Dansende knaap

Bernard Picart created this red chalk drawing, "Dansende knaap," likely during the late 17th or early 18th century in the Netherlands. The sketch depicts a dancing boy, an evocative image that carries with it the echoes of classical antiquity, as well as the increasing popularity of ballet in the courts of Europe. Given Picart’s interest in religious ritual and theatre, it’s quite possible that the artist sought to capture an ideal of masculine beauty rooted in the theatricality of the period, yet still referencing the traditions of the classical world. As art historians, we can look to a variety of resources – from costume studies to dance notation – in order to better understand the complex historical and cultural forces that shaped Picart’s artistic vision. In the end, art like this reminds us that meaning is something that is always made in relation to social and institutional context.