Tempera on plywood
Tate Britain
Tate Collection
Works with images
Works on display
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/edward-wadsworth-2113" aria-label="More by Edward Wadsworth" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Edward Wadsworth</a>
Bronze Ballet
Presented by the artist 1942
anxiety
boat, steam
boat, yacht
cities, towns, villages (non-UK)
countries and continents
emotions and human qualities
emotions, concepts and ideas
flag, France
France
harbour
Havre, Le - non-specific
history
military: World War II
objects
places
propeller
religious and ceremonial
seascapes and coasts
society
transport: water
World War II - non-specific
<p>This harbour scene is based on Le Havre in northern France. Although this is a peaceful scene, it was painted during the early years of the Second World War, in Maresfield in Sussex. From there, Wadsworth could hear the bombing of French ports by the German forces.Wadsworth painted many collections of marine objects like this. He was interested in animism – giving life to inanimate objects. Here the forms of the ships’ propellers suggest movement, or a dance, while also hinting at the function they will perform out at sea.</p><p><em>Gallery label, April 2019</em></p>
painting tempera plywood
30 March 2005 – 20 March 2006
2006-03-20
30 March 2005 – 19 March 2006
2006-03-19
2005-03-30
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2005-03-30
Edward Wadsworth
Collection based display
28 October 2010 – 18 November 2012
2012-11-18
28 October 2010 – 18 November 2012
2012-11-18
2010-10-28
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2010-10-28
Gallery 14
Collection based display
28 January 2013 – 25 August 2013
2013-08-25
28 January 2013 – 12 May 2013
2013-05-12
2013-01-28
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2013-01-28
Schwitters in Britain
Exhibition
28 January 2013 – 25 August 2013
2013-08-25
2 June 2013 – 25 August 2013
2013-08-25
2013-06-02
Sprengel Museum (Hannover, Germany)
2013-01-28
Schwitters and Britain
Loan-out
13 May 2013 – 7 April 2019
2019-04-07
13 May 2013 – 7 April 2019
2019-04-07
2013-05-13
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2013-05-13
Gallery 32
Collection based display
30 April 2019 – 30 October 2022
2022-10-30
30 April 2019 – 30 October 2022
2022-10-30
2019-04-30
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2019-04-30
G32 Refresh
Collection based display
31 October 2022
31 October 2022
2022-10-31
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2022-10-31
Gallery 3
Collection based display
Bronze Ballet
support: 635 × 762 mm
frame: 796 × 920 × 85 mm
Presented by the artist 1942
<div class="text">
<p>Painted during the early years of the Second World War, this harbour scene shows Le Havre, the French port that was occupied by the Nazis from 1940–1944. Edward Wadsworth painted the scene in Maresfield in Sussex, where the sounds of the Germans bombing France could be heard from across the English Channel. Wadsworth was interested in ‘animism’, making objects come to life. Here, the shape of the ships’ propellers look like they are dancing. This could also refer to the fatal choreographed role they will play at sea.</p>
</div>

Online caption
2023-12-04T00:00:00
online-caption
ONLINE_CAPTION
<p><b>N05380</b> BRONZE BALLET 1940
<br/>
<br/>Not inscribed.
<br/>Tempera on linen laid on panel, 25×30 (63·75×76).
<br/>Presented by the artist 1942.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> <i>New Movements in Art</i>, London Museum, March–May 1942 (10); Art Exhibitions Bureau tour, Leicester, Birkenhead, Bolton, Manchester, Hull, Liverpool School of Architecture, and Doncaster, May 1942–May 1943; Tate Gallery, February–March 1951 (41).
<br/><i>Repr:</i> Hesketh Hubbard, <i>A Hundred Years of British Painting 1851–1951</i>, 1951, pl.117.</p>
<p>In a letter to the Director (24 October 1942) the artist wrote that ‘“Bronze Ballet” was painted in April and May 1940 at Maresfield, Sussex - to the somewhat noisy accompaniment, so far as I can remember of the bombardment of Abbeville, Boulogne and Calais - all mingled with the call of the cuckoo! It is one of a series of many <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>paintings</span></a> done as a Le Havre series, it is in no sense a topographical view of any particular scene but all the motifs or design elements are to be found in that part and the two jetties “place” it more or less.’</p>
<p>Another version was purchased from the artist by Sir Arthur Bliss in 1942 (25×35 1/2 in., inscr. ‘Wadsworth 1940’ b.l.) and is now in the Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne. This was painted in March and April 1940, and is a larger and more complex <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/composition" title="Glossary definition for 'Composition'"><span>composition</span></a> than <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/wadsworth-bronze-ballet-n05380" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N05380</span></a>. It is reproduced in colour in Anthony Bertram, <i>A Century of British Painting, 1851–1951</i>, 1951, pl.59.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-07T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
anxiety boat, steam boat, yacht cities, towns, villages (non-UK) countries and continents emotions and human qualities emotions, concepts and ideas flag, France France harbour Havre, Le - non-specific history military: World War II objects places propeller religious and ceremonial seascapes and coasts society transport: water World War II - non-specific