Dancer India 18th century Lamp black drawing touched up with watercolour
The dancer is turned to the right, her head sidewards.
She is dressed with a shawl partially covering
her body, a short bodice and a loose see-through skirt.
Her spread arms, the folds of her flared skirt and the position of her feet suggest spinning: the dancer prepares or completes a dance movement.
The young girl's posture and her outfit show she's dancing Kathak.
This traditional Indian dance, originally sacred, becomes a courting dance during the Mughal dynasty, in the 16th century.
Kathak, a narrative dance, calls on a complex choreographic language which is expressed with hand gestures, foot movements, body positions as well as facial expressions.
Image
