A Ballerina (Danseuse à la barre)
artist
Edgar Degas
(Paris, 1834 - 1917, Paris)
Dateabout 1880
Place MadeFrance, Europe
MediumBlack and ochre chalk and pink and white pastel on paper
Dimensions30 x 22.8 cm (11 13/16 x 8 15/16 in.)
ClassificationsDrawings
Credit LineIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Accession numberP11s9
eMuseum ID724024
EmbARK ObjectID10739
TMS Source ID16
Last Updated8/9/24
Status
Not on viewWeb Commentary
Edgar Degas was interested in the movement of ballerinas and created about 1,500 paintings and works on paper of dancers. Apparently unhappy with how he drew the dancer’s left arm in this work, he made a note at the top “bad left arm, looking for another one.” However, something about the drawing must have appealed to Degas as he took the time to enhance the drawing with pastel. Our eyes are drawn to the pointe shoes highlighted in white.
Isabella Stewart Gardner supported performing artists and this drawing likely appealed to her love of the stage. She purchased it through her friend, artist Louis Kronberg, who also took inspiration from ballet. Isabella displayed several of his drawings of ballerinas nearby.
BibliographyNotesGalerie Georges Petit. Catalogue des Tableaux, Pastels et Dessins par Edgar Degas et provenant de son atelier,... (Paris, 7-9 April 1919), p. 105, lot 125.
Durand-Ruel Galleries. Exhibition of Pastels and Drawings by Degas (1834-1917) (New York, 11-27 March 1920), p. 4, no. 66.
Philip Hendy. Catalogue of Exhibited Paintings and Drawings (Boston, 1931), pp. 126-27.
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), pp. 65-66.
Rollin van N. Hadley (ed.). Drawings: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1968), pp. 43, 45, no. 21.
Autumn Brown, "The Misattributed Ballerina: Louis Kronberg or Edgar Degas?" Inside the Collection (blog), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 15 November 2022, https://www.gardnermuseum.org/blog/misattributed-ballerina-louis-kronberg-or-edgar-degas
Durand-Ruel Galleries. Exhibition of Pastels and Drawings by Degas (1834-1917) (New York, 11-27 March 1920), p. 4, no. 66.
Philip Hendy. Catalogue of Exhibited Paintings and Drawings (Boston, 1931), pp. 126-27.
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), pp. 65-66.
Rollin van N. Hadley (ed.). Drawings: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1968), pp. 43, 45, no. 21.
Autumn Brown, "The Misattributed Ballerina: Louis Kronberg or Edgar Degas?" Inside the Collection (blog), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 15 November 2022, https://www.gardnermuseum.org/blog/misattributed-ballerina-louis-kronberg-or-edgar-degas
MarksNotesStamped (lower left): Degas
Inscribed in black chalk in Degas' hand (upper left): bras gauche mauvais, en chercher un autre [bad left arm, looking for another one]
Inscribed in black chalk in Degas' hand (upper left): bras gauche mauvais, en chercher un autre [bad left arm, looking for another one]
ProvenanceNotesEstate of the artist.
At auction by Galerie Georges Petit, Paris on 7-9 April 1919 (Third sale, Atelier Edgar Degas, lot 125).
Purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from the gallery Durand-Ruel, New York on 30 March 1920 for $500 through American artist Louis Kronberg (1872–1965).
At auction by Galerie Georges Petit, Paris on 7-9 April 1919 (Third sale, Atelier Edgar Degas, lot 125).
Purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from the gallery Durand-Ruel, New York on 30 March 1920 for $500 through American artist Louis Kronberg (1872–1965).
