David Cox R.W.A. R.O.I. – Ballet Dancers

David Cox R.W.A. R.O.I. – Ballet Dancers, Oil on Board

Original oil on board by the British artist David Cox R.W.A. R.O.I., titled Ballet Dancers, depicting a group of young dancers gathered backstage or in a rehearsal room. The composition has a lovely theatrical intimacy, with figures adjusting costumes, resting, and waiting among curtains and muted studio light. The repeated greens of the tutus give the painting a strong decorative quality, while the loose, expressive handling keeps the scene lively and atmospheric.

The ballet subject is particularly appealing, connecting the work with Cox’s known interest in figure painting, dressing-room scenes and rehearsal interiors. Rather than showing a formal stage performance, Cox captures the quieter world behind the scenes: the preparation, stillness and movement before the dancers appear before an audience. The central figure seen from behind gives the painting a strong focal point, while the paler figures in the background add depth and a sense of activity beyond the immediate foreground.

David Cox R.W.A. R.O.I. was a British painter associated with the St Ives and Penwith art circles, later settling in Suffolk, where he ran his own art school. His work often combined expressive brushwork with intimate figure subjects and interiors. This signed oil is a charming and highly decorative example of his work, well suited to collectors of mid-century British painting, ballet subjects and theatrical interiors.

Artist: David Cox R.W.A. R.O.I.
Title: Ballet Dancers
Medium: Oil on board
Date: Undated, mid-20th century
Framed size: 70 x 80 cm
Image size: 50 x 60 cm
Signature: Signed lower right
Frame: Moulded frame with painted/distressed finish
Condition: The work is in good overall vintage condition, with light age-related surface wear and marks. The frame has general wear, rubbing and small losses in keeping with age and style. Please see photographs for details.