1880
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Dancers in the Wings is a 1880 ink by Edgar Degas, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows two dancers backstage, wrapped in loose fabric. One stands with her arms raised, while the other leans against a wall, half-turned away. The scene is dim, with rough textures—wooden panels, crumpled drapery, and a dark curtain framing them. Notice how the artist used shading to show fabric folds and shadows, making the dancers feel real yet sketchy. The background is almost blurred, focusing your eye on their movements. Look up etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how these techniques create this moody, detailed look.
Born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas on 19 July 1834 in Paris, Edgar Degas came from an affluent banking family with aristocratic roots and spent his childhood among the cultivated circles of the French capital.
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