The Ballet
c. 1880
Edgar Degas was absolutely obsessed with the Paris Opera Ballet, and this sketch captures his signature behind-the-scenes magic. Instead of showing a glamorous performance, he paints a candid moment of dancers in fluffy white tutus waiting in the wings, while a dark-suited patron or instructor looms on the right. The loose, sketchy strokes of Impressionism make the scene feel like a fleeting, stolen glance rather than a posed portrait. Degas often portrayed the grueling reality of these young dancers, stripping away the stage romance to show the hard work and awkward waiting that happened offstage.
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