← Edgar Degas

Dancer Putting on Her Stocking (First State)

Original title: Dancer Putting on Her Stocking (First State)

Artist

Edgar Degas

Date

modeled probably ca. 1896–1912, cast 1920

Medium

Bronze

Dimensions

Overall (Figure only, confirmed): 18 1/8 x 7 3/4 x 8 in., 17.9lb. (46 x 19.7 x 20.3 cm, 8.1421kg); Overall (As mounted on base): 21 1/2 x 9 3/4 x 11 3/4 in. (54.6 x 24.8 x 29.8 cm)

Credit line

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

kurzbeschreibung

Edgar Degas's bronze "Dancer Adjusting Her Stocking (First State)" was likely modeled between 1896 and 1912 and cast in 1920. It shows a nude dancer in a dynamic pose, caught in the act of dressing as she lifts her leg to pull on a stocking.

Description

Standing on one leg with the other extended high, the dancer's body twists upward. Her arms are raised and swing outward, adding to the sense of movement. The nude figure reveals fully modeled musculature. The bronze surface shows cracks and textures typical of the casting process. A plain, neutral background keeps the sculpture entirely in the foreground.

Context

In his later years, Degas turned increasingly to the motif of the dancer, and this sculpture belongs to that phase. It was only after his death in 1917 that it was cast in bronze, with the casting dated 1920. It is one of a series of wax models found in his studio and posthumously executed in bronze. These works often show unusual, private poses that depart from the classical ballet ideal.

Impact

The sculpture feels immediate and spontaneous, as if a movement had just been frozen. The expressive surface and unusual pose create both intimacy and a powerful presence, drawing the viewer into the dancer's private moment.

Technique

The sculpture was cast in bronze after first being modeled in wax. The casting employed the lost-wax method, which preserves the finest surface details. The visible structures and cracks stem from Degas's direct modeling, in which he worked the form with his fingers.

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