Exhibition History"Commitment, Community and Controversy: The Des Moines Art Center Collections," Des Moines Art Center, January 24 - May 10, 1998
"From Body to Being: Reflections on the Human Image," Des Moines Art Center, Feb. 1 - May 4, 1997
"In Quest of Excellence," Center for the Fine Arts, Miami, FL, Jan. 14 - Apr. 22, 1984
"Pioneers: Early 20th Century Art from Midwestern Museums," Grand Rapids Art Museum, MI, Sept. 17 - Nov. 1, 1981
"Paintings, Drawings, Sculptures, Prints from Twenty-three Iowa Collections," Art Department, State University of Iowa, Iowa City, May 9 - Aug. 15, 1961
"The Painting of Light," Des Moines Art Center, Mar. 3 - 27, 1960
"Picture of the Month," Philbrook Art Center, Tulsa, OK, Oct. - Nov. 1959
"Paintings in the Collection of the Des Moines Association of Fine Arts," 610 Walnut Street, Dec. 15, 1939 - Jan. 5, 1940
"Robert Henri Memorial Exhibition," Metropolitan Museum of Art, N.Y., Mar. 9 - Apr. 19, 1931
Des Moines Public Library, Des Moines Association of Fine Arts, 1927
Published ReferencesDES MOINES SUNDAY REGISTER, July 9, 1972, ill.
DES MOINES REGISTER, Apr. 27, 1927
DES MOINES REGISTER, Mar. 1960
Eloise Spaeth, AMERICAN ART MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES: AN INTRODUCTION TO LOOKING, Harper & Brothers, New York, 1960, ref. p.145, ill. p.145
DMAC Brochure, 1960, ill.
"The Painting of Light," Des Moines Art Center, 1960, exh. cat. no.44
AN UNCOMMON VISION: THE DES MOINES ART CENTER, Des Moines Art Center, 1998, ref. pp.28 & 136, color ill. p.137
DES MOINES ART CENTER: SELECTED PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES AND WORKS ON PAPER, Des Moines Art Center, 1985, ref. pp.82 & 83, color ill. pl.XI, p.107
"In Quest of Excellence," Center for the Fine Arts, Miami, 1984, exh. cat. no.144, ref. p.96, ill. p.96
"Paintings, Drawings, Sculptures, Prints from Twenty-three Iowa Collections," State University of Iowa, 1961, exh. cat. no.5
DES MOINES CAPITOL, Feb. 11, 1927
"Robert Henri Memorial Exhibition," Metropolitan Museum of Art, N. Y., 1931, exh. cat. no.41, ill.
"Paintings in the Collection of the Des Moines Association of Fine Arts," Des Moines Association of Fine Arts, 1939, exh. cat. no.10
"Pioneers: Early 20th Century Art from Midwestern Museums," Grand Rapids Art Museum, MI, 1981, exh. cat. no.15, ill.
"From Body to Being: Reflections on the Human Image," Des Moines Art Center, Feb. 1 - May 4, 1997
"In Quest of Excellence," Center for the Fine Arts, Miami, FL, Jan. 14 - Apr. 22, 1984
"Pioneers: Early 20th Century Art from Midwestern Museums," Grand Rapids Art Museum, MI, Sept. 17 - Nov. 1, 1981
"Paintings, Drawings, Sculptures, Prints from Twenty-three Iowa Collections," Art Department, State University of Iowa, Iowa City, May 9 - Aug. 15, 1961
"The Painting of Light," Des Moines Art Center, Mar. 3 - 27, 1960
"Picture of the Month," Philbrook Art Center, Tulsa, OK, Oct. - Nov. 1959
"Paintings in the Collection of the Des Moines Association of Fine Arts," 610 Walnut Street, Dec. 15, 1939 - Jan. 5, 1940
"Robert Henri Memorial Exhibition," Metropolitan Museum of Art, N.Y., Mar. 9 - Apr. 19, 1931
Des Moines Public Library, Des Moines Association of Fine Arts, 1927
Published ReferencesDES MOINES SUNDAY REGISTER, July 9, 1972, ill.
DES MOINES REGISTER, Apr. 27, 1927
DES MOINES REGISTER, Mar. 1960
Eloise Spaeth, AMERICAN ART MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES: AN INTRODUCTION TO LOOKING, Harper & Brothers, New York, 1960, ref. p.145, ill. p.145
DMAC Brochure, 1960, ill.
"The Painting of Light," Des Moines Art Center, 1960, exh. cat. no.44
AN UNCOMMON VISION: THE DES MOINES ART CENTER, Des Moines Art Center, 1998, ref. pp.28 & 136, color ill. p.137
DES MOINES ART CENTER: SELECTED PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES AND WORKS ON PAPER, Des Moines Art Center, 1985, ref. pp.82 & 83, color ill. pl.XI, p.107
"In Quest of Excellence," Center for the Fine Arts, Miami, 1984, exh. cat. no.144, ref. p.96, ill. p.96
"Paintings, Drawings, Sculptures, Prints from Twenty-three Iowa Collections," State University of Iowa, 1961, exh. cat. no.5
DES MOINES CAPITOL, Feb. 11, 1927
"Robert Henri Memorial Exhibition," Metropolitan Museum of Art, N. Y., 1931, exh. cat. no.41, ill.
"Paintings in the Collection of the Des Moines Association of Fine Arts," Des Moines Association of Fine Arts, 1939, exh. cat. no.10
"Pioneers: Early 20th Century Art from Midwestern Museums," Grand Rapids Art Museum, MI, 1981, exh. cat. no.15, ill.
DimensionsFrame: 83 1/2 × 43 5/8 × 2 1/2 in. (212.1 × 110.8 × 6.4 cm)
Image (visible): 76 7/16 × 36 7/8 in. (194.2 × 93.7 cm)
Image (visible): 76 7/16 × 36 7/8 in. (194.2 × 93.7 cm)
Accession Number 1927.1
Classificationspainting
CopyrightPublic Domain
SignedRobert Henri (l,l oil paint)
InscriptionsRobert Henri Ballet Girl in White 272 E (verso u,l)
ProvenanceArtist; Des Moines Association of Fine Arts [purchased from the previous, 1927]; Des Moines Art Center [gift of the previous, 1948]
Collections
Images (1)
Audio (1)
DSM Speaks Audio Tour with Kelsey Bigelow, Community MemberAudio Transcript
DSM Speaks Audio Tour with Kelsey Bigelow, Community Member
Run Time: 51 seconds
Recorded by Kelsey Bigelow, CultureALL Community Ambassador /
MORE THAN PRIMA
You caught me before the green room
dressed in purity and wreaths
But you see me as more than prima
more than spectacle
more than costumes and elegant lines
You see poised shoulders not held back resting
standing leg not turned out resting
smile real but not pristine resting
eyes not gleaming but fulfilled and tired wanting rest
You see me running between Balanchine acts
How I carry it all with me between performances
the pride, pressure, and passion
how my shadow of perfection waits on my re-entrance
as I dream a future of tours and tutus
You see me as more than a prima
more than grace
You see me as person
DES MOINES SPEAKS
DSM Speaks are short audio reflections on artwork in our permanent collection, written and voiced by diverse members of our community. Contributors to this program were selected in partnership with CultureALL and the Des Moines Art Center. We hope by elevating these diverse ways of seeing we can encourage all visitors to connect more deeply and to see themselves and their identities within our walls.
