Bajadere 1903

Leo Putz painted this ‘Bajadere,’ an oil on canvas, at the turn of the century. The subject, adorned in opulent jewelry, recalls the sacred dancers of India, a motif interwoven with exoticism and sensuality. Consider the ‘mudra,’ the dancer's hand gesture. It appears in Buddhist and Hindu art across millennia, symbolizing teaching, protection, or blessing. Here, the mudra seems to be distorted, reflecting the colonial gaze through which the artist views his subject. The peacock feathers in her headdress further exemplify the mixture of reverence and exoticization. In Indian tradition, the peacock is associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity. But, when transported to Europe, it became a symbol of decadent beauty and superficiality. The allure and the distortion of the Bajadere reflect the complex tapestry of cultural exchange, memory, and the subconscious. It is an echo of humanity's ongoing quest to understand and misinterpret other cultures.