Dancer in a Red Skirt by Degas

This luminous pastel by the realistic artist Degas Edgar, bearing the temporary title “Dancer in a Red Skirt”, illustrates his constant interest in the backstage and the moments of waiting for the Opera artists. The painter chooses to represent an isolated dancer, captured in a relaxed pose away from the public gaze. This work bears witness to the artist’s desire to break with academic conventions to paint modern reality in all its spontaneity.

The luminous composition features a young red-haired dancer seen from behind, standing on the grey wooden stage. Her long, wavy golden hair falls freely down her back, contrasting with her midnight blue bodice. She wears a tutu of a brilliant fire orange, embroidered with delicate black and green flowers on the fabric. The young girl stands calmly with her hands on her hips, in an attitude of rest and contemplation. Behind her, a green and orange vegetal decor suggests a lush theatrical landscape, while in the distance, another ballerina sketches a dance step under a bright and clear light.

The artist’s technical virtuosity is revealed in the striking contrast between the precision of the silhouette and the almost abstract treatment of the background decor. His thick pastel strokes make the orange tutu vibrate under the theatrical light. The painter succeeds in capturing the materiality of fabrics and hair.