In which we examine the conflation
of two Flamenco artists' pictures
to fabricate a cover picture for one.
08/10/2014
While cataloguing this 1988 compilation on CD of vocal recordings by famed Flamenco dancer (bailaora) Carmen Amaya, I found a note from myself inside (Purple text below): -
"For cover picture: - Ref. p.106 "Flamenco", Barbara Thiel-Cramér, (Lidingö, Sweden: Remark 1990) picture of La Argentina (Left) and Picture on Pg 9 of the booklet for this CD. (Left) A composite has been fabricated by French marketing. 17/01/99, but observed well before this note; well, at the time of purchase actually." Sadly, for my catalog, I do not have the date of purchase. I would guess around 1997. |
It is hard to imagine what drove the French label to fabricate this picture. Although Carmen Amaya was known for daring to dance in trousers, it is not as though there is a shortage of images of her wearing the "traje de flamenca", the traditional dress with layers of ruffles on both the skirt and sleeves. It is also surprising to see them using plain yellow as a colour, it's not something you'd see as a rule.
I only had the picture of La Argentina because in about 1994 I went so mad on Flamenco I was photocopying anything I could get my hands on. This is a scan of a photocopy from the book, which I borrowed from Auckland Central Library when I worked close by.
In 1996 I even saw a display case with her stuff in it at the Paris Opera, quite by chance, on my last day of a 10,225 km driving tour of Europe before heading to Britain.
(Ref. my blog post of 04/05/2016 "20th Anniversary of Departure for TOSOTW".)
In 1996 I even saw a display case with her stuff in it at the Paris Opera, quite by chance, on my last day of a 10,225 km driving tour of Europe before heading to Britain.
(Ref. my blog post of 04/05/2016 "20th Anniversary of Departure for TOSOTW".)