Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement

Today I've attended the exhibition dedicated to Degas and the Ballet at the Royal Academy of Arts - It was one of the best I've been so far.

Starting from the setting: 10 beautiful rooms with a clear path to follow, going from the first drawings to the photographic experiments of the artist. Opening the door of the first room is like entering a new world, or better stepping back in Degas' world. A dark room, a leather sofa in the middle, and only four sources of lights: one for the board with the introduction and the other three showing shadows of dancers. It was surreal... and unique. A complete collection of his works were there, coming from every corner of the world - pencil drawings and studies of movements and shapes, oil on canvas, pastels and chalks on cardboard, sculptures, photos and a video.

'The Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen' (Edgar Degas, 1880-1)

I'm not really a fan of Degas' sculptures, especially of the fourteen years old dancer. Her shape makes me feel unconfortable, maybe because her shoulders and neck seem squeezed together. But I must admit that the idea of mixing materials to make it more 'real' was great: silk and muslim were used for the hair-ribbon and the tulle skirt.

Deciding which of his paintings is my favourite is hard. I like the fact that they are full of colour, I love looking at the lines and strokes, and the effect they create - Some seem to disappear under a spring rain, the colours get together, still showing the shapes, but creating a continuum. It's magic. The following are the ones I prefer.

'The Rehearsal' (Edgar Degas, 1874)

This is so balanced and complete, collecting all the key moments in a ballet room, rendering the lines created by the dancing bodies, and adding the sensational shape of that stair. It seems to spy, hiding somewhere, while everyone is busy. The colours are the ones I imagine when thinking of ballet. This is perfect to me. 

'The Red Ballet Skirts' (Edgar Degas, 1895-1901)

'The Red Ballet Skirts' was a kind of (positive) shock when I saw it in the room. After those dark colours, black and white pictures, bronze sculptures and grey pencil lines, this piece of work hit me with a violent light - And it was love! Even though the legs and feet are not well defined - and in my opinion those are the most impotant part of a dancer, being strong, powerful and graceful at the same time - the rest is warm and providing a real sense of movement.

'Three Dancers, Landscape Scenery' (Edgar Degas, 1895-98)

And this is the last, 'Three Dancers, Landscape Scenery', chosen because of the sense of calm and peace it transmits to me.

As the exhibition was dedicated to the concept of 'trapping' movement, I'd like to conclude this post with a short film by the Lumiere Brothers: 'Danse Serpentine'. It's stunning how they were able to capture every single action and to colour the dress by hand. It dates back to 1897-99 and it can still impress.