L'Orchestre de l'Opéra
Edgar Degas · 1868
Why it's great
A bassoon player sits in the orchestra pit, as the dancers in white tutus are cut off at the top of the picture. Degas focused on the musicians, and not the stage. The tutus glow. It's a clever and unusual composition.
Where to see it
📍 Musée d'OrsayParis, France
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Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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Edgar Degas was born in Paris to a well-to-do family and lived there almost all his life. He's linked to the Impressionists, but preferred to work indoors, painting ballet dancers, racehorses, and women at their daily routines. He loved to catch unusual angles, as if a camera had snapped the scene. In old age his eyesight failed and he turned to sculpture.
