← Edgar Degas

Little Girl Practicing at the Bar

Original title: Little Girl Practicing at the Bar

Artist

Edgar Degas

Date

ca. 1878–80

Medium

Black chalk and graphite, heightened with white chalk on pink laid paper

Dimensions

Sheet: 12 3/16 x 11 9/16 in. (31 x 29.3cm)

Credit line

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

kurzbeschreibung

Edgar Degas drew Kleines Mädchen beim Üben an der Stange around 1878–80. The young ballerina is shown in a training pose at the ballet barre. The sheet is executed in black chalk and graphite, with white chalk heightening on pink laid paper.

Description

A young dancer lifts one leg and stretches her arms. She wears a dress and ballet shoes; the wooden floor of the practice room is suggested. Black-and-white shading creates depth and texture.

Context

In the 1870s Degas turned increasingly to ballet and returned to the motif again and again. The training of young dancers interested him as a glimpse behind the scenes of the Paris Opera. He often used pink laid paper for studies and sketches.

Impact

A quiet, familiar mood pervades the sheet and lets the viewer share in the practice room. The delicate pink of the paper and the strong black chalk lines give the drawing luminosity and immediacy.

Technique

Black chalk and graphite form the basis, white chalk heightening sets sculptural accents. The toned pink laid cardboard connects light and dark areas. Chalk and graphite allow fine transitions and precise contours.

AI-generated description text

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