Not currently on display at the V&A

Spanish Dance. (El Jaleo de Cadix.) (sic)

Print
mid 19th century (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Throughout the 19th century, national dance, characteristic of a particular country or region, became a popular part of theatre and dance entertainments. Britain became more consciousness of Spain and Spanish customs following the war against Napoleon in the Iberian peninsular between 1807 and 1812 and Spanish dances were often incorporated into ballets in the 1830s and 1840s.
Even without the title, the dancers can be identified as Spanish by the characteristic hairstyles, the hair pulled back into a knot covered with frills, and, of course, by the castanets. Once native Spanish dancers began to perform throughout Europe in the 1840s, it appears that they adopted the bell-shaped full skirt with flounces and fringes, worn by ballerinas in Spanish-style solos.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleSpanish Dance. (El Jaleo de Cadix.) (sic) (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Lithograph coloured by hand
Brief description
Spanish Dance. (El Jaleo de Cadix.) (sic) Lithograph coloured by hand by N Currier, mid 19th century.
Physical description
Against a dark background on a blue green floor, two female dancers, dressed in stylized white Spanish dance costumes, with fitted bodices with short sleeves and below-the-knee 'sticking out' skirts decorated with patterns and fringes; their hair is sleeked to their heads, pulled back and the knot covered with leaves or frills; in their hands are castanets. The left-hand dancer stands on her left leg, the right pointed to the front; her right arm is outstretched and her left curved across the upper body; she leans backwards from the waist, kissing the right-hand dancer, whose pose is the mirror image - standing on her left leg with the right pointed to back, leaning forwards with her left arm across the body and right outstretched.
Dimensions
  • Height: 422mm
  • Width: 333mm
Credit line
Bequeathed by Lady Mary Evans
Production
Published by N Currier, 152 Nassau Street, NY
Summary
Throughout the 19th century, national dance, characteristic of a particular country or region, became a popular part of theatre and dance entertainments. Britain became more consciousness of Spain and Spanish customs following the war against Napoleon in the Iberian peninsular between 1807 and 1812 and Spanish dances were often incorporated into ballets in the 1830s and 1840s.
Even without the title, the dancers can be identified as Spanish by the characteristic hairstyles, the hair pulled back into a knot covered with frills, and, of course, by the castanets. Once native Spanish dancers began to perform throughout Europe in the 1840s, it appears that they adopted the bell-shaped full skirt with flounces and fringes, worn by ballerinas in Spanish-style solos.
Collection
Accession number
S.2606-1986

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Record createdOctober 8, 2004
Record URL
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