Degas and the Hidden Dancers: Pastel Ballerinas Behind the Scenes
In 1874, Edgar Degas became a founding member of the Société anonyme des artistes peintres, sculpteurs, graveurs, etc., alongside Pissarro, Sisley, Monet, Renoir, and Berthe Morisot. He broke away from traditional Salon standards, experimenting with new colors and perspectives. Degas had a personal connection with his dancers, portraying them both in motion and in repose, which led to notable pieces such as Ballet Rehearsal and Ballerina verde (1879), Ballerine alla sbarra (1907), and Ballerina dietro le quinte (1897). The latter, referred to as Le quattro ballerine in blu, shows dancers preparing for their stage performance. Additionally, a Rai Storia documentary titled Una vita sulle punte, aired on 30 March 1967, explores the difficulties of pursuing dance in Italy compared to other countries.
Key facts
- Degas was a founding member of the Société anonyme des artistes peintres, sculpteurs, graveurs, etc. in 1874, alongside Pissarro, Sisley, Monet, Renoir and Berthe Morisot
- Ballerina dietro le quinte (1897) is also known as Le quattro ballerine in blu
- Degas photographed his dancers and combined multiple shots into a working repertoire
- His dance-themed works span from Ballet Rehearsal and Ballerina verde (1879) to Ballerine alla sbarra (1907)
- La classe di danza is dated 1873–76 and features the master Jules Perrot
- The Rai Storia documentary Una vita sulle punte is dated 30 March 1967
- A dancer in the documentary dreamed of performing as prima ballerina at Moscow's Teatro Bol'shoj
- The article was published on Artspecialday on 20 October 2026
Entities
Artists
- Edgar Degas
- Camille Pissarro
- Alfred Sisley
- Claude Monet
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Berthe Morisot
- Egon Schiele
- Toulouse-Lautrec
- Jules Perrot
- Giacomo Leopardi
- Sibilla Vane
- Oscar Wilde
Institutions
- Rai Storia
- Teatro Bol'shoj
- Artspecialday
- Société anonyme des artistes peintres, sculpteurs, graveurs, etc.
Locations
- Moscow
- Russia
- Italy