Dance Examination by Degas

This delicate genre scene painted in pastel by the artist Degas Edgar is at the heart of the impressionist movement through its meticulous observation of the dance world. The work temporarily titled “Dance Examination” illustrates the painter’s constant fascination with the backstage of the Paris Opera and the hard work of young students. This modern subject privileges the instantaneity and truth of bodies in search of a resolutely new aesthetic.

Three young ballerinas in vaporous white tutus stand on an oblique wooden floor in an ocre-toned rehearsal room. On the left, a dancer bends forward to carefully adjust her pink slipper, her body girded with a large vibrant ultramarine blue ribbon. Behind her, an elderly chaperone wearing a dark patterned red shawl and another ballerina silently observe the young dancer’s efforts in profile. The soft light coming from the left caresses the bare shoulders, delicate arms and necks of the young girls, creating a silent, cozy and serene atmosphere. This tightly framed, asymmetrical composition of the room accentuates the feeling of intimate proximity.

The exceptional expertise of Edgar Degas shines in the absolute mastery of pastel which makes it possible to render the vaporous texture of tulle and the delicacy of flesh. The artist uses nervous hatchings and vibrant colored powders to sculpt forms with expressive power and striking realism.