Dancer Adjusting Her Slipper
1873
Medium
Graphite heightened with black and white chalk on pink wove paper (now faded); squared for transfer
Dimensions
Sheet: 13 in. × 9 5/8 in. (33 × 24.4 cm) Framed: 21 × 16 in. (53.3 × 40.6 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
29.100.941
Tags
Art Historical Context
Edgar Degas, a master of capturing the grace and toil of ballet dancers, created *Dancer Adjusting Her Slipper* in 1873. This intimate drawing depicts a ballerina in a candid moment of adjustment backstage, embodying Degas' fascination with the daily realities of performers at the Paris Opéra. During the 1870s, Degas frequented rehearsals, sketching from life to reveal the poise and exhaustion behind the glamour—a signature theme in his oeuvre that bridged Realism and Impressionism. Rendered in graphite heightened with black and white chalk on pink wove paper, the work showcases Degas' virtuo...
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 ...