Edgar Degas

Ambroise Vollard, Paris
Count Robert de Galéa, France
Mme Jonas, Paris
Charles E. Slatkin Galleries, New York
Herbert Singer, New York (acquired from the above in 1968)
Thence by descent

Washington D.C., The Phillips Collection, Degas's Dancers at the Barre: Point and Counterpoint, 2011-12, no. 3, illustrated in color in the catalogue
Basel, Foundation Beyeler, Degas. The Late Work, 2012-13, n.n., illustrated in color in the catalogue

Paul-André Lemoisne, Edgar Degas et son oeuvre, vol. III, Paris, 1946, no. 1220, illustrated p. 709

Executed on beige colored paper, laid down on board. The sheet has sustained several tears and breaks, which have been stabilised by adhering it to the board, possibly done during the artist's lifetime. There is a one-inch mat stain around the extreme perimeter of the sheet. There is an area of paper loss to the top right corner (4 x 8 inches) and three smaller areas along the center and lower right edge where fragments of sheet have been lost and a new sheet has been professionally joined. Some creases scattered throughout, primarily toward the far outer edges, which generally do not affect the central figure. There are a few pin-dot size losses to the sheet scattered throughout the composition and along the left edge. The surface of the sheet is fairly dirty and the medium has been smudged in some places. The pigments remain fresh and vibrant and the primary contour lines are strong. Apart from these old restorations, this work is in good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

A striking example of the artist’s fascination with the female nude and the ballet, Étude de Nu pour une Danseuse á la Barre is a remarkable pastel combining two of Degas’ favorite themes. Never tiring of returning to the same subjects, the artist examined the female body in a variety of poses and angles, exploring the nuances of movement and form. Degas' lasting interest in dance developed in the 1860s; he was attracted to the spectacle and excitement of live entertainment and found in it an endless source of inspiration, sketching the performers from nature. In this manner he was able to study both the natural unguarded gestures of dancers at rest and the stylized movements of classical ballet. Degas’ obsession with depicting ballet dancers rarely focused upon the artifice of rigorously trained poses and the tableaux vivant of the stage. Instead, the briefly glimpsed moments of relaxation or exhaustion that reveal the fragility of the performer and her essential humanity captivated the artist and featured in numerous works.

For his large pastels Degas developed his complex compositions from numerous preliminary studies of isolated figures, such as this work. The dancers were often first drawn nude and subsequently "clothed" in the worked up pastels with tutus, shoes and other dancing paraphernalia. Degas preferred to capture his models in a private moment, when they appear fully absorbed in their activity, completely unaware of being observed. The sense of privacy is amplified by the artist's preferred viewpoint, depicting his subject from the back, her head gently turned towards the viewer and only partially visible. Because he was interested in depicting the human form in a variety of rituals and movements, Degas rarely concentrated on the identity of his models and often obscured their faces, as he has in the present work. In this example, he focuses on the attenuation of the muscles in the legs and the stretch through the model’s back and reaching arm, demonstrating his masterful grasp of the body in motion. The wide range of rich, vibrant tones and the beautifully balanced and proportioned treatment of the woman’s body are hallmarks of Degas' graphic work.