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This great print is of an original pencil and bodycolour on paper work from 1913 by Duncan Grant. The original is now held in the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.nbspThe society hostess Lady Ottoline Morrel recalled Grant playing tennis so gracefully that he inspired Vaslav Nijinksy, the Russian dancer and choreographer, to create the first tennis ballet ‘Jeux’ Games. Nijinksy saw Grant playing with Leon Bakst, the artist and stage painter for the Ballet Russes, and reportedly exclaimed “Quel décor!” at the sight of the handsome young man playing on court in Bedford Square. The ballet was performed by the Ballets Russes in 1913 with music by Claude Debussy.nbspThis elegant portrait of a tennis player by Duncan Grant is associated with the 1913 ballet. Grant also made two tennis themed murals at 38, Brunswick Square, and much later produced a drawing of a nude man with a tennis racket.nbspClick these words to find similar printsBritish Sport Figurative Modern Artnbsp
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