The artist Milein Cosman was born in 1921 in Gotha, Germany, and grew up in Düsseldorf. She became a prolific artist who captured many famous performers including dancers and musicians.
Following her emigration to Switzerland in 1937 and England in 1939, she started her studies at the Slade School of Fine Art in Oxford. She then worked as a freelance artist, frequently depicting performers or scenes from musical theatre and performance.
The Milein Cosman Dancers Collection was donated by the artist to the University of Salzburg in 2017; it contains around 250 drawings, 100 prints, and 8 oil paintings. These items can be identified by the archive number MC-. The drawings from „Porgy and Bess“ are property of the Cosman-Keller-Trust.
This is Milein’s centenary year; she died in London in 2017.

“Jazz” dancers hand coloured with watercolour.
drypoint and watercolour
1970s
archive number: MC-020-1
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Alexander Grant and one unidentified dancer as sailors in “Fancy Free”. Probably American Ballet Theatre at Covent Garden.
Conté
archive number: MC-016-1-7(2)-2
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Sailors in “Fancy Free”. Probably American Ballet Theatre at Covent Garden.
Conté
archive number: MC-016-1-7(2)-5
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Sailor (possibly Alexander Grant) in “Fancy Free”. Probably American Ballet Theatre at Covent Garden.
Conté
archive number: MC-016-1-7(2)-3
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Two dancers of the Katherine Dunham Dance Company dancing “Blues”. Probably from A Caribbean Rhapsody.
pen and ink
circa 1948
archive number: MC-010-1-17-2
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Two dancers of the Katherine Dunham Dance Company dancing Nañigo at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London.
pen and ink
archive number: MC-010-1-17-16
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Joseph Attles in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Attles_Joseph_01
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Joseph Attles in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Attles_Joseph_02
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Catherine Ayers in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Ayers_Catherine_01
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Lawson Bates in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Bates_Lawson_01
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Cab Calloway in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Calloway_Cab_01
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Cab Calloway in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Calloway_Cab_02
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Cast Member of the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Cast_Member_01
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Helen Colbert in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Colbert_Helen_01
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Joseph Crawford in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Crawford_Joseph_01
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Helen Dowdy in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Dowdy_Helen_01
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Helen Dowdy in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Dowdy_Helen_02
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Todd Duncan in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Duncan_Todd_ Porgy & Bess_to be archived_01
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James Hawthorne Bey in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Hawthorne_Bey_James_01
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Kenneth Hibbert in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Hibbert_Kenneth_01
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Kenneth Hibbert in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Hibbert_Kenneth_02
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George Hill in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Hill_George_01
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Sam Kasakoff in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Kasakoff_Sam_01
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Urylee Leonardos in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Leonardos_Urylee_01
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John McCurry in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: McCurry_John_01
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Cast member of the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
archive number: Porgy & Bess_to be archived_01
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Cast member of the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
archive number: Porgy & Bess_to be archived_04
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Cast members of the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
archive number: Porgy & Bess_to be archived_05
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Cast members of the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
archive number: Porgy & Bess_to be archived_06
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Walter Riemer in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Riemer_Walter_01
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Helen Thigpen in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Thigpen_Helen_01
Milein Cosman Dancers Collection University of Salzburg
© Cosman Keller Art and Music Trust