Paintings, Prints & Drawings — 1910-1915
A Portrait of Anna Pavlova
This portrait of Anna Pavalova was drawn in the early 20th century when the ballerina had left her native Russia to live in Hampstead, London. The most famous classical ballet dancer of her generation, Pavolva lived in London until her death in 1931 at the age of forty-nine. It was during her time in the city that she met the leading society and political hostess Lady Hazel Lavery, wife of the artist Sir John Lavery.
The emphasis in this charcoal and chalk drawing is on the face of the sitter who gazes towards the viewer with her neck elegantly lifted. While Pavolva's features are carefully sketched in, the shawl over her hair and her clothes are only very loosely invoked.
The Laverys were supporters of Irish home rule and heavily involved with Irish politics and politicians of the 1920s and 1930s. Sir Lavery's portrait of his wife as the personification of Ireland was incorporated on the free state banknotes, which were in use from 1928 to 1975.
- Category:
- Paintings, Prints & Drawings
- Object ID:
- 89.271
- Object name:
- A Portrait of Anna Pavlova
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- Lavery, Hazel
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- 1910-1915
- Material:
paper, chalk, charcoal
- Measurements/duration:
- H 421 mm, W 343 mm (paper)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
Martyn McEnery
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.