← Edgar Degas

Dancer Looking at the Sole of Her Right Foot (Second State)

Original title: Dancer Looking at the Sole of Her Right Foot (Second State)

Artist

Edgar Degas

Date

modeled probably ca. 1895–1910, cast 1920

Medium

Bronze

Dimensions

18-7/8 x 9 x 8-1/4 in. (47.9 x 22.9 x 21.0 cm.)

Credit line

H.O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H.O. Havemeyer, 1929

kurzbeschreibung

Edgar Degas modeled this bronze statue probably between 1895 and 1910; it was cast in 1920. It shows a dancer in a balancing pose, lifting her right leg and looking at the sole of her foot. The work belongs to a series of sculptures in which Degas engaged with ballet.

Description

The dancer stands in a balancing pose, her head tilted back. Her right arm stretches behind her, her left arm forward; the left leg points forward, the right leg back. Her muscular body seems caught in fluid movement. The figure rests on a square base; light spreads evenly over the bronze without casting shadows, and the color remains uniform.

Context

In his late creative phase, Degas turned increasingly to dance. During his lifetime he made only wax models; these were cast in bronze only after his death in 1917. The series of dancers originated in his studio and was realized posthumously by his heirs in a limited edition.

Impact

Delicate elegance and at the same time powerful tension run through the figure, capturing the moment of balance. The uneven bronze surface gives it a lively, almost impressionistic texture that makes movement and spontaneity palpable.

Technique

The bronze cast has a rough, irregular surface that stems from the original wax modeling. Executed in the lost-wax process, it preserves the finest details and the characteristic quality of the surface.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)