Edgar Degas held a subscription to the Paris Opéra and used his access to sketch dancers rehearsing, waiting in the wings, and performing on stage, treating the theater as an ongoing study of movement, artificial light, and the working lives of young performers. "Ballet at the Paris Opéra" reflects this sustained fascination, part of the hundreds of ballet-themed works Degas produced across his career in pastel, oil, and sculpture. Rather than romanticizing the stage, Degas often emphasized the physical labor and discipline behind ballet's apparent effortlessness.
Jacquard-woven both sides in soft, durable yarn; insert included.
