Before the Ballet

Before the Ballet is a painting created by Edgar Degas between 1890 and 1892. Executed in oil on canvas, this work exemplifies the French artist’s late-career preoccupation with capturing dancers in candid, backstage moments rather than during formal performance. Degas had long focused on the demanding world of the opera and the strenuous realities faced by ballerinas, often utilizing unorthodox compositions to convey movement and the immediacy of observation.

The period 1876 to 1900 marks the height of Degas's technical experimentation, during which he explored looser brushwork and bolder color application compared to his earlier, more tightly rendered compositions. In Before the Ballet, Degas employs his characteristic elevated viewpoint and cropped framing, suggesting a spontaneous snapshot taken without the subjects' full awareness. The technical handling of the oil on canvas skillfully captures the delicate colors of the tutus and the subtle play of artificial light reflecting off the figures as they stretch and adjust their costumes in preparation.

This piece remains a crucial example of French art from the late nineteenth century, reflecting the socioeconomic realities of professional dancers during the 1876 to 1900 period. Degas, though often associated with Impressionism, established a unique realist style focused on urban spectacle and the study of the moving human form. This canvas is classified as a major painting from this late phase of the artist's career and is a significant holding within the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. As with many iconic works by this master, the availability of high-quality prints derived from public domain source material allows broad study of this essential depiction of theatrical life.