Revuedanseres c. 1915s - 1925s

Isaac Israels made this pencil drawing, called Revuedanseres, sometime in his lifetime, which spanned from 1865 to 1934. It depicts a dancer, likely in the Netherlands, given Israels’s background. The sketch gives us a window into the world of entertainment and leisure, and the cultural values attached to performance and spectacle. Consider the sketch-like quality of the drawing. It is a quick impression, perhaps capturing a fleeting moment backstage or during a rehearsal. What does it tell us about the social status of dancers at this time? Were they seen as serious artists, or as objects of entertainment? We can consult period newspapers, playbills, and other archival sources to get a better understanding of the cultural context in which Israels was working. Art history is not just about aesthetics, but about understanding the social and institutional conditions that shape artistic production.