Dancers in the Wings

"Dancers in the Wings" is a compelling print created by Edgar Degas French, 1834-1917, between 1879 and 1880. This significant work showcases the complexity of 19th-century French printmaking, employing a sophisticated combination of etching, aquatint, and drypoint applied to ivory loose chine. This technique allowed Degas to achieve a rich tonal range and varied line quality, capturing the intense, artificial lighting and dramatic shadows characteristic of the backstage world. The piece depicts several performers gathered near the edge of the stage, their postures suggesting a mixture of focus, fatigue, and anticipation before their entrance.

Degas dedicated a large segment of his career to depicting the world of the Parisian ballet, moving beyond the idealized performance to focus on the private moments, rehearsal rooms, and demanding labor of the dancers. This perspective aligns the artist more closely with Realist traditions, emphasizing the modernity and social context of his subjects. The use of the print medium, rather than painting, further demonstrates Degas’s experimentation with format and texture. This important work is currently held in the esteemed collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As a key example of the master’s graphic output, related prints are often made available through public domain archives, allowing wider study of this era of French art.