Beyond Ballet

By ELLIE SCHNEIDER

Before Sargent, there was Rubens. In Dance of Italian Villagers Rubens captures daily life of peasants in an unusual way. The perspective and circular shape of the dancers adds depth to the painting, using the grass in front as a stage. As the boy in the tree plays a trumpet, the villagers dance, possibly as a celebration or for a religious reason. The villagers are dressed in hues of blue, red, and yellow, allowing them to pop off of the green and light blue background.

I feel that this painting has drama just as El Jaleo does. The villagers are dancing in a less than perfect circle, as people are turned in every direction as they reach for each other, making it feel as if the people are being whisked away in a tornado. The circular motion creates chaos in the work. The light source in this work comes from the top right corner, causing intense shadows to form on the left side of the painting. The house in the background is in the light, while the rest of the trees and land lies in the shadow. Some people’s faces are filled with worry and some of determination.

Rubens’ most famous works are religious paintings, so it is interesting that he chose to paint dancing villagers. Rather than make this a fluffy and joyful piece, Rubens’ created the Dance of Italian Villagers with the same intensity and attention to detail that he would have used for The Descent from the Cross. I enjoy this painting because it is different from a classic Rubens painting and I like the circular movement and chaos of the dancers. I think this painting differs from El Jaleo in that it has more dancers, less drama, more chaos, and brighter colors.