Bronze statuette of a female dancer on a round base, standing on her left foot, her right hand in the air; dressed in antique stylised Indian draped top and skirt.

This female performer stauette at the time of creation would have been referred to with a colonial term, 'Nautch girls' based on the Hindustani term naach for dance - professional Hindu dancers, tawaif, who were normally hired to perform at religious ceremonies. In this statuette a dancer is depicted standing on one foot, with her right arm raised and wearing draped clothing stylised off of Indian attire with a narrow veil that falls around her body. Although the subject is contemporary, the dancer's pose is reminiscent of classical sculpture characterised for its clarity and simplicity of lines, its idealised forms and perfected proportions. It was the style that neo-classical sculptors sought to replicate.

It is inscribed and dated by the artist, Count Victor Gleichen, who was the son of Queen Victoria’s half-sister. He became a sculptor after he retired from the English navy and trained under the English neo-classical sculptor William Theed. This is one of the first pieces he exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1868 where he continued to show his work for a number of years.

The statuette was purchased by Queen Victoria in 1868 for the Principal Corridor at Osborne House, her summer residence. Queen Victoria acquired many works by contemporary neo-classical artists to decorate the interiors at Osborne House. It was her favourite style and one that she promoted and patronised.