Artwork
The Ballet from "Robert le Diable"
The Ballet from "Robert le Diable" is an oil painting by Edgar Degas. It dates from 1888 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The Ballet from 'Robert le Diable' is an 1888 oil painting by Edgar Degas, capturing a dynamic moment from a ballet performance, contrasting lively dancers against a dark backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a scene from the ballet 'Robert le Diable', focusing on the interplay between the energetic dancers in white costumes and the seated audience, emphasizing the performative moment.
Technique & Style
Degas employs a dark tonal background to heighten the vividness of the dancers' poses and costumes, conveying a sense of imminent movement and energy through varied, expressive bodily positions.
History & Provenance
Created in 1888, the painting is part of the collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas on 19 July 1834 in Paris, Edgar Degas came from an affluent banking family with aristocratic roots and spent his childhood among the cultivated circles of the French capital.
