Bekken op hermvoet met dansende figuur c. 1870 - 1894

This is a sketch titled ‘Bekken op hermvoet met dansende figuur’ by Gustave Joseph Chéret. Chéret made this sketch sometime between the late 1800s and early 1900s in France, a period marked by significant artistic and cultural shifts. The sketch depicts what appears to be a classical figure supporting a basin, with another figure dancing or clinging to the side. It offers a glimpse into the artistic conventions and social values of the time, as well as the Belle Époque’s fascination with classical forms filtered through a modern lens. Chéret's choice of subject—a seemingly mythological figure—reflects the era's interest in revisiting and reinterpreting historical narratives and symbols. The sketch is imbued with a sense of movement, yet there is an underlying tension in the weight-bearing figure's stoic pose and the energetic dance of the other. It speaks to the complexities inherent in representations of the body, exploring themes of labor, freedom, and perhaps, the burdens and joys of societal expectations.