Russian Dancers (detail), 1899, Edgar Degas. Pastel and brush on tracing paper. Courtesy of a private collection

Degas: “Russian Dancers” and the Art of Pastel

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This installation of nineteenth-century pastels features one of Degas’s greatest late works, Russian Dancers (1899), on loan from a private collection. In an unusual departure from his depictions of ballet, Degas produced a monumental series based on the unfamiliar steps of Ukrainian folk dance. Inspired by the performances of traveling troupes he probably saw in Parisian cafés and theaters, Degas used the rich, powdery medium of pastel to capture their swirling movements and vibrant costumes. Degas: “Russian Dancers” and the Art of Pastel sets this masterpiece in context with other works in pastel and colored chalks of Parisian popular entertainments.


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