Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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You’ve probably heard of an artist named Edgar Degas, but even if you haven't, I’d bet you’ve seen his sweet and whimsical ballerina paintings. Degas was obsessed with the ballet and created approximately 1,500 works of the subject. When we sift through them, we see dancers and instructors, musicians and mothers, but once in a blue moon, Degas depicts these mysterious figures wearing black suits, watching and waiting usually backstage or in the wings. But who are these men and why are they at the ballet? Here's the story!
References and further reading:
Coons, Lorraine. (2014). Artiste or coquette? Les petits rats of the Paris Opera ballet. French Cultural Studies. 25. 140-164. 10.1177/0957155814520912.
artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-sordid-truth-degass-ballet-dancers
npr.org/2018/11/20/667448848/little-dancer-brings-us-to-see-the-person-behind-the-famous-degas-sculpture
smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/degas-and-his-dancers-79455990
blog.artsper.com/en/a-closer-look/the-scary-truth-behind-degas-ballet-paintings
smarthistory.org/edgar-degas-little-dancer-age-fourteen/?sidebar=europe-1800-1900
smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/true-story-little-ballerina-who-influenced-degas-little-dancer-180953201
metmuseum.org/essays/edgar-degas-1834-1917-painting-and-drawing
Piano Jump Scare Stinger by TheSoundFXGuy_YT -- freesound.org/s/534218 -- License: Attribution 4.0
Cinematic (Sting) by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Artist: twinmusicom.org
GMB Kantilan 1.WAV by anamorphosis -- freesound.org/s/24620 -- License: Sampling+
Cinematic (Sting) by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Artist: twinmusicom.org
Divertissement by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100256
Artist: incompetech.com
Distant Tension by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?keywords=Distant+Tension&page=0
Artist: incompetech.com
keyboard-backspaces.wav by Anton -- freesound.org/s/135 -- License: Attribution 4.0
The first 1,000 people to click the link will get a full year of Premium membership to Craftsy for only $1.49: go.craftsy.com/artdeco2
Thank you to Craftsy for sponsoring this video!
You’ve probably heard of an artist named Edgar Degas, but even if you haven't, I’d bet you’ve seen his sweet and whimsical ballerina paintings. Degas was obsessed with the ballet and created approximately 1,500 works of the subject. When we sift through them, we see dancers and instructors, musicians and mothers, but once in a blue moon, Degas depicts these mysterious figures wearing black suits, watching and waiting usually backstage or in the wings. But who are these men and why are they at the ballet? Here's the story!
References and further reading:
Coons, Lorraine. (2014). Artiste or coquette? Les petits rats of the Paris Opera ballet. French Cultural Studies. 25. 140-164. 10.1177/0957155814520912.
artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-sordid-truth-degass-ballet-dancers
npr.org/2018/11/20/667448848/little-dancer-brings-us-to-see-the-person-behind-the-famous-degas-sculpture
smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/degas-and-his-dancers-79455990
blog.artsper.com/en/a-closer-look/the-scary-truth-behind-degas-ballet-paintings
smarthistory.org/edgar-degas-little-dancer-age-fourteen/?sidebar=europe-1800-1900
smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/true-story-little-ballerina-who-influenced-degas-little-dancer-180953201
metmuseum.org/essays/edgar-degas-1834-1917-painting-and-drawing
Piano Jump Scare Stinger by TheSoundFXGuy_YT -- freesound.org/s/534218 -- License: Attribution 4.0
Cinematic (Sting) by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Artist: twinmusicom.org
GMB Kantilan 1.WAV by anamorphosis -- freesound.org/s/24620 -- License: Sampling+
Cinematic (Sting) by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Artist: twinmusicom.org
Divertissement by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100256
Artist: incompetech.com
Distant Tension by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?keywords=Distant+Tension&page=0
Artist: incompetech.com
keyboard-backspaces.wav by Anton -- freesound.org/s/135 -- License: Attribution 4.0
