One might recognize the Ukrainian soloist dancer Alexander Sakharoff from a 1909 portrait (in the second slide) that’s appeared in postcards, pamphlets, a Munich underground station, wristwatches and bookcovers — which is where I found it.

“The black hair, the black-outlined eyes, the black gloves, those smiling lips, that eyes up, head down look, a look that Princess Diana perfected, all seek our attention,” Niall MacMonagle from Independant.ie writes about the painting by expressionist artist Alexej von Jawlensky.

But I find myself spending more time with an image that shows Sakharoff’s “Golliwog Cakewalk” (from the first slide).

It feels like Sakharoff is transcending while their feet are still stuck to the ground, in what seems to be a pretty uncomfortable position.

A contrast of comfort and discomfort being felt together seems to be the theme that holds the image together: the velvety fall of the clothing creates softness, but the figure and limbs holding it seem to be struck, stuck frozen; maybe Sakharoff is taking a deep breath to decompress for the first time in a while, a deep breath of being at home through transcension.

But it also feels like this transcension ends with the next inhale, once the toes tire and the heels come back to touch the ground.