![]() He knew how to play with forms, lines to structure artworks that could communicate diverse themes. I was somewhat habituated with his artistic charms, and that made acknowledge and appreciate the greatness of his works. Visiting the museum was exciting having known Degas for so long. My visit to the museum was successful, and my attention was drawn to this artwork. Degas’s preparation in the composition of the art is well anchored on how he adequately prepared for each object in the drawing, ranging from the dancers on the background, foreground, and the woman seen to be yawning next to the stage. Distinctively, The Rehearsal of the Ballet Onstage artwork is believed to have preceded another version of pastes, which artists opine was more freely handled (Degas, 2010). The two other artworks that appeared alongside this are displayed in the metropolitan collection of art. According to visual analysts, it is the first largest, painting to have appeared in the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874 (Degas, 2010). The artwork follows the guidelines and styles of impressionism movement. This is attributed to the similarity of scenes in the composition and how precise relationships have been established to achieve unity. This masterpiece by Degas has confused many artists in the past decades. ![]() The artwork has been classified as a drawing. At the MMA, the artwork measures 54.3 by 73 cm. All these materials are then mounted on canvas. There are traces of watercolor and a paste that is used to draw a cream-colored wove on paper. The medium of the composition is oil that is freely mixed with turpentine. Check it out online.The artwork, The Rehearsal of the Ballet Onstage, was composed by Edgar Degas, a French artist in 1874. If you are ever in Paris, try and swing by. The painting brings that alive.Ī wonderful work in the history of the impressionist movement. They are meant to be hard work, done repeatedly until it almost becomes habit. The creation of beauty is often far less beautiful to behold than the final creation, but it’s those hours spent in honing the craft that finally creates something magical. The colours are dull there as well, reinforcing the mood. ![]() In the bottom right corner of the painting, the first empty row of the theater is also shown, once again reiterating that it is a rehearsal. None of the beauty associated with ballet is on display here and yet, it is beautiful. Degas’ technique of thinning out paint using turpentine robs the artwork of any vibrancy, accentuating the atmosphere of fatigue and tiredness. It’s surprisingly realistic and almost drab, but that’s what makes the painting come alive. One dancer has both hands stretched back behind her head, head raised, and mouth wide open. Yawning, stretching, displaying fatigue while taking a breather from their routine. Here, Degas captures ballerinas while they are not dancing. In fact, the first modern artwork to be considered mixed media is Pablo Picasso’s 1912 collage Still Life with Chair Caning, which used paper, cloth, paint and rope causing a pseudo-3D effect.Īrt imitates life and in the life of a ballet dancer, the hours spent in rehearsals are far more mundane and non glamorous than the hours spent on stage, performing. For a painting drawn in 1874, the combination of ink, pen, pastel and oil is rare, since mixed media came into popularity about 50 years later. The other thing that stands out is the amount of mixed media used. The sheer lack of colour another proof, that Degas was wilful in his choice to give it that realistic edge. A surprising amount of realism, depicting the scene in stark reality than an impressionist’s interpretation. Impressionist is his creativity, this particular series by Degas, is almost a study in anti-impressionism, with the composition resembling a sketch more than an oil on canvas. In this painting though, Degas expertly robs it of any grandeur so as to depict an authentic visualisation of what happens during a break in a ballet rehearsal. Ballet is known for its glamour, drama and artistry. This painting ( as well as the series ) captures a “behind-the-scenes-look” at a Parisian ballet rehearsal. ![]() It is a series of three paintings by Degas, each slightly different from the other, but depicting a similar narrative. Ballet Rehearsal on Stage was published in 1874.
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