Between Acts or the Englishwoman of the New Ballet n.d.

"Between Acts or the Englishwoman of the New Ballet" is an etching on paper by the Belgian artist Félicien Rops, now located at The Art Institute of Chicago. Rops, who was known for his bold and sometimes controversial depictions of the human condition, creates a scene of a female performer backstage, adorned with a jeweled crown, draped only in a shawl as she stands before a seated man and another woman. The work captures the tension between the private and public, the allure of the stage, and the social dynamics of the era.