Before the Ballet
1890-1892
Edgar Degas was absolutely obsessed with the Paris Opera Ballet, and this piece perfectly captures the unglamorous reality behind the curtain. Instead of a polished final performance, we see dancers in fluffy white tutus casually stretching, adjusting their shoes, and waiting in a vast, empty rehearsal space. The loose, sketchy brushstrokes typical of Impressionism give the scene a sense of fleeting movement, as if we've just snuck into the room uninvited. Degas often portrayed these young women not as ethereal creatures, but as hardworking athletes enduring the grueling physical demands of their craft.
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