Soft Sculpture of La Norma (in authentic wardrobe) on Trapeze
Sculptor
La Norma
(Danish-American, born 1926)
Date1989
MediumFabric, sequins, paper mache, metal, padding
DimensionsOverall: 62 1/2 × 44 × 21 in. (158.8 × 111.8 × 53.3 cm)
ClassificationCostumes
Credit LineGift of La Norma Fox, 1994
Object numberMF94.3
LaNorma Fox was born in Randers, Denmark, and studied classical ballet from the age of four. When she was thirteen, she joined a family of trapeze artists and learned the art of the trapeze. LaNorma’s act was performed on a single trapeze and her specialty was the very dangerous and difficult heel catch. She was billed throughout the world as “Queen of the Air.”
In 1949, John Ringling North asked her to join the Ringling show where she became a center-ring star. During the filming of The Greatest Show on Earth, LaNorma doubled for Betty Hutton in the trapeze sequences.
This sculpture of Unus was fashioned by LaNorma. The trapeze is the same one used in The Greatest Show on Earth by Betty Hutton.
On View
Not on view
early 20th Century
late 20th-early 21st Century
