"Groups of dancers practise figures of a cotillion in a ballroom with a small musician's gallery supported on pillars, in which are an oboist, two violinists, and a harpist, playing intently and paying no attention to a man who stands below, with outstretched arms, shouting directions. The room is lit by candles in wall brackets. In the centre of the balcony is an oval medallion: a man plays a lyre and three nude nymphs dance. Several of the dancers hold papers of directions headed 'Cotilion', with a description of figures '1' to '8'. The scene is one of confusion. On the left persons stand inspecting the dancers. One man only is dressed as a blood of the period with cropped hair, high-collared waistcoat, 'hanging collar', and long breeches (see British Museum Satires No. 8040, &c). He stands (left) superciliously inspecting the dancers through an eye-glass."--British Museum online catalogue and The pictures in the image amplify the subject: Nymphs dancing to music of lyre
Alternative Title:
Rehearsing a cotillion
Description:
Title from text below image., Imperfect; sheet trimmed within plate mark and mutilated on lower edge with partial loss of imprint statement. Missing text supplied from impression in the British Museum., Mounted on modern secondary support., Watermark., and Figures identified by ms. notes in pencil at bottom of sheet.
