Dancer Seen from Behind and Three Studies of Feet

Dancer Seen from Behind and Three Studies of Feet is a preparatory drawing created by Edgar Degas in 1878. Executed using black chalk and pastel on blue-gray laid paper, this work exemplifies the French artist’s intense focus on the world of ballet and theatrical performance. This period, roughly spanning 1876 to 1900, was crucial in Degas’s artistic development, as he increasingly moved away from traditional oil painting to explore the vibrant, kinetic qualities afforded by pastel, charcoal, and other drawing media.

The main subject features a dancer standing in a moment of repose or preparation, viewed from an unconventional angle that emphasizes the volume of her layered tutu and the complex posture of her back. Degas, famous for his relentless observation of the corps de ballet, often rendered his dancers off-stage or during rigorous training sessions, preferring these unglamorous, realistic glimpses of labor over idealized stage performances. The effective use of the cool blue-gray paper provides a stabilizing ground against which the dark chalk lines and delicate pastel highlights register the subtle curves and tension of the dancer’s form.

Adjacent to the principal figure are three meticulous studies dedicated solely to the anatomy and positioning of the foot. These detailed insertions underscore Degas's academic rigor and his scientific fascination with capturing the precise weight, balance, and mechanics required of ballet dancers. Such studies were often retained in the artist’s studio for reference across multiple compositions, revealing the methodical approach Degas employed when analyzing movement and anatomy. This significant piece, classified as a drawing, resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. As a foundational work in the late 19th century French tradition, high-quality prints and reproductions of this drawing are widely available today, often entering the public domain.