EDGAR DEGAS | Groupe de quatre danseuses

Private Collection, New York
Private Collection, New York (by descent from the above)
R.M. Thune, Greenwich, Connecticut
Acquired from the above in 1996

Executed on buff-coloured wove paper, laid down on card. The upper, lower and right edges of the sheet are slightly unevenly cut. The left edge is covered by a thin strip of framer's tape. The sheet is slightly time-stained throughout with further light discolouration along the extreme edges. There is a small spot of paper loss in the upper left corner, as well as a tiny nick to the lower part of the right edge and a further nick to the left part of the upper edge, which are not visible when framed. There is a minor tear to the lower part of the left edge (approximately 2mm long). There are a few very fine flattened creases in places to the sheet, only visible upon close inspection. This work is in overall 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.

As an upper class Parisian, Degas was a member of an elite club called the abonnés, which enjoyed unfettered access to performances at the Palais Garnier. By the late 1870s and into the 1880s, he was well-known among the members of the company as he consorted with the working class women of the stage, often sketching them while they stretched or practiced in classrooms. Degas was particularly interested in capturing the preparation and tension prior to performance, and the more relaxed moments that followed. At the ballet, Degas found a world that excited both his taste for classical beauty and his eye for modern realism.

In Groupe de quatre danseuses, the impromptu moment of the girl bending down to tie her pointe shoes contrasts the stylized positions of the two figures behind her. Degas was drawn to the ballet as a form of physical expression because of its ever-changing nature; the ideal subject matter for his obsession of rendering the human body in movement from every conceivable angle and level. Broadly and rapidly executed in charcoal with the immediacy of a snapshot, this drawing encapsulates each dancer’s immersion in her individual preparation.

The authenticity of this work has been confirmed by Galerie Brame & Lorenceau.