The Dancing Examination 1880

Edgar Degas crafted "The Dancing Examination" with pastel on paper around 1880, capturing a scene of ballerinas in repose. Observe the dancers’ white tutus. White as a symbol has journeyed through time, initially signifying purity, a concept deeply rooted in religious iconography. Yet, its meaning shifts here, becoming a marker of the ballerina’s ethereal, almost spectral presence. Consider the image of Salome, as imagined by Moreau, who also used the color white to portray similar symbolism. How does this departure reflect a secularization of symbolic language? Notice how the women lower their heads and focus their eyes downward, not at the viewer, but on their own bodies. This inward gaze suggests a self-consciousness, an awareness of scrutiny that adds a layer of psychological depth, engaging the viewer in a dialogue about performance, identity, and the gaze. The ballerinas are at once present and distant, real and idealized, echoing in the mind long after the eye has moved on.