Watercolor of Loïe Fuller

An article by Judith Benhamou-Huet (Loïe Fuller: la fée électricité [Loïe Fuller: the electric fairy], June 3) in Le Point got me interested in a watercolor of the American dancer by Auguste Rodin (here is an image of it from Artnet) that will be auctioned on June 9 at the Espace Tajan in Paris.

In 1893, Loïe Fuller was saying, in a prophetic manner, "Light is the art of tomorrow." That year, this cabaret dancer invented a scientific process that allowed her to place electric lamps in the lamp and mirrors in the scenery in which the woman dressed in veils evolved like a butterfly. "The spectator is completely bewitched. Although there is only one or a few dancers on the stage, he believes he is seeing many of them in a rush of light."

Marie Louise Fuller (1862–1928) was featured in numerous posters for the Folies-Bergère in her unusual costumes. According to Edgard Varèse, she was the inspiration for the prelude named "Voiles" (Veils) in Claude Debussy's Préludes pour piano, Book 1.