Study of a Ballet Dancer (recto); Two Studies of Dancers (verso)

Description

Study of a Ballet Dancer by Edgar Degas captures a dancer bending forward, her skirt spreading around a lifted leg. Dark strokes define the bowed head and the folds of the tutu, while touches of blue-green stand out against the pink paper.

Created around 1873, the image shows the recto study from a sheet that also carries two dancer studies on its reverse. The angular pose and exposed support give this single figure the immediacy of movement observed at close range.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Edgar Degas collection.