The dance of life : a poem
The Dance of Life is a satirical poem by William Combe, published in London in 1817 by R. Ackermann of the Repository of Arts, aimed at a general reading public. The four hand-coloured plates are rotated on the page and show crowded Regency scenes of fashionable society, with figures in high-waisted gowns, tailcoats and cravats set in ballrooms, drawing rooms and theatre boxes. A designer could draw on their lively caricatured poses, dense group compositions and period costume details for narrative or humorous illustration.
