Rodin Sketches Cambodia’s Royal Dancers

In 1906, the French colonial administration organized an appearance by dancers from the Cambodian royal court at the Colonial Exposition in Marseille. King Sisowath, who had succeeded to the Cambodian throne two years earlier, made the first visit to France by a Cambodian sovereign, bringing members of the Royal Ballet with him. The tour marked one of the earliest prominent international presentations of Khmer court dance, placing an art form deeply rooted in palace ritual before large European audiences.

Led by the king's daughter, Princess Soumphady, the troupe provoked intense public fascination upon arriving in Marseille. According to contemporary accounts, demand for tickets severely outstripped supply, with five thousand people seeking access to a venue built to hold only twelve hundred. The resulting crowd disorder subsided only after Princess Soumphady consented to stage an additional midnight performance. Among the observers captivated by the troupe was the French sculptor Auguste Rodin, who first saw them perform in Paris in July 1906, then followed them to Marseille and in about a week produced some one hundred and fifty drawings, later highlighted with watercolor.