Danseuse, appuyée à une colonne 1895 - 1898

Edgar Degas created this drawing, Danseuse, appuyée à une colonne, in 1885, using charcoal and pastel on paper. In late 19th century Paris, the ballet was a spectacle of both art and social maneuvering; as such, the dancers, often from working-class backgrounds, occupied a precarious position. Here, Degas sketches the dancers caught in moments of repose, offering a glimpse behind the polished facade of performance. Consider how Degas's work both captures and perhaps complicates the narrative of these young women, poised between the grit of their daily lives and the glamour of the stage. Are these drawings celebrations, or examinations of labor, class, and the female form? They invite us to consider the complex layers of identity and experience of these dancers.