Jean Target
Les Danseurs Espagnols Teresa and Luisillo
c.1950

About the Item

This artwork titled "Les Danseurs Espagnols Teresa an Luisillo" referring to the famous Flamenco dancers, Teresa Viera Romero and Luis Perez Davila A.KA Luisillo, is a watercolor, on paper by noted French artist Jean Target, 1910-1997 It is signed at the lower right corner by the artist. The artwork size is 15 x 10.25 inches, framed is 24.5 x 19.25 inches. it is beautifully custom framed in a wooden silver frame, with matting and silver 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. Luis Pérez Dávila was born in Mexico in 1927. He studied in his home town and made his debut with the company of Carmen Amaya in New York in 1947, and his Spanish debut the following year in 1948. With Teresa Viera Romero he founded the company called 'Los Ballets Españoles de Teresa y Luisillo' ('Teresa and Luisillo's Spanish Ballet) with which he toured Europe and the United States. After the departure of Teresa Viera the group became known as the Spanish Dance Company. His own creations were first performed with the Spanish Dance Company and the Teatro de la Zarzuela theatre in Madrid. He presented the choreography entitled 'El Convite' (1965) at the Vatican, a work which had been created to mark the world gathering of gypsies. In 1976 he abandoned the stage to take up the design and management of choreography. He produced a new version of 'Don Quixote' (1981) for the Spanish National Ballet. In 1984 he founded the Spanish Dance Theatre for which he created numerous works. He died in Madrid in 2007. Luisillo – born in Mexico City 1927, died in Madrid 16.11.2007 at the age of 81 – was a Spanish dancer and choreographer of rare theatrical talent. He received many honours: the Gold Medal from the theatre La Fenice in Venice; the Eurovision Gold Medal for his ballet Don Quijote (music: Torroba) when it was televised; other gold medals from Mexico and Wales; a Silver Giralda from Seville; and finally in 1989 the Cross of Isabella la Católica from King Juan Carlos I in recognition of his 50 years in dance. He was very religious and received the award of Ben Meditate from the Secretary of State of the Vatican for his production during a world reunion of Gypsies. His company, Teatro de la Danza Española, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2001. Luisillo took Spanish dance in its full glory of regional, classical and flamenco all over the world. The very theatrical presentations of his company caused dancers and musicians of all nationalities to flock to Spain to study. He helped every single dancer or guitarist once they arrived in Spain. His influence inspired the teachers of South Africa to raise the teaching of Spanish dance by setting a syllabus for an examination system, and he then became the Patron of the Spanish Dance Society that they founded - now a worldwide organisation. Many members of the Spanish Dance Society in South Africa joined Luisillo's company and should write about their experiences of him and his ballets. Rhoda Rivkind has a wonderful story about the dancers illegally cooking their supper in the dressing room upstairs in a theatre. He visited South Africa five times in ten years and, with the two visits by Greco and Antonio, raised the interest in South Africa to a fever pitch. He worshipped Carmen Amaya, his Flamenco teacher and mentor. He had wanted to become bullfighter, but after seeing her dance, he became obsessed by the world of Flamenco. His debut in Madrid with her company was in 1948. He married vivacious Teresa Viera Romero from Amaya's company in 1950, and they danced together as "Teresa y Luisillo". He choreographed many ballets such as Blood on the Moon and Carmen (about Carmen Amaya), and he presented Spain's rich folklore in ballets with themes from Zaragoza, Valencia, La Mancha and Galicia.

Creator:

Jean Target (1910 - 1997)

Creation Year:

c.1950

Dimensions:

Height: 24.5 in (62.23 cm)Width: 19.25 in (48.9 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)

Medium:

Watercolor

Movement & Style:

Realist

Period:

Mid-20th Century