Burlesque performances were popular during the 1860’s through to the 1920’s. It was patterned after the minstrel shows, Victorian burlesque, and music hall performances of the time. Burlesque could be described as comedic musical parodies of everyday life starring partially clad women. Burlesque art depicts images of women performing in those shows as well as images of women dressed in burlesque-styled costumes.
Burlesque art can include photographs, paintings, drawings, etc. The hourglass shape of the subject is always emphasized and exaggerated with a focus on bare legs, cleavage, and shoulders. The costumes worn are always provocative and sexy. Usually, the costumes are in bold colors and fabrics, velvet, satins, and always form fitting.
In many cases nudity is exploited. Many women will have on only nipple tassels above the waist or some other decorative coverage of the breasts. In the rare case, there is complete nudity. Burlesque included the full range of female exploitation. Women wore bikini tops and bottoms, sheer tops, exposing legs and upper body skin to create a provocative image in strip teases, and musical performances.
Burlesque Art depicts several women who achieved fame in the genre. Mary Pickford, the Academy Award winning actress; Anna May Wong, Hollywood’s first Asian-American actress; Theda Bara, a silent movie star; Louise Brooks, dancer, and actress; and Clara Bow, an American actress. Anna May Wong inspired younger Asian artist that would rise to fame in later years: Noel Toy, Barbara Yung and Jadin Wong. There were also actresses/dancers that grew to fame as crossover artists, not burlesque dancers: Carmen Carrera and Josephine Baker. There are countless photos, hand drawn art, and paintings with these women as the subject or the inspiration.
Many women rose of fame during this period: Gypsy Rose Lee, Mae West, Fannie Brice, and Tempest Storm were just a few of those. Burlesque art depicts women during a striptease, during a dance move, posed on stage, hidden naked behind feathers, and in full costume and in provocative poses. All these images are executed to evoke a response. The artwork elicits a response: shock, enticement, or disbelief of the boldness.
Burlesque art is risqué and shocking in some way. The women are exceptionally beautiful, so they are stunning to behold. There poses will elicit a response, whether a good one or a bad one. No matter, how you feel of felt about burlesque, there is a certain type of beauty to behold in every piece of art reflecting that period.
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