Dolores del Rio at the Studio of the Artist Hugo Ballin, 1933

In 1933, artist and muralist Hugo Ballin painted a full-length portrait of Mexican-born Hollywood star Dolores del Río. This behind the scenes photograph captures Del Río in a sleeveless black gown seated beside the large canvas in Ballin’s studio as he holds his palette and brushes.

Dolores del Río was one of the major glamorous stars of Hollywood’s classic era, starring in hit musical films like Flying Down to Rio (1933). Hugo Ballin was a celebrated painter, illustrator, and former silent film director best known for his landmark Los Angeles murals, including those at the Griffith Observatory and the Wilshire Boulevard Temple.

The painting depicts Del Río posing in the same sleek dark gown on a draped couch, embodying the Art Deco visual style and Hollywood high-fashion aesthetic of the early 1930s.