Rolf de Maré facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rolf de Maré
|
|
|---|---|
Rolf de Maré
|
|
| Born | 9 May 1888 |
| Died | 28 April 1964 (aged 75) Barcelona, Spain
|
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Occupation | art collector, ballet leader, museum director |
| Years active | 1910s to 1964 |
| Known for | Ballets Suédois, Les Archives internationales de la Danse |
Rolf de Maré (born May 9, 1888 – died April 28, 1964) was a Swedish art collector. He was also the leader of the famous Ballets Suédois (Swedish Ballet) in Paris from 1920 to 1925. Later, in 1931, he started the world's first research center and museum dedicated to dance in Paris.
Contents
Rolf de Maré's Life and Work
Early Life and Interests
Rolf de Maré was born in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1888. His father, Henrik de Maré, was a diplomat. His mother, Ellen Roosval von Hallwyl, was a sculptor. Rolf grew up with a love for art.
In 1912, he became friends with post-impressionist painter Nils von Dardel. Dardel was a talented artist. Rolf de Maré was very enthusiastic and had money to support art projects.
Meeting Jean Börlin
Through Nils von Dardel, Rolf de Maré met Jean Börlin in 1918. Börlin was a Swedish dancer. Rolf de Maré became a close friend and supporter of Börlin.
The Ballets Suédois
In 1920, Rolf de Maré created the Ballets Suédois (Swedish Ballet). This ballet company was based at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. Jean Börlin was the main dancer and choreographer for the company.
The Ballets Suédois became very famous. They were known for their modern and unique performances. In 1924, a famous artist named Giorgio de Chirico designed the sets and costumes for one of their shows. This show was called La Giara. The Ballets Suédois stopped performing in 1925.
Creating Dance Archives
Jean Börlin passed away in 1930. To honor his memory, Rolf de Maré founded Les Archives internationales de la Danse (AID) in Paris in 1931. This was the world's first museum and research center for dance.
The AID became a very important place for dance studies. People from all over the world visited to see exhibitions. They also came to study in its huge library. The center also published its own magazine and books. It held lectures and demonstrations in the building Rolf de Maré built for it.
Collections After World War II
After World War II, the dance archives had grown very large. It was too much for one person to manage. So, Rolf de Maré closed his center in Paris. He gave parts of his collection to the French government. This included about 6,000 books, pictures, and other items. Most of these were about Western dance.
The French government placed these items at the museum and library of the Paris Opera. However, the museum did not want two big parts of de Maré's collection. They did not take the materials from the Ballets Suédois. They also did not take items from his trip to Indonesia in 1936. This trip was the first to focus on documenting dance.
The Dance Museum in Stockholm
Because of this, Rolf de Maré brought the Ballets Suédois collection and the non-European collections to Stockholm. He used these to create the Dance Museum. He opened this museum in 1953. It was located in the basement of the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm.
When Rolf de Maré passed away in 1964, he left all his money to the Dance Museum. This helped the museum buy even more dance-related items.
Art Collecting and Legacy
Even after closing the Ballets Suédois, Rolf de Maré did not try to bring its shows back. The items he collected are now the foundation of Stockholm's Dance Museum. These collections show his role as an archivist and art collector.
Rolf de Maré was also a well-known art collector throughout his life. In the early 1960s, he gave a large collection of modernist art to the Moderna Museet. Rolf de Maré passed away in Barcelona, Spain, in 1964.
See also
In Spanish: Rolf de Maré para niños
