La danse sur la corde / De dans op de koord 1800 - 1833

This print, titled 'La danse sur la corde', was made by Philippus Jacobus Brepols. 'La danse sur la corde' offers a window into the 18th and 19th-century European fascination with global cultures and performance. Brepols presents a series of figures engaged in various forms of dance and acrobatics, each labeled with their cultural or regional identity. The figures seem to participate in a universal language of movement. Yet, we should think about how these representations may reinforce stereotypes or exoticize different cultural identities. Consider for example, the figure labeled "Le Turc," positioned statically in the center. What does it mean to fix or pause a culture through images? Does it reveal more about the culture it is trying to represent or about the image-maker? This print invites us to think about the complexities of cultural exchange and representation during a period of increasing global interconnectedness. It captures a moment in time and asks us to consider what gets lost and found in translation.