Ballet fine art nude
The lower quarter of this ballet fine art nude is occupied by a dark, wood-plank floor, in stark contrast to the almost white wall behind the main figure. A woman, nude except for ballet slippers, pivots on one toe. Her hair flies out as she turns. She appears to be warming up rather than dancing. One might imagine she is honing her routine in private with only the essential attire.
The protagonist’s attention is directed off-axis from her body as if distracted by or anticipating something just out of view. Her hands are loosely folded together in front of her body with her arms positioned for balance while spinning. Her back knee is lifted in an uninhibited pose.
Hanging from her necklace is the symbol for the Roman goddess Venus. The iconic circle above a cross is so small it is barely discernible.
The expanse behind the nude figure is a pale robin’s-egg blue, which dips to shadow near the top and corners. A bright spot in the emptiness to the right of the dancer adds to her sense of forward motion. Her pale rose slippers and the ribbons stand out as they dip into the multicolored planks of wood flooring. A sliver of her reflection is visible at the bottom of the composition, visually anchoring her to the environment.
