Dancing, Beauty and Games.

RICHARDSON, Lady Constance Stewart.

$975.00

Item Number: 147845

London: Arthur L. Humphreys, 1913.

First edition of this work exploring the relationship between physical movement, dance, and beauty. Octavo, bound in full crushed purple morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, Art Nouveau stamped in blind, gilt turn-ins, all edges gilt, tissue-guarded frontispiece bound in. Ten plates under printed guards were extracted from the book and are present in a folding chemise within the case. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom folding case. A very attractive example.

Lady Constance Stewart Richardson, a Scottish aristocrat and early 20th-century dancer, was a pioneering advocate for natural movement and physical expression, particularly for women. Her book, Dancing, Beauty, and Games, emphasizes the importance of dance as both an artistic and physical practice, promoting health, grace, and self-expression. Rejecting rigid Victorian ideals of femininity, Richardson encouraged freedom of movement, often performing barefoot in flowing garments, aligning her philosophy with emerging modern dance principles. The book also explores the role of physical activity in cultivating beauty and well-being, positioning dance as an essential component of both artistic and personal development. Her work reflects broader cultural shifts of the time, challenging traditional constraints on women's physicality and reinforcing the idea that movement is integral to both aesthetic and physical vitality.