Two Dancers Yellow and Pink
ca. 1898
Degas was a pioneer in using photography to study movement, which helped him capture awkward, natural poses unlike the stiff portraits of the past. Though often grouped with the Impressionists, he preferred to call himself a Realist because he focused on real life. Here, created around 1898 when his eyesight was failing, he captures a candid backstage moment rather than a polished performance. A dancer in a massive yellow tutu bends forward in exhaustion, while her companion in pink relaxes nearby, giving us a sneaky peek into the tired world of Parisian ballerinas.
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