Etoile de Paris

At the centre of a dark space, a dancer stands en pointe, her free leg extended to the left. One arm rises above her head, the other extending the line of her body. Her white dress unfolds above the grey-blue floor; the cast shadow supports this airy movement. Dated 1962, Etoile de Paris belongs to the years when Armando Annichini, based in Biel, also painted landscapes, seascapes and flowers. The ballet subject gives his figurative painting a different rhythm here. The signature “Annichini” appears at the lower right. The almost black background isolates the figure and concentrates the light on the face, arms and bodice. Fluid brushstrokes shape the folds of the fabric, where whites mingle with blue and subtle cream accents. The contours fade into the veils, while the pointe shoe remains clearly defined. This painting on canvas measures 50 x 40 cm. On the reverse, a handwritten inscription repeats the title on a crossbar of the stretcher. The frame brings the dimensions to 68 x 58 cm. Its broad, light-coloured band, edged with darker mouldings, echoes the whites of the dress and preserves the scene’s contrast. Between the precision of the supporting foot and the skirt’s sweeping movement, the image captures a moment of balance, suspended in the light.