Melle Camargo. - Public domain portrait engraving

During Middle Ages, Church considered dance as a sin and condemned it. Records of Medieval dance are fragmented and limited, but a noteworthy dance reference from the medieval period is the allegory of the Danse Macabre. During the Renaissance, dance experienced growing popularity. Country dances, performed for pleasure, became distinct from court dances, which had ceremonial and political functions. In Germany, originated from a modified ländler, the waltz was introduced in all the European courts. The 16th century Queen of France Catherine de' Medici promoted and popularized dance in France and helped develop the ballet de cour. The production of the Ballet Comique de la Reine in 1581 is regarded by scholars as the first authentic ballet. In the 17th century, the French minuet, characterized by its bows, courtesies and gallant gestures, permeated the European cultural landscape.

Nicolas Lancret was a French painter born in Paris on 22 January 1690. The son of a master tailor, he received his first artistic training from his father. He later studied with the famous painter Claude Gillot, who was known for his scenes of theatrical life. Lancret became known for his genre paintings, which depicted scenes from everyday life. His paintings often showed aristocratic and bourgeois people engaged in leisure activities such as dancing, playing music and socialising. He was particularly adept at capturing the nuances of human behaviour and expression, which made his paintings highly sought after. In 1719, Lancret was admitted to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Paris. He quickly gained recognition for his work and was appointed to the Academy's governing council in 1735. He also served as a professor at the Academy, teaching drawing and painting to aspiring artists. Lancret's paintings were highly influential in the development of the Rococo style, characterised by ornate decoration, lightness and playfulness. He died in Paris on 14 September 1743 at the age of 53. Today, his works can be found in museums and private collections around the world.