Dancers

Tilly Kettle was one of the best portraitists of the time. He landed at Madras (now Chennai) in 1769. Not only did he paint portraits but he also painted lively representations of what appeared to him as exotic scenes of Indian life. This glowing yet mysterious 18th century night scene of dancers before a temple shows Kettle depicting the soft drapes, the gleaming ornaments, the dramatic lighting and the rhythmic movements very effectively.