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Lot Essay
The paintings of Lizzy Ansingh are often considered to be 'alienating': the dolls she portrayed are puppets with a soul and not merely lifeless toys. The present lot takes this one step further, as the marionettes are skeletons of birds. With the Skeleton Ballet Ansingh referres to a famous puppet theatre, the theatre of Harry van Tussenbroek, who was also a decor and costumemaker.
Ansingh has chosen to depict the final scene of a ballet with the audience throwing flower wreaths, as the dancers and musicians are giving one last acte de presence. Curious birds glance at the stage. The painting has a somewhat foreboding undertone, as the wreaths allude to funeral wreaths, the garlands in the upper right resemble dust-traps and the skeletons could be a metaphor for the transitory aspect of life. However, the subject of music and dance is quite contradictory, being full of life and gaiety.
Ansingh has chosen to depict the final scene of a ballet with the audience throwing flower wreaths, as the dancers and musicians are giving one last acte de presence. Curious birds glance at the stage. The painting has a somewhat foreboding undertone, as the wreaths allude to funeral wreaths, the garlands in the upper right resemble dust-traps and the skeletons could be a metaphor for the transitory aspect of life. However, the subject of music and dance is quite contradictory, being full of life and gaiety.