Caricature of two ballet dancers

This picture was taken from the supplement to number 763 of the magazine L'illustration, published on 10 October 1857. Wood engraving after a drawing by Émile Marcelin.

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Description:
Two female ballet dancers are facing each other and lifting up their leg, while a male character in a military outfit is singing in the background.
The height of French caricature drawing began around 1830, first with satirical cartoons that would sometimes send their authors to court. To avoid this censorship by the new July Monarchy (1830-1848), artists had to become more cautious and resort to hint rather than bold mockery. They also began to turn their wit against social customs and celebrities. During the Second Empire (1852-1870) caricature drawings had become so popular that they were sometimes used to decorate plates.
The choregraphic performance depicted in the above picture is Marco Spada or the bandit's daughter, By Joseph Mazilier. It was created in Paris on the 1st April 1857, by the Ballet of the Paris Opera.

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Keywords: performance, caricature, Marcelin, scenes, characters