Study of a Nude (Dancer at the Barre)
1884–1900
Medium
Charcoal on tracing paper laid down on card
Dimensions
Sheet: 42 5/16 × 29 1/8 in. (107.5 × 74 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of the Drue Heinz Charitable Trust, in celebration of the Museum's 150th Anniversary, 2019
Accession Number
2019.598
Tags
Art Historical Context
Edgar Degas, the masterful French artist associated with Impressionism yet renowned for his realist depictions of modern life, created *Study of a Nude (Dancer at the Barre)* between 1884 and 1900. This large-scale drawing captures ballerina in a poised preparatory stance at the barre, emphasizing the disciplined grace and anatomical precision of the female form. Degas was captivated by the world of ballet, particularly the Paris Opéra, where he sketched dancers in rehearsals, revealing their vulnerability and strength away from the stage lights. Executed in charcoal on tracing paper laid dow...
About the Artist
Edgar Degas · 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 ...