Léonard Agathon van Weydeveld
French, 1841­?
Centerpiece: The Scarf Dance
c. 1900
Hard-paste porcelain
Six figures ranging in height from 42.9 to 53.2 cm.
Bequest of Mrs. Gordon Palmer, 1985.106a-f

This set of dancers was called a “table top” because it was made to ornament tables set for elegant dinner parties. How would you arrange these figures?

The models for these six dancers were made at the Sèvres porcelain factory in France. The Scarf Dance may have been inspired by Loie Fuller, an American dancer who was the hit of Paris at the time. She wore costumes with long panels of filmy silk, full skirts, and flowing sleeves, which rippled gracefully as she moved. Which dancer holds an instrument with real silver bells?