Dancer Holding her Right Foot in Her Right Hand
modeled before 1910, cast 1920
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
19-5/8 x 13-3/8 x 11 in. (49.8 x 34.0 x 27.9 cm.)
Classification
Sculpture-Bronze
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H.O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H.O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
29.100.380
Tags
Art Historical Context
Edgar Degas, the renowned French Impressionist painter and sculptor, captured the grace and discipline of ballet dancers in much of his work, often portraying them in candid, off-stage moments. *Dancer Holding Her Right Foot in Her Right*, modeled before 1910, this fascination. The bronze sculpture depicts a lithe female figure in a poised stretch, one foot lifted behind her in a classic ballet arabesque, her body twisted dynamically to convey both vulnerability and strength. Rendered at nearly 20 inches tall, it freezes an intimate rehearsal pose, highlighting Degas's mastery in suggesting mo...
About the Artist
Edgar Degas|A.-A. Hébrard et Cie · 1834–1917
Edgar Degas (1834-1917) stands as one of the most innovative artists of the nineteenth century, whose distinctive vision transformed how modern life could be depicted on canvas. Born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas in Paris to a wealthy banking family—his father French, his mother a Louisiana Creole from New Orleans—Degas received a classical education before abandoning law studies in 1855 to pursue ...