Dancer looking at the sole of her right foot

Edgar Germain Hilaire Degas

One of the very few sculptures of ballet dancers known to have been cast in plaster during Degas’ lifetime, it demonstrates his ability to capture and give dignity to a fleeting moment of effort. The woman depicted here was one of Degas’ regular models, Pauline, who in an interview after his death talked about the great strain of holding this particular pose.

Edgar Germain Hilaire Degas (1834-1917), Dancer looking at the sole of her right foot, 1895-1900, ©The Samuel Courtauld Trust, The Courtauld Gallery.