Habib Benglia, le « nègrérotique » du spectacle français

Habib Benglia exemplified the way theatre and music hall industry eroticized the black body. Sensuality always played a great part in the characters he embodied. At the beginning of the Twentieth century, a time when “Negro” dance and music became a cultural trend, the Black was perceived as lascivi...

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Main Author: Nathalie Coutelet
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Genre, Sexualité et Société 2009-07-01
Series:Genre, Sexualité et Société
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/gss/688
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author Nathalie Coutelet
author_facet Nathalie Coutelet
author_sort Nathalie Coutelet
collection DOAJ
description Habib Benglia exemplified the way theatre and music hall industry eroticized the black body. Sensuality always played a great part in the characters he embodied. At the beginning of the Twentieth century, a time when “Negro” dance and music became a cultural trend, the Black was perceived as lascivious. The artist was expunged and reduced to his body expression, notably its erotic potential. Not only was Benglia himself praised for his flawless plastic and, compared to antique statues, but also the characters he performed were deeply influenced by the stereotypes of his time, such as polygamy, orgy and, more generally, a reckless sexual appetite. This reveals why the Blacks fascinated European audiences as a source of fear and fantasy and a symbol of a newly conquered freedom and desirable nature.
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institution Kabale University
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record_format Article
series Genre, Sexualité et Société
spelling doaj-art-85e54941ab0943ecb2252b94bf92e7af2025-01-09T13:06:47ZfraGenre, Sexualité et SociétéGenre, Sexualité et Société2104-37362009-07-01110.4000/gss.688Habib Benglia, le « nègrérotique » du spectacle françaisNathalie CouteletHabib Benglia exemplified the way theatre and music hall industry eroticized the black body. Sensuality always played a great part in the characters he embodied. At the beginning of the Twentieth century, a time when “Negro” dance and music became a cultural trend, the Black was perceived as lascivious. The artist was expunged and reduced to his body expression, notably its erotic potential. Not only was Benglia himself praised for his flawless plastic and, compared to antique statues, but also the characters he performed were deeply influenced by the stereotypes of his time, such as polygamy, orgy and, more generally, a reckless sexual appetite. This reveals why the Blacks fascinated European audiences as a source of fear and fantasy and a symbol of a newly conquered freedom and desirable nature.https://journals.openedition.org/gss/688performerBlackshoweroticismprejudices
spellingShingle Nathalie Coutelet
Habib Benglia, le « nègrérotique » du spectacle français
Genre, Sexualité et Société
performer
Black
show
eroticism
prejudices
title Habib Benglia, le « nègrérotique » du spectacle français
title_full Habib Benglia, le « nègrérotique » du spectacle français
title_fullStr Habib Benglia, le « nègrérotique » du spectacle français
title_full_unstemmed Habib Benglia, le « nègrérotique » du spectacle français
title_short Habib Benglia, le « nègrérotique » du spectacle français
title_sort habib benglia le negrerotique du spectacle francais
topic performer
Black
show
eroticism
prejudices
url https://journals.openedition.org/gss/688
work_keys_str_mv AT nathaliecoutelet habibbenglialenegrerotiqueduspectaclefrancais