The Dance Class
Edgar Degas’ The Dance Class is a classic oil painting from 1874. The piece was chosen for its complexity of color, as well as its dimension. Though it is two-dimensional, as a painting, Degas managed to use the subjects to convey depth. The texture is also interesting. The shadow, shading, and lines also add an element of expertise to the painting.
As mentioned, the painting is two-dimensional, having been conveyed on a flat surface with oil as the medium. The lines in the piece are either straight or angular. They are almost geometric, despite the presence of human bodies, or the piece being named dance class, there are few flowing lines. The shape of the dance in the foreground stands out the most based on the shape or plumage of her leotard. The mirror in the background also stands out, primarily because it is stark white, and the wall is dark gray. The hue of the painting is distinctively dark. There are more shadows, casting a greyer hue over the majority of the piece, causing the lighter portions of the painting to stand out. This causes them to be very intense.
Each girl dancing in a white leotard and skirt stand out against the dark background. There is very little space between images. A consistent flow of dancers streams from the foreground to the background, where there appears to be an audience. The only space exists near the floor and from the wall to the ceiling. Because it is dark, it goes unnoticed. The only noticed space is the white through the mirror. Because of this, there is little balance in space, though there appears to be a balance in the number of dancers to onlookers. Dominance is, of course, placed on the dancer, with a few in particular in the center. These are the focal point of the piece. The piece’s subjects are shown to scale.
Contextually, we must first consider that the piece was completed in 1874. Edgar Degas, the artist, was French. He lived between 1834 and 1917. All of these aspects are relevant to the contextual nature of the piece. For example, dance class would have been held in high regard especial in French society. One might wonder why there would be an audience sitting in on a dance class, but in France, this might not be strange at all. Also, for 1874, this could have been considered a form of entertainment, as well. While shape, form, and color have us take into account how the dancers are dressed, if we take into account how the audience and supposed instructor, a paunch man off to the right, are dressed, we can see this is an assumed high-society affair. The clothes appear to be expensive, and the women seem to be in expensive bonnets.
Moreover, dance class in 1874 would have been an expensive extracurricular activity, only afforded by the rich. It can be assumed this is ballet class, which would have made it more coveted and expensive. We are seeing a ritualistic rite of passage, likely on afforded to wealthy young girls. Adults are watching for entertainment, but also as a source of pride. The ability to do so is only reinforcement that they are the elite, while those not allowed in the room are left to struggle. It is not an innovative subject, though it does border on realism, depicting the other side of what realism was meant to convey: the rich.
