Dancer Adjusting the Shoulder Strap of Her Bodice c. 1880s - 1890s

Curator: Let's turn our attention to this bronze sculpture, created by Edgar Degas around the 1880s or 1890s. It's titled, "Dancer Adjusting the Shoulder Strap of Her Bodice." Editor: She seems very absorbed, lost in a private moment. The pose has this wonderful balance between tension and vulnerability. I immediately wonder what she might be feeling or thinking. Curator: Exactly, the genius here is the asymmetry of the form. Note how the raised arms create a dynamic diagonal that bisects the static verticality of her legs. Editor: I see her caught between performance and reality. Was she a paid performer or one of the petits rats from the ballet that he also made? Those realities differ enormously and reflect a long history of viewing female performers. The gesture of adjusting her garment seems innocuous, but it points towards the scrutiny these young dancers faced. Curator: I concur it's ambiguous, though for me, this intimacy speaks more to Degas’ interest in capturing fleeting moments and transient poses, using a realistic, rather than an idealized, style. Editor: I also question if his view of the female performer isn’t somewhat transactional or removed. He seems a passive observer, depicting this dancer as a type, removed from agency, class, labor exploitation, even her youth… She is perpetually posed, caught in bronze. Curator: Her subjectivity seems unknowable here; but, even within his stylistic tendencies, one can't overlook how the tactile quality of the bronze further accentuates the dancer’s physicality. The roughness lends her an earthly presence despite the upward gaze, and despite the very medium used to craft this figurative piece. Editor: The texture definitely adds a compelling rawness. Reflecting on Degas, one must also acknowledge the role his social context played on shaping what he depicted and how we ultimately interpret those images through a gendered and critical lens. Curator: A perfect balance between observation and consideration. Thank you. Editor: A conversation that inspires a deeper viewing. Thank you.