Drawing

D'Egville worked as ballet master at the King's Theatre in London between 1799 and 1809 during which time he created his three act ballet Achille et Déidamie. One of the highlights of the production was the extremely acrobatic pas de deux between himself as Chiron and Deshayes as Achilles. At this point pas de deux work was still in its infancy, the heavy formal costumes of the 18th century having precluded almost all close contact between dancers, and lifts such as those shown in the drawing were almost unknown outside the work of tumblers and acrobats.

The drawing is probably by Jean Francois Huët-Villiers (1772-1813), and appears to be a preliminary sketch for an aquatint published by Anthony Cardon in 1804.