Three Dancers, Blue Skirts, Red Blouses 1903

Edgar Degas made this piece, Three Dancers, Blue Skirts, Red Blouses, with pastel. The pastel strokes are applied so freely, it is clear that Degas cared more about the process than the final product. Looking closely at the dancer in the centre, see how the red of her top is made from these incredibly soft strokes, almost like a haze. The texture here is particularly interesting because it’s made up of so many different directions of marks, giving the impression of movement and light. It feels as though we’re seeing the dance, rather than just dancers. And it's not just the colour that gives it that life, it's the way the pastels blend and contrast; how the warmth of the red pops against the cool of the blue and the earthiness of the background. Degas was a master of colour, just like Bonnard, who, like Degas, also had an interest in the everyday, the stuff of life, and how that can be magical. It's a reminder that art is not about perfection, but about capturing the essence of a moment, a feeling, an experience.