loïe fuller

by frederick glasier, 1902

by jules cheret for folies-bergère

sketched by henri toulouse-latrec, 1892

danse serpentine recorded in 1896 by the lumiere brothers. each frame was hand painted to

simulate the "electronic light" show that fuller performed onstage using 16 electricians who switched colored lights by her signs. 

(this video is from the library of congress who labels it as loïe fuller.....there are many who think it is not her. no idea if it is or isn't but .... so mesmerizing!)

loïe fuller (1862 - 1928) was born in chicago. she was a pioneer of modern dance as well as theatrical lighting techniques. she was experimenting with different colored gas lighting on silk as early as the 1890s. she held many patents for stage lighting, including the first chemical mixes for gels & slides & the first use of luminescent salts to create lighting effects.

by 1892 she had moved to france & was was a regular performer at the folies bergère & her work became the embodiment of the art nouveau movement.