Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando
Edgar Degas · 1879
Why it's great
A circus performer hangs by her teeth from a rope high in the air, as the audience looks up from below. Degas made it after seeing her perform in Paris. The dizzying angle and the geometry of the dome are daring. It's an exciting picture.
👀 Look closer!
She hangs by her teeth from a rope. Why do you think the artist painted it from below?
Where to see it
📍 National GalleryLondon, United Kingdom
Open in Maps ↗ About this museum →Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
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.
