Alonzo’s "Dancer" is shown in an elegant long dress whose modelling determines the appearance of the entire statuette. Soft folds of gilt bronze wrap around the body and fall freely to the feet, creating a rich surface of light and shadow. The turn of the head and raised arms enliven the calm verticality without turning the pose into a literal depiction of a dance step. The pale ivory of the face and hands is especially noticeable beside the warm gleam of the metal. This combination of a refined female image, striking finish, and materials perceived as precious became one of the recognizable features of early-20th-century chryselephantine sculpture. The onyx base completes the statuette with a strict geometric form.

minimize...