The Dancer of Tanjore (La bayadère de Tanjore)

Art Historical Context

Albert Besnard's *The Dancer of Tanj (La bayadère Tanjore)*, in 1914, the exotic allure of a traditional Indian temple dancer from Thanjavur (Tanjore) in Tamil Nadu. As a leading French artist of the Belle Époque, Besnard was renowned for his Symbolist-influenced works blending sensuality, light, and decorative elegance. This print reflects the era's Orientalist fascination with Eastern cultures, evoking the graceful, rhythmic movements of a bayadère—devadasi dancers revered in Hindu temples yet romanticized in Western art. Rendered in etching, drypoint, and printed tone on wove paper, the work showcases Besnard's virtuoso printmaking. Etching provides precise lines, drypoint adds velvety burrs for rich texture and depth, and printed tone—likely aquatint-like—builds luminous atmospheres, mimicking the shimmer of silk costumes and skin. Measuring 28.3 × 21.9 cm, its intimate scale invites close viewing, highlighting intricate details like flowing drapery and expressive pose. A generous gift to the National Gallery of Art from Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Bell in honor of the museum's 50th anniversary, this print exemplifies early 20th-century technical innovation while bridging European modernism with global inspirations. Visitors will appreciate its poetic blend of cultural homage and artistic mastery.

About the Artist

Albert Besnard · 1849–1934

Paul-Albert Besnard, known as Albert Besnard, was born on June 2, 1849, in Paris to an artistic family: his father, Louis Adolphe Ferdinand Besnard, was a history painter and pupil of Ingres, while his mother, Marie Louise Pauline Vaillant, was a noted miniaturist trained under Lizinska de Mirbel. Precociously talented, he began his training under Jean-François Brémond before entering the École de...