Ernst Oppler
Adolph Bolm in the “Polovtsian Dances”
1914
Pencil and ink
John Neumeier Foundation, Hamburg
Käthe Kollwitz particularly appreciated the “Polovtsian Dances” in the Ballets Russes performance she attended, which were always one of the highlights of the ensemble’s tour program. During the Berlin guest performance in 1910, Mikhail Fokine (1880–1942) took on the role in the “Polovtsian Dances” that was actually the signature role of Adolph Bolm (1884–1951). The study by Ernst Oppler (1867–1929), which sketches Bolm in motion on stage, was created during another performance, but it still conveys the impression that Käthe Kollwitz had at the time.