Singerie: The Dance

Christophe Huet

National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of anthropomorphic monkeys engaging in activities in an outdoor space framed with columns. On the left side, a group of monkeys in colorful tunics and hats sits around a table, raising their glasses in a toast. A dog sits by their feet, and a cat looks down at them, standing on the stone wall behind the table. Closer to us, near the bottom left corner, one monkey sits by a large basket, holding a glass bottle, while another monkey holds a platter of peaches. In the center of the painting, two monkeys are dancing together. One wears a white gown with a blue corset and a white bonnet, while the other wears a yellow vest and green-blue breeches. Behind them, two monkeys sit on a barrel, one playing a horn and one playing a violin. A large colorful parrot sits on the stone wall next to them. At the bottom of the barrel, two monkeys sit close together, one in a green jacket and red trousers leaning towards one in a blue dress and white bonnet who leans away. Near the bottom right corner, one monkey in a red-and-brown tunic and a brown cap appears to vomit on the ground, while another monkey in a vest and cap stands behind them, their hands on the shoulders of the vomiting monkey. In the background, beyond the columns, we can see green trees, a winding body of water, and a blue sky with pink-and-gray clouds drifting across it.