Florence Broadhurst
Object No. 97/98/1-4/10
One of the photographs on this page from Broadhurst's photograph album shows Florence 'Bobby' Broadhurst dressed in an elegant drop waisted dress, the other shows Florence with an unidentified dance partner in Shanghai in 1926. Both photographs were probably used as publicity shots - the dancing image probably to promote the Broadhurst Academy. The dancer may be one of the Broadhurst Academy instructors, who included talented European or Russian refugees based in Shanghai at the time. Broadhurst's Academy in Shanghai was created to attract clients from the wealthy British and American expatriate communities. It was the first business venture attempted by this adventurous young Australian performer and offered classes in a range of disciplines including dancing, elocution, deportment and short-story writing. Florence Broadhurst's time in Shanghai was brief, a little over twelve months, but she made her mark, endeavouring to have her performances and the Academy publicised whenever possible including through press publicity and radio broadcasts. Today, Broadhurst is best remembered for her striking 1960s and 70s wallpaper designs.
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Summary
Object Statement
Page from photograph album, showing publicity shots of Florence Broadhurst, paper, unknown photographer, Shanghai, China, around 1926
Physical Description
Grey card page from photograph album, featuring photographs adhered to either side. The front of the page features a sepia tone photograph in portrait format depicting Florence Broadhurst posing in a standing position, wearing a drop-waisted dress with feathers at the hem and neck. Studio photograph taken for press publicity, unknown photographer, Shanghai, China. Part of an illegible inscription can be seen on the lower right corner. The reverse features a sepia tone photograph in portrait format, depicting Florence Broadhurst dancing with an unknown man in front of an elaborate painted studio backdrop. This image was taken in Shanghai around 1926, as press publicity by an unknown photographer.
DIMENSIONS
Height
90 mm
Width
128 mm
HISTORY
Notes
This photograph was taken around the time that Broadhurst's letter to the editor about the Charlston versus the Tango was published in the North China Daily News, Shanghai (1-2 April 1926) and the Shanghai Times and China Press announced that the Florence Broadhurst Academy (offering lessons in violin, pianoforte, voice production, banjulele, modern ballroom dancing, classical dancing, musical culture and journalism) had just opened at 38 Kiangse Road, on the corner of Nanking Road, on the 2nd floor over Admiral Lane. At the Academy, Florence herself was one of the instructors, but the papers also mention other instructors - Daniel Melsa violin, Professor Kaurnitz Bulueva piano, Miss Jean Armstrong journalism and short story writing, and Madame Bulueva classical dance. The man seen dancing with Florence in front of a painted backdrop is thought to be one of her instructors, but he might also be one of her students. Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Curator, 2011 Ref: Florence Broadhurst papers, State Library of New South Wales
SOURCE
Acquisition Date
17 April 1997
Copyright for the above image is held by the Powerhouse and may be subject to third-party copyright restrictions. Please submit an Image Licensing Enquiry for information regarding reproduction, copyright and fees. Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative licence.
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