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
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Sailors in “Fancy Free”. Probably American Ballet Theatre at Covent Garden.
Conté
archive number: MC-016-1-7(2)-5
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Sailor (possibly Alexander Grant) in “Fancy Free”. Probably American Ballet Theatre at Covent Garden.
Conté
archive number: MC-016-1-7(2)-3
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Unknown dancer
pen and ink
archive number: MC-022-1-61-48
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Male dancer in “Petrouchka”.
monotype
archive number: MC-009-1-10-2
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Joseph Attles in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Attles_Joseph_01
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Joseph Attles in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Attles_Joseph_02
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Catherine Ayers in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Ayers_Catherine_01
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Lawson Bates in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Bates_Lawson_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Cab Calloway in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Calloway_Cab_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Cab Calloway in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Calloway_Cab_02
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Cast Member of the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Cast_Member_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Helen Colbert in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Colbert_Helen_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Joseph Crawford in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Crawford_Joseph_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Helen Dowdy in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Dowdy_Helen_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Helen Dowdy in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Dowdy_Helen_02
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Todd Duncan in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Duncan_Todd_ Porgy & Bess_to be archived_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
James Hawthorne Bey in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Hawthorne_Bey_James_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Kenneth Hibbert in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Hibbert_Kenneth_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Kenneth Hibbert in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Hibbert_Kenneth_02
____________________________________________________________________________________________
George Hill in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Hill_George_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Sam Kasakoff in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Kasakoff_Sam_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Urylee Leonardos in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Leonardos_Urylee_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
John McCurry in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: McCurry_John_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Cast member of the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
archive number: Porgy & Bess_to be archived_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Cast member of the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
archive number: Porgy & Bess_to be archived_04
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Cast members of the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
archive number: Porgy & Bess_to be archived_05
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Cast members of the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
archive number: Porgy & Bess_to be archived_06
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Walter Riemer in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” (1952) touring Europe.
Conté
archive number: Riemer_Walter_01
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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