Jean Target
Danseurs Espagnols, Antonio and Rosario
c.1945

About the Item

This artwork titled "Les Danseurs Espagnols Rosario and Antonio" referring to the famous Flamenco dancers, Antonio Ruiz Soler and Florence Perez Padilla c.1945 is a pastel and black stone on brown paper by noted French artist Jean Target, 1910-1997 It is signed and titled at the lower left corner by the artist. The artwork size is 12.85 x 9 inches, it is in very good 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. Antonio Ruiz Soler (4 November 1921, Seville – 6 February 1996, Madrid), was a Spanish flamenco dancer, choreographer and dance director. He was professionally known as Antonio or Antonio el Bailarín ("Antonio the dancer"). With Rosario (Florence Pérez Padilla) he had a partnership which lasted from 1928 until 1952 and which became world-famous. They were billed as Rosario y Antonio. During appearances in the United States he danced in Ravel's "Boléro" in New York City and appeared in several Hollywood movies, including "Ziegfeld Girl" (1941), "Hollywood Canteen" (1944) and "Honeymoon" (1947). In 1953 he formed his own Spanish ballet company, Antonio y los Ballets de Madrid, and Rosario also formed a company, partnered by Iglesias. Antonio choreographed many works in Spanish and classical style; several were taken up by other companies. The Spanish flamenco dancer and choreographer Antonio Ruiz Soler, whose ballet-inspired footwork and arm movements brought new prominence to male dancers on the Spanish stage in the 1940's, 50's and 60's, died on Monday at his home in Madrid. He was 74. The Associated Press reported that he died of a stroke after a period of poor health. For three decades starting in the 1940's, the man nicknamed "Antonio el Bailarin" ("Antonio the dancer") was credited with breaking new ground, first as a confidant and elegant dancing partner to his cousin Florencia Perez, known as Rosario, and later as a choreographer influenced by Balanchine. He created choreography for Falla's "Three-Cornered Hat," Rodrigo's "Concierto Andaluz" and Albeniz's "Suite Iberica." During appearances in the United States that drew large, enthusiastic crowds, he danced in Ravel's "Bolero" in New York City and appeared in several Hollywood movies, including "Ziegfeld Girl" and "Honeymoon." Mr. Ruiz Soler's last performance as a dancer was in Sapporo, Japan, in 1979. Born in Seville in 1921, he began studying dance at age 6. Early in his career, he toured for a decade in Argentina and throughout North and South America, returning to Spain in 1949. His flamenco partnership with his cousin Rosario gained a following on both sides of the Atlantic. They were a stage attraction for 22 years, until they split up in 1952; they reunited from 1962 to 1965. In the 1950's, Mr. Ruiz Soler formed his own dance company in Spain. As a choreographer, "he modernized Spanish ballet, adding theatrical touches," said Roger Salas, dance critic of the Madrid daily El Pais. But his emphasis on pirouettes and his attention to costumes and sets led some flamenco purists to criticize his work, Mr. Salas said. Rosario's real name was Florencia Pérez Padilla. She was born in Seville in 1918. At the age of nine she attended the academy of the dance master Realito, where she met Antonio el Bailarín, who was six at the time. Realito brought them together as dance partners and they launched their artistic career in 1928 with a performance in the Spanish pavilion at the International Exhibition in Liège. From that point they embarked on a world tour under the artistic name of 'Los chavalillos sevillanos', with a repertoire which covered various different styles of Spanish dance. Rosario also studied with the Pericet family, La Macarrona and Vicente Reyes, with whom she began to dance classical choreographies. After her artistic separation from Antonio in 1953, she set up her own company. In 1962 they were reunited again, and from that time on she gave occasional performances as a guest artiste in Antonio el Bailarín's own company. In 1971 she retired from the stage and dedicated herself to teaching in her private school. She died in Madrid in 2000.

Creator:

Jean Target (1910 - 1997)

Creation Year:

c.1945

Dimensions:

Height: 12.85 in (32.64 cm)Width: 9 in (22.86 cm)Depth: 0.01 in (0.26 mm)

Medium:

Watercolor

Movement & Style:

Realist

Period:

Mid-20th Century