l'Oiseau Bleu..." referring to the famous ballet dancer, Michelle Bardin, 1957 is a watercolor, pastel and crayon on paper by noted French artist Jean Target, 1910-1997 It is signed and titled at the lower right corner by the artist, dedicated and signed by Michelle Bardin to the artist. The artwork size is 11.75 x 9.15 inches, framed is 20.75 x 17.5 inches. it is beautifully custom framed in a wooden gold frame, with matting and gold color spacer. it is in excellent condition, the colors are fresh and bright. About the artist. Jean Target was born in France in 1910. From a very young age early on, he was impassioned by the two forms of art that would remain the focal point of his career for all his life: visual arts and performing arts. In the 30s and 40s, as a young man, Jean Target frequented the Parisian theaters and cabarets, just like his role model, the famous impressionist painter Toulouse Lautrec, did at the end of the 19th century. Jean became friends with many performers and captured many formal as well as candid depictions. He gained exclusive access and used this privilege to create art with unparalleled perspective as an insider to the seedy, dark, yet glamorous underworld of Parisian cabaret. He drew the dancers on-site, capturing the dancer’s movements in his immediately recognizable signature style. In the 40s and 50s, he continued his artistic career, gaining recognition among collectors in France and all over Europe. His work depicting the Parisian performing art scene captures the feeling and history of the the theater and golden age of cabaret in Paris. Jean Target continued to draw, paint and sculpt until his death in 1997. The work of Jean Target is held in collections and museums worldwide including the world renowned Victoria And Albert Museum in London. About the subject. Micheline Bardin was born in Paris, where, at the age of 8, she was selected to join the ballet school at the Paris Opera Ballet - the oldest national ballet company in the world. By age 14, she secured the primary role in "Swan Lake" at the prestigious venue. In 1948, Bardin was named a Première Star Danseur - the most elite, highly esteemed honor for a ballerina. She retired from ballet in 1957 but soon became host of the popular Canadian television show, "Micheline." Bardin was a multi-talented artist who lived a long life, much of it in the public eye. Her career spanned several decades and multiple continents, as she dazzled people across the world with her dancing, singing and artistic abilities. Bardin's passion for the arts, specifically ballet, was paramount in her life. Her innate talent was exceptional. Her interpretation and articulation in movement was brilliant. For this reason, she was nominated as one of the world's 10 best ballerinas in 1957. In the 1970s, while touring the United States, Bardin met Sherman Levin, who was raised in Wausau. While vacationing near Levin's home, Bardin was struck by the natural beauty of the Northwoods and how much it reminded her of Normandy. The couple married in 1980 and built a summer home in Minocqua. After Levin's death in 1993, Bardin decided to settle in Minocqua year-round for the remainder of her life until her death February 16, 2014

Creator:

Jean Target (1910 - 1997)

Creation Year:

1957

Dimensions:

Height: 20.75 in (52.71 cm)Width: 17.5 in (44.45 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)

Medium:

Watercolor

Movement & Style:

Realist

Period:

Mid-20th Century