Rehearsing a Cotilion, Isaac Cruikshank, 1792

Groups of dancers practise figures of a cotillion in a ballroom with a small musician's gallery supported on pillars, in which are an bassoonist, 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 bmsat 8040, &c). He stands (left) superciliously inspecting the dancers through an eye-glass. See also bmsat 7441. 2 april 1792 etching. Date: 1792. Dimensions: Height: 445 mm; Width: 602 mm. Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. Rehearsing a Cotilion (BM 1878,0713.2776)