Artwork
The Dancing Class
The Dancing Class is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Young ballerinas gather for a lesson in a Paris Opera rehearsal room, painted by Edgar Degas around 1870 on a wood panel no larger than a sheet of paper. Lacking backstage access, he had the dancers pose in his studio for this, his earliest dance-class scene. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1929.
Overview
It is sometimes known by alternative titles such as Dance Class or Rehearsal Room, and its precise dating varies slightly among scholars.
Edgar Degas's oil painting, The Dancing Class, executed around 1870, captures a rehearsal scene at the Paris Opéra. This small work on wood is recognized as one of the artist's initial forays into depicting the ballet classroom, a theme that would become central to his oeuvre. It is sometimes known by alternative titles such as Dance Class or Rehearsal Room, and its precise dating varies slightly among scholars.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a group of young ballerinas engaged in a lesson within a rehearsal space at the Paris Opéra. The central figure, identified as Joséphine Gaujelin, stands prominently among her peers. This early depiction of a dance class reveals Degas's interest in the daily routines and preparations of the dancers, moving beyond formal stage performances to explore the behind-the-scenes world of ballet.
Technique & Style
Rendered in oil on a modest wood panel, measuring approximately 7 3/4 by 10 5/8 inches, this work showcases Degas's early approach to capturing movement and form. Lacking direct access to the Opéra's backstage areas at this time, the artist relied on models posing in his studio. These sessions yielded preparatory studies that informed the composition, allowing him to construct a convincing portrayal of the dance environment.
History & Provenance
Created around 1870, The Dancing Class is considered a foundational piece in Degas's extensive series on ballet. Its precise execution date is sometimes cited as 1871 or 1872. The artwork eventually entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1929, acquired as part of the significant bequest from H. O. Havemeyer, securing its place in a prominent public institution.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
Studied in the Impressionism course 
Studied in the Edo/Japonisme course