Young Spartans Exercising 1860

Curator: Standing before us is Edgar Degas' "Young Spartans Exercising," created around 1860. It’s a pencil drawing, now housed in the National Gallery, London. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: It feels so...stark. A muted palette, almost washed out. It evokes a sense of distance, not just in terms of perspective but also emotionally. The bodies appear vulnerable, despite their athletic stances. Curator: Precisely. Look at the production. Degas used pencil, a humble material, for what is essentially a history painting – blurring the line between sketch and finished work, challenging academic art's preference for oil. How does this inform your perspective? Editor: The "humble" pencil speaks volumes about the perceived value of labor, then and now. We're viewing an idealised, historical moment, but the very materiality questions the grand narratives often associated with history painting. Consider how notions of the nude intertwine with race and gender... Curator: A compelling reading! He focuses on the preparation for battle rather than battle itself. And the overt heterosexuality that it exudes! Editor: Yes, Degas seems particularly focused on this initial social interaction between male and female as well. The figures are positioned such that they are quite conscious and concerned of the reactions to one another’s physicality. And who do they perform this display for? In order to be seen by those that were closest to them as most suitable. Curator: Let us acknowledge then that this scene is taking place in ancient times where eugenics, physical expectations, gender norms and all these different factors would influence this historical setting. So much is presented, and the medium almost softens the aggressive intention, while simultaneously raising uncomfortable questions about societal ideals then, and, perhaps even now. Editor: Absolutely, it demands a constant questioning of our assumptions. I am challenged in turn by the questions this raises in both ancient historical societies and contemporary social behaviours that occur in social environments such as dating rituals. Curator: A powerful point to remember when encountering “Young Spartans Exercising.” Editor: It pushes us beyond aesthetics, and into complex territories of history, power and representation.