Dance and Music in Art
The artistic nature of dance and music are universal. I will discuss works of art that could be categorized from one or both genre.
Starting with dance, From India, a bronze figure of a dancing girl from Indus Valley civilization excavations dates to 6,000 BC. Other representations of dance can be seen in ancient cave paintings and temples.
Kabuki Theater and Noh performances inspired woodblock prints by Japanese artist Utagawa Kunisada (AKA Toyokuni III) (1786-1864).
Influenced by 28th century Japanese art, Henri de Toulouse Lautrec painted dancers performing in a cabaret in Montmartre, Paris - "Divan Japonais" (1893-1894).
John Singer Sargent's painting "El Jaleo" (1882) shows musicians and a dancer performing. You can imagine the sounds. It can be seen at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA.
Russian-French artist Marc Chagall painted "The Dance" (1909) as a study for the commission "Dance II" (1910). The former can be seen at MoMA, NY. The latter can be found at the Hermitage, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
French visual artist Henri Matisse's cut-outs "Two Dancers" (1937-1938) was the stage curtain design for the ballet "Rouge et Noir."
In motion pictures, one of the best dancers of all time, Gene Kelly, sang and danced in "Singing in the Rain" (1952).
As for music, "Musical Angels" as part of a set by artist Melozzo da Forli and "Angels Playing Musical Instruments" by Fra Angelico can be seen at the Vatican Museum, Rome, Italy.
Italian Baroque artist Caravaggio was commissioned by Cardinal Francesco Maria del' Monte to paint "The Musicians" (1872).
Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer's paintings inspired by music are: "Music Lesson" (1665), "Young Woman Seated at a Virginal" (1670-1672), and "Girl Interrupted at Her Music" (1661).
French modernist artist Edouard Manet painted "A Fifer" (1866). It can be seen at the Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France.
French Impressionist Edgar Degas' love of the Paris Opera House can be seen in "Orchestra Musicians" (1872) and "The Orchestra of the Opera" (1870).
French Impressionist artist Gustave Caillebotte painted his younger brother Martial in "A Young Man Playing Piano" (1876).
French post-Impressionist artist Georges Seurat painted "Circus Sideshow" (1888) where a solo clarinetist is in the forefront with the band behind. It can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky was so influenced by music, he gave musical titles to many of his paintings. His "Collection of 10 Compositions" (1907-1939) exemplifies why it was said "Kandinsky paints music" with artistic emotion.
Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani painted "The Cellist" (1909).
Marc Chagall's "The Fiddler" (1912) inspired the musical "Fiddler on the Roof."
Matisse painted "The Piano Lesson" (1916) that can be seen at MoMA, NY.
Spaniard Pablo Picasso designed production sets and costumes for the first Cubist ballet, "Parade" (1917).
Starting with dance, From India, a bronze figure of a dancing girl from Indus Valley civilization excavations dates to 6,000 BC. Other representations of dance can be seen in ancient cave paintings and temples.
Kabuki Theater and Noh performances inspired woodblock prints by Japanese artist Utagawa Kunisada (AKA Toyokuni III) (1786-1864).
Influenced by 28th century Japanese art, Henri de Toulouse Lautrec painted dancers performing in a cabaret in Montmartre, Paris - "Divan Japonais" (1893-1894).
John Singer Sargent's painting "El Jaleo" (1882) shows musicians and a dancer performing. You can imagine the sounds. It can be seen at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA.
Russian-French artist Marc Chagall painted "The Dance" (1909) as a study for the commission "Dance II" (1910). The former can be seen at MoMA, NY. The latter can be found at the Hermitage, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
French visual artist Henri Matisse's cut-outs "Two Dancers" (1937-1938) was the stage curtain design for the ballet "Rouge et Noir."
In motion pictures, one of the best dancers of all time, Gene Kelly, sang and danced in "Singing in the Rain" (1952).
As for music, "Musical Angels" as part of a set by artist Melozzo da Forli and "Angels Playing Musical Instruments" by Fra Angelico can be seen at the Vatican Museum, Rome, Italy.
Italian Baroque artist Caravaggio was commissioned by Cardinal Francesco Maria del' Monte to paint "The Musicians" (1872).
Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer's paintings inspired by music are: "Music Lesson" (1665), "Young Woman Seated at a Virginal" (1670-1672), and "Girl Interrupted at Her Music" (1661).
French modernist artist Edouard Manet painted "A Fifer" (1866). It can be seen at the Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France.
French Impressionist Edgar Degas' love of the Paris Opera House can be seen in "Orchestra Musicians" (1872) and "The Orchestra of the Opera" (1870).
French Impressionist artist Gustave Caillebotte painted his younger brother Martial in "A Young Man Playing Piano" (1876).
French post-Impressionist artist Georges Seurat painted "Circus Sideshow" (1888) where a solo clarinetist is in the forefront with the band behind. It can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky was so influenced by music, he gave musical titles to many of his paintings. His "Collection of 10 Compositions" (1907-1939) exemplifies why it was said "Kandinsky paints music" with artistic emotion.
Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani painted "The Cellist" (1909).
Marc Chagall's "The Fiddler" (1912) inspired the musical "Fiddler on the Roof."
Matisse painted "The Piano Lesson" (1916) that can be seen at MoMA, NY.
Spaniard Pablo Picasso designed production sets and costumes for the first Cubist ballet, "Parade" (1917).
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