The Dancing Class
Edgar Degas · 1870
Why it's great
Young ballet students in white tutus wait while a teacher leans on a cane, in a studio with a big window. Degas painted the dancers at work, rather than on the stage. Each one stretches, fiddles or waits. It's a famous look behind the scenes.
Where to see it
📍 Metropolitan Museum of ArtNew York City, United States
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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.
