Three Dancers. Yellow Skirts, Blue Blouses 1896

Editor: So, here we have "Three Dancers. Yellow Skirts, Blue Blouses," created by Edgar Degas in 1896. It's a pastel drawing. It strikes me as quite vibrant, despite the hazy, dreamlike quality. What do you make of it? Curator: Ah, Degas! He catches the ephemeral nature of performance so well. Look at how the dancers almost blend into the background, their forms suggested rather than sharply defined. For me, it speaks of memory – a recollection of the dance rather than the dance itself. Almost as if he has seen this scene so many times. Does that resonate with you? Editor: It does. I see that now. They seem to emerge from this swirl of color. Why do you think he chose pastel for this piece? Curator: Pastel allowed Degas to capture that fleeting, almost blurred effect, wouldn’t you say? Think of the way a dancer moves – a constant blur of motion and light. He wasn't interested in photo-realism; it was about conveying the *feeling* of the performance. Plus, he layered pastel upon pastel, giving a real sense of depth. See how the yellow skirts almost vibrate with light? What are your thoughts on it? Editor: Definitely, I noticed the layered pastels too. It's almost like he's building up the forms with pure color. Before looking closer, it seemed impressionistic but not quite. What do you mean, you can almost smell the turpentine? Curator: It’s in jest, dear reader, though a well known remark from the artist is about him always having the 'scent of turpentine.' Jokes aside, what stays with me is Degas’ ability to turn something as structured and precise as ballet into this hazy, dreamlike vision, like glimpsing into a shared memory. Editor: It's changed my perspective! The blurred edges and layered color give it such an incredible sense of movement. Thanks so much!