Where Is Dancers in Blue? See It at Musée d'Orsay

Q: Where can I see Dancers in Blue?

It's at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Edgar Degas created it around 1890, during the later period of his career when his eyesight was deteriorating. It's one of his most reproduced ballet paintings.

Q: Why did Degas paint so many dancers?

He was fascinated by movement, light, and the body in motion. The Paris Opera gave him backstage access, and he spent years observing rehearsals and performances. About half of Degas's total output relates to dance. He was interested in the physical effort behind the graceful performance.

Q: What medium is Dancers in Blue?

It's pastel on paper. Degas increasingly turned to pastels as his eyesight worsened because the medium allowed him to work with bold color and loose strokes. The blue tutus glow with layered pastel textures that oil paint couldn't easily achieve.

Q: What style is this?

It's Impressionist, though Degas preferred to call himself a Realist. The cropped composition (dancers cut off at the edge) and the unusual overhead viewpoint give it a snapshot quality. Degas was influenced by photography and Japanese prints, both of which used unexpected framing.

Q: How big is Dancers in Blue?

It measures approximately 85 cm × 75.6 cm (33.5 × 29.8 inches). Four dancers adjust their costumes backstage, bending and stretching in a casual, unposed moment. Degas often showed dancers in these private, unglamorous moments rather than on stage performing.

Edgar Degas created this Dancers in Blue around 1890 using pastel on paper. Four ballerinas cluster together, their cobalt blue tutus forming a loose semicircle against a backdrop of browns and greens. They appear to be adjusting their costumes or catching their breath backstage.

By this period Degas was losing his eyesight, yet his work remained remarkably vital. The bold colors and confident strokes show an artist adapting his technique to his limitations. The painting measures approximately 75 by 73 centimeters and belongs to the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.

Dance subjects consumed more than half of Degas's output. He observed rehearsals at the Paris Opera for years, sketching dancers warming up, resting, and performing. Unlike the glamorous stage scenes audiences expected, he preferred showing the physical labor behind ballet. Aching muscles, exhaustion, waiting. This painting sits between those extremes, capturing a quiet moment of preparation.

It's at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Edgar Degas created it around 1890, during the later period of his career when his eyesight was deteriorating. It's one of his most reproduced ballet paintings.

He was fascinated by movement, light, and the body in motion. The Paris Opera gave him backstage access, and he spent years observing rehearsals and performances. About half of Degas's total output relates to dance. He was interested in the physical effort behind the graceful performance.

It's pastel on paper. Degas increasingly turned to pastels as his eyesight worsened because the medium allowed him to work with bold color and loose strokes. The blue tutus glow with layered pastel textures that oil paint couldn't easily achieve.

It's Impressionist, though Degas preferred to call himself a Realist. The cropped composition (dancers cut off at the edge) and the unusual overhead viewpoint give it a snapshot quality. Degas was influenced by photography and Japanese prints, both of which used unexpected framing.

It measures approximately 85 cm × 75.6 cm (33.5 × 29.8 inches). Four dancers adjust their costumes backstage, bending and stretching in a casual, unposed moment. Degas often showed dancers in these private, unglamorous moments rather than on stage performing.

Dancers in Blue

Details

Where to See It

The Artist

More by Edgar Degas

Singer in Green

Madame Rene De Gas

Dancers Practicing at the Barre

Mademoiselle Malo

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About Dancers in Blue

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