Lecture on Degas' "The Dance Class"

Context and Historical Background

• Location: Second floor of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• Artist: Edgar Degas.
• Painting Title: "The Dance Class."
• Original Exhibition Intent: Intended for the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874, but shown two years later.

Impressionist Movement

• Innovative Exhibition: First Impressionist exhibition marked a radical shift away from the official Salon exhibitions.
  • Artists like Degas created their own exhibition spaces.
  • Venue: Used Nadar's photography studio on Boulevard des Capucines.
• Concerns: Fear of lack of fame, sales, and survival without the Salon's exposure.
• Success: Despite initial concerns, Impressionists are now well-known and their strategy proved successful.

Reception of First Exhibition

• Reviews: Mixed; some positive, some sarcastically critical.
• Nature of the Work: Seen as outrageous during the time, but now considered beautiful.

Analysis of "The Dance Class"

• Composition:
  • Central figure emerges awkwardly from the two heads of other women.
  • Faces of ballerinas are obscured, creating an unpolished effect.
• Depiction of Ballerinas:
  • Not graceful; appear ungainly and awkward.
  • A narrative is present: dancers waiting, the dance master, and a dancer in action.
• Setting:
  • A mirror suggests the presence of a window, illuminating the scene and showing urban life.
  • Reflects the urban, leisure culture.
• Characters:
  • Older women might be mothers or escorts, contrasting with the young ballerinas.
  • Ballerinas were akin to modern-day celebrities.

Modern Elements and Composition Techniques

• Narrative Style: Breaks traditional compositional and narrative rules.
  • Non-self-contained narrative; lacks clarity and is momentary.
  • Asymmetrical composition creates dynamic tension.
• Perspectives and Asymmetry:
  • Exaggerated room perspective; asymmetrical space.
  • Empty bottom right corner contrasts with the rest of the scene, similar to East Asian or Japanese art styles.

Viewer Perspective

• Intimacy and Access: Viewer has an intimate, privileged view akin to backstage access.
  • Viewer shares eye level with the dance master, suggesting an insider's perspective.
  • The subjects do not notice the viewer, enhancing the feeling of witnessing a private moment.