Men dancers and choreographers in prints

What you are looking at

A young male dancer stands alone against a plain background, positioned slightly to the left of center. He wears a loose white linen shirt with short, voluminous sleeves and dark breeches that end above the knee, a costume typical of early 19th-century theatrical practice. His weight is distributed evenly on both feet, his posture upright and composed. In his left hand he holds what appears to be a decorative mask or fan—a flat object rendered in dark lines—while his right arm hangs naturally at his side. A dark cloak or cape drapes loosely from his shoulders. The figure is rendered in fine engraved line work, with careful cross-hatching to suggest the fall of fabric and the modeling of his face and limbs. The setting is entirely abstract, with only a rectangular frame and a single flat base or platform suggested beneath his feet.

The dancing

The dancer's stance is formally presented and static rather than captured mid-movement. Both feet remain planted on the ground, the legs straight and unturned, the torso erect. The arms are lowered and relaxed, neither extended nor in any recognizable dance frame. The face is turned slightly toward the viewer, with a serious or neutral expression. This is a portrait of a dancer at rest or in a conventional pose, not an image of dynamic action or technique.

The dance depicted

The print records a male dancer, identified in the caption as Hr. Vald. Price from 'Napoli' (likely referring to a Neapolitan or Italian theatre, or possibly a role or company). The costume—loose shirt, knee breeches, cape—and the formal portrait mode suggest theatrical dance of the early 19th century, possibly pantomime or a character role from comic or dramatic opera. The object in his hand may be a stage property rather than a dance implement. Without additional context, the specific dance form cannot be determined, but the presentation is consistent with printed publicity or documentation of theatrical performers from this era.

How it was made

This is a copper engraving, identifiable by the fine parallel lines (hatching) used to create tone and shadow, the precise linear definition, and the characteristic appearance of printed copper plate work. The technique allowed for wide distribution and multiple impressions, suggesting this was a publicity or documentation print—likely a souvenir or record of a performer known to theatre audiences. The careful attention to fabric texture and facial likeness indicates a professional workshop production, though the artist remains unrecorded.

About this work

This engraving documents a named male dancer of the early 19th century in theatrical costume, presented as a formal portrait rather than a scene of performance. It belongs to a tradition of printed theater publicity and performance documentation that flourished in the 19th century, when such engravings circulated among theatre patrons, collectors, and the print-buying public. The work records both a specific performer and the conventions of male theatrical dress and presentation during this period—capturing not the dance itself but the dancer as a named individual and public figure.

How to look at it

Attend to the costume details—the shirt construction, the breeches, the cape—which are rendered with precision to show how a stage dancer actually dressed. Note the static, frontal presentation: this is not a moment of action but a formal introduction of a named performer. The mask or property object in the dancer's hand may indicate a specific role or dramatic context, but without documentation it remains uncertain. The engraving's fine line work allows the viewer to see both the fabric texture and the facial likeness with clarity.

The period

This engraving dates to the early decades of the 19th century, a period when theatrical dance was professionalized and increasingly documented through printed images. Male dancers at this time typically wore simple linen shirts and knee breeches for comic or character roles, distinct from the weightless, ethereal costume that was becoming standard for female Romantic dancers. Theatre prints were a significant commercial product, sold to audiences as souvenirs and collectibles. The formal portrait mode reflects the status of successful performers as named artists rather than anonymous ensemble members.

Where it lives

This work is held within the New York Public Library's collection of prints depicting dance. It appears to be a single-sheet theatrical publicity or documentation engraving, the kind that would have been sold or distributed to theatre audiences.

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