Ballet at the Paris Opera by Degas
In the drawing collections of the Art Institute of Chicago there is a wonderful pastel drawing by Edgar Degas entitled "Ballet at the Paris Opera", painted in 1877.
This is a most lovely work of art, the scene depicts a group of lovely ballerinas dancing.
The drawing is rectangular, wider than it is tall so that it can accommodate the action on the stage.
The stage is filled with lovely young ballerinas performing for an audience at the evening's opera.
It was the custom in the 18th and 19th century for opera writers for the Paris Opera stage to include a ballet scene in one of the acts.
This was a strong tradition in France and so strong that the head-strong German Opera composer Richard Wagner rewrote the first of act of his opera Tannhäuser to suit the tastes of the Paris audience - to this day it is called the "Paris Version".
When you look carefully at the drawing you will see that Degas had made use of high contrast in lighting to catch the stage action, for the two girls that are up front close to the lights are illuminated and set their dresses aglow.
Contrasting this is the dark section below where the audience sits where there is no lighting.
An interesting juxtaposition in this drawing is the placement of the musicians for if you look to the right of the drawing you will see the musical instruments asserting themselves over the images on the stage! Yet the having these instruments on the side of the drawing actually enhance it because they bring you into the action of the scene and they give depth of field to the perspective.
The range of colors in this drawing are minimal since you are dealing with muted tones and an interior evening scene.
The lack of color is made up for by the wonder movement of the figures both on the stage and off.
If you look carefully you will see that many of the members of the audience are paying as much attention to the musicians as they are to the dancers.
See image.
Complimenting the tone of the work is the background to the stage set.
There is a theme of tropical palm trees and lots of foliage, almost as if you were in a jungle.
The anchor of the drawing are the two young ballerinas dead center and complimenting there stasis are the bass violins.
Stephen F.
Condren - Artist
This is a most lovely work of art, the scene depicts a group of lovely ballerinas dancing.
The drawing is rectangular, wider than it is tall so that it can accommodate the action on the stage.
The stage is filled with lovely young ballerinas performing for an audience at the evening's opera.
It was the custom in the 18th and 19th century for opera writers for the Paris Opera stage to include a ballet scene in one of the acts.
This was a strong tradition in France and so strong that the head-strong German Opera composer Richard Wagner rewrote the first of act of his opera Tannhäuser to suit the tastes of the Paris audience - to this day it is called the "Paris Version".
When you look carefully at the drawing you will see that Degas had made use of high contrast in lighting to catch the stage action, for the two girls that are up front close to the lights are illuminated and set their dresses aglow.
Contrasting this is the dark section below where the audience sits where there is no lighting.
An interesting juxtaposition in this drawing is the placement of the musicians for if you look to the right of the drawing you will see the musical instruments asserting themselves over the images on the stage! Yet the having these instruments on the side of the drawing actually enhance it because they bring you into the action of the scene and they give depth of field to the perspective.
The range of colors in this drawing are minimal since you are dealing with muted tones and an interior evening scene.
The lack of color is made up for by the wonder movement of the figures both on the stage and off.
If you look carefully you will see that many of the members of the audience are paying as much attention to the musicians as they are to the dancers.
See image.
Complimenting the tone of the work is the background to the stage set.
There is a theme of tropical palm trees and lots of foliage, almost as if you were in a jungle.
The anchor of the drawing are the two young ballerinas dead center and complimenting there stasis are the bass violins.
Stephen F.
Condren - Artist
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