Sculpture, Una danzatrice e un musicista in stoffa

Paire de figures indiennes en tissu modelé et pigmenté à la main, Inde, période coloniale britannique, vers 1920.

Paired textile sculptures created in India around the 1920s, during the British colonial era, serving as a valuable testament to the craftsmanship of the subcontinent during a period of intense cultural and artistic blending. The two figures were modeled with fabric wrapped around a core of carefully shaped wire and then hand-decorated with natural pigments, resulting in extraordinarily expressive and dynamic compositions. The scene depicts a musician playing a large percussion instrument, captured in a vigorous and vibrant gesture, and an Indian dancer in traditional attire, portrayed in the midst of a fluid, almost suspended movement, in an elegant and harmonious dance step. The craftsmanship reveals a deep attention to detail: the folds of the fabric, the chromatic nuances, and the energy conveyed by the bodies tell of a moment of celebration and ritual, typical of Indian culture of the time, but filtered through an aesthetic taste capable of captivating travelers and European collectors of the colonial period. Objects of this kind were often commissioned or purchased by British officials and Western travelers as tangible memories of India’s vibrant culture, combining local artisanal tradition with decorative refinement intended for export. Small metal ornaments adorn the male right wrist and frame the dancer’s hairstyle.
Les deux modèles reposent sur une base en bois.
La patine du temps, avec de légères altérations chromatiques, de faibles traces d’usage et quelques manques visibles sur les images, confère une authenticité supplémentaire à ces deux figures capables encore aujourd’hui de transmettre l’énergie du geste musical et la grâce de la danse dont elles s’inspirent.
Batteur, 25 cm.
Danseuse, 27,5 cm.