A very rare and unique find.

Art Deco dancer, hand painted on board and signed Pico FB.

Maurice Picaud (Pico) was the designer who did the renovation on the Follies Bergere building in an Art Deco design in the 1920s.

The design of this painting is the same as the one inside the theatre on one of the ceilings I believe made of gesso. It shows a nude dancer similar to the Pico plaque on the outside of the building which was modelled on Lila Nikolska. Nikolska was one of the famous Follies Berger dancers.

I believe this one may be modelled as Josephine Baker as a nude dancer with a horned deer.

According to the stage manager (Gerars) some years ago it was found in Michel Gyarmathys office. Gyarmathy was the head of costume and set design in the deco years. The person I got it from used to work at the Follies.

It may have been for a set design to recreate the hall on stage or it might even have been made for the original design for the ceiling which is still in place in one of the stage rooms on the ceiling.

I cannot precisely date it but it looks very old.

It measures 31.5 inches square (80cm).

This is on site just to share the pleasure with you and is not for sale.  I will be keeping it for in my home – sorry.