Édouard Manet
(1832 - 1883)
 

Lola Melea, nicknamed Lola de Valence (Lola from Valencia), was the star of Mariano Camprubi's Spanish ballet troupe. From 12 August to 2 November 1862, the troupe performed at the Hippodrome in Paris, much to the delight of Manet and his friends Baudelaire and Zacharie Astruc. Manet persuaded the troupe to pose for him in the studio of Alfred Stevens, who had a large room at his disposal. This led to a small series of paintings and etchings, including The Spanish Ballet and Lola de Valence.
Originally, the dancer was depicted against a neutral background. Not long after an exhibition in 1867, Manet painted over the background, also enlarging the canvas. Now, the back of the set and a small part of a theatre with an audience can be seen. Because the performances in the hippodrome took place outdoors, this cannot represent the actual situation in 1862.

https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lola_de_Valence

Lola de Valence
1862 (30 years old)
Oil on canvas
123 x 92 cm
Musée d'Orsay, Paris
https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/artworks/lola-de-valence-710