Dancer with a Tambourine c. 1615

Jacques Bellange created this drawing, Dancer with a Tambourine, sometime around 1600, probably in his native France. It suggests a celebration or theatrical performance, yet we can read the image on multiple levels. Bellange worked in the court of Lorraine. He may have made the drawing in preparation for a print, or it may be a sketch for a larger painting. The drawing shows the clear influence of Italian Mannerism. You can see it in the elongated figure and the focus on elegance and grace, something desired by those in courtly life. But Bellange has combined that with an earthiness, creating an image of the figure that also feels distinctly French. To understand art like this better, it is crucial to look at the culture, the historical circumstances and the institutions that shaped it. Examining court records, contemporary literature and the artist’s other work can give us a clearer picture of its place in the world.