The Ballet by Degas

Plunging the viewer into the secret atmosphere of the Paris Opera backstage, this magnificent work entitled “The Ballet” illustrates the artist’s passion for the world of dance. Created by the famous master Degas Edgar, this composition fits masterfully into the Impressionist movement. The artist abandons official representations of the stage to capture informal moments of preparation and waiting that precede the ballerinas’ entrance, revealing the human truth behind the grace of the performance.

Five beautiful ballerinas dressed in vaporous white tutus enhanced with small pink flowers line up along the wings before entering the stage. In the foreground on the left, a young dancer is depicted in profile, her dark hair tied with a black ribbon. To her right, other dancers adjust themselves with grace, one of them raising her hand to her face in a delicate gesture. At the far right of the image, an elderly patron in a black suit and white collar watches the group attentively. In the background, painted sets suggest a landscape of green and blue foliage under soft light.

The technical virtuosity of the artist is fully expressed through the delicate use of pastel on paper. Degas Edgar handles this material with incredible lightness to suggest the transparency of the tulle and the satin of the pink slippers. His rigorous anatomical observation and the freedom of his touch make this group portrait a true masterpiece.