Dressed Dancer at Rest, Hands Behind Her Back, Right Leg Forward (Second State) 1890 - 1920

This bronze sculpture of a resting dancer was made by Edgar Degas, probably between 1880 and 1910. The green-brown patinas are thick and earthy. I can imagine Degas working on this, adding bits and pieces, refining the form, and changing his mind. The dancer's posture, with hands behind her back, suggests both exhaustion and poised readiness. Degas was interested in the body, especially the female body, in motion and at rest, but he was also interested in the spaces *between* poses. In that sense, he shares concerns with painters like Cezanne or even someone like Manet. What does it mean to depict a body caught in a moment? How does this offer a way to study the nature of perception itself? I bet he’d love to know his work lives on, sparking thoughts and inspiring us to look at the world with fresh eyes.