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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

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Tamara Tchinarova

1938
Max Dupain OBE

gelatin silver photograph on paper (image/sheet: 50.2 cm x 40.5 cm)

Tamara Tchinarova (1919–2017), dancer, was one of the original 'baby ballerinas' of the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo. She began training with the great Russian teacher Olga Preobrajenska, formerly of the Imperial Russian Ballet, at age ten after her family emigrated to Paris from Bessarabia, Romania. Noticed by choreographer George Balachine, at seventeen she joined the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. Tchinarova came to Australia on the first and second tours of the Russian ballets in 1936 and 1938, and chose to remain in Sydney after the second tour. In 1943 she married the actor Peter Finch, who had recently made his film debut in Dad and Dave Come to Town. During the 1940s she danced with three Australian dance companies, the Kirsova Ballet, the Polish-Australian Ballet and the Borovansky Ballet. In 1948, Finch and Tchinarova moved to London before divorcing in 1959. She then began working as a Russian/English interpreter for touring ballet companies, including the Australian Ballet, and as a dance writer. Tchinarova came back to Australia for the last time in 1994 as a guest of The Australian Ballet, delivering a series of lectures. Her autobiography, Dancing into the Unknown: My Life in the Ballets Russes and Beyond, was published in 2007. She died ten years later in Marbella, Spain at the age of 98.

Gift of Danina Dupain Anderson 2018. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Max Dupain OBE (age 27 in 1938)

Tamara Tchinarova (age 19 in 1938)

Subject professions

Performing arts

Donated by

Danina Dupain Anderson (47 portraits)

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency