Before the Ballet (detail) 1892

Curator: This intriguing detail comes from Edgar Degas’ “Before the Ballet,” painted around 1892. The close crop gives us an interesting lens to observe his painting technique. Editor: The cropped view offers us a surprising abstract effect. The painting feels heavy, earthy...almost like peering through a dense forest canopy, with glimpses of light struggling to penetrate. Curator: Interesting take. When situated in the context of Degas' wider body of work and France at the turn of the century, we must recognize the ballet as big business involving seamstresses and the "petit rats," poor children, forced into labor and exploitation to entertain the leisure class. Here, the impressionist master represents ballet's infrastructure, drawing a clear contrast with romanticized representations of similar themes that his contemporaries often chose. Editor: I see your point, but on the purely formal side, observe how Degas orchestrates a delicate balance between intention and accident. Look closely—the layers upon layers create such a dense tapestry, but there is structure present too, though subtle. You could see a tension in these textural interactions. Curator: The surface itself betrays so much of the social reality – its application suggesting speed, yet possessing a deceptive sense of carelessness when contrasted with the very careful compositional elements he employees throughout. Think of how this evokes the repetitive labor and harsh materiality present at that period of rapid social transformation Editor: I hadn't really looked at it like that... Thank you for providing that social background, it opens my understanding quite nicely. It gives greater dimension and depth. Curator: Likewise, appreciating the construction and material application provides a vital connection to the historical processes within which this canvas and artist were working. Editor: A fitting thought. So much contained within, and communicated through paint and canvas.