Dancing Woman with a Tambourine 

This is William Edward Frost's sketch of a Dancing Woman with a Tambourine, created with red chalk on paper. Given Frost's professional focus on nymphs and mythological subjects, it's likely this woman is meant to be read as allegorical, a figure from the classical past. The sketch, with its quick, suggestive lines, captures a figure in motion. Her body, partially draped, hints at both vulnerability and a sense of freedom. The tambourine above her head suggests music, dance, and celebration, yet her expression is difficult to decipher. Is she joyous? Or caught in a performance? The sketch invites us to consider the historical context of women's roles in performance and the male gaze. It prompts us to think about the complex interplay between liberation and objectification. Ultimately, Frost's sketch is a study of femininity, one that leaves us with questions about the representation of women, performance, and identity.