La Carmencita by John Singer Sargent, Painted 1890. M.S. Rau
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec helped establish the visual language of modern celebrity in late 19th-century Paris, depicting the dancers, singers and cabaret personalities of Montmartre as working artists rather than distant society figures.
His posters for venues such as the Moulin Rouge transformed commercial advertising into modern art and ensured that performers could become recognizable through a single silhouette, pose or accessory.
John Singer Sargent
That relationship between performer and image also appears in John Singer Sargent's La Carmencita. The Spanish dancer Carmen Dauset was an international sensation whose commanding performances fascinated audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, and Sargent presents her in motion, using expressive brushwork to convey the charisma that made her famous.
Elvis Presley
Generations later, Elvis Presley's visual identity became as influential as his music. From youthful rockabilly tailoring to the theatrical jumpsuits of the 1970s, he treated clothing, jewelry and movement as essential elements of performance, and his wardrobe went on to influence artists from David Bowie and Elton John to Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga. At the center of this gallery is Elvis Presley's classical guitar, owned, played and signed by the King of Rock and Roll. During a 1976 meeting in Las Vegas, Elvis retrieved the guitar from his car, performed "That's All Right," and presented it to a close friend.
From one iconic performer to another, this speed bag was a gift from Muhammad Ali to Elton John.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec helped establish the visual language of modern celebrity in late 19th-century Paris, depicting the dancers, singers and cabaret personalities of Montmartre as working artists rather than distant society figures.
His posters for venues such as the Moulin Rouge transformed commercial advertising into modern art and ensured that performers could become recognizable through a single silhouette, pose or accessory.
John Singer Sargent
That relationship between performer and image also appears in John Singer Sargent's La Carmencita. The Spanish dancer Carmen Dauset was an international sensation whose commanding performances fascinated audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, and Sargent presents her in motion, using expressive brushwork to convey the charisma that made her famous.
Generations later, Elvis Presley's visual identity became as influential as his music. From youthful rockabilly tailoring to the theatrical jumpsuits of the 1970s, he treated clothing, jewelry and movement as essential elements of performance, and his wardrobe went on to influence artists from David Bowie and Elton John to Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga. At the center of this gallery is Elvis Presley's classical guitar, owned, played and signed by the King of Rock and Roll. During a 1976 meeting in Las Vegas, Elvis retrieved the guitar from his car, performed "That's All Right," and presented it to a close friend.
Elvis Presley
From one iconic performer to another, this speed bag was a gift from Muhammad Ali to Elton John.
