The Star

The Star is a defining work created by Edgar Degas French, 1834-1917, between 1879 and 1881. This iconic drawing exemplifies the artist’s dedicated focus on the demanding, often unglamorous backstage world of the Parisian opera and ballet. Degas rarely employed traditional oil paint for these dynamic scenes, preferring the immediacy and textural quality of pastel. The work is executed in pastel on cream wove paper, meticulously edge mounted on board, showcasing his profound mastery of draughtsmanship and color.

As a key figure within the French art scene of the late nineteenth century, Degas maintained a complex relationship with the aesthetics of Impressionism (c. 1860–1890s). While sharing the Impressionists’ interest in capturing modern life and using unusual compositions, he generally rejected painting en plein air in favor of studio observation and drawing. The composition of this piece is characteristic of Degas's experimentation, employing an elevated vantage point and sharply cropped figure that suggests the instantaneous capture of a passing moment. This observational intensity was paramount to his artistic production in France during this period. The brilliant application of the pastel captures the artificial glow of the stage lighting and the energetic movement of the dancer, rendered through quick, overlaid strokes that emphasize fleeting action.

The subject matter focuses tightly on the strenuous preparation and performance of the dancers, a theme Degas explored repeatedly toward the end of the 1870s and early 1880s. The central figure is depicted with intense psychological focus, elevating the work beyond a simple genre scene. Degas's ability to render the tension between the public performance and private labor makes this work a seminal piece of Impressionist draughtsmanship. This exceptional piece is a crucial component of the Art Institute of Chicago’s distinguished collection. Due to the enduring historical fame of this work, and the period of its creation, reproductions and high-quality prints of the artwork are often available through repositories dedicated to art entering the public domain.