Dancers Backstage 1876 - 1883

Edgar Degas made "Dancers Backstage," during a time when ballet was becoming increasingly popular but also controversial. Here, we see dancers in their pink tutus, not in the spotlight, but in a moment of pause, maybe even vulnerability, backstage. Degas was fascinated by the ballet, and he captured the grace and beauty of the dancers, but he also revealed the class dynamics at play. The male figure in the background reminds us of the complex relationships between the dancers and their patrons. What does it mean for these women to be on display, their bodies a source of both art and commerce? Degas doesn't offer easy answers, but instead invites us to consider the multiple layers of performance and power at work here. The painting captures a transient moment of the dancers' backstage lives, while speaking to broader issues of gender, class, and labor.