Menalclas kijkt naar dansende vrouwen 1820 - 1821

William Blake created this miniature engraving titled ‘Menalclas kijkt naar dansende vrouwen’ probably sometime in the late 18th century. The image presents us with two distinct social spheres. On the left, we see women dancing freely, expressive bodies unbound by the constraints of polite society. To the right, we find a more formal grouping. They are posed in front of a neoclassical building that evokes the institutional values of the British Empire. This juxtaposition encourages us to consider the politics of imagery and the social conditions that shape artistic production. Was Blake critiquing the institutions of art? Was he suggesting there was a natural expression repressed by the stiff upper lip? To explore these questions further, we might turn to Blake’s other works, or to the writings of contemporary social critics. Art historical interpretation relies on understanding the contingent relations between images, institutions, and historical context.