Dancer with a Fan

Dancer with a Fan, created by Edgar Degas between 1875 and 1885, is a masterful study rendered primarily in pastel on gray-green laid paper. This chosen medium was central to Degas’s practice during this era, enabling him to capture the immediacy of light and motion with exceptional texture and vivid color. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Degas focused less on finished studio portraits and more on candid, intimate moments, often observing performers backstage or in rehearsal.

The piece exemplifies Degas’s deep engagement with the world of the Parisian Opéra. The composition captures a young subject, categorized as one of the many anonymous girls who danced professionally, either pausing during rehearsal or preparing for a performance. The most prominent element is the open fan, handled delicately by the dancer. The inclusion of the fan reflects the era’s fascination with Japanese aesthetics and pattern work, lending the drawing a distinctly modern sensibility. Degas used the inherent texture of the pastel and the tooth of the laid paper to build layers of light, particularly noticeable in the dancer’s tulle costume, contrasting sharply with the shadowed background.

This significant drawing showcases the artist's ability to render the human form in dynamic, non-classical poses, capturing the awkward grace inherent in rigorous physical training. The work is classified as a drawing and remains a highlight of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection in New York. The enduring appeal of Degas’s studies of dancers ensures that high-quality prints derived from this influential piece, often available through public domain collections, continue to circulate widely for study and enjoyment.