'Muriel Belmondo at the Barre' by Yves Brayer (1962)

'Muriel Belmondo at the Barre', watercolour on fine art paper, by Yves Brayer (1962). Muriel Belmondo was a French ballet dancer born in 1945, having grown up in Paris's 14th arrondissement as the youngest sibling of film producer Alain Belmondo and the very famous actor, Jean-Paul Belmondo. She trained and performed with the corps de ballet of the Paris Opera, beginning her professional career there. Interestingly, the artist was appointed a costume and set-designer at the Opera in Paris in 1942 where he developed a fascination for ballet dancers with whom he came into contact. He couldn't help but paint a chosen few of them - some in watercolour and others in oil. This work is rare indeed as a subject for Brayer however, it is interesting as a choice as it depicts the less glamorous, behind-the-scene realities of being a professional ballet dancer. His most common artworks are Provencal landscapes. This artwork depicts Ms. Belmondo standing at the barre. The barre supports dancers during their gruelling rehearsals usually overseen by the director. 

This watercolour is in good overall condition. It is newly framed and glazed with anti-reflective glass. Please enjoy the many photos accompanying the listing. Signed: 'Yves Brayer' in the lower right hand. With respect to provenance, Mr. Olivier Brayer (born 1956) has confirmed the authenticity of this artwork as it appears as listing number K1790 in the archives of his father's works. A video of the piece can be provided - please ask. For the buyer, a Certificate of Authenticity will be provided upon request.

Dimensions with frame:

H 55.6 cm / 21.9"

W 45.8cm / 18"

Dimensions without frame:

H 40.5 cm / 15.9"

W 31.3 / 12.3"

About the Artist: Yves Brayer (1907-1990) stands among the most celebrated modern French painters. Although he was faithful to the figurative tradition, his ample métier was enriched by his personal vision. His oeuvre proved to be very diverse, for besides his well-known landscapes, he also painted vast canvases, portraits and still lifes. A lover of Mediterranean landscapes, Yves Brayer sojourned in Morocco, Spain and Italy before settling down in Provence. There he was enchanted by the diverse and architectural forms of the Alpilles mountains, and by the vast expanse of the Camargue region with its ubiquitous white horses and black bulls. From then on he spent several months each year working in Provence. He also travelled internationally where he was quick to grasp the unique rhythm and light of each country.

Brayer passed away in Paris in 1990. A large collection of his paintings are on permanent display both at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Cordes, France and at the Musée Yves Brayer in Les Baux de Provence, as well as many regional museums in his home country. In the United States, Yves Brayer's works form part of the collection of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, among others.