Gala performance in 1977 was almost an extension of Peter’s last exhibition at Bosworth House where he painted dancers in the elegant Edwardian setting. Here his focus was solely on the dancers, their grace and sophistication, and the sprit and essence of ballet. They were so striking that Guild prints expressed great interest in reproducing a set of the pictures as published prints.
This was probably one of Peter’s most romanticised exhibitions yet, featuring ballet dancers, ever graceful in repose. He was able to bring an ethereal aura to each and every one of these paintings, be it through the diaphanous quality he could bring to their flowing skirts or the delicate light from the windows being reflected onto their resting forms.
In Gala Performance this was the first time we had seen a triptych being used in his exhibitions. The use of this vehicle, as favoured by Renaissance painters, successfully permitted the elongation of the form of ‘Giselle’ as she poses in the ‘attitude’ ballet position.
Some 11 years after this exhibition, Peter revisited the subject matter and a new series of ballet paintings, plus a few from 1977 featured in an exhibition, this time at the Theatre Royal, Bath, which was being mounted to coincide with the appearance of the Ballet Rambert there. His work was shown alongside those of other internationally renowned artists such as Robert Heindel, and Claude Harrison, and created the perfect atmosphere with which to welcome a ballet company of such world acclaim.