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Producer
Léon Louis Auguste Edouard Dardenne (°1865 - †1912)
Theme
dance/masked dance
Legend
Léon Dardenne continued his description of the dance of the Mbudye that he saw in Kiwelewele. He compared the women's dance with eastern dances performed during universal or international exhibitions which were extremely popular during this period: "Then the women, our dancers of the day before, arrived. They formed an inside circle around the drums while the men formed an outside circle. Both remind me of those highly praised Javanese dances. Even the wrist twisting and the movements of the arms were undulating. The withdrawal of the legs and the flexions which are reminiscent of elegant movements without any apparent effort, are somewhat colourless. The gyrations of the stomach, the lifting of the hips just like the traditional belly dancing one sees at exhibitions but in this case, without the grotesque side of it, no jerky movements and always to the regular beating of the humming drums, mounting, yelping or straining depending on the movements of the dance. This is full of grace and strength, elegance and originality (...)." (Family archives of the artist, notebook 2, 16.3.1900, p.172-173, a copy of which is in the RMCA).
Inscription
Dardenne Léon Mars 1900 Danse de M'Bulié à Kiwelé Welé. M'Pweto
Date of acquisition
1911
Dimensions
26,5 cm x 43 cm
Technique
graphic arts > mixed technique > charcoal - gouache
Inventory number
HO.0.1.220
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