Little Dancer, Fourteen Year Old 1881

Edgar Degas created this sculpture of a young dancer in wax, bronze, and fabric, likely around 1880. It offers a glimpse into the social dynamics of the Parisian ballet world. Degas was fascinated by the ballet, but his focus wasn't on the spectacle of performance, but on the everyday lives of the dancers. The "little dancer" here refers to a corps de ballet member, often from working-class backgrounds. Ballet offered these young women a chance at upward mobility, but at a price. Many were vulnerable to exploitation and social stigma. The sculpture's mixed media and realist style challenge the traditional conventions of art and the social hierarchy of the art world, drawing attention to the labor and social realities behind the beauty of the ballet. As art historians, we can look at the records of the Paris Opera Ballet, newspaper accounts, and social histories to understand more about the lives of these dancers and the complex social world in which Degas created this piece.