When passion becomes art...
On a
guided tour of Venice during the
Carnival, among all the spectacular multicolored costumes we might be able to spot some exceptional ones.
This is the case of
Rossana Molinatti’s costume. Rossana is a Venetian artist who every year, since 1983, presents her own interpretation of famous works of art, reproducing it in the form of a Carnival costume.
The Dance ClassThe painting she has chosen for the 2019 edition of the Venetian Carnival is “
The Dance Class” by Edgar Degas.
The Dance Class (Edgar Degas, 1873-1875)
On a metal structure, used as a support, Rossana has hung in the front part a piece of cloth previously printed with images taken from the painting of the famous French painter, whereas in the back the print shows an orchestra. All around she has elegantly applied quite a few dolls dressed as ballet dancers, as to recreate the atmosphere of a dance class.
Rossana’s costume, inspired by Degas’s painting
The DancersThe smallest dolls are made out of plastic, but their costumes have been sewed by the artist herself. The big ones, instead, are hand made with
papier-mâché, and dressed with multilayered skirts made out of tulle, with bows exactly of the same colors as in the painting. The faces of these dancers are quite precious: they have been hand painted by one of Rossana’s dearest friends, the Venetian writer and illustrator
Paolo Mameli, who is also going to join the artist during her walks around Venice, wearing the costume of a
Procurator, sewed by Rossana herself.
Detail with dancers
We suggest you to notice the details of these dancers: the bracelets of golden beads, the hair created with curly wool, the small bunches of flowers here and there, the fan modeled out of a plastic bottle using a hot knife. Rossana purchases the materials for her works of art after an accurate selection, as to obtain the desired effect, but some materials are recycled, completely transformed.
The Dance TeacherOne of the characters of this costume has immediately attracted our attention: the
dance teacher, created from a doll with a plump face: a bigger nose has been applied, the white hair and mustache have been added using a little piece of frayed silk, and then the face has been completely repainted.
Detail with the dance teacher
The SignatureOn the back of the costume we can see
Degas’s signature, cut out of a piece of thin felt after an accurate study at the computer.
Degas’s signature
Should you have any doubt about the subject of this costume, the signature will dispel all doubts.
After De Chirico, Klimt, Chagall, Ernst, Veronese and many more, this year Rossana has paid homage with her personal and original interpretation to another great genius.
We invite you to join us during the Carnival: if we are lucky enough, we can meet our dear Rossana and we can stop for a while to talk to her and her dancers!
Contacts:
info@guidedtoursinvenice.com
