Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Degas was most interested in the mundane aspects of ballet, writing in a sonnet that “queens are made of distance and greasepaint.”
Edgar Degas' "The Ballet Class"—one of two paintings of the same scene—shows dancers waiting to be assessed by ballet master Jules Perrot. The paintings Degas produced in the 1870s, including this one were often “through-the-keyhole” glimpses of backstage life. They were also radical for their time, depicting the dramatic, contemporary subject matter of dance and theater.
Why did Degas paint so many ballerinas? Learn more from Britannica:
Behind the curtain in "The Ballet Class": britannica.com/topic/The-Ballet-Class
Who was Degas? britannica.com/biography/Edgar-Degas
What is Impressionism? britannica.com/art/Impressionism-art
The 8 Impressionist exhibitions: britannica.com/art/the-eight-Impressionist-exhibitions
~~~
#EncyclopaediaBritannica
Inspiring curiosity and the joy of learning since 1768.
Web: britannica.com
Facebook: facebook.com/Britannica
Twitter: twitter.com/Britannica
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Degas was most interested in the mundane aspects of ballet, writing in a sonnet that “queens are made of distance and greasepaint.”
Edgar Degas' "The Ballet Class"—one of two paintings of the same scene—shows dancers waiting to be assessed by ballet master Jules Perrot. The paintings Degas produced in the 1870s, including this one were often “through-the-keyhole” glimpses of backstage life. They were also radical for their time, depicting the dramatic, contemporary subject matter of dance and theater.
Why did Degas paint so many ballerinas? Learn more from Britannica:
Behind the curtain in "The Ballet Class": britannica.com/topic/The-Ballet-Class
Who was Degas? britannica.com/biography/Edgar-Degas
What is Impressionism? britannica.com/art/Impressionism-art
The 8 Impressionist exhibitions: britannica.com/art/the-eight-Impressionist-exhibitions
~~~
#EncyclopaediaBritannica
Inspiring curiosity and the joy of learning since 1768.
Web: britannica.com
Facebook: facebook.com/Britannica
Twitter: twitter.com/Britannica
Instagram: instagram.com/Britannica
