Four Dancers 1903

Edgar Degas made this artwork "Four Dancers" with pastel, and you can really see the process; it’s so physical. The marks feel urgent, like he's trying to capture a fleeting moment, not just record it, but almost become it. Look at the way the colors blend in the tutus, oranges and yellows swirling together. It's like a painterly storm of energy. The texture is amazing; you can almost feel the grain of the paper beneath the pastel. In the background, those scribbled lines create an atmosphere that feels both chaotic and controlled. Degas isn't trying to hide anything. I love that he leaves these traces of his hand; it makes the piece feel alive, like a conversation between the artist and the dancers. There's a sense of improvisation, of working through ideas in real-time. It reminds me of some of Cy Twombly's work, but with a totally different subject matter. Both artists share this love of mark-making and this belief in the power of the process itself.