En el camerín

En el camarín is one of the most exquisite Latin American interpretations of that mostly Parisian phenomena: the ballet. Depicting what must have been a common scene for many young ballerinas, Thibón de Libian's En el camarín affords the viewer an opportunity into the intimate quarters of the dancer's dressing room. A magnificent colorist, Thibón de Libian was often compared to another great painter of forbidden spaces and voyeuristic images, Edgar Degas. Well aware of his predecessor's fascination with this subject matter, the concealed reality of the ballet was probably also known to him. Ballerinas such as the one depicted in En el camarín often entered official ballet classes at the age of seven or eight and studied long hours, without pay. Only after repeated examinations would the best of them be promoted and eventually reach the third quadrille, a process that took anywhere from three to four years. Because nearly all dancers were from the lower class, their stipends inevitably became an important supplement to a typical working family. For the same reason, the time spent managing a young girl's progress in the ballet academy was viewed as an investment. Such is the case of the ballerina illustrated in this most subtle of scenes. Appearing half nude and in the company of a matronly figure, the young girl's resigned expression testifies to the realities of her profession. Placed in between a flower arrangement and a beautifully painted tutu, she has become one with nature, serving as another decorative object waiting to be gazed at, admired and desired by a male observer.