The Ballet c. 1880

Curator: This is Degas' "The Ballet," circa 1880, rendered in watercolor and pastel. It’s quite striking how he captures a sense of immediacy. What stands out to you? Editor: I’m really drawn to the composition, the dancers are waiting in the wings, it looks like, ready to go onstage. I'm curious about Degas's perspective on this. What was he trying to say? Curator: Think about the materials. Pastel and watercolor. How does that choice impact the way we see the subject? It's not just about the dance itself, it’s about the making, the materiality. The pastel creates a textured surface, doesn't it? How does that texture play against the subject of the ballet, usually seen as ethereal and light? Editor: Yes, I see that! It gives a rougher, more real feeling to what would normally be thought of as graceful and weightless. Almost… gritty. Curator: Exactly. It's Degas drawing our attention to the *process* behind the performance, not just the perfected product. He’s showing the labour, the behind-the-scenes reality that goes into creating this illusion. How might the dancers’ social standing be linked to the patronage of the opera? What economic structures allowed these works to be made, these bodies to be trained, and these materials to be bought? Editor: So, he is interested in demystifying the Ballet itself, highlighting the work instead of the dream? Curator: Precisely. And it compels us to examine the social conditions that made such performances—and such artworks—possible. Now, how does focusing on materiality impact the narrative of art history, which is often so focused on aesthetic achievement? Editor: That's really insightful. It shifts the focus from beauty alone to the physical reality and social context, a completely different understanding. Thanks! Curator: It highlights that even seemingly ephemeral arts like ballet are rooted in tangible labor, materials, and societal structures. A new point of view, isn't it?